Last week we were introduced to our church’s
mission to know Christ, grow in Christ and show Christ to others by taking a
30,000ft view of how this mandate is articulated in the New Testament. Over the
next few weeks we are going to look at how this is accomplished. What is the
biblically-prescribed means by which this mission is carried out? The answer to
this question begins with prayer. Today we are going to take a look at one of
Paul’s many encouragements to pray in Colossians 4:2-6. Colossae was a thriving
city 100 miles east of Ephesus. Although Colossae’s population was primarily
Gentile, there was a large Jewish settlement there. Colossae’s mixed population
of Jews and Gentiles manifested itself both in the composition of the church
and in the heresy that plagued it, which contained elements of both Jewish
legalism, pagan mysticism, and early Gnosticism. After
Paul greets the church at the beginning of this letter, he
thanks them for their service and prays that the church will grow in wisdom, especially concerning what
they know about the person of Christ.
Next, Paul begins to describe Christ as the head
of the church, Redeemer, Reconciler, and Sacrifice. After
defending Christ’s unique identity, Paul delves into the implications that go
along with this sophisticated Christology. He shows how believers ought to join
Jesus’ mission over inferior movements that are connected to the flesh and this
world. Finally, toward the end of this rally cry, Paul begins to give
encouragements to the church. Three of these are presented in chapter 4 verses
2-6. All of them, interestingly enough, identify overflow out of a dynamic
prayer life and all of them work to explain how to accomplish our mission well in
a world that desperately needs him.
I. ENCOURAGEMENT #1: PRAY PURPOSEFULLY-4:2-4
As Paul draws his letter to a
close, he calls upon the church in Colossae to first devote themselves to
prayer (with consistent and constant intensity with the possible implication of
difficulty), “devote yourselves to prayer” (4:2a). It is, in fact, the same
verb used in Acts 2:42 to describe the early church’s devotion to the apostle’s
teaching, fellowship and prayer. In light of all that Paul has taught in the
beginning of his letter, Paul’s first encouragement to the church is to commit
themselves to a life of fervent prayer. Why? Because showing Christ to others
is predicated on one’s prayer life. One’s ability to demonstrate Christ to
others is in direct proportion to his/her personal prayer life.
The Colossians were instructed to
pray in a specific manner, with “alertness” or “watchfulness” and “with an
attitude of thanksgiving,” (4:2b). Although
prayer does require the individual to be awake (duh), when Paul says “keeping
alert,” he is talking about praying with an acute awareness of whatever affects
the spread of the gospel. This becomes exceedingly obvious as Paul will soon provide
specific requests. Informed prayer is likely to be more purposeful, personal,
and powerful.
Notice also that prayer is
supposed to take place in the context of thanksgiving (1 Thess. 5:17).
Thankfulness provides the proper context for good praying. No one depended on
this context of thanksgiving more than Paul whose own circumstances were often
anything but something for which to be thankful—he was writing this from a prison
cell for crying out loud! However, to ensure a proper perspective in the midst
of tribulation, Paul both modeled and urged that prayer be offered in an
attitude of thanks. This kind of prayer sees clearly the obstacles and
difficulties but recognizes that in spite of all of them, God is able to work.
The construction of these two
verses may suggest a three-fold pattern in prayer life. First, an individual prays
fervently, second, an individual watches or waits for a response, “keeping
alert in it,” and third, the individual responds with thanksgiving upon
answered prayer. The first element (fervent prayer) requires obedience, as a
believer takes on the command to pray. The second (waiting for a response) requires
faith as the believer anxiously seeks the fulfillment of the answer. The third
(thanksgiving) encourages praise and adoration to God for having answered the
prayer offered. While the world sleeps in their disbelief and ignorance, Paul
calls Christians to keep awake and devoted to regular and steady prayer. Our kingdom-building mission cannot be successful
without a strong connection to the King and this comes by a dynamic fervent
prayer life.
In repeating the word “prayer” in
verse 3, Paul emphasizes its importance, “praying at the same time for us as
well” (4:3). In the spirit of being specific in their prayer lives, Paul gives
them some specific requests of his. Listen carefully to what he asks the church
to keep in mind.
First, Paul requested that the
church in Colossae pray for an open door for the gospel, “that God will open up
to us a door for the word so that we may speak for the mystery of Christ for
which I have been imprisoned…” (4:3). Paul always looked for ways to communicate
the good news of Jesus Christ. No one had better skills to turn any situation
into an opportunity for witnessing. His success was, in part, due to the many
prayers offered on his behalf for wisdom and opportunities. You want an
opportunity to spread the gospel successfully? Pray for it! That is what Paul
did and look how God used him! Paul instructs the Colossians to pray that he
would find an open door. The apostle lived for such opportunities and realized
that God alone provided these divine appointments, often, in response to the
prayers offered.
However, what is this “mystery”
Paul wanted to share? The answer is found in Colossians 1:26-27 which says “
the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has
now been manifested to His saints, to whom God willed to make known what is the
riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you,
the hope of glory.” The substance of Paul’s message, the mystery that he longed
more than anything to disclose for people, was that by grace through faith,
anyone can have Christ in them, the hope of glory. This was the kernel of truth
that Paul hoped to share with those who were lost. This is the campaign slogan
of the mission of God!
Paul’s second request was that he
may proclaim the gospel as he should, “That I may make it clear in the way I
ought to speak” (4:4). Paul not only looked for new doors to walk through but
he also looked for ways to make the gospel understandable. He did not pray for
a specific method of spreading the gospel, but for the wisdom to know what to
say in specific situations, all while doing justice to the gospel.
In this first command given in
this passage, Paul reveals that to show Christ adequately, one must adopt a
dynamic prayer life which includes: praying for the lost, praying for opportunities
to share Christ with the lost, and praying for wisdom so that the sharing done
may be appropriate and winsome.
II. ENCOURAGEMENT #2: ACT ACCORDINGLY-4:5
Paul’s second command for the
church is to live out the truth they are
proclaiming, “conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders” (4:5a). The
Colossians were to ensure that their lives, speech, and appearance reflected
Christ in them (the hope of glory). To “conduct yourselves with wisdom” means
to follow Christ as God’s pattern for full and authentic living. Paul knew all
too well the importance of giving the world no reason to criticize the behavior
of Christians. Blameless living alongside that comes with dynamic prayer life are
two cornerstones of a good witness.
2 Corinthians 6:1-3-And working
together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the
grace of God in vain— for He says, “At the acceptable
time I listened to you, And on the day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now
is “the acceptable time,” behold, now is “the day of salvation”— giving no
cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited."
A blameless and prayerful walk
naturally affords a believer the ability to make the most of every opportunity
given to him/her to show Christ, “making the most of the opportunity” (4:5b). The
word for “making the most” insinuates that every opportunity you have to spread
the seed or water on planted ground needs to be snapped up, lest it be lost to
something or someone else.
You may say to yourself, “Well, I
have very little if any opportunities to share the gospel.” However, the very
fact that you are left on this earth and here today suggests that your
opportunities have not run out. (CONSIDER THIS: Perhaps you do not recognize
the myriad of opportunities around you or aren’t being given more explicit
opportunities because you have failed to pray for them). Time itself is an
opportunity to seize for the kingdom of God. What are you going to do with it?
Decide today to snap it up for all its worth for the glory of God. The time is
near! Jesus could return at any moment!
Matthew 24:36ff- “But of that day and hour no one knows, not
even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. For the coming of
the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days before
the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until
the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood
came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then
there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two
women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be
left. Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is
coming. But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what
time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and
would not have allowed his house to be broken into. For this reason you also
must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He
will.”
One way to be ready is to be about the mission we are called
to by praying for an opportunity to share the gospel and seizing every
opportunity to make the most of it by acting accordingly.
III. ENCOURAGEMENT #3: SPEAK SWEETLY-4:6
Paul’s final command in this
passage involves both the content of words spoken and the manner of speaking
them, “Let your speech always be with grace as though seasoned with
salt…”(4:6a). Here, two statements illustrate the nature of Christian speech.
The first is “in grace.” “In grace” may reflect an idiom used in that day for charm
or charisma. However, Paul wants it to mean more than just tactfulness.
Ultimately, Paul is trying to get the Colossians to speak with grace as those
who live in grace—i.e. to speak in a distinctly Christian way. While the world
slanders and bludgeon’s people with their sharp rhetoric of negativity,
division, and deception, a Christian’s words are to stand in contrast as a
presentation given with grace.
1 Peter 3:15-“But in your
hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone
who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”
The second way Paul describes the
speech of a believer is “with salt.” Salt was used in three different ways in the
first century. It could preserve food, sterilize food, or season food. Here
Paul is talking about the latter. Conversations are to be seasoned in such a
way that they bring life and richness. Paul knew that a lengthy and laborious
monologue is often useless in evangelism. Rather, Christians are to work at
making their witness lively and colorful while at the same time making sure
they stay true to the gospel.
This kind of speech is required
“so that” as Paul says “you will know how you should respond to each person”
(4:6c). Respond to what? If the first two commands (pray purposefully and act
accordingly) are being carried out properly in the life of a disciple, outsiders
will begin to ask Christians about their new life and its source. As these
opportunities present themselves and people are engaged, believers must respond
to each person as an individual. One technique or approach may not be suitable
to each and every person you meet. Instead, each outsider must be given special
and customized attention.
So What?
In this passage we’ve observed
the unmistakable priority of prayer and two other encouragements that flow out
of a dynamic ministry of intercession—an authentic and winsome lifestyle, and a
proper and gracious presentation of the gospel. These were Paul’s instructions
for the church in Colossae as they endeavored to show Christ to their brave new
world. We must also take on the charge in our own lives. We too must devote
ourselves to prayer in eager anticipation of an answer for those we know and
for this community. We too must strive to live blameless lives in order to
provide the kind of example that will make people stop and ask us what is
different about ourselves and make the most of every opportunity to share Jesus
Christ. Thirdly, we must speak boldly and graciously with those around communicate
the flavorful truths of God’s Word. These three commands of Paul are paramount
if we are going to adequately engage
those outside the walls of the church and show Christ to others as individuals and as a church. May we not be
caught prayerless, hesitant or unwilling to make that call, knock on that door,
or engage those around us. May we instead choose to live with intercession as
our habit, blamelessness in our character, and gentleness in our speech. Our mission
depends on it! It is crunch time! His return is near!
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