Keys to Moving Forward in Faith

English Standard Version (Chapter 4)

Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.

Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

Sermon in a Sentence

The early church prioritizes prayer, evangelism and non toxic interpersonal relationships, and if we are to move forward as the churchy, then we have to prioritize prayer, evangelism, and non toxic interpersonal relationships.

The Church….

The church, as described in Matthew 16:18 is the new covenant community of Jesus—rooted in Israel, built by Jesus, and inaugurated by the Holy Spirit. The church is the elect people of God, chosen by the Father and graciously brought into a relationship with the triune God and one another. The church is the redeemed communion of the saints, bought by the blood of Christ, including all believers throughout all ages—those on earth and those in heaven. The church is the eschatological community of the kingdom existing in the already and not yet, living out God’s eternal purpose. The church has been singing the song “I shall not be moved” while we should be moving forward. The modern church reels and rocks from scandal and people preaching an alternative gospel. The modern church measures their effectiveness by the number of people in the pew. The modern church seeks the viral moment instead of the victorious Christ. The modern church wants a social media presence while absent in the community. The modern church seeks clicks and like but lack the love of God one for another. Christianity has become toxic to where it infiltrates and infects even the best of us, to the point where church trauma is common place….the question is where is the church….

The book of Colossians is one of the four prison letters (Ephesians, Philippians, Philemon) went by Paul and Tychicus as the letter carrier. It is said that he wrote this letter about the same time as he wrote to the Ephesians. These letters sent by Paul from Caesarea, where he was imprisoned for two yeas (Acts 24:47), or Rome where he spent two years under house arrest (Acts 28:16, 30). The Prison Letters demonstrate that Paul’s ministry continued even while he was in prison. Matera believed that Paul’s “imprisonment provides him with an opportunity to preach the gospel by letter, by messenger, and by the example of his sufferings.” (Matera, 200). In Colossians, Paul sees his imprisonment as a way of fulfilling the work “to make the word of God fully know” (Col. 1:25b ESV). Paul shows that even prison should not slow the forward momentum of the gospel. Paul wrote to the church in Colossae to fortify it against false teachers who might try to impose strict rules about eating and drinking and religious festivals. Paul shows the superiority of Christ over all human philosophies and traditions. He writes of Christ’s deity (Col. 1:15) and of the reconciliation he accomplished with his blood. He explains that the right way of living in this world is to focus on heavenly rather than earthly things. God’s chosen people must leave their sinful lives behind and live in a godly way, looking to Christ as the head of the church (1:18).

Colossians 4:2-18 is a prayer of doxology and Paul’s goodby to the Colossians believers concerning their evangelistic work (4:2-6) and internal relations (4:7-17), before concluding with his benedictory doxology (4:18). Paul continues providing further instructions to fortify themselves through prayer: the mandate, mode, and the mission. Another major point Paul for the church moving forward is to walk in wisdom with “outsiders,” use your time wisely and to watch your mouth because what you say is more dangerous than what you do.

Practice the ministry of prayer: Be Devoted to Prayer (4:2-3a)

John Stott:

A Christian convert from Islam gave his frank impressions of Christian worship. “The Christian worship I saw was unclean, irreverent, arrogant, idolatrous and immoral.” He then explained: “You neither wash yourselves nor take off your shoes before entering God’s house. You gossip irreverently and never cover your heads when you pray. You put so much furniture in the place of prayer that no one can prostrate himself before God. You make pictures of Christ—something God has forbidden. And you mix women and men, making it impossible to have a pure thought life or concentrate on God.”1

Q: Do you believe in the power of prayer

Q: Does your church believe in the priority and power of prayer?

Q: Do you gather collectively to pray?

Q: How much furniture do you have in your “secret closet?”

“It is hard to pray when your “secret closet” is full of people, things, and thoughts….your secret closet creates an atmosphere to hear God.”

Paul encourages the Colossian believers to be steadfast in their prayer life. The call to “devote” themselves to prayer suggests consistency, persistence, and a strong commitment. The instruction to be “watchful” implies that their prayers should be alert and vigilant, aware of spiritual realities, and attentive to God’s work in the world and their lives. The inclusion of thankfulness emphasizes the importance of gratitude in their prayers, highlighting that their relationship with God should be rooted in appreciation for His blessings, even in difficult circumstances.

Theologically speaking, prayer is central to the Christian life. Paul highlights the importance of prayer in both personal and communal life, emphasizing persistence, alertness, and gratitude. Prayer is the foundation for strength, guidance, and opportunities to serve God’s mission. Continue steadfastly (proskarterite) is an present verb imperative that carries present and future implications. Prayer is a ministry that undergirds the forward movement of the church, and this devotion to prayer is a “gritty determination not to give up until God’s response come (Lk. 18:1-8). “A forward moving church majors in prayer and minors in programs.” Prayer meeting carries the same weight as the Sunday morning worship. Prayer prepares the individual to worship collectively. Paul here reiterates the idea that prayer powers the church for evangelism. Being watchful (gregōreō) modifies and intensifies the exhortation to pray, being vigilant in prayer and alert in our petition, ensuring that our prayer aligns with God’s eschatological plans. However, for their immediate context, persistent and vigilant prayer is an ingredient of the church’s evangelistic mission: believers must prayer that those in need of God’s salvation be converted before Christ returns. Lastly, prayer should be done with thankful expectation of God’s opening the door for the church moving forward in the mission of evangelism.

Paul asks the Colossians to pray not only for themselves but also for him and his mission. Despite being imprisoned, Paul does not ask for personal deliverance; instead, he prays for opportunities to share the Gospel. The “mystery of Christ” refers to the Gospel message, particularly the truth that salvation through Christ is available to all Jews and Gentiles. The “open door” symbolizes evangelization opportunities, showing Paul’s focus on his mission over his physical situation.

Practice the Ministry of Proclamation: Be Intentional in Evangelism (4:3b)

Peter Kuzmic said, “We must renew the credibility of the Christian mission. Missions and evangelism are not primarily a question of methodology, money, management and numbers, but rather a question of authenticity, credibility and spiritual power”

God is on a mission to glorify himself by redeeming his image bearer-bearers and renewing his good creation, restoring both to their intended shalom (peace or well-being). The church is a product and agent of this mission. As a product of God’s mission, the church is the redeemed worshiping community, the recipient of God’s gracious mission of redemption. As an agent of God’s mission, the church is to glorify God among the nations by embodying, proclaiming, and promoting the good news that God is redeeming a people for himself and bringing all things under his good rule.

Paul leaves his prayer request with the church, not for more people, buildings, or budgets. Even under house arrest, Paul desires an open door for Paul and Timothy to go forth with the gospel, the mystery of Christ. The door God opens for the church may not always lead to personal elevation, but it should lead to evangelism and lifting the Messiah. The prayer is for Paul freedom so he can continue to preach the gospel. The tension in the text is that Paul desires to preach, but he is in chains. Yes, his letters are powerful, but Paul’s desire is to preach the mystery of Christ. The church is planted among false teachers who have twisted the gospel for their own profit. Today, pulpits have become platforms to promoted their propaganda Paul’s request for clarity in proclaiming the Gospel shows his deep concern that the message of Christ is communicated effectively. Even though Paul was a seasoned missionary and teacher, he recognized the importance of divine help in presenting the Gospel in an understandable and compelling way to those who hear it. This reflects humility and a reliance on God’s guidance in sharing the truth of Christ.

Practice the application of grace and wisdom: Learn how to talk to one another (4:5-6)

The church can have the right message with the right intentions, and yet, still drive people away from the church because of the wrong delivery.

Pastor M. James

Here, Paul shifts to instruct the Colossian believers on interacting with “outsiders,” or non-believers. The call to “be wise” emphasizes the need for discernment, tact, and sensitivity in dealing with people outside the faith. The phrase “make the most of every opportunity” suggests that they should be intentional and purposeful in their interactions, seeking to represent Christ well and use every chance to share their faith through their words and actions. Christians are called to mindful of how they interact with non-believers, making the most every opportunity to represent Christ in their words and actions. This includes being prepared to graciously and wisely to questions about their faith.

Paul emphasizes the tone and content of believers’ speech. “Full of grace” means that their words should reflect kindness, love, and respect, even in challenging situations. “Seasoned with salt” indicates that their speech should be flavorful, engaging, and preserving truth, just as salt enhances flavor and preserves. The reference to knowing how to “answer everyone” implies the need for readiness to respond to inquiries about their faith in a way that is thoughtful, gracious, and effective, without hostility or argumentation.

The passage challenges believers to ensure that their conversations are both gracious and thoughtful, not only reflecting Christ’s love but also being ready to explain the hope they have in Him (cf. 1 Peter 3:15). Speech should be a tool for building relationships and opening doors for the Gospel, rather than alienating or offending.

John 3:16 ESV

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

John 14:1 ESV

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.

Romans 10:9 ESV

because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Isaiah 40:31 ESV

but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

In summary, Colossians 4:2-6 calls Christians to be prayerful, wise, and gracious in their private devotion and their public witness, emphasizing the role of prayer, clear proclamation of the Gospel, and intentionality in interactions with others.