Colossians 4:2-6

What is the mission of Redeemer Church? The Bible tells us what the mission is:

the church’s mission is to display the glory of God by declaring the gospel to all peoples, by gathering churches in every place, and by filling them with disciples who obey God and will praise him forever for his grace (; ; ; ; ).

The Bible tells us how the mission will go forward: through prayerful dependence, gospel proclamation, biblical discipling, and church planting (; ; ; ).

The Bible tells us what kind of missionaries we should support: biblically faithful, methodologically patient, gospel-proclaiming, church-loving missionaries (; ; ; ; ).

The Bible tells us what the end goal of missions should be: transformed individuals in biblical churches who will ultimately join a heavenly multitude praising the Lamb of God forever (; ; ).

Johnson, A., & Platt, D. (2017). Missions: how the local church goes global (pp. 28–29). Wheaton, IL: Crossway.

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Here in chapter 4, the Apostle Paul still has some very important things to say as he closes his letter to the Colossians.

Up till now, from 3:1-4:1 almost all the material has been inward-looking, focusing on relationships withing the Christian community.

Our passage, (4:2-6) looks outward, with a focus on Paul’s evangelistic work and the communities relationships with other missionaries & non-Christians.

It is not surprising that, having spoken about the word (3:16), the apostle now stresses the importance of prayer,

for word and prayer belong together: in the word - God speaks to us, in the prayer - we to him.

SO Paul says, "Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving.” ()

The word, “Devote” means to continue to do something with intense effort, despite any difficulties.

They are being called to be devoted to is because prayer is a

divinely appointed weapon against the sinister attack of the devil and his angels, the

vehicle for confession of sin, and

the instrument whereby the grateful soul pours out its spontaneous adoration

before the throne of God on high.

This is what we’re supposed to be devoted to.

This was one way those in the Colossian church could set their minds on and “seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God” ().

As an example, Paul held up Epaphras, who was “always struggling on your behalf in his prayers” ().

In view of the temptations, dangers, and needs of the Christian life,

the healthy church member heeds God’s command for constancy in prayer.

Then Paul indicates the manner in which we are to pray (in v2).

Then Paul indicates the manner in which we are to pray (in v2).

“stay alert in it”. This has the idea of being watchful and awake!

Are you alert enough to know how to pray for the needs of your own family?

Church, country, world.

Are you alert enough to know the dangers that threaten the American Church?

Are you alert enough to know the will of God?

We are to pray with intense effort.

"Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for three years I never stopped warning each one of you with tears.” ()

"Be alert, stand firm in the faith, be courageous, be strong.” ()

"So then, let us not sleep, like the rest, but let us stay awake and be self-controlled.” ()

"Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.” ()

"Be alert and strengthen what remains, which is about to die, for I have not found your works complete before my God. "Remember, then, what you have received and heard; keep it, and repent. If you are not alert, I will come like a thief, and you have no idea at what hour I will come upon you.” ()

Then, when one is deeply and humbly conscious of blessings received and promised he will express his gratitude to God.

So, Paul continues: with thanksgiving.

"Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” ()

"give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” ()

A true appreciation of the believer’s status, “dead” to the world and its powers, “alive” to God in Christ

with all one’s sins forgiven, and

destined for glory,

will inevitably produce thanksgiving.

And such an attitude of thanks will serve well as a powerful stimulus to pray.

So how might we cultivate a thankful heart?

Foundationally, thankfulness comes in a life lived in fellowship with Christ.

What Is a Healthy Church Member? Constantly

This was one way those in the Colossian church could set their minds on and “seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God” (Col. 3:1–2). As an example, Paul held up Epaphras, who was “always struggling on your behalf in his prayers” (Col. 4:12). In view of the temptations, dangers, and needs of the Christian life, the healthy church member heeds God’s command for constancy in prayer.

"So then, just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, "being rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, and overflowing with gratitude.” ()

Gratitude, or thankfulness is the over flow of being rooted and built up in Christ!

Moo, D. J. (2008). The letters to the Colossians and to Philemon (p. 321). Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Pub. Co.

As we abide in Him, as we see His power at work in us and through us, as we call upon Him for our needs and experience His provision,

our response will be thanksgiving.

Like any other trait of godly character, thankfulness is a result of the Holy Spirit’s ministry in our hearts.

He gives us a thankful spirit, but He does this through our fellowship with Christ.

But though an attitude of thankfulness is the work of the Holy Spirit, it also comes as a result of personal effort on our part.

We must cultivate the habit of always giving thanks for everything ().

One way we can do this is to expand our mealtime expression of thanks to include other blessings beyond the food before us.

Another way is to begin and end the day with a time of thanksgiving. says,

"It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praise to your name, Most High, "to declare your faithful love in the morning and your faithfulness at night,”

As we arise in the morning we can thank God for His love, which is assured to us throughout the day.

As we retire we can thank Him for specific demonstrations of His faithfulness during the day.

Bridges, J. (1983). The practice of godliness (p. 105). Colorado Springs, CO: Navpress.

Then at the same time, Paul asks for something else:

"At the same time, pray also for us that God may open a door to us for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains, "so that I may make it known as I should.” ()

We are to be devoted for praying for the evangelistic momentum and advance of the gospel!

Paul was also concerned that the prayers of the church should be mission-minded (v3-4), that they should have an evangelistic thrust.

Paul isn’t beyond the need for prayer. And in a particular request “for us that God may open a door to us for the word”.

Paul, writing from prison, did not so much want the Lord to open doors to get him out as to open up a way for the Christian message.

Sometimes the phrase ‘open door’ suggests a priceless, not-to-be-missed opportunity. Something of this sort prompted Paul to stay in Ephesus longer than he had originally intended: ‘For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries’ ().

Another dimension deserves to be considered. This is very graphic language.

The apostle is suggesting that, until God changes things, the human personality is bolted and barred against the gospel.

John Bunyan, in his book The Holy War, he portrayed man as a city under siege, with all the senses like massive gates stubbornly holding the truth at bay.

But we remember that the Lord opened Lydia’s heart (), and

He can open hearts in first-century prisons or anywhere in the cynical postmodern West.

Do you feel that, when you try to share the gospel with others, it is as though steel shutters with huge ‘no entry’ signs bar the minds of your friends?

We must pray for one another so that God would clothe our words and witness with the kind of power that will penetrate these barriers of the mind.

Paul certainly wanted prayer so that he might become an increasingly effective communicator. It was his calling to ‘speak the mystery of Christ’ (4:3)—

that is, to explain a message that is completely beyond human understanding unless God breaks into otherwise closed minds.

He needed God’s help in two important areas.

The first concerned his longing to make his message ‘known’ (4:4), or plain and obvious.

Communication that is not clear and transparent is bad communication and the message of the gospel is too important to be obscure.

A preacher who leaves people confused is a bad preacher.

Secondly, Paul wanted to speak as he ‘should’ [ought], to fulfil his calling.

For this he needed the prayers of his brothers and sisters in Christ.

In . prayer was requested for an open door, but here it is an open mouth.…

It is not enough to have an open door if there is no opening of the mouth to proclaim the word of God with openness and courage.

Paul’s request indicates that he claimed no ability to proclaim God’s Word apart from God’s power.

He was dependent on God not only to open the door for the gospel, but also for the proclamation of the message.

His request was simply that when he opens his mouth … God will fill it with the appropriate utterance.

This admission is very winning.

Far from presenting himself as a man of steel, impervious to the difficulties experienced by ordinary mortals, Paul needed help.

Every preacher and evangelist does.

Mr Spurgeon once said that the reason why his ministry was one long, sustained harvest of souls was that ‘My people pray for me’.

The pastor who can say what Spurgeon said is a happy man.

We should pray for our leaders’ boldness, clarity, and consistency with the gospel message, and opportunity for them to proclaim Christ.

Healthy church members are devoted to prayer on behalf of their leaders.

They heed Jesus’ exhortation to pray and not give up (), and they do that on behalf of their shepherds.

I read of one local church, where a faithful band of members meets every Tuesday night for the purpose of praying for leadership.

Weekly they solicit prayer requests and updates on previous requests.

When they meet, they lift up all kinds of prayers for the personal, public, and ministry lives of the elders.

They go on to speak about what great fruit God has produced in their church body through their prayers.

Of course, all believers are involved in telling others the good news.

Not one of us is so competent and effective that we can do without the prayers of our brothers and sisters.

Oh we need to pray for one another.

"Act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. "Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person.” ()

Paul’s logic in these verses cannot be faulted.

If we want to speak to others about God and His message of reconciling love, our efforts will carry little weight unless we first speak to God about them.

It is not enough to have an open door if there is no opening of the mouth to proclaim the word of God with openness and courage.

1. The plight of those to whom we are speaking

Paul’s request indicates that he claimed no ability to proclaim God’s Word apart from God’s power.

The apostle’s description of those who are not yet Christians is heartbreaking.

They are ‘outsiders’ (4:5). This is both heartbreaking and desperately sad.

Most of us have at least some experience of what it feels like to be an outsider, to be left out of the charmed circle of those who matter.

Arthur, J. P. (2007). Christ All-Sufficient: Colossians and Philemon Simply Explained (p. 196). Darlington, England: Evangelical Press.

There is a terrible irony at work here. In this life, many people find Christians embarrassing and exclude them from their friendships,

yet they themselves are on the outside of the only society that truly matters.

He was dependent on God not only to open the door for the gospel, but also for the proclamation of the message.

And they exclude themselves.

They have repeatedly spurned the invitation that Christ extends to attend His great banquet: ‘Come, for all things are now ready’ ().

His request was simply that when he opens his mouth … God will fill it with the appropriate utterance.

There was a welcome for them, but they wanted none of it and dressed their refusal up in flimsy excuses.

And many of those who are on the outside now will be on the outside for ever, consigned to the darkness outside.

"For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have more than enough. But from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. "And throw this good-for-nothing servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’” ()

The phrase ‘outer darkness’ is enough to make anyone tremble.

What a picture of eternity!

On the inside, there is light and warmth, joy and acceptance; all because of the Person and work of Jesus.

while outside there is misery that cannot be mended and loss that cannot be retrieved.

Surely, then, if we know anything of Paul’s outlook, we want outsiders to become insiders.

Indeed, I have something to say to everyone hearing this message who is not yet a decided follower of Jesus.

Sooner than let your alienation from God become permanent, I plead with you, come inside,

Arthur, J. P. (2007). Christ All-Sufficient: Colossians and Philemon Simply Explained (p. 196). Darlington, England: Evangelical Press.

where there is acceptance with God and the forgiveness of Jesus.

Why stay on the outside a moment longer?

2. The kind of life that gives credibility to our words

And surely those of us who are Christians want to share the gospel effectively?

In that case, our first great need is personal credibility.

This is what Paul had in mind when he urged his readers to ‘act wisely’ (4:5).

This is a plea for believers to live integrated, wholesome Christian lives that do not detract from our message.

3. A sense of urgency

If we are to be like Paul, we will also have a sense of urgency.

‘making the most of the time.’ (4:5) means that we become aware that time is in short supply.

Moments fly;

windows of opportunity close, and

unless we seize the day, the possibility of saying something that will count for eternity will soon have passed us by.

Unfortunately, that sense of urgency has faded. Too often we have frittered away opportunities.

The world has been multiplying while the church has been making “additions”—indeed, sometimes “subtractions.”

Some members in churches that are experiencing a dwindling membership may wonder where all the people are and worry about the decline.

But it does not seem to bother them enough to do anything about it.

They have no sense that it requires immediate action and no compulsion to reach out to unbelievers.

4. The way in which we speak to others

"Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person.” ()

When we do speak to others, our conversation is to be both gracious and salty (4:6).

Consider for a moment what would happen if our language was the opposite, if it was ungracious and life-less.

Communicate a message of love in scolding or superior tones, and people will feel resentful on the one hand and patronized on the other.

3. A sense of urgency

If we are to be like Paul, we will also have a sense of urgency. ‘Redeeming the time’ (4:5) means that we become aware that time is in short supply. Moments fly; windows of opportunity close, and unless we seize the day, the possibility of saying something that will count for eternity will soon have passed us by.

4. The way in which we speak to others

When we do speak to others, our conversation is to be both gracious and salty (4:6). Consider for a moment what would happen if our language was the opposite, if it was ungracious and insipid. Communicate a message of love in scolding or superior tones, and people will feel resentful on the one hand and patronized on the other.

Arthur, J. P. (2007). Christ All-Sufficient: Colossians and Philemon Simply Explained (pp. 198–199). Darlington, England: Evangelical Press.

Arthur, J. P. (2007). Christ All-Sufficient: Colossians and Philemon Simply Explained (pp. 198–199). Darlington, England: Evangelical Press.

The experience of grace should make us gracious. Christians must leaven a bold, uncompromising witness with civility, gentleness, kindness.

What if we spoke to others with generous doses of the virtues from 3:12-17,

The world has been multiplying while the church has been making “additions”—indeed, sometimes “subtractions.”

Some members in churches that are experiencing a dwindling membership may wonder where all the people are and worry about the decline.

compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, love, wisdom, and thanksgiving.

But it does not seem to bother them enough to do anything about it.

On the other hand, we can go to the opposite extreme by trying to be so gracious that we never share the gospel with others.

This is no less problematic.

Some Christians have become so hypersensitive about offending non-Christians that they never present them with their vision of God’s truth clearly and directly.

Gracious speech, “seasoned with salt”. Some people think that obedience is tedious, boring, or dull and many believers seem to live in a way that confirms this:

They have no sense that it requires immediate action and no compulsion to reach out to unbelievers.

Their lives are tedious, boring, and dull, seasoned with nothing.

A wearisome, dreary, lackluster, and lifeless presentation of the gospel has done great harm!

Flat formulas and lifeless platitudes to not capture the excitement of the gospel!

The danger of the other side is that we can go overboard in trying to be entertaining.

Lively presentations can be as hollow as fine sounding arguments.

Garland, D. E. (1998). Colossians and Philemon (p. 286). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.