Sermon Tone Analysis

Devoted to Prayer

Dearly loved people of God,

Paul and Timothy give instructions to the Church in Colossae and the believers who read this letter over their shoulder:

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

(NIV)

What does it look like to be devoted to prayer?

What does it look like to be devoted to anything?

What picture comes to mind if I mention:

(NIV)

a devoted mother

someone devoted to his art

If you’re devoted to something, you’re willing to invest a great deal of your resources into it: time, energy.

Is that how you feel about prayer?

You don’t need to answer aloud.

You don’t need to answer aloud.

Honestly, how do you feel about praying?

Is it a joy and delight?

Is it a burden?

Does it feel unreal and unproductive?

Honestly, how do you feel about praying?

Is it a joy? a delight?

Is it a burden?

Does it feel unreal and unproductive?

This has been a ministry goal for this year.

My goal was to help you grow in your ability to pray.

What does it look like to be devoted to prayer?

What does it look like to be devoted to anything?

What ideas come to mind if I mention:

a devoted mother?

Series on the Lord’s Prayer

someone devoted to his art?

Why Pray?

Picture of grandchild on tractor with grandpa

If you’re devoted to something, you invest lots of resources of time and energy.

You pour love, effort, and passion into it.

Prayer Meetings on Sunday evening

Is that how you feel about prayer?

(No need to answer aloud)

Honestly, how do you feel about praying?

It’s hard to say someone isn’t mature in praying.

Prayer is simply talking to God the way a child talks to a parent.

But there’s a difference between someone who is comfortable talking to God and someone who doesn’t make it a habit to address the Creator and Redeemer of the Universe.

Is it a joy? a delight?

Or is it a burden?

Does it feel unreal and unproductive?

Growing in prayer is one of our ministry goals for this year.

Pray that God opens doors for the message: 1. Paul 2. Colossians

Daily prayer suggestions – added to Bible readings

Sermons on the Lord’s Prayer

Making Why Pray? available; you can still grab one.

Prayer Meetings on Sunday evening

Prayer is nothing more than talking to God: the way a child talks to a parent.

Or, in John deVries’ word-picture, being able to help grandpa do farm-work by sitting on his lap, your little hands on the steering wheel with his big strong, experienced hands.

There’s a difference between someone who is not comfortable talking to God and someone who has a habit of chatting with the Creator and Redeemer of the Universe.

I’ve heard people say that prayer is powerful.

It isn’t; not really.

Prayer is simply talking with your loving heavenly Father.

The triune God is powerful!

He responds to our prayers out of his boundless wisdom, his endless love, and his mighty power.

It might sound surprising, but when you talk to God, those thoughts, feelings, and opinions are among the factors that God Almighty considers as he works in the world and upholds it, leading people, and caring for his creation.

Because God is loving and powerful, he invites us to depend on him for everything: from our salvation and the coming of his Kingdom, to the daily food we rely on.

Praying arises out of learning to depend on God; learning that our heavenly Father is not just powerful, but also dependable.

So what should we pray about?

Paul has some guidance.

He asks the Christians in Colossae to pray for him.

Yet his requests might surprise us.

Remember the situation.

Paul is in chains – maybe prison, maybe house arrest.

Either way, he spends each day in handcuffs, limited in his movements by the chain.

He’s not a murderer nor a thief.

Paul was arrested for preaching the news of Jesus’ victory: Jesus Christ is Lord.

As he’s dictating this letter to Timothy, what prayer requests do you think Paul would have?

A fair trial?

Freedom?

Health?

Yet what does he write?

Pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.

Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.

(NIV)

(NIV)

Paul wants word of Jesus’ victory to get out!

I’m really intrigued with what Paul and Timothy encourage the Colossians to pray about.

Paul is in chains - maybe in prison, maybe under house arrest.

You would think he’d pray for a fair trial, for freedom, for health.

That’s what you’d expect, when Paul and Timothy write: “And pray for us too.”

He’s less concerned about his safety, or Timothy’s.

He’s concerned that those they encounter: guards and judges, visitors and recipients of his letters will hear the mystery of Christ explained.

Paul’s prayer request reveals his deepest longings, the passion that drives his life.

His first and foremost concern is for the gospel to be proclaimed clearly.

That’s Paul’s concern for those in Colossae as well.

Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

(NIV)

It’s an odd request, given what Paul is facing.

but here you get something of the same flavour I find in John de Vries’ book, Why Pray?, the concern first and foremost is for the mission, for the Kingdom of God, for the God’s Word to have powerful effect on those who hear it.

The concern is less for Paul and Timothy’s safety or comfort, and more for those whom they will encounter, and who will hear the gospel from them.

They are concerned in being effective Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God.

Speaking of which, that’s the main concern for the Colossians as well:

(NIV)

Why?