Sermon Tone Analysis

‘Growth is constantly highlighted in the narrative (6:7; 12:24; 9:20): numerical growth (2:41; 4:4); geographical expansion (1:8; 8:25; 9:31; 11:19-20; chapters 13-20, 27-28); growth in ethnic diversity (8:27; 10:1ff.;..).

In fact, Luke’s narrative focuses much more on mission and church-planting than on continuing church history’.[1]

[1] Loveday Alexander, ‘What patterns of church and mission are found in the Acts of the Apostles?’ in Steven Croft (ed.), Mission-shaped Questions: Defining issues for today’s Church, London: Church House Publishing, 2009, 134

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Claim - The Christian should be persistent in prayer for kingdom things, (Christ’s return; thankfulness and gospel advancement) coupled with a character that allows Christ to be proclaimed naturally and regularly.Focus - Be persistent in prayer for kingdom things and develop a character that allows Christ to be proclaimed naturally and regularly.Function - Excite us to pray persistently for kingdom things and live to evangelistically.

‘Growth is constantly highlighted in the narrative (6:7; 12:24; 9:20): numerical growth (2:41; 4:4); geographical expansion (1:8; 8:25; 9:31; 11:19-20; chapters 13-20, 27-28); growth in ethnic diversity (8:27; 10:1ff.;..).

In fact, Luke’s narrative focuses much more on mission and church-planting than on continuing church history’.[1]

[1] Loveday Alexander, ‘What patterns of church and mission are found in the Acts of the Apostles?’ in Steven Croft (ed.), Mission-shaped Questions: Defining issues for today’s Church, London: Church House Publishing, 2009, 134

PRAYLast week I started with a recap of Colossians so far.. and I’m going do that again.

Our Faith in Jesus and our love for each other spring from the hope stored in heaven for us, col 1v5We therefore live lives worth of and pleasing to Jesus, col 1 v9Becasue, in all things Jesus has supremacy, col 1v18And he has made us ‘full’ of eternal and glory filled salvation col 2v10 So now we live with our minds and hearts on things above col 3v1putting to death our old earthly habits, col 3v5and putting on the virtues of Christ, col 3v12.

We then looked at how relationships within this new life that Christ has given us will look like.

In marriage, within families and within our work places.

And as we reach the end of this book of Colossians, just before Paul gives his final greetings and personal notes about individuals, he has 3 more instructions.

4v2 seems to follow on from 3v17, with last weeks household instructions slotted in, perhaps so that Paul could return to the idea of thankfulness through prayer and to emphasise how important our public witness for Christ to end the letter.

These are very significant verses.

For they tell us when and what to pray for.They remind us of a key focus for the church.And they show us how we ought to behave, and what our priorities ought to be towards non-Christians.

SO, we’ll go through the 3 instructions,

1 - Pray - being watchful and thankful

2 - Pray - open doors

3 - (Urgent) Witness - natural and regular

So, let’s begin with

1 - Pray, being watchful and thankful

​ NIV - AnglicisedDevote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

Devoted is a good word,

Not devoted like a dog might be to his owner - devoted until someone else feeds it something better!

This is a full on, passionate and continuous or persistent devotion.

To continuously, always, steadfastly, persistently, devotedly

pray!

But what I think is interesting about this life of ‘devotion to prayer’ is the 2 principles Paul gives to govern our prayer.

Being watchful and thankful.

Or more precisely, being watchful in your prayers, with thankfulness.

So let’s address this verse.

What should we pray about, and how do we remain ‘watchful and thankful in our prayers.

The NT tells us to bring all things to God in prayer.

​ NIV - AnglicisedDo not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

That famous hymn poetically rejoices in the joy of prayer:.What a Friend we have in Jesus,   All our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry   Everything to God in prayer!

It really is a privilege to carry everything in prayer..

But here comes the perspective Paul wants us to have as we pray.

‘Being watchful and thankful.’

The NT uses the word ‘ to watch’ a lot, and it is used to mean - awake!

More than that it is used in the context of being awakened from the darkness, by which I mean sin, our old nature, and the evil of this world -

And we are awake for what is to come- with a view that calls on, and lives expectantly of the return of Jesus.You may know the story Jesus told to his disciples in

​ NIV - Anglicised“Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him.

It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes.

I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them.

Our prayers are to be calling on and expectant of the return of Jesus.

Watchful!Awake Oh church - pray, pray, pray - for Christ will come again.

This changes our prayers in several ways I think.Firstly - it builds ‘certain hope’.Secondly - it keeps us from complacency and darkness.Thirdly - it gives perspective

So a prayer we currently say might sound like this:“please Lord, I can’t cope any longer .

I’m in such emotional/or/physical/or/spiritual pain - please ease my pain”

Now a watchful version fills out the prayer.

\So our prayer now sounds like this:“Come lord Jesus, for I know all pain will go when you do.

Easy my pain now I pray, for I cannot cope much longer, but in this pain may I be ready for your appearance/ May my pain remind me that time is short and that I must warn other’s of your return who have no hope.

May my hope in you keep me awake.

Come Lord Jesus.”

A watchful prayerbuilds hope,keeps us from complacency and darknessand gives us eternal perspective

Or perhaps our prayer, “Lord please, give me this promotion at work”becomes

‘Come Lord Jesus, that the world may see your glory, test my heart so that I am awake to your light and life, see that there is no pride in me.

If it be your will, and I can give more to your gospel work, influence more with my faith, may you give me the promotion at work.

But Lord, I want to be ready for you, more than anything.’

.A watchful prayer is a glorious way to pray, in the best and worst of times.

And it leads naturally to the second perspective we are to have in prayer - thankfulness.

The Christian life is a thankful life.

Read Colossians again if you’ve missed all we have to be thankful for, past, present and future!

Jesus has died for all your sin.

Your old nature has died with him, and you now stand blameless before God almighty!

We now live with our motivation of an eternity with Jesus before us.

That ought to cause us to be thankful at all times.

It doesn’t mean smiling and being chirpy, pretending that everything in this life is wonderful.

There is no need for what I call a ‘Fixed Evangelical Grin’.

FEG for short.We should be honest with each other about life.But even in the darkest of times, our souls are to whisper a thankfulness to God.

Devoting yourself to prayer is a high calling, but it is a wonderful one too.

If you struggle to pray can I suggest a few practical ideas to get started.

Your first port of call is simply to pray the Lord’s prayer each day.

It is a model for our prayers, so as you get more and more used to it, you can expand the sections as you go.

But you will find it a refreshing, simple and encouraging way to start each day.

And it should be no suprise that it picks up this idea of being watchful.

Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be your name

Here comes a watchful focus - your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

Forgive us your sins, as we forgive those who sin against us,

Lead us not into temptaion, but deliver us from evil,

for yours in the kingdom, now and forever,

Amen,

Another suggestion is to download the app ‘PrayerMate’

helpful prompts and readings and prayers.

Fill it with your own prayer request.

Or keep a prayer note book to hand.

Ok - Paul’s next sentence.

2 - Pray - open doors

While we are to devote ourselves to prayer that is watchful and thankful, we also ought to be praying for the advancement of the gospel.

​ NIV - AnglicisedAnd 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.

There isn’t any sense in Colissionas that the Christians in Collossee are under any persectution.

There is no call to persevere under trials and persecutions.

Simply a call to exult Christ in all things.

So they perhaps reflect our situation today here in England.

And so Paul calls on them to get involved with the advancement of the Gospel where it is not so free.

And they can do that in prayer.