A Summer's Walk Colossians 4:2-6

Title Slide

SLIDE 2 - The weather may not yet feel like it, but this Friday marks the start of summer. Once dried out from all of the rain, the cottage and the campgrounds await. Some of you will load up your car and travel… Others will stay local. With Julie & Emily away on the mission trip, next weekend Tyler, Erica and myself will be away. Later in August we’ll head to Ludington with Julie’s family.

SLIDE 3 - As we ease into summer, the majority of our clubs and church activities take a break except for Adult Sunday School which continues to meet. Though our pace slows down to that of a summer walk outside, the mystery of the Gospel revealed continues to be our driving force. Yet much still happens within our church family in summer. With today’s installation of office bearers, a new church council takes shape. We have the mission team active in Mexico who need our prayers. This year, we can even follow along from our homes via their Facebook updates. Son Shine Summer planning continues with the Fruitport Area Churches. as do our own plans for fall.

SLIDE 4 - As we ease into summer, we are also challenged to keep this Christ-centered focus. That wherever we head this summer or whatever attraction we take in, to remember: “We are not mere recipients of the Gospel, but its agents.” So rather than take our summer journey down two different summer paths, one busy with Gospel work and the other less so, we take the same path and walk together in Jesus Christ. There is of course summer vacation and journeys that will take you elsewhere, but our summer walk as Gospel agents always has an urgency to it. For these day-trips away or summer walks in another setting put us into contact with others.

But instead of an endurance run, for many of us the pace slows a bit to a summer walk.

The question for us is how do we remain Christ-centered? Aligned with Paul’s intentions behind the letter to the Colossians, this focus on Christ being central to our lives 24-7 has been our theme since the end of April. In his day, Paul was especially concerned for the Colossians amidst all the distractions and alternative false teachings they were exposed to. , alternatives, and false teachers who were there on the scene.

This aligns with Paul’s conclusions as he closes out the letter with his final thoughts to the Colossians. Paul didn’t want them to be merely comfortable in their salvation. Added to the church of Jesus Christ, each and every believer becomes a co-worker or co-laborer in spreading the Gospel to the world.

That’s not all that different than our own situations. We face many distractions that try to draw us away. Will other activities and enjoyments so fill our hours that God is sort of pushed out of the picture? For those hitting the road, we have lots of online tools and searches for finding a church. For those hitting the Grand Haven Beach on Sunday, there is worship on the waterfront and a host of other concerts on the bulletin board.

SLIDE 5 To think, Paul writes these words in the prime of Emperor Nero’s reign whose intention is to squash the Gospel and any mention of this Jesus. Ours is a time too where we have to resist shrinking back against the critics and those who think faith is a private walk with God that should be kept to oneself. Yet even in jail, we find not only is Paul is immersed in the Gospel mission, but he calls his co-laborers to action as well. No matter where our summer walk takes us or what resistance we face, the goal always on our mind : the mystery of Christ revealed.

With God’s blessing, this spreading of the Gospel takes place

Every believer plays a role in some way. You don’t find Paul setting limits or boundaries around particular people designated to the tasks that follow. The very way Paul engages with the Colossians - this counters any sort of negative self talk that we have very little to offer.

SLIDE 6 - Paul begins with prayer. Verse 2 - Devote yourselves to prayer… Every Christian has the opportunity for prayer. No matter where your summer walk finds you, you are never too busy to pray. Devoting yourself to prayer is not only a great way to keep yourself Christ-centered, prayer is an indispensible to spreading the Gospel.

It begins with each believer being watchful as they pray and thankful in their prayers. Numerous times, Jesus told his disciples to be watching for his return. There is also the watchfulness that comes with opportunities to connect with others. Wherever your summer walk takes you, others will be there. This watchfulness is sort of like wearing a beeper, ready at any time to draw others into prayer and pray for them. There is the watchfulness that also happens when God answers prayer — a just wait and see sort of watchfulness filled with anticipation that God will deliver.

It continues with each believer being always ever thankful. All of us have goals on self-improvement - things we want to achieve or accomplish. But the key to really being a Gospel agent and reflecting the change and difference Jesus makes in our life is thankfulness to God for all he has does - sometimes even using us. V3 makes it clear it is God who opens the doors of possibility.

But there is also a partnership in prayer - that Paul and Timothy recognize that they are in need of prayers - Verse 3 “And pray for us, too that God may open a door for our message.” Verse 4 “Pray that I may proclaim it clearly.” No Christian has what it takes all on their own. The Spirit using the Church of Jesus Christ, the spread of the Gospel is a team effort. Paul and Timothy recognize their need for prayer to be good agents of the Gospel. That’s the prayer we pray for our mission team over this next week. That’s the prayer we pray for each and every Son Shine Summer event held at the various churches in Fruitport. And I hope that no matter where the seasons’ travels take you - that is the prayer you pray for your church family and for me as well just as I pray for you. So whether near or far away this summer - keep praying for us. Follow up and keep up on our praises and prayers email updates. Make sure Lori has your cellphone for One Calls to remain aware and alert to the needs being expressed. And if an urgent prayer need arises, be sure to let us know so that we can be in prayer.

SLIDE 7 Second, Paul instructs them in Verse 5 - Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders… The City of Collosae was a trading town, so everyday merchants and travelers streamed through the city. The Colossian church members couldn’t help but come into contact with unbelievers. By their character - that contact, no matter how brief, could be used by God for great Gospel importance to open the door of an unbeliever’s heart.

The Holy Bible: New International Version. (1984). (). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. Every Christian has the opportunity for prayer. No matter where your summer walk finds you, you can pray.

With summer finally upon us, we aren’t coped up by winter’s cold anymore. Summer brings us out of our homes. Wherever God takes you this summer - from your regular routine around town to the cottage, lake, park, or vacation site - God places you into direct and indirect contact with a lot of people. Some of them are unbelievers in need of Christ. Our very character serves as witness - be thankful and demonstrate respect for others — even down to the tip that you leave on the table for someone who has waited on you — it communicates. But lose sight of our Gospel agent role, presume that the world revolves around us, critical in our reactions — it leaves doubts in the minds of other unbelievers what it means to be a Christian. Following Christ’s command to love, through your actions, you can show who you are and where your core identity lies.

In doing so, Paul overturns this idea of a just me and God sort of Christianity. He also erases away the negative self-talk that comes around witnessing - that it is for someone else to do. Because whether you realizing it or not, you are witnessing and testifying either for Christ or against Christ.

Take that issue of tipping for example — Vacations find us away from home on the weekend. And unless we have access to a kitchen, you’ll be going out to eat. Many local restaurant staff will speak to the issue that Sunday is the worst day to work because of all those Christians who go out to eat after church — the ones who complain the most and tip the least. What if instead, we were the best tippers and most appreciative of their work? Making the most of every opportunity - what stories or sharing would that open us up to? Following Christ’s command to love, through your actions, you can show who you are and where your core identity lies. That offers us obvious carryover for wherever we end up this summer to even the courtesy offered to the neighbors in our own backyard.

As Paul says, don’t view this as burden but as opportunity - V5 make the most of every opportunity. Primed by being watchful and Primed with a character of thankfulness, who knows how many lives you can touch for Christ?

Slide 8 For it’s not just actions as Gospel agents that communicate, but also our very words. That’s why Paul concludes with “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”

Let your conversations where you are this summer be gracious and attentive - showing people you truly care. Turn the conversation from how great you are to bringing out the best in others. Look for those God opening door moments - investing in the person you are engaging with.

Paul takes it a step further and says that the conversation should be seasoned with salt — he is speaking to conversations that are warm and friendly and interesting. Ones that will take you deeper. Culturally in Paul’s day, salt was not just a preservative but it was the flavor enhancer. It’s similar to the Lawry’s Seasoning Salt I sprinkle on meat to enhance it’s flavor. Rather than course, critical, or in your face - a conversation seasoned with salt is far more likely to go beyond the hello how are you - I’m fine with others.

As Paul indicates these conversations prepare us for even more conversations so that you may know how to answer everyone. Maybe just maybe - you will have opportunity to turn a one time conversation into more - leading to an invitation or maybe even an opportunity to sprinkle a dash of Christ into your conversation. It’s the most likely to happen when you invest in each other’s stories. Other times it may come years later as someone recalls something you did or said.

Slide 9 All the while - the success is dependent not on what we do but on what God does through people us. The Lord builds a house. What a rich privilege it is to be used by God to grow the Church of Jesus Christ. May God keep us from every losing sight that the goal is the mystery of Christ revealed… A new council installed, the food truck, Son Ship Summer, the fall planning taking place and more — the overarching goal under whatever umbrella of activity - revealing the mystery of Christ - Celebrating God’s Love and Sharing It With Others.