Colossians 4:2-18
Colossians • Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 21 viewspaul has several priorities: prayer (especially for the advancement of the gospel) personal evangelism, and people
Notes
Transcript
introduction
introduction
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. Tychicus will tell you all about my activities. He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts, and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you of everything that has taken place here. Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions—if he comes to you, welcome him), and Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis. Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas. Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. And when this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea. And say to Archippus, “See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord.” I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.
title of sermon: Paul’s Priorities
let’s pray!
well, we have arrived at the final chapter of this glorious letter. i always kind of had it in my mind that once we got through this first series (colossians) then i’d really feel good. and i do! God is faithful. he never changes. he is the same yesterday, today and forever.
i think its helpful for us to focus on what Paul focuses on; to understand how he thought so that our thinking, attitudes, aims align with the Will of God.
This chapter is all about the advancement of the gospel.
the gospel is the announcment that Jesus Christ is LORD.
the gospel is the life-changing news that jesus lived a perfect life, died on the cross to atone for sin, he was buried according to the scriptures, he rose from the dead on the third day, according to the scrptures and he ascended into heaven. that’s the gospel. and of course when that news is proclaimed, it demands a response: the response is repentance and faith.
and so paul’s life was changed by the gospel. he is called by God to me a minster of this gospel, to bring the news to the gentiles, and we can see that paul is single-minded in his focus. this is what his life is all about.
and our text highlights for us three priorities: prayer, personal evangelism & people.
for paul, prayer is a priority. we know this because in nearly every one of his letters he tells his readers what he is praying for: this letter is no different. look for example at
And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.
filled with knowledge of his will. praying that they would learn to walk in a manner worthy of Christ. bearing fruit! these are wonderful prayers.
but prayer is imbedded in these verses:
Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.
Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.
I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.
the first thing he says is: be steadfast, be devoted. be persistent in your prayer!
Dan miller quote?
prayer should be a habitual thing: set a time for prayer, but also, prayer is about our relationship with God. it is communion with our Father. and if that’s true we ought never to be far from prayer. ‘breath prayers’ turning our thoughts into prayer.
Spurgeon illustration:
an american named Dr. Wayland Hoyt once visited the great charles spurgeon. he relays this story:
“I was once walking with him in the woods one day just outside London and, as we strolled under the shadow of the summer foliage, we came upon a log lying across the path. ‘Come,’ he said as naturally as one would say it if he were hungry and bread was put before him, ‘Come, let us pray’. Kneeling beside the log he lifted his soul to God in the most loving outpouring and yet reverent prayer. Then, rising from his knees he went strolling on, talking about this and that. The prayer was no parenthesis interjected. It was something that belonged as much to the habit of his mind as breathing did to the habit of his body.”
and he combines this instruction with GRATITUDE. again, not surprising, and not new: chapter 3 concludes with 3 exhortations for thanksgiving: be thankful. sing with thankfulness in your hearts; in everything you do give thanks to God the Father: more of the same. devote yourselves to prayer ‘being watchful in it with thanksgiving’
this phrase ‘being watchful’ seems to suggest the idea of the return of christ: he is coming back soon. —but in context, paul seems to be instructing believers to pay attention to their own lives. in light of the return of christ. be alert. be mindful. because christ is returning, have you put on christ? are you loving your wife, chrisitan husband? are you stripping off the things that dont belong?
so the flow of thought: persevere in prayer, pay close attention to your life, and always be thanking God for how he leads, guides, protects you and how he answers your prayers.
but in our text, paul is now asking for prayer! again this is not new: paul is ALWAYS asking for prayer:
You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.
Brothers, pray for us.
Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you,
paul is desperate for prayer and his dependence is easy to understand once we grasp what he’s asking for:
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.
i love this: he’s not starting with “god open the door to this prison cell!”
instead he wants God to open up opportunities for Christ to be known! The glory of God is first in paul’s thoughts: God, you are the one who alone is worthy of our praise. when the gospel is proclaimed you are seen to be a merciful and glorious God! your love is manifested. your grace is experienced. your infinite wisdom is put on display, so open a door for the word! i am sitting here in chains, but the word of God cannot be stopped!
for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound!
paul’s requests that they pray for him, that he would be able to make the mystery of Christ clear.
paul has used this phrase before in this letter
of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
this “mystery” can be understood in several ways—most likely what paul is referring to here is that the gentiles, (non-jews) are included in God’s plan for salvation.
paul needs help to make it clear (literally, reveal, make manifest)
the reason for this request is simply because Paul is trying to do something impossible. the gospel is not medicine that you give to sick people: the proclamation of christ crucified and risen is equivalent to going to the graveyard and telling the dry bones to get up out of their graves.
and what is so intereisting here is that prayer is not described as some sort of simple, mundane activity of JV level christians. wrong!
prayer is seen to be part of the work of the body of christ! it is essential. indispensible. ! paul in this particular moment is the mouth, but the colossian christians are the hands and feet and knees and ankles and ears.
in other words: if you are not praying, souls will not be saved.
piper: “ordains to fulfill His plans by being asked to do so by us.”
and of course we must persevere. wrestle and contend.
george muller’s prayers for 19 years-
when prayer is our priority it moves the heart of God to save souls for the glory of God.
paul’s desire for the advancment of the gospel is also contingent on personal evangelism
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.
the assumption built-in to these verses is that there WILL ALWAYS be opportunities for us to talk about Christ
Do your best to come to me soon.
Do your best to come to me soon. For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.