Colossians 4 - Finale
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So good to be with you, so good to have Pastor Todd back and to meet these new additions to their family and the CS Family.
This morning we will be completing our study in Paul’s letter to the Church at Colosse with Paul’s finale comments and encouragements to the church there.
Last week Pastor Jeremey shared Paul’s direction for Husband and Wives, Fathers and Mothers, Children, Employees and Employers but most importantly Paul’s command for all believers of 3:23,
23 Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men,
In the Greek, this is what is called an imperative or a command “to do” whatever you do from your inner man, “psuke” in other words from your heart. As you would for Jesus and not just for man’s eyes.
That’s a high calling! Well that sets up where we are headed this morning in Chapter 4.
Lets stand as we read;
2 Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving;
3 praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned;
4 that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak.
5 Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity.
6 Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.
So here we have Paul’s final exhortations to this fellowship. I like to think of this as you are visiting a terminally ill loved one and these may be the last things you will ever here from them.
So pay attention. Notice what he mentions first;
Devote yourselves to prayer! This again is a command. The word devote means to stick close to or attach ones self to. In this case to prayer.
We are devoted to many things, even noble things, Family and country, charitable work of all kinds, but few I fear are devoted to prayer.
If we knew the power we have in our taking requests and concerns to God we would pray more. But like most things of the spirit we must step out in faith and just do it.
Paul adds that we are to “keep alert with an attitude of thanksgiving.” The word used for “alert” here means to be watchful or to be awake. Why would you need to be alert?
You see when we have an expectation that something will happen it is easy to be alert but when we think that that we are simply saying words in the air with no assurance that anyone is listening or even cares it becomes easy to see why most Christians do not pray in an excited or alert manner.
The secret, I believe, to a powerful prayer life is persistence and a certainty that God hears us. You might ask how can I know for sure? One way is to track your prayers, keep a journal but don’t try to figure out how God will do it. Just ask in faith and let Him be God.
Jesus said;
7 “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
Do you believe it? If you do it is very powerful.
Paul adds to this that as we pray that we do it with an attitude of thanksgiving. The Greek word used here is eucharistia . Where our word eucharist come from. If you came from a Catholic or Episcopal background the Eucharist has to do with communion but in the Greek it simply means a giving thanks as an act of worship.
It is my conviction that when we go to God in prayer that we begin with Thanksgiving and Praise. Not to “butter up” God for the big request we are about to ask, no a heart of thanksgiving changes our attitude. Also it is interesting that we are promised;
3 Yet You are holy,
O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel.
Other translations read God inhabits or lives within the praises of His people Israel. Do you want to sense the presence of the Lord, learn Praise Him.
Paul continues in Verse 3,4;
3 praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned;
4 that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak.
Paul here is requesting prayer for himself but notice what he asks for. On this William Barclay write;
The Letters to Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians The Christian’s Prayer (Colossians 4:2–4)
He asks for their prayer not so much for himself as for his work. There were many things for which Paul might have asked them to pray—release from prison, a successful outcome to his coming trial, a little rest and finally peace. But he asks them to pray only that strength and opportunity may be given to him to do the work which God had sent him into the world to do. When we pray for ourselves and for others, we should ask not for release from any task, but rather for strength to complete the task which has been given us to do. Prayer should always be for power and seldom for release; for conquest, not release, must be the keynote of the Christian life.
This mental adjustment definitely changes our perspective and helps to align us with the will of God.
Notice also Paul asks them to pray for God to open doors of opportunity for him while in prison. Paul’s attitude was that God always has purpose in everything so instead of moping about Paul was looking for open doors even in prison.
Has anyone one here been in prison, don’t answer! But surely there have been times for all of us when we felt like we were in prison. Maybe right now. Your job or family situation perhaps seemed hopeless and yet when we invite God in - the boring and grating becomes an adventure.
One of the greatest realizations that I have had in the last few years is that life in Christ is meant to be an adventure. Very seldom does life work out the way you envisioned.
Finally. Paul asks for clarity in his sharing the gospel. As a teacher this is a regular prayer of mine. To speak the speak the message with clarity and power. But this is not just something for Pastors and Teachers we all are called to share the gospel. Pray that God may give you opportunity and clarity.
Now Paul moves toward his final instructions to the Colossians.
5 Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity.
6 Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.
Here Paul is focusing on our witness before the world. First, he wants us to aware that as a believer, we are representing Jesus everywhere we are, whether we want to be or not.
2 Corinthians 5:17–18 (NASB95)
17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation,
This ministry of reconciliation belongs to all believers even you and me.
On our conduct Peter writes;
11 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul.
12 Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.
People are watching you, how you live, how you respond to life pressures and disappointments. Paul’s last exhortation is to;
Colossians 4:6 (NASB95)
6 Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.
Have you considered how does what you say affect others? People are listening. When we consider salt in the ancient world it had a number of uses.
As there were no refrigerators meats & fish were salted for preservation.
Salt was and still is used to enhance the flavor of food.
So to apply what Paul means, does our speech promote life or does it add to the decay and putrification of this world. Check your words because you cannot get them back.
Next, does my speech and your speech add flavor to life. You have all heard of Basken Robins 31 Flavors. This similar but here Paul is talking about flavors like kindness, love, patience, goodness. and encouragement.
Have you noticed that BR31 flavors does not include liver or vinegar. Let us strive to not introduce the flavors of bitterness and unforgiveness.
Paul writes on this in Ephesians;
29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.
30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.
4 and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.
This is particularly convicting to me.
Paul closes this epistle with Greetings from his co laborers;
7 As to all my affairs, Tychicus, our beloved brother and faithful servant and fellow bond-servant in the Lord, will bring you information.
8 For I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts;
First, Too-he-kos, will bringing further personal information regarding Paul to the churches. he had risked his life to help Paul. He is described in a way we all would want, our beloved brother and faithful servant and fellow bond-servant in the Lord.
Next, Onesimus;
9 and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of your number. They will inform you about the whole situation here.
We know of him through the book of Philemon;
The Letters to Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians Faithful Companions (Colossians 4:7–11)
Paul’s way of mentioning him is full of lovely courtesy. Onesimus was the runaway slave who had somehow reached Rome, and Paul was sending him back to his master Philemon. But he does not call him a runaway slave; he calls him a faithful and beloved brother. When Paul had anything to say about anyone, he always said the best that he could.
And then Aristarchus, John Mark, and Justus;
10 Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you his greetings; and also Barnabas’s cousin Mark (about whom you received instructions; if he comes to you, welcome him);
11 and also Jesus who is called Justus; these are the only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are from the circumcision, and they have proved to be an encouragement to me.
The Letters to Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians Faithful Companions (Colossians 4:7–11)
There was Aristarchus. He was a Macedonian from Thessalonica (Acts 20:4). We get only fleeting glimpses of Aristarchus, but from these glimpses one thing emerges—he was clearly a good man to have around in a tight corner. He was there when the people of Ephesus rioted in the Temple of Diana, and was so much in the forefront that he was captured by the mob (Acts 19:29). He was there when Paul set sail for Rome as a prisoner (Acts 27:2). It may well be that he had actually enrolled himself as Paul’s slave in order that he might be allowed to make the last journey with him. And now he is here in Rome, Paul’s fellow prisoner. Clearly, Aristarchus was a man who was always on hand when things were at their grimmest. Whenever Paul was in trouble, Aristarchus was there. The glimpses we have are enough to indicate a really good companion.
John Mark the cousin of Barnabas familiar to us he had once quit the missionary journey and later Paul refused to take him again. This mention here is evidence that Paul had reconciled with him. He is also believed to be the boy mentioned in the Book of Mark;
51 A young man was following Him, wearing nothing but a linen sheet over his naked body; and they seized him.
52 But he pulled free of the linen sheet and escaped naked.
Next he brings greeting from Epaphras,
12 Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.
13 For I testify for him that he has a deep concern for you and for those who are in Laodicea and Hierapolis.
It is believed he was the founding pastor/overseer of the churches in the group of three towns, Hierapolis, Laodicaea and Colosse.
Next he mentions Luke and Demas;
14 Luke, the beloved physician, sends you his greetings, and also Demas.
Luke of course was companion on Paul's journeys and he writer of the Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts.
He closes with these final verses;
15 Greet the brethren who are in Laodicea and also Nympha and the church that is in her house.
16 When this letter is read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and you, for your part read my letter that is coming from Laodicea.
17 Say to Archippus, “Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.”
18 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my imprisonment. Grace be with you.
So there we have it, Paul’s Epistle to the Colossians.
Prayer.