03.04.11 PM Sermon Christ and Christian Relationships # 4
In the Community (Col 3:22-4:6) - In the wider world 4:2-6
Paul, in our passage this evening, addresses how Christians should relate to the wider community, and he gives a number of short, abrupt commands to his readers.
The two themes which emerge from these verses concern the importance of prayer and wisdom.
1. The importance of Prayer (v2-4)
“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And 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.”
The letter to the Colossians began with Paul praying for them, but now he turns the tables and requests prayer from them, beginning by asking them to pray generally, and then narrowing his request to ask them to pray for himself and his companions and then focusing further to pray specifically for him.
Scripture teaches us that the early church prayed and that they prayed not just for needs within their own fellowship, but also for those in the wider society. They prayed for governments, for social issues and for people to come to know Christ.
Paul exhorts the Colossians to “devote yourselves to prayer” and the word he uses for prayer is the most inclusive one that he could use – in other words, they were to engage in everykind of prayer – thanksgiving, adoration, petition, intercession (request for others) and supplication (requests for yourself).
May we too be a church with a broad repertoire of prayer, and a church that is devoted to prayer.
Prayer is a vital aspect of our life as church, and our life as Christians.
Paul reminds us that there is to be a reliance upon one another’s prayers - I pray for you, you pray for me.
Here is a ministry that everyone can engage in – the old and young, the housebound, the ill – no exceptions.
Perhaps the group that find it hardest to pray is the busy – but we should never be too busy to pray.
[A busy pastor or a prayerful pastor?]
A devotion to prayer – one of the earliest descriptions of the church – “devoted to prayer” (Acts 2:42).
Hidden prayer is vital as it stands alongside visible service.
Hidden prayer makes what is upfront powerfully effective.
[Highfield BC – every activity soaked in prayer]
So what prayer does Paul ask for himself and his companions to be prayed?
To be kept safe? To be set free? To be vindicated? To receive compensation? None of the above.
He asks that he might have further opportunities to proclaim Christ, whether within prison or released, and that he might do so with a clarity that was illuminating and persuasive.
However experienced a preacher Paul may be, he still relies upon the power of God, upon powerful prayer.
He realises that through prayer Satan’s opposition needs to be overcome.
Hard hearts need softening. Doors need opening. Mysteries needed revealing. People need enabling to receive and believe.
Prayer is not an added extra to other more important ministries within the life of the church or the Christian. Rather, they are the essential fuel.
A car that has no petrol will not get you to where you’re supposed to be.
All the activity of the Christian or the Church, however well intentioned or well planned, without prayer, will be busyness and blustering and, I would say, largely ineffectual.
And Paul is making it clear that you don’t just fall into prayer - prayer isn’t just something that happens – prayer is something that needs to be worked at, wrestled with, devoted to.
Prayer requires determination and persistence. But how easily we are side-tracked from prayer.
Satan knows that without prayer we flounder.
We find it easier to chat together than to pray together.
We are more ready to spend an hour in front of the TV than in prayer.
We can play at being church or pray that we might be church. Prayer is essential for our life together.
Bishop J.C.Ryle said that he had “come to the conclusion that the great majority of professing Christians do not pray at all.”
Prayer is our greatest strength, and also our greatest weakness.
Prayer can all too often be a last resort, instead of our first point of call.
We tend to worry and then pray. Martin Luther said, “Pray and let God worry.”
Prayer is tough. It is no picnic. In scripture, prayer is pictured to be like wrestling.
Prayer is a battle, for Satan does all he can to prevent prayer. He has a prayer prevention agenda.
How are you being prevented from prayer? Tiredness? Busyness? Disorganisation? Disbelief?
Human lethargy and apathy has to be overcome.
Our times of Prayer must be ring-fenced. They are to be a priority in our lives.
We are always tempted towards prayerlessness, but Paul warns us to be watchful, to be on our guard.
Here are echoes of the garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus urged his sleepy disciples to be on their guard, to not succumb to sleep, but to keep watch.
May we not be found sleeping on guard duty – else we risk our own lives and the lives of others around us.
It is vital that we keep alert – have our eyes and ears open to know what is going on around us.
There is an enemy who wants to bring us down and bring the church down.
In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul pictures prayer as a key weapon in our armoury (Eph 6)
Clinton Arnold : “Prayer is at the heart of spiritual warfare. Prayer is so vital because it is the means of intimacy and communion with the almighty Lord. Prayer is also an expression of faith. The very act of prayer is an admission that ‘there is someone greater than I’ and that ‘I am not able’ … Part of spiritual warfare is recognition that you are not able in your own strength; you need God to hold you by the hand and fight on your behalf.”
Along with the command to be watchful, Paul also reminds the Colossians to be thankful – Prayer must be kept in perspective. There is an enemy, but Jesus has the victory.
We engage in prayer not out of fear, but with thankfulness, “with the confidence and assurance that our resources in Christ are more than equal to the potential challenge.”
Litter your prayers, punctuate your prayers with thanksgiving. (Philippians 4:6)
2. The Importance of Wisdom (v5-6)
“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.”
Our relationship with God should be characterised by prayer.
Our relationship with those outside of the church should be characterised by wisdom.
Wisdom means that we will be sensible in our actions, alert to our opportunities and gracious in our speech.
These three aspects of wise living all relate to our witness for Christ.
They govern how effective or ineffective we are in our witness in the wider world.
Paul weaves the thread of wisdom throughout his letter to the Colossians.
He begins by praying that the Colossians be filled with spiritual wisdom (1:9); he characterises his own ministry as one of teaching with wisdom (1:28); he speaks of Christ as the fulfilment of wisdom (2:3); he warns that the ‘wisdom’ of the false teachers, was a false wisdom (2:23) and he encourages Christians to teach and admonish one another with wisdom when they gather together to worship (3:16).
Paul has in mind in this passage a practical wisdom that helps one lead a life without folly, to live in a way that honours God and points to Christ – a wisdom that leads to spiritual deepening and maturity. A wisdom that brings God’s heavenly truth down to earth and lives it out in the sight of others so that they may see what is wise and godly.
In order to win people to Christ, wisdom is needed.
The early Christians lacked wisdom, and Christians today lack wisdom and live lives that point away from Christ and his ways, but may we be a people who live wisely and speak wisely and make the most of the opportunities that are afforded us.
May we use words that mean that when people test them with their ears – they understand whether the gospel is true or not – whether it is salty or not – whether it makes a real difference in ordinary life.
May our words be always full of grace – courteous not arrogant.
May they be seasoned with salt – interesting, captivating, not bland and boring.
May we know how to answer everyone – exhibiting thoughtfulness not superficiality when we reply.
Paul says in our speech be gracious, stimulating and deep.
The opportunity to witness in word and deed is here for us today – here for you each day that you are on this earth – there is no time to waste. May we therefore be a Prayerful and Wise people. Amen.