“SPEAKING UP AND SPEAKING OUT FOR
CHRIST”
Colossians 4:2-6
August 10, 2014
INTRODUCTION: Jesus taught that the mouth
speaks out of that which fills the heart (Matthew
12:34). There is an important spiritual principle in
this truth: Speech will reflect the kind of person
one is. Because the tongue can speak so easily and
is difficult to control, a person’s speech becomes
the truest indicator of his spiritual state.
Matthew 12:37
“For by your words you will be justified, and by
your words you will be condemned.”
In an ancient story, it is said that Bios, a wise man
of ancient Greece, was sent an animal to sacrifice.
He was instructed to send back to the donor the best
and worst parts of the animal. He sent the donor the
tongue. The tongue is the best and worst of man.
James agreed with that evaluation in James 3:2-12.
The tongue is compared to a bridle and a rudder, a
fire and a poisonous animal, and a fruitful tree and a
fountain. These three pair of pictures teach us that
the tongue has the power to direct, the power to
destroy, and the power to delight. The tongue is but
a little member in our bodies, but it can accomplish
great things for good or for evil.
1 In this passage, Paul concerns himself with the
privileges of speech. You and I have some
awesome privileges.
I. SPEAKING TO THE LORD 2-3a
Prayer is the most important speech a believer
can utter. Prayer is the strength of the believer’s
fellowship with the Lord and the source of his
power against Satan and his demons.
Many believe that Paul considered “prayer” as
one of those pieces of a Christian soldier’s
armor.
Ephesians 6:18 “praying always”
“Satan trembles when he sees,
The weakest saint upon his knees.”
A. Devoted Prayer 2a
“continue in prayer” – be devoted; be
steadfast; be faithful in prayer; denotes
perseverance; to be courageously persistent;
to hold fast and not let go.
Luke 18:1, “Man ought always to pray
and not to faint.” (lose heart)
“always” – a God consciousness that relates
every experience in life to Him.
2 REMEMBER: “God’s delays are not
always God’s denials.”
REMEMBER: First, His love wants the
best for you. Second, His wisdom knows
the best for you. Third, His power gets the
best for you.
B. Dynamic Prayer 2b
“watch” – be alert; spiritual energy
“Prayer is not overcoming God’s
reluctance, it is laying hold of His
willingness.”
Speaks of a broad awareness; means the
believer should look for those things about
which they ought to be praying. We must
be alert to something in order to pray
persistently.
C. Delighted Prayer 2c
“with thanksgiving”
Philippians 4:6
“Be anxious for nothing, but in
everything, by prayer and supplication
with thanksgiving, let your requests be
made known unto God.”
We are privileged to pray to Him at all.
3 Through prayer, believers confess their
sin, offer praise to God, call on their
sympathetic High Priest, and intercede for
each other.
D. Directed Prayer 3a
“praying also for us” – Paul sought the
much needed prayer support for fellow
believers. If he felt he needed it, how
about us?
II. Sharing With The Lost 3b-4
It is apparent that after we speak to God, we
are ready to speak to man about God. Paul
moved from prayer to proclamation of the
Gospel.
A. As God Gave Opportunity 3b
“door” – in the New Testament usually
refers to an opportunity.
1 Corinthians 16:9
“For a great door, and effectual, is
opened unto me, and there are many
adversaries.”
Believers are to pray for open doors
because it is God Who opens them.
4 Revelation 3:7
“And to the angel of the church in
Philadelphia write, ‘These things says He
who is holy, He who is true, “He who has
the key of David, He who opens and no
one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”
“the mystery of Christ” – hidden through
the ages’ concealed in the Old Testament –
revealed in the New Testament. Hinted at
through type and prophecy, is now laid
open in the appearing of the Son of God.
This refers to the content of the Gospel.
Paul did not ask for prison doors to be
open but for ministry doors to be opened.
“in bonds” – he knows that prayer can
change chains from an opposition into an
opportunity.
B. As I Ought 4
“make it manifest” – speak it clear and
plain.
“as I ought” – if we know God ourselves,
it is incumbent upon us to tell others of
Him.
5 ought - refers to compulsion Paul felt to
share the gospel. Secondly, refers to the
mandate for using the God-ordained
method of presenting the gospel.
Romans 1:16
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of
Christ, for it is the power of God to
salvation for everyone who believes, for
the Jew first and also for the Greek.”
1 Corinthians 9:16
“’For if I preach the gospel, I have
nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid
upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not
preach the gospel!’”
Acts 20:21
“testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks,
repentance toward God and faith toward
our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Speak the gospel clearly, boldly, wisely and
graciously.
“Ought” – as God wanted him to.
III. SPEAKING WITH OUR LIFE 5-6
What believers are gives credibility to what
they say.
6 A. Our Walk 5
Our walk talks.
“walk in wisdom” – be careful not to say
or do anything that would make it difficult
to share the gospel.
“them that are without” - not in the
family of God.
“redeeming the time” - buying up; a
commercial term and pictures the
Christian as a faithful steward who knows
an opportunity when he sees one. Just as
the merchant (or Janet) seizes a bargain
when he finds one, so a Christian seizes
the opportunity to win a soul to Christ.
B. Our Talk 6
Consistency of life must be followed by
consistency of speech. Speaks here of
general conversation.
“with grace” – grace on your lip is
evidence of grace in your heart.
Colossians 3:16
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you
richly, in all wisdom teaching and
admonishing one another, in psalms and
7 hymns and spiritual songs singing with
grace in your hearts to the Lord.”
To speak with grace means to say what is
spiritual, wholesome, fitting, kind,
sensitive, gentle, truthful, loving, and
thoughtful.
Ephesians 4:29
“Let no corrupt communication
proceed out of your mouth, but that
which is good to the use of edifying, that
it may minister grace unto the hearers.”
“seasoned with salt” – to have an effect.
Salt can sting when rubbed into a wound.
It also prevents corruption. Believer’s
speech should act as a purifying influence.
Salt also adds flavor and charm to a
conversation.
“to answer” – how to respond.
1 Peter 3:15
“But sanctify the Lord God in your
hearts, and be ready always to give an
answer to every man that asketh you a
reason of the hope that is in you, with
meekness and fear.”
How to say the right thing at the right
time.
8 CONCLUSION: How many times in everyday
conversations, do people engage you about their
problems or challenges?
It’s amazing how often people share their
heartaches regarding their marriages, children,
finances, addictions, depression, you name it.
People are hurting and they need hope.
I want to help you turn conversations about
problems into conversations about Jesus.
We live in a broken world, surrounded by broken
lives, broken relationships, and broken systems.
This brokenness is seen in suffering, violence,
poverty, pain and death around us.
Brokenness leads us to search for a way to make life
work.
God’s Design
•
His purpose- to worship and walk with Him.
Yet, we insist on going our own way.
We all sin and distort God’s original design.
Bible calls this SIN.
Consequences- separation from God, in this life and
eternity.
9 Note: Romans 3:23 and Romans 6:23
SIN leads to BROKENNESS
Since life is not working, we begin to look for a
way out. We tend to go in many directions
Proverbs 14:12
“There is a way that seems right to a man,
But its end is the way of death.”
We need a REMEDY.
I have GOOD NEWS.
God loves us and sent Jesus.
Jesus came to rescue us.
He took our Sin and Shame
Note: John 3:16
GOSPEL
Simply hearing this Good News is not enough.
We must admit our sinful brokenness and stop
trusting in ourselves. We don’t have the power to
escape this brokenness on our own.
10 We must ask God to forgive us, turning from sin to
trust in Jesus. This is what it means to REPENT
and BELIEVE.
Ephesians 2:8-9
“For by grace you have been saved through
faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of
God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
Romans 10:9
“that if you confess with your mouth the Lord
Jesus and believe in your heart that God has
raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
When God restores our relationship to Him, we
begin to discover meaning and purpose in a broken
world. Now we can pursue God’s design in all
areas of my life.
RECEIVE and PURSUE
Philippians 2:13
“for it is God who works in you both to will and
to do for His good pleasure.”
What Should I Do?
You have heard the good news, God wants you to
respond to Him.
My Life is Broken – I recognize it’s because of my
sin. I need You.
11 I believe Christ came to live, die, and was raised
from the dead, to rescue me from my sin.
Forgive me. I turn from my selfish ways and put
my trust in You.
I know that Jesus is Lord of all, and I will follow
Him.
Romans 10:13
“’
For whoever calls on the name of the LORD
shall be saved.’”
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