Colossians 4

Colossians 4:2-18

Shawn Bumpers / General

Colossians / Watchfulness; Prayer; Thanksgiving

Paul closes out his epistle to the Colossians

Introduction

Verse 1 of chapter 4 went with chapter 3, so we included it in our study last week.

He went from deep theological teaching to practical application of the theological ideas he presented.

The words that he wrote to the Colossian Christians had the power to point them to a                   , more                                and more                                Christian walk.

Last week, in chapter 3, while we studied God’s instructions for interaction in the Christian home, I pointed out that our words have a lot of impact on our families.

Like the                    on a giant ship, our tongues have immense influence over the direction of those we have authority over.

James 3:4-5 speaks about the dangers of the                                              

How is the power of the tongue illustrated in your life?

Whether spoken aloud or written on paper, words hold great power.

The power of speech is a gift from God.

It must be used                                       

In the book of James, the tongue is compared to a fire, a poisonous animal, a fountain, a fruitful tree, a bridle, and a rudder.

Perhaps, besides our brains … There is no other member of our body with so much potential.

Paul was a prisoner in Rome, but this did not stop him from bearing witness for Christ.

Three keys to this, Paul presents here:

• Watch and pray

• Walk in wisdom

• Have godly speech

Hopefully, you don’t put off praying until a more convenient time … if you are led to pray, pray … wherever you are.

We might think of                                      repairing the walls of Jerusalem.

Nehemiah 4:9 NKJV Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God, and because of them we set a watch against them day and night.

What we don’t do when we pray is turn off our minds.

Prayer is never a substitute for                                     

Mark 14:38 NKJV Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Too many Christians pray, but close their eyes to God’s open doors.

In regards to “walking in wisdom,” it is important that Christians live wisely in the world.

1 Thessalonians 4:12 NKJV that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.

It’s far better for a Christian to suffer loss or have to deny themselves than to bring the reproach unbelievers upon the LORD.

Christians should be the best people to do business with, not the worst!

In regards to “Having godly speech,” our words should always be seasoned with salt.

Our speech should not be corrupt because the Spirit of Holy God dwells in us.

A life salted with God’s grace should not                                               

Ephesians 4:29 NKJV Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.

             is a good metaphor for Christian conversation and behavior.

James 3:10–11 NKJV Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?

A thoughtless word of criticism, a questionable remark, an angry word—any of these could tear down in a minute whatever Christian testimony others have tried to build up.

V2-4

Acts 2:42 NKJV And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 NKJV pray without ceasing,

Luke 18:1 NKJV Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart,

                                                       are 2 of the greatest uses of the gift of speech.

Hebrews 4:16 NKJV Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Ephesians 3:12 NLT Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.

                   is a wonderful thing … a privilege of all Christians, … yet very neglected.

Romans 8:26–27 ESV Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

We don’t exasperate God until He capitulates to our requests; God desires to answer our prayers … and He does.

We’ve already talked about                                                                          …

Paul also brings up                                        

The faith of prayer is often evidenced by thanksgiving.

There is a great emphasis in this book on Thanksgiving … this book which Paul wrote while he was in prison for serving God faithfully.

Warren Wiersbe wrote, “The purpose of prayer is not to get man’s will done in heaven, but to get God’s will done on earth.”

Prayer, that is                      ,                         , and                          will cue us in on God’s plans and will.

V5

Ephesians 5:15–16 NKJV See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Mark 4:11 NKJV And He said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables,

Those who are on the                       are those who have not received Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Those who are on the                    are those who have received Jesus and belong to God’s family.

Jesus in Matthew 28 gave believers a commission to share the Gospel and make disciples.

There should be nothing in our lives that would compromise our testimony.

Matthew 5:16 NKJV Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

So, walking in wisdom means being wise about how we live knowing that we are                                                                                     .

Galatians 3:13 NKJV Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”),

The Greek word for redeeming here means,                                     

V6

The Gospel is communicated by the way we live.

Matthew 5:17 NKJV “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.

Yet Jesus found it necessary not only to show but to tell about the Gospel.

A vivid picture of this                                                             

Luke 6:45 ESV The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

Colossians 3:16 NKJV Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

With the grace of God in our hearts and on our lips, we will be faithful witnesses … our lives with testify and our words will glorify … and we will multiply.

Ephesians 4:29 NKJV Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.

Speech that is seasoned with salt will                      a conversation that is un-glorifying to God.

What if we thought of every word we speak as a sacrifice to God?

1 Peter 3:15 NIV84 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

V7-9

And this is another wonderful ministry of speech.

We can share our                 and our                       with others.

Paul says that Tychicus is a “beloved brother,” “faithful minister,” and “fellow servant.”

“Beloved brother” speaks to his                                                                                        , even in such a difficult situation as imprisonment.

In addition, Tychicus was a “Faithful minister.”

In other words, his love                                                                            .

One great ability of those who come along side others to help in ministry is                                        .

Paul could depend on Tychicus, Timothy, and several others to get the job done.

It is a great hindrance to ministry when someone says, “I’m here to help you” and cannot be depended on to do that.

Tychicus was also Paul’s “                                             ”

He wasn’t an Apostle like Paul was, but Paul could not have done many things without his help.

Onesimus also is a faithful and beloved brother … and Paul says, “He is one of you.”

Onesimus came from Colossae … he was a                                           

Philemon 10–11 NKJV I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains, who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me.

Paul names two ministries that he has entrusted Tychicus and Onesimus with in this instance.

Those are:

a. To encourage the Colossian Christians and

b. Inform them about Paul’s situation.

Paul wanted to Colossian Christians to know his situation so that they could pray for him.

                     ,                                  ,                                 , and                              ,                 are four important ministries of speech.

Psalm 141:3 NKJV
Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth;
Keep watch over the door of my lips.

V10-15

Paul was a great soul-winner.

He was also a great disciple-maker.

The custom of Paul’s day was to close letters with personal greetings.

Paul made great use of the letters he sent.

In them, he included                                                                                                                            , application, commendations, concerns,                               , introductions, greetings, and explanations of people’s specific purposes and ministries.

While we honor Paul as an incredible man of God … one of Jesus’ chosen Apostles, lets not forget all the very dedicated Christians who came along side Paul in ministry.

Likewise, no pastor, evangelist, or missionary                                              

1 Corinthians 3:9 NKJV For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building.

• Aristarchus is seen during the riot that took place in Ephesus as recorded in  Acts 19.

• Aristarchus also traveled with Paul and was with him during the storm that sank their ship in Acts 27 as they were headed to Rome.

• And here we see here that Aristarchus remained with Paul.

He was a                                                        who stuck by Paul through thick and thin.

Mark, in verse 10 is John Mark.

John Mark was the cousin of                         , a companion of Paul in the early years of his ministry.

2 Timothy 4:11 NKJV Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry.

Jesus-Justus, was a Jewish believer.

He is not mentioned anywhere else in scripture.

It’s not                               ,             , or                                            that commends a person as a, “Worker for the kingdom of God.”

2 Corinthians 10:18 NKJV For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends.

Don’t be frustrated or concerned if your efforts in serving God go unnoticed or seem to be small compared to what others are doing, as long as you are doing your work as unto the Lord.

Hebrews 6:10 MEV God is not unjust so as to forget your work and labor of love that you have shown for His name, in that you have ministered to the saints and continue ministering.

Epaphras was a Gentile.

He was the founder and the pastor of the church at Colossae, Laodicea, and Heirapolis.

Ephaphras’ prayer for those God had given him to teach was that they would stand “mature and full” in God’s will.

Paul says that Epaphras had great “zeal” for those whom God has entrusted under his care.

Luke was important in the early church.

He was a Gentile, but he was called by God to write the Gospel that bears his name and the book of  Acts.

Luke was a                             and he was loved by Paul.

Paul performed these great miracles of healing through the LORD, yet he kept a physician with him.

Let’s not forget that God may heal by whatever means He wishes.

There are many verses that speak of using “medical treatments” such as applying bandages (Isaiah 1:6), oil (James 5:14), oil and wine (Luke 10:34), leaves (Ezekiel 47:12), wine (1 Timothy 5:23), and salves (Jeremiah 8:22).

James 5:13 NKJV Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray.

God’s intervention in any physical difficulty should always be sought first.

The Bible says in Isaiah that His thoughts and His ways are                                                  (Isaiah 55).

Psalm 145:8–9 NKJV
The LORD is gracious and full of compassion,
Slow to anger and great in mercy.
The LORD is good to all,
And His tender mercies are over all His works.

Luke is a great example to us of the professional man who uses his skills in the service of the Lord and gives himself to go wherever God sends.

Luke is here linked with another named Demas.

2 Timothy 4:10–11 NKJV for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica—Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry.

• Mentioned with Paul here in Colossians 4.

• Called “my fellow laborer” in Philemon.

• But then, “Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world” in 2 Timothy.

Finally, we have Nymphas, probably the shortened version of Nymphodorus.

Nymphas was the owner of a house in Laodicea in which a church met.

House churches were                                            in the early stages of Christianity.

It matters very little where a church family meets as long as Jesus Christ is the center of the fellowship.

V16-18

The letters that Paul wrote were intended to be passed around from church to church.

The things that he taught were from the LORD and worthy to be passed around and studied by all.

Isaiah 55:11 NKJV

So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

Galatians 3:3 NKJV Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?

God’s Word, does not need to be changed, edited, or improved upon

God’s Word is                         

Proverbs 30:5 ESV
Every word of God proves true;
he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
6       Do not add to his words,
lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.

Notice that there is a mystery here in verse 16.

That mystery is, “The epistle from Laodicea.”

Some Christians get really hung up on what letters we may not have.

The problem is they can get very caught up in what we don’t have when they are not applying what we do have.

2 Timothy 3:16–17 NKJV All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

We don’t know what we don’t have … but we can know and be instructed from what we do have and trust that God has given us everything we need in what we have.

Finally, Paul closes out his letter with a reminder:

Ministry is not something we do for God; it is something that God does in and through us.

Ephesians 2:10 NKJV For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

We all have ministries that the Lord has given us.

What are some ministries the Lord has given you? How will you accomplish or fulfill them?

In our study of this letter we see that we have in Jesus Christ all that we can ever want or need.

Paul’s chains remind us that obedience is not always easy nor does it always appear to be immediately rewarding, but it is instead ULTIMATELY rewarded.

Colossians 3:23–24 NKJV And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.