Paul provides an important list of reminders for the Colossians as he wraps up their epistle. We’ll examine that list today in Colossians 4:1-6.
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Colossians 4:1-6
- Paul is writing his last few words to the church at Colosse in our passage of the day
- He provides them with a list of important reminders about how they should live
- And he gives them a prayer request for himself
- There are instructions for masters
- Commands about prayer
- Mentions of our walk and our time
- And notes on communication
- Helpful for the Colossians, no doubt
- But also critical for us to examine and understand
- From Colossians 4:1-6
- Our theme is “Continue in Prayer”
- These are six eclectic verses of scripture
- It would be good to hear them in sequence before we look at them individually today…
Colossians 4:1-6
1 Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.
2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;
3 Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:
4 That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
5 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.
6 Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
- There are some familiar thoughts in this section
- Encouragements we have heard from Paul in other passages of scripture
- Communicated in very similar ways
- Let’s take a closer look…
Colossians 4:1
1 Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.
- We don’t have a parallel master and bondservant relationship in our culture
- This was a different time with different common practices
- But we still have authorities and those under authority
- Anyone who is in charge of other people can take this advice
- Treat those under your authority justly and fairly
- Justice and fairness don’t come naturally
- Injustice and unfairness are common in the world
- This should not have been the case in the church at Colosse
- It should not be the case in our church
- We have a master in heaven
- He is righteous and provides with equity
- He is quite unlike us
- All He does is just and right
- The fact that we know Him
- Know how He behaves
- And know that He has all authority should motivate us
- To follow His way
- To follow His example in our positions of authority
- Then we move on to prayer…
Colossians 4:2
2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;
- Another reading of this verse may help us…
“Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving;”
- Every Christian should have a devotion to prayer
- Earnest prayer, consistent prayer, steadfast prayer
- We should be alert to the needs of others
- Praying with a thankful heart
- Aware of God’s faithfulness and goodness
- Appealing to Him for ourselves and others
- Trusting Him fully
- This kind of watchful, thankful prayer pleases God
- It is the kind that reaches heaven
- While praying this way, Paul asks the church to remember…
Colossians 4:3-4
3 Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:
4 That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
- Some say Paul was chained to a Roman soldier when writing this book
- Whether in literal of figurative bonds for Christ, he was certainly God’s fully devoted servant
- One commentator says this about his “also in bonds” comment…
“this he adds, partly to show how dear the Gospel was to him, that he was willing to suffer, and did suffer cheerfully for the sake of it; and what an honour he esteemed it to lie in chains for it”
- Free to roam the streets or in prison, Paul requested that God open a door for him
- A door for the scriptures
- That he may be provided with opportunities to tell others of Christ
- To proclaim the gospel clearly
- Along with many other requests from Colosse
- These church members were to pray for his successful witness
- Wherever he found himself serving
- And we must pray similar prayers for missionaries and other ministers
- That God would provide them open doors to speak with clarity
- There are further instructions for the Colossians…
Colossians 4:5
5 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.
- The verse could be rephrased this way…
“Be wise in the way you act with those who are not believers. Use your time in the best way you can.”
- Wisdom comes directly from God
- The way we behave toward those outside the church should be wise
- Our attitudes and actions should be Biblical, Godly, right
- Our words should be considered, prayerfully spoken
- Keeping in mind the time is short
- Our lives, in total, are short
- Each day has but 24 hours
- Living and speaking with anything less than wisdom would be a waste
- People need Him
- They can only see Him through our testimony
- That means every action should be deliberate
- There is more about speaking (specifically) next…
Colossians 4:6
6 Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
- Words are important
- They should be chosen with care
- The scriptures should inform them
- The grace of God should show through them
- They should be sprinkled with gospel seasoning
- Our words should not be worldly
- Careless
- Corrupt
- Dishonest
- Self-serving
- Any that are cannot be called graceful or seasoned with salt
- Because men deserve answers
- Any of us who follow Christ have received many
- And we search for more in God’s word
- All that we have found should be shared
- We should be excited to share them