Christian Passion For Prayer And Conduct Series

The Christian Passion

for Prayer and Conduct

Text: Colossians 4:1-6

Introduction.

In summer baseball, teenage boys play in what is called the “Pony League”—the next step up from “Little League”. A team of players were sitting on the bench in the dugout….getting beat 14-0.

During this long and losing game, the boys became restless and began to question Ritchie, their assistant coach, about his attractive sister. They asked things like, “How old is your sister?” and “Does she have a boyfriend?

Well, the head coach was already frustrated with them losing the game and got annoyed about what the boys were talking about. He gets the idea they don’t exactly have their minds on the game!

So, he hollered into the dugout, “Hey! When you guys are in the dugout, I want you boys to be talking baseball!”

There was complete silence in the dugout for about a minute and a half—then a voice from the end of the bench called out, “So, Ritchie, does your sister play baseball!”

Now that team may not have been motivated to win that baseball game…but they were motivated ! Their minds were dominated by one thought—Ritchie’s sister! The boys had lost their passion for the game, because it was dull and depressing. So, they turned to a passion that was a lot more exciting and which made life worth living!

Paul told the Christians at Colossae—and all Christians—we have a similar passion. When we are converted to Christ, we develop a new passion—a passion that makes life worth living! Christ is the passion that makes our lives unique and exciting….a passion the Apostle Paul tells us we must “never” lose.

Colossians 2:6

---6---“Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus, the Lord, so walk in Him.”

Colossians 3:1

---1---“Therefore, if you have been raised up with Christ, keeping seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.”

Colossians 3:15

---15---“Let the Peace of Christ rule in you hearts…”

Colossians 3:16

---16---“Let the Word of Christ richly dwell within you…”

Colossians 3:17

---17---“Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.”

Again and again, Paul tells Christians to remember our relationship with Christ, and as Christians, our passion is to serve Him.

This morning, in our series over the Book of Colossians, we come to Colossians, Chapter 4.

Colossians 4:1-6

---1---“Masters, grant to your slaves justice and fairness, knowing that you too have a Master in heaven.

---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 make 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.”

Self-Examination.

How can we tell if our relationship with Jesus is what we want it to be—and what He wants it to be?

We need to do a self-examination of who we are and what our passions are. Are we taking on Christ-like qualities as we should be following our conversion?

Colossians 3:9

---9---“…and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created Him.”

If we are putting on this “new self”, then the beauty of Jesus can be see in us.

Illustration.

A little girl was on the way home from church when she turned to her mother and said, “Mommy, the preacher’s sermon this morning confused me.”

The Mother replied, “Oh, why is that?”

The little girl said, “Well, the preacher said God is bigger than we are. Is that true?”

The Mother replied, “Yes. That’s true.”

Then the little girl said, “Well, he also said that God lives within us. Is that true?”

The Mother again replied, “Yes, that’s true too.”

“Well”, said the little girl, “If God is bigger than us….and He lives in us, wouldn’t He show through?”

Let’s think about that for a minute….God would show through, wouldn’t he? If God is bigger and He lives in us, then He IS going to show on the outside of us. He is bigger than us!

How do we make sure that happens?

How do we make sure that Jesus shows through us?

For this to happen, we have to be passionate about the things Jesus was passionate about. We Christians take on His qualities and think like He thinks.