It’s all about Jesus: Colossians 5
Scott Bayles, pastor
Blooming Grove Christian Church: 11/20/2016
For centuries—millennia even—the prevailing scientific theory was that we earthlings enjoyed center stage. On a clear summer night, a father could place his arm around his son, point to the heavens and proclaim, “The whole universe revolves around us.” But then came Nicholas Copernicus with his maps, drawing, star charts, Polish accent and pesky theories. He pointed a long finger toward the Sun and said, “Behold the center of our solar system.” People denied it for over half a century. When like-minded Galileo came along, they locked him up and kicked him out of the church. People didn’t take well to being demoted back then.
They still don’t.
What Copernicus did for the earth, God does for humanity. Tapping the collective shoulder of mankind, he points to the Son—his Son—and proclaims, “Behold the center of it all.” It’s all about Jesus.
These last few weeks we’ve been studying the book of Colossians, which is all about Jesus! And it’s not just this book; rather, life, the universe and everything revolves around Jesus! In the first chapter of Colossians, Paul describes Jesus as our creator, our commander and our connection to God the Father. In the second chapter, Paul assures us that Jesus is enough! We can find fulfillment and completeness in Jesus; in other words, if you have Jesus, you have everything! Throughout the rest of the book, Paul sketches out what the Christ-Centered life looks like. He talks about focusing on Jesus and clothing ourselves in Christ. He talks about how Jesus ought to alter our relationship with our spouse, our kids and our co-workers. Finally, as Paul brings this letter to a close he touches on three last aspects of the All-About-Jesus life.
If you have a Bible or an app on your phone, please open up to Colossians 4. We’re going to read through all of this last chapter, but we’ll do it in segments as we go.
First, Paul reminds us that the all-about-Jesus life is a life of prayer.
• PRAYER
Prayer is so important. I’m reminded of a little girl who was praying up a storm one night. She concluded, saying, “Before I finish God, please take care of mommy, take care of daddy, take care of my baby brother…and dear God, please take care of Yourself. If anything happens to You, we’re all sunk! Amen.”
Sadly, prayer has been on the decline in recent years. While a majority (55%) of Americans claim to pray at least once a day, the share of adults who seldom or never pray has increased from 18% to 23% since 2007. Even those of us who try to make prayer a priority tend to struggle. Many of us have good intentions when it comes to prayer. But we get so busy and distracted that our prayer-life falls by the wayside. For some of us prayer is a last resort, when all else fails.
But listen to what Paul says about prayer. He writes, “Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart” (Colossians 4:2 NLT). Paul urges us to be devoted to prayer. The word translated “devote” implies unrelenting persistence. It’s the opposite of “hit and miss.” The Amplified Version translates it: “Be persistent and devoted to prayer” (Colossians 4:2 AMP). Another translation says simply, “Keep praying” (GWT).
In other words, don’t bail. Don’t give up. Be consistent and committed in your prayer life. You may have dry times and days when you don’t know what to say. You may moments where it feels like your prayers aren’t reaching past the ceiling, but keep praying anyway. Jesus likewise said, “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you” (Luke 11:9 NLT).
But notice that Paul also tells us to pray “with an alert mind.” Other translations say to be “watchful.” In other words, we need to be looking for opportunities and occasions to pray—whether that means praying for our own needs, praying for someone else’s needs, praying for our church, our community, or our country. As we become more alert to the needs around us and perceptive in our prayers, Jesus will begin to transform us from prayer wimps into prayer warriors.
One more thing before we move on—notice that Paul says to pray with “a thankful heart.” Prayer is about praising God—thanking him for all He’s done and all He is. Just the word thanks lifts the spirit, doesn’t it? To say thanks is to celebrate a gift. Something. Anything. It doesn’t matter what it is. To say thanks is to cross the tracks from have-not to have-much, from grumbling to gratitude. Thanks proclaims, “I’m not disadvantaged, disabled, victimized, scandalized, forgotten, or ignored. I am blessed.” Gratitude is a dialysis of sorts. It flushes the self-pity out of our systems.
In Scripture the idea of giving thanks is not a suggestion or recommendation; it is a command. Time and again, the Bible issues commands like this one: “Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever” (Psalm 106:1 NIV). More than a hundred times, either by imperative or example, the Bible commands us to be thankful. If quantity implies gravity, God takes thanksgiving seriously.
So first Paul says that the All-About-Jesus life is a life of prayer. Secondly, he says it’s a life of proclamation.
• PROCLAMATION
In 1886, after the state of Georgia passed prohibition laws, a young man name John Pemberton invented a carbonated non-alcoholic beverage which he thought would appeal to Americans given the prohibition against alcohol. It was marketed as a “soft drink” as opposed to hard liquor and contained a mixture made from coca beans and cola beans, which inspired the name Coca-Cola. John first started selling the soft drink in pharmacies in his home town of Atlanta Georgia, but he had a much grander vision for his invention. He had a dream that within 100 years every person on the face of the earth would have tasted the soft drink he created. He didn’t quite reach his goal, but I’d still say he was pretty successful, wouldn’t you? Today it is estimated that…
• 51% of the all the people living in the world today have actually tasted Coca-Cola
• 72 % have at least seen a can or bottle of Coke
• 97%, if they haven’t seen or tasted it, have at least heard of Coca-Cola
On the other hand, only an estimated 73% of the world today has heard of Jesus Christ and I guarantee you—a whole lot fewer have actually tasted what he has to offer. I wonder how different things might be if Christians were as passionate about sharing Christ as John Pemberton was about sharing Coke—if we tried as hard as he did to put Bibles instead of bottles in the hands of people all over the world?
It’s not easy to share your faith though, is it? Maybe you’re just not an extroverted person. Neither am I. Maybe you don’t know what you’re supposed to say or how to broach the subject. And, of course, there is always the fear of rejection. What if they’re offended? What if it turns into an argument? What if I ruin an otherwise perfectly good friendship?
The Colossian Christians may probably had many of the same concerns. After urging the Colossian Christians to be devoted to prayer, Paul asks them to pray specifically for him, saying, “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” (Colossians 4:3-4 NIV).
Paul’s mind is obviously on sharing the gospel, sharing Jesus, with the world. After asking them to pray for him to have opportunities to witness, he then turns it around and reminds them that sharing Jesus is everyone’s responsibility. He writes: “Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.” (Colossians 4:5-6 NLT).
First, Paul says to be smart about it and make the most of every opportunity—that means we need to be on the lookout for opportunities to share Jesus. This really isn’t as difficult or awkward as it might sound. It’s just a matter of sparking spiritual conversations. If you’re telling some who’s new to the neighborhood where to find the best restaurants, coffee shops, etc., you could add, “I also know where there’s a great church if you’re interested.” If a friend or co-worker askes you about your weekend plans, you might tell them about the wedding you’re attending or the deer stand you’ll be sitting in on Saturday, but then tell them you’ll be going to church on Sunday.
I’m reminded of an old Peanuts cartoon. Lucy says to Charlie Brown, "I would have made a great evangelist." Charlie Brown answers, "Is that so?" She says, "Yes, I convinced that boy in front of me at school today that my religion is better than his religion." Charlie Brown asked, "Well, how did you do that?" And Lucy answers, "I hit him over the head with my lunch box."
While it may work for Lucy, that’s not the kind of outreach Paul had in mind. In fact, notice that Paul also says our conversations should be “gracious and attractive.” The older translations say, “Let your speech always be…seasoned with salt” (NKJV).
Salt enhances flavor and makes food appetizing. “Salty speech” in Paul’s day referred to witty and winsome discussion. It was the opposite of being boring, belligerent, abrasive. The point is—if you want to share Jesus with someone, you need to do it in a positive, pleasant way. No matter how much sense the message of Christ makes, we lose our effectiveness if we’re not courteous and kind.
So first, the all-about-Jesus life is a life of prayer. Furthermore, it’s a life of proclamation—openly sharing Jesus with others. And finally, it’s a life of people.
• PEOPLE
The very last section of this letter is the benediction. It’s the part you usually skip or just skim over when you’re reading your Bible. Paul is wrapping things up and he just wants to acknowledge some people: “this person sends their greetings” and “say hi to that person for me.” But I think this last little bit of Colossians helps paint a power picture and reminder that the All-About-Jesus life is best lived in community—in fellowship with God’s people. So, let’s read the remainder of this letter together.
Beginning in verse 7, Paul writes:
Tychicus will give you a full report about how I am getting along. He is a beloved brother and faithful helper who serves with me in the Lord’s work… I am also sending Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, one of your own people. He and Tychicus will tell you everything that’s happening here.
Aristarchus, who is in prison with me, sends you his greetings, and so does Mark, Barnabas’s cousin. As you were instructed before, make Mark welcome if he comes your way. Jesus (the one we call Justus) also sends his greetings. These are the only Jewish believers among my co-workers; they are working with me here for the Kingdom of God. And what a comfort they have been!
Epaphras, a member of your own fellowship and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. He always prays earnestly for you, asking God to make you strong and perfect, fully confident that you are following the whole will of God… Luke, the beloved doctor, sends his greetings, and so does Demas… After you have read this letter, pass it on to the church at Laodicea so they can read it, too. And you should read the letter I wrote to them. And say to Archippus, “Be sure to carry out the ministry the Lord gave you.”
HERE IS MY GREETING IN MY OWN HANDWRITING—PAUL. Remember my chains. May God’s grace be with you. (Colossians 4:7-18 NLT)
In these closing verses, Paul mentions nine different people by name and each one of these people played a powerful and important role in the work of Jesus and the life of Paul. Tychicus was a beloved brother and faithful helper. Onesimus—a runaway slave who converted to Christ—is now a missionary delivering Paul’s reports. Aristarchus kept Paul company in prison. Mark, who once abandoned Paul during a mission trip, is now making up for it by carrying the gospel far and wide—a real second chance success story. Justus is one of those guys working behind the scenes. He’s so humble that he changes his name from Jesus to Justus. Epaphras is a prayer warrior, constantly praying for God’s people everywhere. Luke is the resident scholar, who wrote about half of the New Testament. Demas is the sad story. We find out in 2 Timothy that Demas eventually desserts Paul “because he loved this world.” I don’t know if he ever came back to the faith, but I’ll bet you Epaphras prayed heartily that he would. Finally, Archippus was the local pastor in Colossae and Paul urged him to carry out his ministry.
That’s a long list of people and I don’t expect you to remember all of their names. But what I want you to see most importantly is that none of them could have done alone what all of them did together.
The Ripley’s Believe It Or Not highlights the story of an unusual creature, the Nanomia Cara. It is a type of jellyfish that lives in a huge cluster with other jellyfish. Some in the colony catch the food, others digest the food for the rest, others provide propulsion and still others lay eggs. They are individual organisms, but interdependent. So is the church. Everyone has something they can do to help the church fulfill its mission. We are the weaker when anyone in the church does not do his or her part. We are strongest when we all work together. God has given each one of us a mission and ministry and none of us can do alone what all of us can do together.
Conclusion
So as Paul brings this short letter to a close, he reminds the Colossians and us by extension that this All-About-Jesus life is a life of prayer, a life of proclamation, and a life of people working together.
My prayer for each of you as we bring this series to an end is that you would make Jesus the very center of your life. When everything revolves around Jesus, our whole lives come into alignment—our marriages, our homes, our work, our focus, our fight, our fashion. We find fulfillment in Jesus and he alters the course of our lives.
Invitation
If you haven’t put Jesus at the center of your life yet, I want to encourage you do so today. It’s all about Jesus and life just makes more sense when Jesus is at the center of it. If you’re ready to do that, you’re welcome to talk with me about it—you can pull me aside, call me at home or simply come forward now while we stand and sing.
