WHAT CAN I DO TO PROMOTE THE GOSPEL?
Colossians 4:2-6
This passage talks about the two spiritual disciplines that Christians have the most guilt about: prayer and witnessing. Most of us struggle to faithfully pray and witness. My purpose today is not to make you feel guiltier. My purpose is to encourage you.
I want to talk to you today about what you and I can do to promote the gospel. The answer: We can promote the gospel through our prayers, our lives, and our words.
How should I pray?
1. Pray PERSISTENTLY
“Devote yourselves to prayer” (v. 2). Paul is talking about unrelenting persistence. Persistent prayer is difficult. Paul compares it to wrestling: “He is always wrestling in prayer for you” (v. 12).
“They all joined together constantly in prayer” (Acts 1:14).
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:42).
“Be…faithful in prayer” (Rom. 12:12).
David Garland writes, “If Christians prayed with the same zeal that some people manifest to keep themselves physically fit for a longer and healthier life, they might see different results in the life and witness of their church” (p. 283).
S. D. Gordon wrote, “The greatest thing anyone can do for God and man is pray. It is not the only thing, but it is the chief things. The great people of earth are the people who pray. I do not mean those who talk about prayer; nor those who say they believe in prayer; nor yet those who can explain about prayer; but I mean those people who take time to pray” (Quiet Talks on Prayer).
An old hymns says,
And Satan trembles when he sees
The weakest saint upon his knees.
2. Pray ALERTLY
“Being watchful” (v. 2; “keeping alert” NASB). Paul is probably talking about prayer as weapon against temptation. Publicly falling into sin destroys our ability to effectively witness (example: Ted Haggard).
“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).
Example: Peter
“Then [Jesus] returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. ‘Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?’ he asked Peter. ‘Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak’” (Matt. 26:40-41). Earlier that night, Peter had said, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will” (v. 33). Peter was overconfident. He considered himself to be the most faithful follower of Christ. But Jesus told him, “I tell you the truth…this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times” (v. 34).
Some Christians may look at Ted Haggard and say, “That could never happen to me!” “If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” (1 Cor. 10:12).
Example: Demas (see v. 14)
“Do your best to come to me quickly, for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica” (2 Tim. 4:9-10a).
How many times have you heard the excuse “I don’t want to have anything to do with the church because there are so many hypocrites in it”?
3. Pray for OPPORTUNITIES
“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” (v. 3).
Be prepared for God to answer in unexpected ways. If we were in prison like Paul, we would probably ask people to pray for our freedom. But Paul requested that the Colossians pray for open doors (opportunities) to share the gospel. And God opened doors while he was in prison.
“Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly” (Phil. 1:14). “All the saints send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar’s household” (Phil. 4:22).
Also, while Paul was in prison, he was able to write Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.
We should pray that God would give us and others opportunities to share the gospel with others. (Of course, we need to take advantage of our opportunities.)
4. Pray for CLARITY
“Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should” (v. 4). Boldness is needed for clarity. There is always the temptation to water down the “bad news” side of the gospel.
The Roman’s Road to Salvation:
(1) Every person is a sinner (Romans 6:23).
(2) God’s penalty for sin is spiritual death (Romans 6:23).
(3) In His great love, God has made provision for the salvation of all (Romans 5:8).
(4) Each person must put his or her trust in God’s Son, Jesus Christ (Romans 10:9-10, 13).
How should I live?
1. Live WISELY
“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders” (v. 5). “Outsiders” are unsaved people. Don’t give credibility to the world’s stereotype of a Christian. Today many people claim that “Evangelical Christianity is as dangerous as radical Islam.”
“Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us” (1 Peter 2:12). The Greek word translated “see” refers to a careful watching, over a period of time.
Charles Chu tells the following story:
A few years ago I had a chance to become a hero, but it turned out to be an embarrassing moment. I was in China on a tour group. Our tour bus was on the way to a scenic spot with another tour bus in front of us. It was snowing, and the road was muddy.
Suddenly the bus ahead of us skidded off the road and tipped over on its side in a rice field. I quickly jumped off my tour bus, ran to the overturned bus, and jumped on top. Windows were shattered, and people inside were obviously hurt. The emergency door was facing upward, so I grabbed the handle of the emergency door and pulled. The door did not open. I kept pulling hard, but it wouldn’t budge.
By this time, others had come and were pulling people out through the windows, so I gave up on the door and joined them. After I moved away from the door, another man went over to the door. He turned the door handle, and the door opened easily.
I suddenly realized why the door did not open for me: I had been standing on the door as I tried to open it. With good intentions to save lives, I had become the biggest obstacle blocking the door of rescue.
Sometimes those who want to lead others to Christ become the biggest obstacle to their salvation. (Perfect Illustrations for Every Topic and Occasion, pp. 79-80).
Remember that people are watching you. Don’t give people an excuse to reject the gospel. When we pray, God will give us open doors. Let’s not shut them by our behavior.
2. Live with a sense of URGENCY
“Make the most of every opportunity” (v. 5). The KJV says, “redeeming the time.” In other words, “buy up the time.” It’s like taking advantage of a great bargain. (Illustration: coupon lady.)
We must capitalize on every chance and use every moment to the full. The time and opportunities are not unlimited.
Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter, in his autobiography Why Not the Best?, shares that every year his church, Plains Baptist Church, held revival meetings. In preparation for the week, the leaders of the congregation would venture into the community inviting non-churched members to the services. As a deacon, Carter always participated in this exercise. Cater would visit a few homes, read the Scriptures, have a prayer, share some religious beliefs, and then would talk about the weather and crops and depart. Carter wrote, “I was always proud enough of this effort to retain a clear conscience throughout the remainder of the year.”
One day Carter was asked to speak at a church in Preston, Georgia. The topic he was assigned was “Christian Witnessing.” As Carter sat in his study writing the speech, he decided he would make a great impression upon the audience by sharing with them how many home visits he made for God. He figured in the fourteen years he had conducted 140 visits. Carter proudly wrote the number in his script. As he sat there, he began to reflect on the 1966 governor’s election. As he campaigned for the state’s highest office, he spent sixteen to eighteen hours a day trying to reach as many voters as possible. At the conclusion of the campaign, Carter calculated that he met more than 300,000 Georgians. Sitting in his study, the truth became evident. Carter wrote in his autobiography, “The comparison struck me—300,000 visits for myself in three months and 140 visits for God in fourteen years!”
How should I speak?
1. Speak GRACIOUSLY
“Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt” (v. 6). To be “full of grace” basically means to be pleasant. Before we can make disciples, we need to make friends and build rapport. Remember that we are to be witnesses, not judges or prosecuting attorneys! Concerning Jesus, Luke 4:22 says, “All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips.” Ephesians 4:15 talks about “speaking the truth in love.”
On the other hand, we can go to the opposite extreme by trying to be so gracious that we never share the gospel with others. Some Christians have become so hypersensitive about offending non-Christians that they never present them with God’s truth clearly and directly. Many people never darken the door of a church because they have never been invited in. We are not showing compassion or love if we choose to keep meekly silent and never share the truth about Christ with those who need desperately to hear it.
2. Speak INTELLIGENTLY
“So that you may know how to answer everyone” (v. 6). We need to have their answers ready for those who challenge or are curious about their faith.
Common questions:
• How can a loving God allow evil and suffering to exist?
• Don’t miracles contradict science?
• If evolution explains life, why is God needed?
• How could a loving God torture people in hell?
• Isn’t it offensive to claim that Jesus is the only way to heaven?
• How can you be sure that you can trust the Bible?
It’s sad when people who have been Christians for years cannot give anything more than a pat answer to these kinds of questions. Howard Hendricks once said, “In the midst of a generation screaming for answers, Christians are stuttering.”
“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, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander” (1 Peter 3:15-16).
Example: Philip (Acts 8:26-40).
When the Ethiopian eunuch asked Philip what the passage from Isaiah 53 meant, the evangelist did not ask for time to go home and study and tell him that he would get back to him later. The chance would have been lost forever. He needed to give him the answer right then; and to give an answer, he needed to know what his Bible said and what it meant.
Paul Little, in his book How to Give Away Your Faith, defines witnessing as “that deep-seated conviction that the greatest favor I can do for others is to introduce them to Jesus Christ.”
WHAT CAN I DO TO PROMOTE THE GOSPEL?
Message Text: Colossians 4:2-6
Main Idea: You can promote the gospel through your prayers, your life, and your words.
How should I pray?
5. Pray ________________________ (v. 2a)
Persistent prayer is difficult. Paul compares it to wrestling (v. 12).
6. Pray ________________________ (v. 2b; see also 1 Corinthians 10:12; 1 Peter 5:8)
Examples of two who were not watchful: Peter (Matthew 26:33-34, 40-41) & Demas (v. 14; 2 Timothy 4:9-10)
7. Pray for ________________________ (v. 3)
Be prepared for God to answer in unexpected ways (see Philippians 1:12-14).
8. Pray for ________________________ (v. 4).
The Roman’s Road to Salvation:
(5) Every person is a sinner (Romans 6:23).
(6) God’s penalty for sin is spiritual death (Romans 6:23).
(7) In His great love, God has provided a way of salvation (Romans 5:8).
(8) Each person must put his or her trust in God’s Son, Jesus Christ (Romans 10:9-10, 13).
How should I live?
3. Live ________________________ (v. 5a; see also 1 Peter 2:12)
Remember that people are watching you. Don’t give people an excuse to reject the gospel.
4. Live with a sense of _________________________ (v. 5b)
“Redeeming [buying up] the time” (KJV) = Capitalize on every opportunity. The time and opportunities are not unlimited.
How should I speak?
1. Speak ________________________ (v. 6a)
“Grace” = Pleasantness. Before we can make disciples, we need to make friends and build trust. “Speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15).
2. Speak ________________________ (v. 6b; see also 1 Peter 3:15-16)
Example: Philip (Acts 8:26-40). What would have happened if Philip had not been ready?
