I trust you've been encouraged and challenged as we've been making our way through the book of Colossians together.
! The number of times where thankfulness and prayer kind of come together.
! Well, they're going to come together again for us this morning as we begin to study Colossians chapter 4, beginning in verse 2.
It says, continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.
Again, thanks and prayer coming together.
Last month we kind of celebrated a month of prayer.
This month we're kind of carrying out a month of thanks, kind of devoting attention to thanksgiving.
And part of thanksgiving has been our harvest offering that we want to continue to encourage you to contribute towards.
We're asking for about $40,000 for the sake of several of our missionaries.
And kind of strategic initiatives that will help them to be more effective in the ministry that they're a part of.
You can see that in your harvest offering brochure.
But things like coming alongside some missionaries who are a part of teaching and training pastors and Christian leaders.
Those who are doing church planting, a chance for us to kind of work on or think about ministry here at home with a soccer camp.
And also with the bus stop across the way.
And maybe being able to help provide a kind of an enclosure, a shelter for people who are using the bus stop.
Just a way for us to neighbor in a very tangible way.
But each time along this week we want to present you with a missionary.
And this morning we're going to let you see and listen from the Bells who are serving our church.
Hi, hello, Maranatha.
We are the Bells and we're coming to you from Cape Town, South Africa.
Yeah, we just wanted to share a few testimonies of the Lord's faithfulness in our ministry over here.
And yeah, many of you know that ministry can be really hard and full of unknowns and surprises.
And so it's important to just reflect on the positive things and the way that the Lord has worked.
Yeah, we're grateful to serve a faithful, constant God.
And we have just continued to see those testimonies of a steadfast love and faithfulness to us.
The church is growing.
In fact, this Sunday we're bringing in another 10 members.
And so we're grateful to see all of that.
And also being able to invest all year in developing further leaders.
Helping to fill roles that we're currently filling as we hope to launch out in the next year or so from that church to plant.
And in that vein, our home Bible study is one of those things that's been growing tremendously.
And we've had a good influx of folks from our community that have invested themselves in there.
We've gotten to know them and they've gone on and gotten involved in the church.
And so we're excited to see what the Lord's going to do in all these things.
But also in the last year, some other additional testimonies of his faithfulness is being able to open new doors for us.
And being able to proclaim the gospel in new places from the campus of the University of the Western Cape to further opportunities to minister among Muslims.
To being able to teach a systematic theology class at a local film school, for example.
But we appreciate your prayers.
The Lord is continuing to be faithful and declaring his goodness and his grace.
And we have an opportunity to help train some men to faithfully preach and proclaim the gospel in a gospel desert in Oates Wharton in December.
And so ask specifically for your prayers that first weekend in December as we go out there and try to bring along some other men,
some other brothers together and teach them to continue to proclaim this faithful God and the good news of his gospel.
So thank you for your partnership in doing so.
And we'll be excited to be sharing soon even more.
Thanks, Maranatha.
Bye.
So thank you for your partnership with our missionaries.
Isn't it?
It's really neat to be able to not only hear from our missionaries,
but to just kind of get a taste of what God is doing through their lives and to be a part of that work through prayers and through financial contributions.
So thank you for the way that you are contributing to the needs of the saints
and helping to build thanksgivings to God through your love for them in this way.
We're back in our study in Colossians and we're kind of wrapping up.
We've got just two weeks to go.
And of course, you would expect the Apostle Paul is going to end on the notes that he's begun.
This concept of thanksgiving, this idea of prayer that he wants to continue to bring back to the church
and help them to understand and recognize the significance of what God has called them to.
We've been working through the gospel or the letter to the Colossians,
and we've seen the significance of doctrine, the theology of who Christ is,
and recognizing that theology isn't just something that's supposed to fill our heads,
but theology is supposed to bury itself out in the way we live.
The doctrine that you have is a doctrine that's meant to be put to work.
And so last week we got to see some gospel pictures, some theological pictures,
that begin to press in to the lifeblood of families in particular.
The Apostle Paul encouraged submission of wives.
He encouraged love of husbands.
He encouraged obedience of children and of servants.
And all of that was, of course, to show this portrait of Christ.
Who is Christ?
Not just what he has communicated about himself theologically,
but how does the doctrine of God play out in the way you live?
Well, this morning we're going to see how that theology now plays out
in how we live towards outsiders.
Not just within a family, but now how it plays out in how we live in a watching world.
Turn with me, if you would, to Colossians chapter 4.
We're going to begin in verse 2.
And we're going to start, we're going to see five hallmarks,
five activities that will be true of those who love Jesus,
disciples of Christ, who want to show Christ.
What will they do?
There are five things we're going to look at this morning.
Let me read this for us, and then we'll jump into our passage.
It says,
Continue steadfastly in prayer,
being watchful in it with thanksgiving.
At the same time, pray also for us,
that God may open to us a door for the word
to declare the mystery of Christ,
on account of which I'm in prison,
that I may make it clear which is how I ought to speak.
Walk in wisdom towards outsiders,
making the best use of the time.
Let your speech always be gracious,
seasoned with salt,
so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.
How does a person who loved Jesus walk?
How does a person who is a disciple of Christ
begin to show Christ,
show good, rich, true theology in their life?
Well, the Apostle Paul begins here
by focusing and concentrating some attention
on prayer that depends on God.
Those who love God,
those who trust God,
those who want to please God,
will demonstrate that dependence on God
through prayer.
Prayer that depends on God.
This command, continue steadfastly.
It is this present imperative
that expresses this everyday part of life,
this constant present activity
that should be true of every believer.
It's one word in the Greek,
and it means to persist,
or to keep, or to endure, to remain.
It came to be used of a boat
that was always kind of standing at the ready,
kind of waiting for the individual
who needed to be transported
from one place to the other.
Kind of what we got to see a bit
in the Gospel of Luke
as the disciples were there on the shore,
and their boat was at the ready
to take Jesus out, out.
Maybe a better example would be of a taxi.
And those of you who have ever been in a big city,
and I don't think Columbus really qualifies for that,
but been maybe to a city of Los Angeles
or to the city of New York,
and have been in the airport,
and you know how it usually works,
where the taxis will line up
as the people are unloading from the airport
and needing to make their way
to the various places across the city.
this readiness and this attentiveness
of the taxi drivers
who are standing at the ready,
ready to respond
and to whisk that person
to the place of their destination.
And here again,
we're reminded of readiness,
a ready heart,
ready to respond,
continuing steadfastly
in having a heart that persists,
that's waiting,
that's ready.
And here we're to respond in prayer.
And we see this as a kind of a hallmark
of a church that's devoted to God,
continuing steadfastly in prayer.
It's used throughout the book of Acts
to describe the church.
We find it in Acts 1, verse 14.
All of these with one accord
were devoting themselves to prayer
together with the women
and Mary, the mother of Jesus,
and the brothers.
Why were they devoted to prayer?
Why were they at the ready?
Why were they receptive in praying?
Well, they were responding
and praying with direction.
Their hearts were praying with intentionality.
Their hearts were praying
and following instruction.
They had received instruction from Jesus.
You remember?
That Jesus said,
hey, I want you to wait in Jerusalem.
There's something that's going to happen there.
You will receive power
if you wait for me in Jerusalem.
The Holy Spirit is going to come upon you.
And so in their ready hearts,
in their receptive hearts,
in their dependent hearts,
they were demonstrating a prayer
with direction.
They were praying for this Holy Spirit,
praying according to the instructions
they'd received from Christ Himself.
They were also praying with devotion.
You remember that the disciples
who prayed there,
this group of 120 believers,
as they prayed,
the Holy Spirit did come.
And as a result of His coming,
they were empowered by the Holy Spirit.
And that because of their testimony,
thousands of people came to faith in Christ.
And as a result of this gospel witness,
as a result of the work of God in their life,
and kind of unifying now this church together,
there was this prayer of devotion.
We see in Acts 2, verse 42.
They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching
and fellowship,
to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
And those numbers of disciples increased.
We find later on in Acts 2, verse 47,
that day by day,
God was adding to their number
those who were being saved.
That God was doing a work.
It was happening through
the concentrated, united efforts of prayer.
A devoted people,
receptive to the instructions of the Lord,
praying for God's power
to be unleashed among them.
And so we find
that those who heard the word believed
and the church multiplied as a result.
And because of this multiplication
of God's work
in answering prayer for them,
now we see a need for praying with discernment.
They needed to pray with discernment.
The church grew.
Wisdom was needed.
How do you interact
or how do you help
to care for the needs of so many?
And so Peter would speak up
as one of the apostles
there in the early church in Jerusalem.
In Acts 6, verse 4,
he would say,
We will devote ourselves to prayer
and to the ministry of the word.
We find in verse 7,
the word of God continued to increase
in the number of disciples,
multiplied greatly in Jerusalem,
and a great many of the priests
became obedient to the faith.
This devoted prayer,
this receptive prayer.
So what can we learn from their example?
And by the way,
in every case,
this word devoted is used
or continuing steadfastly in prayer is used.
It's always used
in reference to prayer itself.
So what can we learn from their example?
Why should we continue in prayer this way?
And of course,
there are a number of reasons
that we could work through,
but just one that I want to focus on this morning,
and that is,
we pray in constant prayer
because God answers prayer.
We pray to God in prayer
because God answers prayer.
And prayer unleashes God's power
on the situation that we pray about
as we're praying according to God's will.
I love how P.T. Forsyth says this.
He says,
Prayer is the slender nerve
that moves the muscle of omnipotence.
Have you thought about that?
That God responds to His people when they pray.
That as God's people obey the instructions
that God has put in place,
that God delights in answering their prayers.
Much like what we see in John 14, verse 13,
where Christ is telling the disciples,
Whatever you ask in my name, I will do.
Why?
Well, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
If you ask me anything in my name,
I will do it.
Prayer is that slender nerve
that moves the muscle of omnipotence.
God has coupled Himself
to carry out the will of God
through those who are faithful to pray.
Of course, God is sovereign.
God is sovereign.
We know that.
Psalm 115, verse 3 says this.
Our God is in the heavens.
He does whatever He pleases.
That's God's prerogative.
He does what He pleases.
But at the same time,
God has ordained
that His will is worked out
through the prayers of His people.
Spurgeon has said this.
Prayer is not overcoming God's reluctance,
but laying hold of His willingness.
You have a willing God
who delights in answering prayer.
Augustine has said this.
He says,
He, speaking of God,
He inspires us to ask
what He is preparing now to give.
That God has ordained
not only the ends of a thing,
but He's ordained the means
to accomplish those ends.
God's purpose,
God's will
is accomplished
through the means
by which He has sanctioned
those purposes to happen.
And it happens through
the coupling of prayer.
Jonathan Edwards has said this.
God has so constituted things
that prayer is the expression
of dependence
which He delights to answer.
God delights in answering prayer.
And God has given His Holy Spirit.
And this is the beautiful thing
we find in Romans chapter 8.
We don't have time to read that.
I don't want to get distracted by that.
But I want you to understand
that God has placed His Holy Spirit
to help us understand
how to pray in our weakness.
And it's the Holy Spirit
who prays according to the will of God.
It's the Holy Spirit
who calls in your hearts
to pray for the things
that God wants to do.
And as you're faithful to pray
for those things
that the Spirit has laid on your heart,
the Holy Spirit takes
those requests to God
and God delights to answer.
You see, the miracle is not
that we move God.
The miracle is that God moves us.
He moves us to pray.
God's sovereignty
doesn't make prayer unnecessary.
It makes prayer certain.
So the more we pray
according to God's will,
the more we are depending
on the Spirit's leading in our life.
And the more we pray
according to the Spirit,
the more we'll see
God work out His will,
His purposes,
in the situation.
So God has chosen
the ends
as well as the means.
And as we couple ourselves
to pray
according to the will of God,
we can be a part
of God's sovereign plan
of working those things out
in life.
So pray.
Pray according to the will of God.
Be used of God
to see God's purposes
come to fruition.
Prayer depends on God.
We see in the second part
of this verse,
verse 2,
we see not only prayer
that depends on God,
we also see eyes
that watch for God.
Eyes that watch for God.
Notice,
continue steadfastly in prayer,
being watchful
in thanksgiving.
This word for watchful
is the word to stay awake,
to be alert,
to be vigilant.
It's a word
that expresses urgency.
And every time
watchfulness is used
throughout the New Testament,
it speaks of danger.
Like a sentry
or a night watchman,
the Apostle Paul
tells the church of Ephesus
in Acts chapter 20,
he says,
be alert.
Watch out for the wolves.
They're coming.
There's danger
to the church
of Thessalonica
in 1 Thessalonians
chapter 5,
verse 6,
he says,
so then let us not sleep
as others do,
but let us keep awake
and be sober.
Peter will say
to the church
that's scattered
throughout the known world,
be sober-minded,
be watchful.
Your adversary,
the devil,
prowls around
like a roaring lion,
seeking someone
to devour.
Christ will say
to the disciples
in Matthew chapter 26,
verse 38,
watch and pray.
That's our word.
That you enter not
into temptation.
And finally,
Peter will say
and kind of put
these two together
very similar
to how Paul does it
in 1 Peter chapter 4,
verse 7,
he says,
but the end of all things
is at hand.
Therefore,
be serious
and watchful
in your prayers.
Pray with watchfulness.
Pray with thankfulness.
And maybe it would seem strange
that Paul would put
watchfulness
and thankfulness together.
But maybe we can understand
how watchfulness
by itself
will cause issues
in our heart.
As God is making us
more aware
of the dangers
that are there,
as God is helping us
to be more aware
of the problems
that are coming
and the decline,
the moral decline
in our society,
it's really easy
for us to become paranoid,
wouldn't you say?
It's really easy
for us to give way
to fear.
It's easy for us
to become suspicious
and to wonder
what's going to happen next.
Who's around the corner?
When's the next shoe
going to drop?
Can I really trust
the people
that I'm around?
And it's really easy
for watchfulness,
as good as watchfulness is,
to lead us in
to paranoia,
to fear.
And that's what
thanksgiving helps
to balance out.
It counterbalances
fear
and spurs
within us
hopefulness.
And while there is
a watchfulness,
an alertness,
not only for the
negative things
that are happening,
but now to see
and to have our eyes
open to how God
is overcoming,
those negative
struggles and troubles,
and He's showing up
to accomplish His purposes,
thanksgiving helps
to make us hopeful.
In this way,
we begin to interpret
the world
not through fear,
but through grace,
through God's power.
We come to anticipate
God's answers.
We come to believe
even more
that God is in control.
And since He's in control,
that He's working.
He's accomplishing
His purposes,
even though I may not see
what He's doing.
Imagine,
prayer is a watchtower.
Watchfulness that keeps us
kind of scanning the horizon,
seeing the movements
not only of the approaching enemy,
but also recognizing
the power
and the presence
of God who is there.
that we see
His advancements.
So Thanksgiving
is kind of that light
that is burning
in the watchtower,
helping to illuminate
our perspective
so that we
are not seeing
through the lens
of shadow and fear
or suspicion,
but we're seeing
the lens
through God's power
that God is present.
I think about
the psalmist
in Psalm 23,
though I walk
through the valley
of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil.
Why?
Because you're with me.
That watchfulness
is seeing
the reality
of the hardships
that are present,
but it's illuminated
by the light
of who God is,
and so
a thankful heart
decides
to remain confident
in the presence
and power of God.
That watchfulness
coupled with thankfulness
is so important.
So prayer
that depends on God,
eyes
that watch for God
because God
is working.
And then doors
that open for God.
We see that
in verses 3 to 4.
Doors that open for God.
At the same time,
pray for us
that God may open
to us a door
for the word
to declare
the mystery of Christ
on account of which
I'm in prison
that I may make it clear
which is how
I ought to speak.
Doors
that open
for God.
Paul,
on numerous occasions,
says,
pray for us.
Pray for us.
Why would he say
pray for us?
Well,
in light of what
we've just learned,
that prayer is the way
that God
is unleashing
his plan
and purpose
on the world.
The apostle Paul
is inviting
the church
to participate
in praying
for God
to do
his will
in the world.
Like the model
prayer
that we find
from Christ
to his disciples.
It says,
Our Father
who is in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom
come,
your will
be done
on earth
as it is in heaven.
We want God's
will to be done.
We are invited
by Christ
and even his model
prayer
to pray for that
will of God
to unfold for us.
Paul
is pleading
with the church
to pray for him.
1 Thessalonians
chapter 5
verse 25,
simply,
brothers,
pray for us.
And then in 2 Thessalonians
3, 1,
he says,
Finally,
brothers,
pray for us
that the word
of the Lord
may speed ahead
and be honored
as has happened
among you.
In Hebrews 13, 8,
pray for us
for we are sure
that we have
a clear conscience
desiring to act
honorably
in all things.
Romans 15, 30,
I appeal to you,
brothers,
by our Lord Jesus Christ
and by the love
of the Spirit
to strive together
with me
in your prayers
to God
on my behalf.
You see,
God is absolutely
sovereign,
but God has
coupled
the working
of his will
to the prayers
of his people.
So what does Paul
want them to pray for?
Well, there are two things here.
We see,
they're joined together
by the hinna clause
or the in order
that clause.
First,
that God may open
a door
and then second,
that I might make it clear.
Those are the two purposes.
First,
pray for an open door.
Pray for opportunities.
Pray that God
would just burst open
the door of gospel testimony
and witness
so that he can be magnified
in the process.
Now,
one might ask,
well,
Paul,
you're in prison.
How can a door
of opportunity
be opened to you?
You're stuck in jail.
And I think
the danger for us
and probably what's natural
for us
is to think
when hard things happen
that we've been sidelined
and that God's will
can't be accomplished
because we're stuck
in prison
or we're stuck away.
That wasn't Paul's perspective.
You see,
Paul doesn't pray
for open prison doors,
but for open ministry doors.
He understands
that ministry
is not confined
to prison.
He knows
that only God
can create
true gospel opportunities.
And as the church
of Philippi prayed,
that's exactly,
that's precisely
what God did.
We find that
in Philippians 1,
verse 12.
God answered prayer.
Notice,
I want you to know,
brethren,
the things which
have happened to me
have actually turned out
for the furtherance
of the gospel.
So that has become evident
to the whole palace guard
and to all the rest.
My chains are in Christ.
And most of the brethren
in the Lord
having become confident
by my chains
are much more bold
to speak the word
without fear.
God accomplished
his purposes
through the prayers
of his people
in ways
they could never
have imagined.
not only in opening
up opportunities
for Paul to preach
but emboldening
a church
to follow
Paul's example
and to see God
work through them too.
The apostle Paul
encouraging this church
to pray for open
doors.
We find the summation
of Paul's ministry
still stuck in prison
in Acts chapter 28,
verse 30.
Notice what he says.
Paul dwelt
two whole years
in his own rented house.
He received all
who came to him
preaching the kingdom
of God
and teaching the things
concerning the Lord
Jesus Christ
with all confidence
no one forbidding him.
Open doors.
Gospel doors.
The jail that was meant
to silence
the apostle Paul
becomes a pulpit
to the world.
Pray for open doors.
Next pray for a clear witness
that I might make it
clear how I ought
to speak.
This is a similar prayer
to what Paul
asked the church
to pray for him
in Ephesians chapter 6
verses 18 and 19.
He says,
praying at all times
in the spirit
with all prayer
and supplication
to the end
keep alert
with perseverance
making supplication
for the saints
and also for me
that words may be
given to me
in opening my mouth
boldly
to proclaim
the mystery
of the gospel.
Pray that I not only
speak for Christ
pray that I speak
boldly for Christ.
There are many reasons
why our gospel witness
might be unclear.
Perhaps
it's because we preach
with the tongue
of men and angels
but we have not love
so we become
a sounding brass
or a clanging gong.
Maybe it's because
we preach Christ
with our mouth
but our life
is so out of step
with the gospel
that people can't hear
our words
because they are
so distracted
with our lives.
Maybe because
we soften the truth
to avoid trouble.
Maybe because
we love the ease
more than its impact.
Or maybe because
our grumbling heart
muffles
the gospel of God.
Or our harsh tones
hide
His holy truth.
Our ignorance
perhaps limits
our clarity.
We're not speaking
clearly
because we don't know
the right things
to express.
We cannot explain
what we've not studied.
We hide the gospel
perhaps because
we fear
the opposition.
There are so many
reasons why
our gospel
might be hidden,
might be concealed,
might be unclear.
Oh may God
help our speech
be clear.
May God
open gospel doors
and clarify
our message.
So prayer
that depends on God.
Eyes
that watch
for God.
Doors
that open
for God
and feet
that walk
in wisdom.
Colossians
chapter 4
verse 5.
Walk
in wisdom
towards outsiders
making the best
use of time.
What is Paul
talking about?
What is this
wise walk?
What is he referring
to?
How do we walk
in wisdom?
Is Paul
simply talking
about maximizing
gospel opportunities,
navigating this life
so that we can
build friendships?
relationships.
I imagine
that's part
of what Paul
has in his heart.
But I think
the apostle Paul
is more interested
in the seriousness
of the situation.
The urgency
of the opportunity.
He's concerned
about this church
and preserving
the integrity
of their faith.
Remember
how the apostle Paul
is speaking about
wisdom throughout
this letter
and he's talking
about don't let
anyone defraud
you.
don't let
anyone delude
you with
heresies.
Don't let
anyone disqualify
you.
Don't let anyone
pass judgment
on you.
He's concerned
about the integrity
of the faith
of this church.
He said so much
in his letter
to the church
of Galatia.
He's worried
about have I
spent so much
time with you
that now you're
wandering away
from the truth.
May that not
be true of you.
May you hold
to the integrity
of faith.
Walk in wisdom
with insiders
but also walk
with wisdom
with outsiders.
Wisdom.
What does a
life of wisdom
look like?
We don't have
time this morning
to review all
the things we've
learned in this
letter of Colossae
but in summary
a life of wisdom
is a life that
looks like Christ.
That Christ
is our life.
That he's the one
who's stamped
his image
on our hearts.
That we're living
with him.
That he has
accomplished things
for us
and he's created
in us a new
identity.
That's why he's
called us
with the Apostle
Paul in chapter
3 verse 1
to set your minds
your hearts
on things above.
That's where
Christ is.
So walking
in wisdom
in this world
is walking
in a way
that looks
like Jesus.
That the more
you love Jesus
and you obey
Jesus
the more people
see Jesus
coming through.
And of course
when people
see Jesus
come through
your life
now there's
danger.
Remember what
Jesus says
to the Apostles
in the upper room?
He says
if they persecuted
me
they will also
persecute you.
don't be
distracted.
Don't be
those who
are thinking
it's going to
work out well
for you
because
if they
treated me
this way
they're going
to treat you
this way
as well.
And throughout
throughout the
Gospels
and throughout
especially
1 Peter
I have a number
of verses
that I put
there in your
outline.
There's danger
from those
who live
like Christ.
And so
there's wisdom
that must be
involved.
We find
from Peter's
letter
in chapter 2
verse 11
or verse 12
he says
keep your
conduct
among the
Gentiles
honorable
so that
when they
speak against
you as
evildoers
they may
see your
good deeds
and glorify
God
on the
day of
visitation.
Walk
wisely
he says
in chapter
2
or chapter
3
even if
you would
suffer
for righteousness
sake
you are
blessed
have no
fear of
them
or be
troubled
but in
your
hearts
honor
Christ
as
Lord
as
holy
and being
prepared
to make
defense
to everyone
who asks
you for
the reason
of the
hope
that's
in you
yet do
it
with
gentleness
and respect
have a
good conscience
so that
when you
are slandered
those who
revile
your good
behavior
in Christ
may be
put to
shame
for it
is better
to suffer
for doing
good
if that
should be
God's
will
than
for doing
evil
walk
in wisdom
know the
dangers
but don't
let those
dangers
keep you
from being
bold
in your
testimony
cause them
to press
in
to be
obedient
to God
to depend
on God
to be
courageous
to speak
in a way
that God
would speak
Christ
would speak
with words
that were
full
of truth
and grace
let your
words
be
marked
by wisdom
by speaking
in a way
that Christ
would speak
your wisdom
will now
walk
and the world
will interpret
your Christ
by the way
you live
walk in a way
that pleases
him
and finally
in verse 6
lips
that speak
with grace
lips
that speak
with grace
let your speech
always be
gracious
seasoned
with salt
so that you
may know
how you
ought to
answer
each person
you know
that our
words
are windows
our words
are a window
to our
heart
as Jesus
will say
out of the
heart
the mouth
speaks
and so our
words provide
a clear
picture
of what
we believe
what we
prioritize
what we
value
how we
feel
and so
the words
that we
speak
should be
gracious
words
because
we have
a gracious
God
if you
have
experienced
the grace
of Christ
your words
should be
marked
by the
grace
of Christ
to others
what you
believe
about Christ
will show
up in the
way that you
speak
and our
words
are not
just
windows
our
words
are also
a witness
and that's
why we're
encouraged
to bless
those
who curse
you
to bless
and curse
not
what you
believe
about this
gracious
God
shows up
in your
gracious
words
to others
you bless
instead of
curse
you're showing
Christ
in the way
that you
speak
I love
how Paul
puts this
how beautiful
are the feet
of those
who preach
good
news
do you
have
beautiful
feet
do you
have
gracious
lips
our words
either point
people to
Christ
or they
point people
away
from Christ
faith
filled
words
are
gracious
words
because
we have
a God
who is
full of
grace
and truth
our words
should be
marked
by Christ
gracious
truthful
tender
Paul
is
indicating
not only
the content
of our
words
but also
the manner
in which
our words
are spoken
speaking
loving
words
in an
unloving
way
I'm sure
you've
addressed
your children
or loved
ones
in that
respect
our heart
needs to
echo
the words
that we
speak
it needs
to
mimic
the example
of Christ
and his
grace
that we've
all
enjoyed
this
should be
a habitual
pattern
this
graciousness
this
saltiness
salt
has
three
uses
it
could
either
sterilize
food
or it
could
season
it
could
help
preserve
and so
our words
are meant
to preserve
preserve
the kinds
of life
that we're
seeking
to accomplish
in the
world
around
us
Paul
will close
in Ephesians
chapter 4
verse 29
he includes
this
admonition
let no
corrupting
talk
come out
of your
mouths
but only
such as
is good
for building
up
as fits
the occasion
that it
may give
grace
to those
who hear
your words
carry power
the power
of not only
exemplifying
Christ
but the
power
of
distributing
the
grace
of God
to
others
what
power
what a
privilege
that we
have
what a
responsibility
to make
sure that
our words
are marked
with
gentleness
!
Let me pray
for us
and as
I pray
I'm going
to invite
the deacons
to come
forward
so we
can
take
our
communion
Father
thank you
for the
example
that you've
given to
us
of yourself
and thank
you for
the
encouragement
for the
picture
that you've
placed in
front of
us
how to
make
theology
more than
just
head
knowledge
but
to play
it out
in our
life
and so
Lord
I pray
that you
would help
us to be
people
who are
devoted
to prayer
people who
are
dependent
on
you
to
accomplish
your
purposes
help
our
eyes
to
watch
for
your
working
because
you
are
working
help
us
to
see
it
and
to
be
thankful
for
it
Lord
thank
you
for
doors
that
are
open
and
God
I
pray
that
you
would
open
those
gospel
doors
to
us
and
that
we
with
courage
and
boldness
would
walk
through
those
doors
regardless
of the
potential
impact
in our
life
help us
to have
feet
that walk
in wisdom
in lips
that speak
with grace
oh God
may our
lives be
marked
with Jesus
through and
through
we pray
in your
name
amen
do