Hello Friends!
Welcome back! This week we’ll continue to work our way through the
powerful
book written by the Apostle Paul to the Colossians as we consider the PERSON and WORK of “Jesus Christ” as decreed throughout this excellent
Epistle – “The Supremacy of Jesus
Christ!”
This
week we will begin our reading of verses 1-6
in chapter 4 as
we consider our Christian Conduct IN Jesus
Christ…
Colossians: The Supremacy of Jesus
Christ! (Chapter 4:1-6)
CONTEXTUAL COMMENTS: As we explored in our
previous
study, God’s “servants” are to “obey” their “masters”
as if it were the “Lord Christ” Himself they
are serving – WHY?
ONE: We will be REWARDED
by the “Lord Christ” of Whom we “serve” and thus will indeed “receive” an “inheritance”
from Him – POSITIVE!
And whatsoever ye do, do it
heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall
receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ – Colossians
3:23-24
TWO: We will be CHASTENED
by the “Lord Christ” if we “doeth wrong” as He is impartial in His “respect of persons” reproach – NEGATIVE!
But he that doeth wrong shall
receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons – Colossians
3:25
The MASTER of the Masters!
Therefore,
Paul begins this next set of passages with these “words”
of WARNING for all “masters”
to purposely ponder, should they refuse to “give”
unto their “servants” fair treatment:
Masters, give unto your
servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in
heaven – Colossians 4:1
Plain and simple! Paul implores ALL
of God’s “Christian” earthly “masters” in to treat their “servants” as “just
and equal” in the sight of their “Master
in heaven” Himself. In other words, you MUST
treat your “servants” in the same
manner as you HOPE
God would in turn – Treat YOU!
Maniacal Mouth!
These
next CONVICTING and poignant passages have to
do with the MOUTH of the “believer” in their EARTHLY
walk with God. And as we have “learned”
all through the third chapter, Paul
has been addressing the characteristics of the “new man” in “Jesus
Christ” our Lord. Therefore, Paul continues his “sound doctrine” approach here into chapter four concerning the SPEECH of
the immature
fanciful “follower” and his MOUTH filled with “foolish”
folly. WHY? Because a mature
“Christian” should “speak” much DIFFERENTLY
than other folks – A MATURE mouth!
In
fact, our Lord “Jesus Christ” commandingly CONDEMNED the “mouth”
and “heart”
of the spiritually LOST rank-and-file “religious” rabble. WHY?
Because of the “abundance”
of ABOMINATIONS found within these “vipers” coupled with
their ungodly SPEECH enthralled with
eerily “evil” intentions:
O
generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the
abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh – Matthew 12:34
In other words, what we are on the INSIDE will come OUT
of our “mouth” itself! Therefore,
Paul is saying that if you are indeed a “new man” in “Jesus
Christ” our Lord, have been given “resurrection
life” and are “risen”
with Him, there WILL be a POSITIVE and MATURING
affect made upon your “mouth”
and the “things” you “speak” about in
general – Sound speech!
Thus
up to this point we have DISCRENED
the “new man” on PERSONAL
terms regarding his relations in the family concerning “wives,” “husbands,”
“children,” “fathers,”
“servants” and “masters”
of men. And here we begin to view the “new man”
particularly in the area of how he SPEAKS
in the presence of a “wretched”
world of which is watching, listening and evaluating
our professed “Christianity” quite often on
the basis
of what they HEAR from our MOUTH of the – Supposed
NEW man!
Therefore,
the Apostle Paul demonstrates the DISTINCT
element found in one’s “speech”
of which is PURPOSED in “prayer” proceeding from the MOUTH of the “new
man” of God:
Continue in prayer, and watch
in the same with thanksgiving; 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: That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak – Colossians
4:2-4
The
“new man” speaks through “prayer” directly to God. And as we “learned” in our previous study,
the “watchful” words “continue
in prayer” have to do with a passionate, persevering,
committed
and continual
bold “beseeching” of God. It has
the idea of placing God in the fore front of your HEART
and MIND in such a way that no matter what
happens in life, you instantly respond by immediately
taking it to God. And “we”
must NEVER pray without being THANKFUL unto Him. WHY?
Because as Paul also pleads with the Philippian fellowship,
our THOUGHTS of “thanksgiving”
are a very VITAL part of a VIGILANT and God-honoring “prayer” posture:
Be careful for nothing; but in
everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be
made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding,
shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus – Philippians
4:6-7
BIBLICAL BACKGROUND: That is what the Bible refers to as “praying without ceasing” unto OUR Lord! Incidentally, the root
meaning of the word “importunity”
in the Greek means to be Biblically BOLD
before God. And there are MANY
illustrations of this kind of FERVENT
practical “prayer” found within the
Scriptures. Here are a few thoughts from “Jesus Christ”
Himself concerning this important subject found in
the Gospel of Luke:
And I say unto you, Ask, and it
shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto
you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to
him that knocketh it shall be opened – Luke 11:9-10
In
fact, Jesus preceded this passage with these wonderful “words” to “teach”
us a SOLID Biblical
framework of “prayer” to God:
And it came to pass, that, as
he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said
unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. And he
said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be
thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Give
us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive
every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver
us from evil – Luke
11:1-4
And Jesus reiterates this “truth” through the closing segment of His Sermon on the Mount found in the Gospel of Matthew:
Ask,
and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be
opened to you – Matthew
7:7
THEOLOGICAL THOUGHTS: Beloved, this isn’t
just someone’s opinion being espoused here. This is “Jesus Christ” Himself, the “incarnate” God “speaking” to us! There are actually three present
imperative verbs noted here: “ask,”
“seek” and “knock.” In other words, Jesus
instructs us to keep on “asking,”
to keep on “seeking”
and to keep on “knocking”
until your “needs”
are MET according TO God’s will:
And he spake a parable unto
them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; Saying,
There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And
there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of
mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within
himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow
troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And
the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his
own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I
tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man
cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? – Luke
18:1-8
Here
in these poignant passages Jesus says that where there's “importunity”
through PRAYER, God answers
according to HIS will! Even as the
Apostle Paul was often “in bonds”
for Jesus’ sake, he “boldly”
spoke, purposely “prayed” and powerfully PREACHED the wonderful “word” of God:
Praying always with all prayer
and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance
and supplication for all saints; And for me, that utterance may be given unto
me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,
For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I
ought to speak – Ephesians 6:18-20
And
this “mystery of Christ” made “manifest” through an open “door of utterance” for the soul-saving GOSPEL message isn't an unbiblical
new-age “God-consciousness” of sorts. NO WAY!
Rather, it is the “speaking” of God’s TRUTH to OTHERS
coupled with practical “praying”
for on-going OPPORTUNITIES with a BURDENED and hungry “heart”
until GOD does something HIS way – According
to HIS will!
POINGNANT POINT: It has been said that
it is not what you SAY
that matters most… It is what you DO
that matters most! WHY? Because it's what
you DO that gives credibility to
what you SAY!
Therefore,
the “new man” will LIVE
by the “sound speech”
of PRAYER throughout his purposeful PERFORMANCE unto God – True God talk!
And
the “new man” will also align his “speech” of PROCLAMATION
to be in sync with his wise USE
of “time” given unto him by God:
Walk in wisdom toward them that
are without, redeeming the time – Colossians 4:5
Here
Paul REMINDS us that our “walk”
comes BEFORE our “talk!” Therefore, we MUST be “walking”
in God’s “wisdom” regarding the LOST souls wandering about “without” our Lord “Jesus
Christ” Himself. WHY?
Because by PROPERLY evaluating circumstances,
making godly decisions and “living”
a consistently
caring “Christian” lifestyle, “we” are “redeeming
the time” according to God’s plan “toward”
our lives. HOW? We MUST
willingly “walk” the “talk” throughout our “lives”
for Him. Therefore, it is “time”
to get our lifestyle connected with our message! This is
the only CREDIBLE approach and PLATFORM to unashamedly “speak the mystery of Christ” through our “evangelism” message to the “lost” world. Beloved, LIFE
is short
and ETERNITY is forever… Don’t WASTE it!
Finally,
Paul says the “new man” will PRACTICE the “speech”
of PURIFICATION:
Let your speech be always with
grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man – Colossians
4:6
It
is important to note that Paul is not necessarily referring only
to the preaching the Gospel here in this passage. Rather,
he is referring to general conversation. In other words, along with your “new life” should come “new speech” for the Lord in our PURIFICATION… The right WORD at the right TIME
to the right PERSON as we “seek” to – Speak
the TRUTH in LOVE!
In closing:
QUIZZING QUESTIONS: The MOUTH of a “Christian”
should be filled with “grace”
and “seasoned with salt” through our “speech” unto the Lord. HOW? By making gracious “speech”
a HABIT of what is truly spiritual
and wholesome.
WHY? So that we may “know”
how to “answer every man” as we “ought” and thus our “speech”
becomes a purifier that prevents corruption:
But
sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to
every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and
fear – 1 Peter 3:15
REAL REFLECTIONS: Beloved, may God give
US the courage
and boldness to “contend
earnestly for the faith” that was signed, sealed
and delivered some – 2000
years ago…
Beloved,
when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was
needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend
for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints – Jude 3
Praise the Lord Jesus Christ!
With
this information as a foundation for your personal studies, please read through verses 1-6 in the fourth chapter of the excellent book to the Colossians.
We are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Today is the day of Salvation!
If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com
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Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><
Encouraging Concepts
Truth for Today
"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"Lighthouse Publications <><
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