Wednesday, February 12, 2025
Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us that God may open a door to us for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains, so that I may make it known as I should. Act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person. Colossians 4:2-6
Who? Me? Beyond My Door...
The church of Colossae was under attack by false teachers undermining Christ. They were saying that he was not actually God. Paul writes, having never even been to the church, to give his wisdom on this difficult situation they were in. He wanted to make sure they understood the truth about God and his goodness – not the false teaching that was circulating. In the passage above he gives wisdom and advice on dealing with “outsiders,” making sure that we always remember that we are a representative of Christ, and we want “outsiders” to be drawn to what we have that makes us different. To be this kind of follower we have to go and do instead of staying inside the walls of the church and relishing our knowledge above witnessing.
Knowing must never replace going.
Even "living water" can stagnate if it simply pools together and stands for too long of a time without any activity. God intended the living water He gave to flow out, to move toward those who did not know Him. Paul is writing from prison and is unable to "walk" about as he would like. He is writing to a people that are free to carry the gospel to others but have chosen to be "knowers" and not "doers" of the Word.
(PRAY) To pray for the lost beyond our doors –
What begins with prayer (talking to God about men) ends with evangelism (talking to men about God). Paul calls the Colossians to be continually devoted to prayer as they should, but he also calls them to pray for them and for open doors of utterance.
Most corporate prayer time is dominated by crisis prayers of sickness or distress. Paul is charging the church to engage in Kingdom prayers that will advance the gospel of Jesus Christ. We too, should learn to pray beyond ourselves, for those without Christ. Who do you know that is not a Christian? Pray for them to come to know the Lord and be open for any opportunity that the Lord might place you in to share with them.
(GIVE) To give to the work beyond our doors –
Paul desires the church to partner with him in missions and ministry. When we give to missions we place ourselves in a partnership. It is as important that we give as it is that they go. Have you prayed about giving to missions? Has God laid it on your heart already?
(GO) To go to the fields beyond our doors –
Paul instructs the Colossians to Act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. The term outsiders has a double application – those without or outside our walls; and those without or outside of Christ. If we are to engage the lost, we are to engage them beyond our doors. We are to go where they are and present Christ in grace and with salt. In other words, our speech and lives should produce a thirst for the Living Water of Jesus Christ.
Christ urges us in the Great Commission to take his words to the ends of the earth. Let it flow from you to those around you. Paul reminds us that we should always speak with grace – God’s grace and our graciousness – when speaking to non-Christians and seasoned with salt. They need to hear the truth, but they need to hear the truth spoken in love. We speak with grace and salt both with words and with our lives before the world. Walking with Jesus, stepping where the Spirit steps, gives us the grace and wisdom we need for each and every person we have the opportunity to speak with.
He told them, The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest. Luke 10:2
