AM Bible Study Group; June 5, 2013
Colossians 4:2-4
Theme: This passage teaches us how to pray for the spread of the gospel.
(Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are taken from The Holy Bible, New King James Version; copyright 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc.)
This morning’s passage speaks of one the most important and most powerful thing you and I can do to advance the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ. As important as anything else might be that we can do to reach people for Christ, none of our efforts will produce fruit if we aren’t praying. When Paul gave us his powerful discourse on spiritual warfare in Ephesians 6, he concluded with an appeal concerning prayer and proclamation—making even his own proclamation of the gospel dependent upon the prayers of God’s people; “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak (Ephesians 6:18-20).
Someone once asked Charles Spurgeon why it was that his preaching seemed to lead to the salvation of souls each Sunday; and he took the inquirer down to the basement of his large church and showed him the prayer meeting that was going on. He called it the “powerhouse” of the church. Whenever Billy Graham prepared to go to a city and hold a crusade, the first concern he expressed to his associates was, “Are the people of God praying?” When Jesus looked at the multitudes of people who were gathered around Him, He was moved with compassion over the depth of their need. They were all weary and scattered, like sheep without a shepherd. And He turned to His disciples and told them what He saw. “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.” And we should pay attention to the fact that He didn’t then say, “Hurry, men! Get out there right away and harvest them!” Instead, He said, “Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest” (Matthew 9:38).
The principles Paul stresses in this letter certainly apply to our prayers in general; but they should especially be characteristic of our prayers for the lost people around us.
I. HOW WE ARE TO PRAY FOR THE GOSPEL (v. 2).
A. Paul teaches that we must pray persistently. “Continue earnestly in prayer . . .” The English phrase “continue earnestly” is the translation of one Greek word; and this single word itself is composed of two Greek words. One being the word that means ‘to continue without wavering’ in something, and the other being the preposition ‘toward’. Thus, this is a word that describes the act of persisting or adhering steadfastly toward a thing or a goal—in this case, the object of our prayers. We are to pray and not give up; as Jesus Himself taught us (Luke 18:1-8).
B. Paul also teaches that we must pray watchfully; “being vigilant in it . . .” The word translated “vigilant” is gregoreo; and it means “to be awake” or “alert” or “watchful”. When applied to prayer, this describes the act of praying with an attitude of careful attention and observation to what’s going on around us; so that we’re praying intelligently and accurately—with a keen sense of what’s happening, and what God Himself is desiring in it. Jesus Himself commanded His followers to be watchful (Matthew 24:32-33, 42; 25:13; Mark 13:37). Paul also urged believers to be watchful (Acts 20:31; 1 Corinthians 16:13). Similarly, the apostle Peter once wrote to the suffering, persecuted Christians in his day, “But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers” (1 Peter 4:7). We’re not to pray in lazy generalities; and if we truly believe that God hears and answers our prayers for souls, we wont be doing so. We’ll pray “vigilantly”.
C. Finally, Paul says that we must pray thankfully. Paul adds that we’re to pray, “with thanksgiving . . .” Like persistence and watchfulness, thanksgiving is frequently presented to us in Scripture as a key component in prayer (Ephesians 5:18-20; Philippians 4:6; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; Hebrews 13:15). Whenever we pray, and for whatever we pray, we should always do so with a spirit of true, genuine thankfulness to God. When we do, we’re affirming Him for who He is and what He is able to do. We’re acknowledging His goodness and faithfulness to us when we thank Him. This is crucial when we pray for the spread of the gospel, and for the salvation of lost souls. When we thank God in our prayers, we’re acknowledging that salvation comes, ultimately, from Him; and that He will ultimately give His gospel message success. We’re acknowledging that neither the world, nor the flesh, nor the devil, can stop the spread of His gospel message; and that all whom He chooses for salvation will surely be saved. We’re proclaiming our confidence in God’s sovereignty, and in His ability and wisdom to bring about His desire in the proclamation of the gospel. And we’re affirming the ultimate victory of God’s saving grace whenever we give thanks in our prayers for the gospel’s proclamation.
II. WHAT WE ARE TO PRAY FOR THE GOSPEL (v. 3-4).
A. Paul urges us to pray, first, for the preachers of the gospel. After urging the believers to pray persistently, vigilantly, and thankfully, he adds, “meanwhile praying also for us . . .” One of the most important things we can do is to pray for those who are sharing the gospel with others. Paul, certainly, desired the prayers of those to whom he was writing. He needed their prayers because he was suffering for the cause of the gospel, “for which I am also in chains”. The church family should pray for its pastor. But it should also be praying for others within it whose special calling and gifts are toward evangelism. We should pray with persistence, watchfulness and thankfulness for our missionaries and evangelists. We should even be praying for each other. God has placed lots of people around us who need to hear the good news of God’s grace through Christ. We should be keeping one another informed; and we should be praying regularly for one another’s witness for Christ.
B. Paul also urges us to pray for the opportunities of the gospel. Paul asks that his readers pray for him and his co-workers, “that God would open to us a door for the word . . .” Paul himself was constantly on the alert for opportunities to share the gospel (Philippians1:12-14). Peter urged all of us to “sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who ask you a reason for the hope that is in you . . .” (1 Peter 3:15). It’s God alone who must open those doors of opportunity for the gospel. Every time we try kick a door open, we make a mess of things. But God is faithful to open doors that we could never even begin to open if we’ll just ask. What’s more, we sometimes need to pray that the doors that have been opened for the gospel will not be hindered by the enemy (1 Corinthians 16:8-9).
C. Paul urges us to pray for the boldness to proclaim the gospel. Paul asked his friends to pray for him and his co-workers, “that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains.” He here refers to the gospel as “the mystery of Christ”, because it contains saving truth that human beings cannot know unless God, in grace, reveals it to them (see also Colossians 1:26-27). And because it is something that can only be known through God revealing it, Paul longed for prayer that he might be enabled to “speak the mystery of Christ” whenever God gave him an open door. The mention of “chains” reminds us of the powerful opposition Paul met with whenever he preached. We can sometimes feel threatened; and many opportunities given and doors opened can be lost because of a lack of courage to speak as we should. Paul desired that his fellow believers would pray that he would be speak boldly when he should (Ephesians 6:19-20).
D. Finally, Paul urges us to pray for clarity in the proclamation. Paul said to pray for him, “that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak”. The word translated “manifest” means ‘to bring a thing to light’. One of the great burdens of Paul’s heart was that he be enabled to make the gospel as plain and clear as he possibly could (1 Corinthians 2:1-5). It’s not enough that preachers be sent, doors be opened, and boldness be granted. There is a powerful enemy who seeks to blind people’s hearts to the gospel (2 Corinthians 4:2-4). We must also pray for the clarity of the unhindered hearing of the message; so that the enemy’s efforts to confuse the message will be thwarted, and that those who hear it will understand the gospel message without distraction and confusion, believe it, and be saved by it.
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If you knew that it would advance the cause of Jesus Christ and result in the salvation of souls, would you faithfully donate a portion of your income to the cause? Of course you would—and often do. Or, if you knew that it would result in the spread of the gospel, would you give up some of your leisure or your personal comforts to help spread it? Absolutely—and again, you often do!
Well; there is something you can do that—according to the authority of God’s own word—is crucial to the success of the gospel. You can begin right now. It takes a little thoughtful planning, and a little sacrifice of time; but this essential role in the spread of the gospel is within your grasp—and its effectiveness is immeasurably great. As Paul tells us;
Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.