Make it Clear
Use this guide to help your group discussion as you meet this week.
Transcript
Good morning. My name is Spencer. I am one of the pastors here. So I don't know if you noticed last week and this week. Bulletins are back, you guys. Yeah, we stopped those before the pandemic.
They're back. So it's an encouragement. If you want to take sermon notes, there's a space in there. If you want prayer, we believe in prayer in our church. And if you want corporate prayer from the rest of your church family, you can reach out to our secretary for that. And it's also got some announcements in the back.
So there you go. They're back. All right. We are in a three-week series called I Am a Missionary. This is a three-week opportunity for us to refocus on what it means to be an everyday missionary here in our city. Last week, I started with what is one of the more important steps in mission and one that is often skipped, including by us, and that is prayer.
That if we aren't praying, if we're not getting on our face and pleading for God to save sinners, pleading for God to bring the revival that we want to see in our city, we are missing out on the power of God. We're missing it. So if you weren't here last week or you didn't listen to that online, I encourage you to go back and listen to that. If we are missing that aspect of mission, we have skipped a step. So we are in Colossians 4, verses 2 through 6.
We spent a lot of time last week in 2 and 3. This week will be more in verses 3 and 4. So you can follow along on the screen behind me. You can go to your Bibles on page 573 in your blue Bibles. But we are going to continue to look at what it looks like to grow as an everyday missionary.
In college, when I was first learning about this idea of being a sent missionary locally, being an everyday missionary, of learning about evangelism, the idea of sharing the gospel with those who may not believe, who do not believe, it was awkward at times. I was learning how to do it. And there were a lot of awkward interactions that I had in college and learning how to do this and sharing the gospel with others. And I remember one in particular. There was a freshman. I was a junior.
He was in my freshman orientation group. And he was in it. Spent some time with them. And as we're getting to know each other, getting to hear a story, it sounds like he doesn't really want anything to do with Jesus. And then we went to Sonic and we're talking. And I remember sharing the gospel with him.
And he was beet red in his face. Like you just tell with everything in him. He didn't want this message. He didn't want anything to do with Jesus. And I shared with him. And that was the last time we really ever talked in college.
Like for the rest of college, he just, every time he saw me, he just kind of looked away and just wouldn't talk to me. And I was like, oh, well, that's awkward. And that happened a little bit. There was moments of rejection where he shared the gospel. Maybe they didn't avoid me for the rest of the college, but they made it abundantly clear I don't want this for me. Quite a bit of that happened.
But I do remember one story in particular where there was a guy that I was getting to know. We were, you know, I go to his freshman hall and we play hacky sack together. You know, what college kids do. I guess they still front row. Do they still do that? No?
Okay. Back then, when hacky sack was a thing, all right, getting to know each other, getting to know his story a little bit, and then slowly started to bring in the gospel and share it with him. And he was resistant, but listening and continued to process. And then he went away for winter break. And when he came back spring semester, he said, I'm in. He said, I've placed my faith in him.
I'm a follower now. And he still is to this day. We keep in touch. He lives in Houston, Texas. He's married. He's part of a local church there.
Still following Jesus. And I love it. And the reality is I would have 30. I will have 100 of those awkward conversations if it means just one of those results and that kind of eternal life change. That's the hope. That's what we're going for.
As we are seeking to grow in being everyday missionaries, we would learn what it looks like to share Christ. And today we're going to get a little bit practical. As we walk through verses 3 and 4. As we seek to grow in being everyday missionaries. So let me pray and then we will jump in.
Lord, we love you. We thank you for your word and what it means to us. God, I pray that you'd help us listen and that we respond. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. All right.
Verses 2 through 4. Mostly being verses 3 and 4. 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 am in prison, that I may make it clear which is how I ought to speak. All right.
So if we want to grow in everyday missionaries, I want us to see three parts of this passage that I think are important. The first is that we would share the gospel no matter your circumstances. Share the gospel no matter your circumstances. He says, on account of which, I am in prison. Paul is writing this letter from prison. There are four, they're called prison epistles, four prison letters that while Paul was in prison for sharing the gospel, he wrote Colossians, he wrote Ephesians, he wrote Philemon, he wrote Philippians, these letters to these different churches and different people.
And he's writing this from prison. All right. So he's not in a good state. And even the years leading up to this, it hasn't gone well for him. All right.
So he, on one of his missionary journeys, he is praying and God says, I want you to go to Jerusalem and there you're going to be arrested. And he says, okay, he's obedient. And then he goes to Jerusalem. He gets arrested. The Jews there that hate Paul try to have him killed. And then he's transferred as a prisoner to Caesarea, which is near the coast.
Spent a few years there in prison. And then he appeals to Caesar. He wants to appeal his case to Caesar's and Caesar Roman citizens. So he gets on a ship. He's on his way to Rome. And it shipwrecks.
And after he shipwrecks, he ends up on an island. He gets bit by a snake. I mean, it's just not going well. He finally ends up in Rome. And now he's in Rome. And he, as he's writing this letter, is on house arrest.
He's on house arrest. There's one prison guard. He has some visitors who comes to see him. But he's mostly alone. It has been a rough three to five years for Paul leading up to writing this letter. Under the threat of death.
Under the threat of persecution. Imprisoned. And I would argue that probably none of us have had that last three to five years. I don't know all your stories. But I'd be willing to bet that most of you have not been in prison for your faith.
You haven't been shipwrecked. You haven't been under the threat of death from religious political forces. That's not something that we have faced. Right? Maybe you felt like the last couple months, maybe the last year has been really difficult. You know, at the beginning of the pandemic, it felt like we were on house arrest.
You know? Two weeks to slow the spread. And then it kept going. And some of you felt isolated. And you felt alone. And you were in your home trying to do your best.
And you were struggling. Maybe the last year has been hard. Maybe the last two years has been hard. Maybe the last ten years has been difficult. And we talk about being everyday missionaries. And you're like, I don't even know where to start.
My life is a complete mess right now. I don't even know where to begin. But Paul, enduring hardships that are much more than what we've had to face. Enduring those hardships. He's still sharing the gospel. I mean, he's still praying that he might share the gospel.
Possibly with his prison guard. Possibly with people that will come and visit. He still wants to declare the mystery of Christ. How does he do it? I mean, how does Paul do it? He gets stoned in a city.
Outside the city. Then limps back in and starts sharing the gospel. What's his secret? How does he keep going back again and again sharing the gospel? How does he continue to live on mission? I would argue that the difference between us and Paul.
Is that Paul had such an eternal mindset and perspective on his reality. Like he just, he understood. Everything he was facing in light of eternity. In 2 Corinthians 4 he says, For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. And it's like, really? When you hear that, if you're honest, you say light momentary affliction.
Have you, do you remember the last few years as you've been writing these letters? You've been getting stoned and beaten? Whipped? How do you consider this as light and momentary? I mean, I'm in the middle of a bathroom remodel that has just been difficult. And it does not feel light and momentary.
And I mean, I just, I mean, that's what we do. We think about what's right in front of us. What we're facing. What's difficult. And we don't look at it in light of eternity. But he did, what he understood so clearly is that the moments of suffering, really this life as a whole.
He understood it as we, as the Bible teaches it. That it, this life is like a vapor, the Bible says. It is like dew on the grass. It is here and then it is gone. That this life is like a drop of water. All the years of your life is like a drop of water.
And the rest of time, eternity, is all of the oceans and all the waters in them. And he had that perspective. That right now it's just light and momentary. Because what's coming in eternity are the eternal riches and glory. The way of glory that awaits him. He understood that right now, though suffering is hard.
It pales in comparison to what awaits us. And he understood all of it in light of that truth. So that in the midst of hardships, he's, oh, absolutely. I want more people to be a part of this. I want more people to taste and see this Jesus for eternity. I want them to experience the weight of glory that awaits us.
He, he got this. He so, he absolutely understood this. Now, that doesn't mean that our hardships right now don't matter. My hope is, is that you were with us the last month when we did Soul Care as a series. We care very deeply about hardships. We care very deeply about suffering and sin and brokenness.
It absolutely matters. You may be struggling financially. You may be struggling spiritually. Your health may be a mess and in decline. Your emotional stability is just all over the place. You may be enduring actually really tough times.
But, but if we can strive to view this like he did. To view everything that we face. All of the suffering and hardships. In light of eternity. We can absolutely, no matter what your circumstances are. We can actually share the gospel.
We absolutely can share. In spite of our circumstances. And the second thing I want us to see here. Is that we must share words. We must share actual words. He says, 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. The gospel is a message. It is a message. You must share actual words.
We go after this from time to time. But there's that famous Francis of Assisi quote that says, Share the gospel. And if necessary use words. Which we've said before. It's not clear that he actually ever said that. Also, if he did.
It's dumb. That's not. No. No. No. The gospel is a message.
Yes. How you live your life matters. Absolutely. Absolutely. The New Testament is full of that. Like it.
How you live your life matters. First Peter talks about having good conduct towards outsiders. First Timothy 3 says that one of the requirements of being an elder. However. Is that you may be well thought of by outsiders. So yes.
The way you live your life absolutely matters. But it is still a message. It is not a lifestyle. The gospel is a message. Paul did not ask people to pray for him. So that God could open a door.
So that he could be kind. He did not pray for them. Pleading for them. To join him in prayer. That they'd open a door. So that he could be a good neighbor.
Though kindness. And being a good neighbor. Absolutely matter. I mean Jesus goes hard after that. The Bible goes hard after that. But our kindness isn't what saves people.
If you believe that you're good works. If you believe that you're. You're cleaned up personality. The way you display yourself. If you believe. That is what actually leads people to Jesus.
Then by default. You believe that your works. Is what saves people. That your works. Is what leads people to Christ. And that is not true.
The gospel is a message. And the reason that's really important. Is because for a while. Like the last few decades. There's been this whole idea. Of lifestyle evangelism.
It's like I'm just going to live my life. And win people of the kingdom. By my conduct. And it's like. There are aspects of that. I want a yes and an amen.
But at the end of the day. The gospel is still a message. And you still have to share words. And the problem is. That people. People get psyched out by that.
Because if you're not. If you believe that fully. You're not actually living out. The gospel like you should. You're like. Oh.
Then I can't. I have to. My witness has to be in such good shape. Or I can't share. The gospel. I'm going to mess it up.
And it's like. No. Yes. You snapped at your co-worker. Yes. You dropped an F-bomb in the work room.
Okay. But you know. You can still share the gospel. Through that. Right? The reality is.
Is that you can go to your co-worker. And say. Hey listen. I should not have snapped at you. My faith teaches me. That I should be slow to anger.
That I should be kind. And I was none of that with you. And I am sorry. Hope you can forgive me. There are ways. But absolutely.
In spite of our conduct. Where you can come in. And share the gospel. It is a message. It is not just a lifestyle. That we win people over with.
Maybe it's that. That you've fallen to. Maybe it's that you just don't care enough. To risk awkwardness. To risk rejection. Romans 10.
13. A passage. That if you grew up in the church at all. You are probably familiar with. It says. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord.
Will be saved. We love that. That anyone. Who has encountered Christ. And their heart has been changed. They can call out to God.
And they're saved. That's absolutely true. But then. He goes on to make a little bit of a rhetorical argument. In the verses that follow. He says.
How then will they call on him. And whom. They have not believed. He's like. How are they going to call. On Christ.
If they haven't believed this message. In the first place. Then he goes. And how are they to believe in him. Of whom. They have never heard.
How are they going to believe in Jesus. If they have not. Heard. The message of the gospel. Then he says.
And how are they here. Without someone preaching. How are they going to hear. If someone doesn't share it with them. That's not just preaching. Like what I'm doing now.
That is proclaiming. That is sharing. How are they going to hear the gospel. If someone doesn't preach. And how are they to preach. Unless they are sent.
As it is written. How beautiful. Are the feet of those. Who preach the good news. He's like. How are they going to hear.
If you don't actually share it with them. We got to absorb that. Christians. Brothers and sisters. We got to absorb that. That you may be the only Christian.
In somebody's life. Who can share the gospel. With that person. You may be their best chance. At actually hearing. About how our God.
Is better than everything else. In this world. And if we can't. Let that reality. Impress upon us. We can't let that.
Sit on our hearts. In a way that brings about. Change. Then we need to get on our faces. And pray. And pray that God might.
Soften our hearts. He might break our hearts. He might help us see. Everything. In light of the eternal reality. That's all around us.
That we need to go back to step one. And pray. That God would absolutely. Break our hearts. And motivate us. To actually share words.
Share actual words. And then lastly says. Make it clear. That's the third thing. I want us to see today. Make it clear.
That's where we spend most of our time. He says. At the same time. Pray also for us. That God may open to us. The door for the word.
To declare the mischief of Christ. On account of which. I am in prison. That I may make it clear. Which is how I ought to speak. That putting effort into.
Making it clear. Matters. So. Many of you. May not know this. But I have a mild speech impediment.
I do. Just a mild one. So that when I actually preach on Sunday. I have to really think about how I speak in a way that is clear. But. For those of you that know me best.
If you've ever been in informal conversation with me. You know that every now and then you're going to go. Wait. What? I have an incredible ability to take 20 words and make it 10 syllables. And I don't even know I'm doing it sometimes.
And it's really frustrating for me. Because all of a sudden I'm like. Oh. I got to repeat what I'm going to say. Oh. I got to re-clarify.
Oh. Like there's this. I have to intentionally think about that type of clarity. Now that's not. That may be part of what Paul is saying. But the reality is.
Is that we should have that type of intentionality. In being clear. When it comes to the gospel. That we might think about how we present it. We might think about how we share. That that work matters.
It matters. That you are clear. So. I'm going to make two assumptions here. If you are. Going to take this on.
In trying to be clear. The first is. That you believe in Jesus. That you've been saved by him. That you've been set apart by him. That you have the Holy Spirit in you.
Assumption one. Assumption two. Is that you care enough to share. And that's the second part that we're going to have to work on. We're going to have to pray that God would help us see. The reality that's at hand.
But once you have those in place. Now it is time to work on making it clear. Now it is time for us to grow. In gospel clarity. The reality is. Is that sometimes is the reason.
Why you don't want to share the gospel. It's because you're like. I think I'm going to mess it up. I think I'm not going to be very clear. I don't. I don't want to botch this.
And what's encouraging about this passage. Is that on some level. Paul felt that too. Because he's asking for prayer here. He's asking them to pray. That God would open a door.
So that he can make it clear. So. That's good news. That Paul of all people. Pray for this type of clarity. Alright.
So we should absolutely. Seek to grow in. Gospel clarity. I have some. Practical ways that I want us to. Do this.
And how I want us to grow in this. And the first way we can grow. In making it clear. Is to read. And know. And grow.
Read. Know. And grow. We have to read. We have to grow. We have to learn.
About. Christ. And the scriptures. We've got to. Got to do it. I know some of you have not read a book.
You've not read. A book since the ninth grade. And that was to kill a mockingbird. Okay. And you're like. I don't like to read.
And it's like. Okay. But the Bible's a book. And guess what. We've talked about this over and over again. If you don't like.
Visually reading. Download the Bible app. And start listening. Listen to. The word. Yes.
Learning is difficult. It is. Take it from somebody. Who did the eighth grade twice. Okay. It.
Learning has never come easy for me. I'm. I'm rarely the smartest person. In the room. All right.
A lot of times. Because my wife is in the room with me. But. I'm rarely the smartest person. In the room. I usually am.
One of the most learned people. In the room. Because I. Work. Really hard. To learn.
I work really hard. To know things. And some of that stuff. Is useless knowledge. But sometimes.
It's the Bible. We should seek. To learn. And know. And grow. That's why we emphasize.
Scripture memory. That's why it shows up. And we have one every month. We have 36 verses. Over three years. Memorize one of those.
Every month. And do that again. For three years. And then three years again. And three years again. You're going to have 36 verses.
Locked in your memory bank. That matters. It matters. It matters. That you would know the word. So deeply.
Be so hidden. In your heart. That when it came time. To actually share good news. You could share the word of God. And the reason that matters.
Is because what Hebrews 4.12 teaches us. The word of God is living and active. It's living and active. It's sharper than any two-edged sword. It's piercing the division of soul and spirit. Of bone and marrow.
It discerns the thoughts. And intentions. Of the heart. That when you share God's word. God uses it like a sword. And it pierces the heart.
And it discerns what's going on underneath the surface. So that people might can realize. They deeply need Christ. It matters. That you know God's word. It absolutely matters.
That you might be able to share this. All it takes is a few words. And then God can go to work. So maybe you have a. Maybe you've been really intentional. About being a good co-worker.
You've been working hard. In the workplace. To show good work ethic. You've been. You've been caring about your conduct. Which you should.
You haven't been engaging in office gossip. All right. You're not complaining. You're working hard. And then. You're building a relationship with your co-workers.
You're getting to know them. You're going to some happy hours with them. Spend time with them. And then one day. At the office. Or at the work site.
One of your co-workers just says. They just. That you just see they're down. And they're sad. And you say. Hey.
What's. What's going on? Maybe she says. I just. I mean. I just went through a terrible breakup.
He broke up with me last night. And this is the. I thought he was the one. We were going to spend. Just for lives together. We've been dating for a year and a half.
This is the third terrible breakup I've had. And I just. I'm just having a. I'm sorry. Like I'm trying to work hard. And not be a distraction.
I just had a really difficult day. And in that moment. Armed and ready. You can look at her and say. I'm. I'm so sorry.
I'm so sorry. Can I share something that I think is helpful. That I've. That I've found to be helpful. Psalm 34 teaches that the Lord is near to the broken hearted. And he saves the crushed in spirit.
That in the midst of. Of hurt. Like God can be really near to us. And I. I don't know. I feel like I just want to share that with you.
That God can be near to you in the midst of this brokenness. So I'm just. I'm going to go back to my desk. I pray for you and the rest of our coworkers regularly. I want to take some time to just pray for you. I pray that you sense that.
That God is near the broken hearted. I pray that your boyfriend gets hit by a car. Like. I just. But you.
And then you do the actual Christian thing. Not the southern Christian thing. And you actually pray for them. That's all it takes. And then what can happen is. Is that the word is shared.
And all of a sudden it starts to. Work on them. And grate on them. And they start to. Question. And they come back and want to know more later.
That. It's that easy. And it's not that intimidating. We need to. Read. We need to know.
We need to grow. In knowing God and his word and prayer. Second. We need to grow in gospel fluency. We need to grow in gospel fluency. This is something we talk about.
Quite a bit in our church. It's the idea that. You be so fluent in the gospel. Just like you might be fluent in a language. You don't have to think about how you speak. That you be so fluent in the gospel.
That you be able to. Think in it. Process in it. And it would be part of your language. Part of your ethos. Part of who you are.
That when it comes time. You're easily. Sharing the gospel. Applying it to people's lives. Applying it to your own life. Applying it to the people in your group.
We're talking about growing in gospel fluency. That matters. Because if you're a co-worker. Who you just talked to. Says. Okay.
Wait a second. All right. So. That's Psalm 34. That's nice. Tell me.
Why God wants my life to be so miserable. Why is it. That I. Keep. Having these relationships that fall apart. Why is my.
Why am I so unhappy. You. If you think God is near the broken heart. And he's good. And he's loving. Why is my life so.
Bad. That. That if you are fluent in the gospel. You can begin to. In that moment. Apply the gospel.
One of the things we talk about. Is creation. Fall. Redemption. Restoration. That understanding the gospel.
And the bible as a whole. Is creation. Fall. Redemption. Restoration. That maybe in that moment.
You just. You come alongside her and say. Listen. Listen. The reason why we love relationships. Whether it's friendships.
Whether it's romantic relationships. Is because we're built for that. We're built for relationship. God created us. That when he created Adam in the garden. He said that.
It wasn't good. That he was alone. That we're made for relationship. But the reality is. That when. Sin came into the world.
It broke relationships. It. It. It. It made relationships and friendships. Difficult.
Even more so. What it did. Is that. Because of sin. We seek to find relationship. With everyone else.
As opposed to God. That God actually built us. Ultimately for relationship with him. But because of. Sin. We reject that.
We don't want him. But the good news of the gospel. Is that. God didn't leave us here. In our rejection of him. But that he sent Jesus.
To die for us. To live the life that we could not live. To die the death on the cross. And to conquer the death of the resurrection. So that we can have.
A relationship that is. Better than everything else. With him. And that this isn't the end of it. The pain of your relationship hurts now. But the reality is.
That one day. He's going to restore all things. In all relationships. There will be no more sin. There will be no more brokenness. There will be no more hurt.
That when you're fluent in the gospel like that. You're able to apply something like that. Creation. Fall. Redemption. Restoration.
To somebody's life. In a way that helps them see. Their problem. Their struggle. In light of. Eternity.
We need to grow in gospel fluency. But there also may be times. Where they take it even. A little bit deeper. They're like. Okay.
So. But why would God allow for sin to happen in the first place? Right? Why is suffering even a reality? And they might ask some bigger questions. And the third thing.
In making it clear. That we need to grow in. Is that we need to dig deeper. We need to dig deeper. The reality is. Is that.
People have big questions. And we cannot resolve. Every. Mystery of Christ. God is mysterious. But for a lot of people.
God is a complete mystery to them. And it is our opportunity. To clarify. And to give a defense for. So we get the word apologetics.
Which literally just means a defense for. Our faith. That might compel them. To actually. Explore who God is. Hebrews.
Five. Teaches. Four. Though. By this time. You ought to be teachers.
You need someone to teach you again. The basic principles. Of the oracles of God. He says. You need milk. Not salad food.
The writer says. Listen. At this point. In following Jesus. You should be mature enough. That you can teach others.
That you can encourage others. That you can. Disciple others. But it's clear. Right now. He says.
Verse 13. He says. You need milk. Not solid food. For everyone who lives on milk. Is unskilled in the word of righteousness.
Since he is a child. But solid food. Is for the mature. For those who have their powers of discernment. Trained by constant practice. To distinguish good.
From evil. That. He says. You should be able to. To mature past. Just milk.
The elementary doctrines. Right. Jesus loves me. This I know. For the Bible tells me so. Is so good.
And so true. But the depths of that actual statement. Going deeper. Into that. We. Some of us are still stuck on wanting milk.
We want it spoon fed. And he's like. At this point. You got to be eating some steak. You. Here. You.
This is California. You. euh. an abundance of resources that help us in this. You could read books like Reason for God by Tim Keller, Mirror Christianity by C.S. Lewis. There's your little starter pack right there.
Boom. Read those. Slowly take them in and start to digest it.