Sermon Tone Analysis

Colossians 4:2-9

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stephen Caswell© 1999

Answered Prayer--With Cattle

 

Shortly after Dallas Theological Seminary was founded in 1924, it almost came to the point of bankruptcy.

All the creditors were going to foreclose at noon on a particular day.

That morning they met in the president's office with Dr. Chafer for prayer that God would provide.

In that prayer meeting was a man by the name of Harry Ironside.

When it was his turn to pray, he prayed in his characteristic manner: "Lord, we know that the cattle on a thousand hills are Thine.

Please sell some of them and send us the money."

While they were praying, a tall Texan with boots on and an open collar stepped up to the business office and said, "I just sold two carloads of cattle in Ft.

Worth.

I've been trying to make a business deal but it fell through, and I feel compelled to give the money to the seminary.

I don't know if you need it or not, but here's the check!"

A little secretary took the check and, knowing how critical things were financially, went to the door of the prayer meeting and timidly tapped.

When she finally got a response, Dr. Chafer took the check out of her hand.

It was exactly the amount of the debt!

When he looked at the name, he recognized the cattleman in Ft.

Worth, and turning to Dr. Ironside said, "Harry, God sold the cattle!"

Introduction

 

I have called tonights sermon Serving Sentences.

In this passage, Paul deals with the */ministry of words/*.

I have not forgotten the verses at the end of chapter 3.

They deal with relationships in the family and the workplace.

And because we have dealt with this in detail in Ephesians I thought that I would skip over them here.

In these verses Paul is not referring to pastors only!

He is mainly addressing church members.

He emphasizes how we can serve the Lord and particularly how our words can serve us.

The main emphasis of this passage is on our speech.

Christians can use their tongues to pray, praise God, witness, sing and encourage each other.

Or we can use them to criticize others, gossip, discourage others and speak perverse things.

I.

Pray For The Word  &  II.

Practice The Word  

 

/a.Prayer Is Excellent Work/

/ /

Paul */commands/* believers */to pray/*.

But he is to wise to leave it there.

He gives specific details how we should pray.

Prayer is not always easy, in fact it is often hard work.

Paul mentions three things related to prayer in *Colossians 4:2* /Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving;/

/ /

1. Perseverance

 

*/Firstly/*, Paul */commands/* believers to */continue earnestly/* in prayer.

/Why does he say this?/

Because praying is often difficult and we feel like quitting.

The words*/ continue earnestly/* proskarterew mean */to persevere, be constantly diligent, to continue steadfastly, to be devoted to./*/ /This word is used in/ /*Romans 12:12:*/ rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, *continuing steadfastly* in prayer; /Paul is emphasizing the fact that prayer is vital to the Church of God./ /

The early church devoted themselves to prayer and the word and God blessed them mightily/.

/In *1 Thessalonians 5:17* we are commanded to,/ Pray without ceasing.

/This doesn't mean 24 hours a day but rather at many different times during the day/.

/We need to remain in close fellowship with the Lord so that we can always bring our petitions before Him./ /God changes us through prayer too.

He transforms our lives and shapes our will.

All Christians can pray, not just a few select men or the leaders.

God wants to bless us and our service for Him.

But He also wants us to seek His guidance and enablement.

Often elderly folk think they are unable to do much in the Lord's service.

But they can do the most important thing, they can pray more.

Elijah prayed earnestly and it didn't rain for 3 1~/2 years.

Later he prayed 7 times and God broke the drought.

James

 

It is said of James, the head of the Church in Jerusalem, that the skin of his knees was as hard as a camel's from constantly praying, and that he could pray for days together.

To our age that may seem laughable; but one should remember what eloquence and fullness of heart is implied by being able to pray for so long without growing tired, particularly as we have difficulty enough in making a truly heartfelt prayer.

2.

Vigilance

 

*/Secondly/* Paul tells believers to */be vigilant/* in their prayers.

The word */vigilant/* grhgorew means /to be watchful, to be alert, attentive, to be wide awake.

/Paul wants believers to pray thoughtfully, not half asleep./

Do you only pray at the end of day when your body is tired?/

We must be alert and pray earnestly if our prayers are to be effective.

Peter tells us another reason to be vigilant in prayer.

*1 Peter 5:8* /Be sober, *be vigilant*; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

/We should pay attention to the circumstances we are in and pray accordingly, intelligently.

This why we need to be informed about the needs of Christian ministry so that we can pray more effectively.

Prayer lists and diaries are excellent ways to help us */pray vigilantly/*.

We must be earnest and awake.

*Ephesians 6:18* /praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, *being watchful* to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—/ The word */watchful/* is the same word translated */vigilant/* in *Colossians 4:2*.

Paul says that we are to pray in the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit is willing even when the flesh is weak.

Let us avail ourselves of God's help.

Vigilant prayer requires us to be informed, awake and earnest.

Great Thoughts & Sayings: Prayer

 

Ÿ  The fewer the words, the better the prayer.

-- /Martin Luther/

Ÿ  I have lived to thank God that all my prayers have not been answered.

-- /Jean Ingelow/

/Ÿ  /All things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

-- /Jesus Christ /

Ÿ  And Satan trembles when he sees, the weakest saint upon his knees.

-- /William Cowper/

Ÿ  Nothing costs so much as what is bought by prayers.

-- /Seneca/

/Ÿ  /Prayer does not change God, but it changes him who prays.

-- /S. A. Kierkegaard/

Ÿ  Prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge to Satan.

-- /John Bunyan/

3. Thanksgiving

/ /

*/Thanksgiving/*/ /is a part of prayer that we often overlook/.

/We are usually quick to bring our requests to the Lord but slow to thank Him when He answers them.

Ten lepers came to the Lord to be healed.

After the Lord healed them all, only one came back to say thank you.

We must not be like the nine, but like the one.

We should thank the Lord for His faithfulness and answers to prayer.

We can thank Him for the grace He gives for the current trials.

Thanksgiving causes us to see our problems in the right light.