Making the Most of Every Opportunity
Colossians: It's All About Jesus • Sermon • Submitted
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Introduction
Introduction
Picture this. You have just finished your morning prayer in which you have prayed, “Thank you Lord for this day. Help me to be your servant. Amen.” The phone rings and it is that noisy neighbor that is always bugging you. You recognize the number and tell yourself you will talk with them later. You go to the store as you need a few things for the day. You hear a small child pitching a fit in the cereal aisle. You see a very weary mom trying to keep calm but the child screams louder and louder. You choose another aisle to be on. You get to the checkout line and since you only have a few items, you go to the 12 or less line only to find a person in front of you with definitely more than 12 items. The old man that is checking out looks very lonely. You wonder if he has any family around. You finally checkout and go to your car. In the parking lot, you see a car that reminds you of someone that hasn’t been in church in a while. You wonder where they are. You go run a few more errands and get busy into your day. You see that couple sitting on the corner again with a sign that says, “Please help.” You wonder why they don’t have a job. Work happens. Life happens. At the end of the day, you prepare for bed as you are tired and physically spent from your day. You lay down on your bed and you think about the day. you pray, “Thank you Lord for this day. Help me rest so I can be your servant. Amen.”
The dictionary defines “opportunity” as “a favorable or advantageous circumstance or combination of circumstances.” Paul in his letter to the Colossians, used a phrase that said “make the most of every opportunity.” So how does one make the most of every opportunity? The illustration we opened with had at least a half dozen or more opportunities. If we look closely at our on lives, how often is this portrayed? Yet we are instructed to make the most of every opportunity, not just few. How are you doing with your opportunities?
Paul has given us in this passage several practical, fundamental steps to help us make the most of every opportunity.
Colossians 4:2-
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
Devote Yourselves to Prayer (4:2)
Devote Yourselves to Prayer (4:2)
Paul shows here that first and foremost that his readers should devote themselves to prayer. Prayer is as vital to one’s spiritual well being as breathing is to one’s physical well being. It is a faithful act. We see prayer mentioned as a discipline throughout the Bible. It is a command for self-preparedness. It is the theme for a life of holiness. Intercessory prayer was a characteristic of the early Christian.
We see in that they were all joined together constantly in prayer. In , they were devoted to prayer. In , they were called to give attention to prayer. In , there is instruction to be faithful in prayer.
The disciples, apostles and early Christians kept the main thing the main thing. Jesus shared with His disciples to always pray and never give up. We see that evidenced in at the beginning of the parable of the persistent widow.
Paul’s example was to practice a mature prayer life. He prescribed it for all who would call themselves a Christian or Christ follower. How is your prayer life?
We have seen in simply to “pray continually.”
pray continually;
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
Ephesians
says to “devote yourselves to prayer.” What does it mean to devote yourselves to prayer?
Devote means to attend constantly, to persist. The Greek word PROSKARTEREO means to be earnest towards. The word prayer in this context means “earnestly; an oratory; prayed earnestly.” It also can mean a set place in which prayer happens.
What kind of pray-er are you? Are you one that recites the same thing over and over again to check it off of your list? Or are you one that recognized your prayer is like incense and an act of worship?
May my prayer be set before you like incense;
may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.
Psalm 1
Warren Weirsbe wrote, “If there is no fire on the altar, the incense will not rise to God.”
Real praying requires spiritual energy and the ability to to be alert.
This can
As you pray, we are told to be watchful and thankful.
To be watchful means that you are alert and fully awake. It comes from the idea of guard duty. However, it comes with a sense of expectancy. We should watch and be alert for the return of Christ.
What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’ ”
“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.
“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
1 Thessalonians
So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.
Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.
We are to watch and be alert to live for Christ.
And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,
Ephesians
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.
We are to watch and be alert to recognize that which is not of Christ.
Mark 14:
Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”
Matthew
“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”
Not only are we to be watchful, we are to be thankful.
The Greek word used here is EUCHARISTIA. It means thankfulness and gratitude. We have this idea repeated throughout Colossians.
We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,
giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.
Colossians
rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
Being thankful provides a beautiful balance to being watchful by showing we can keep alert not in fear, but in confidence that we can trust God to act according to His Word.
Thanksgiving is a very important part of prayer.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
We are to be devoted to prayer, and we are to discern how we can best pray.
Discern How You Can Best Pray (4:3-4)
Discern How You Can Best Pray (4:3-4)
Maybe you don’t know how or what to pray. Paul gives the directive to pray “for us.” In this context, us is Paul and Timothy. We see that in the very beginning of this book in . Is this a greedy prayer request? By no means! It is a prayer request that is modeled through out the New Testament.
gives us a prayer for words to proclaim the Gospel.
Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel,
Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way.
Hebrews
Paul is challenging the Colossians to recognize the need to beyond generalities and to be specific in prayer. Praying specifically provides a greater opportunity to see the hand of God work and we will be able to recognize what He has done.
Paul could have asked for prayer to be released from prison, to have a successful outcome of an upcoming trial, or even rest for his weariness. However, Paul asks for an open door. Not an open door for his situation, but an open door to a pathway that would give him the opportunity to share the gospel.
This is a continuation of what Paul said earlier in this letter in
We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.
Colossians 1:28
The idea of the door is found in other places in the New Testament.
In , Paul talks about a “door for effective work.”
In , there is mention of the Lord opening a door after going to a certain place to preach.
shows that “God opened a door of faith.”
This is an example of what happens when we pray. Doors are opened and access is gained.
Paul was in jail as he pinned these words most likely because of going through these open doors and doing his missionary work. Yet, here, he prays that a door would further be opened so His work could prosper and grow. Paul had a message to share! Do you have a message to share? Paul’s message was the telling a world that there was hope for all the failures and missing the mark required by rules and regulations. His message was that there is salvation and power in the name of Jesus. Paul was revealing the mystery of Christ which is God’s plan to save the world. Paul wanted to share with everyone he could that Jesus has challenged, defeated and conquered the powers of this world. His fervor and willingness to make the most of every opportunity got him arrested and put in jail. If proclaiming the Gospel was such a crime today, would you be charged for it?
In continuing to discern how to best pray, Paul shares with his readers that he would proclaim the gospel clearly as he should. Proclaim means to reveal or make manifest. Paul is under obligation to proclaim in a way that it brings forth true knowledge and understanding to his hearers. He had the conviction that he had the ultimate privilege to share with the Gentiles and disclose with them the mystery of God, which is salvation through Christ.
So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God.
1 Corinthians
To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.
This is exactly what Jesus wanted. He states in that the Gospel must be preached in all nations. Jesus says in that the Gospel should be preached in other towns as well. In , Paul is told to testify in Rome.
Paul recognized this.
Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
Paul had a burning conviction and an esteemed calling to share the gospel in such a way that he was compelled to succeed. You might be saying, but I am not Paul. Maybe not, but you have the same Jesus!
Paul prays that
Paul is applying prayer to the proclamation of the Word of God.
This is an example for all of us! As a pastor, I covet your prayers as I prepare, study and meditate on God’s word. Please continue to pray! But, hear this, you don’t have to be an ordained minister to proclaim the Word of God. Each one of us here has the ability to share God’s Word and testify what the Lord has done. We have the answer to the mystery of Christ and God has placed us in a world ready to hear it! We just have to be willing and obedient.
Even in our every day conversation, we can sow seeds of God’s truth and grace in a way that others can have and experience the truth of Jesus.
We can demonstrate our prayer with a plan of action!
Demonstrate Your Prayer With a Plan of Action (4:5-6)
Demonstrate Your Prayer With a Plan of Action (4:5-6)
Paul writes to “be wise in the way you act towards outsiders and to make the most of every opportunity.” Are you being wise in the way you act towards outsiders? WISE here means literally to “walk in wisdom.”
Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise,
Are you being careful how you live?
A godly life leaves a clear testimony which always produces doorways to sharing the truth of God’s love. Outsiders are anyone that is not a Christian. Paul here is articulating :
Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God—
We are to make the most of every opportunity. The word is related to time and this is an instruction of how to use your time.
Paul gives us instruction about our conversation. If we are making the most of every opportunity, we are engaging with others and talking with them. What a concept! Our conversation with others should always allow for the opportunity to share something about our faith.
If you are full of grace, your conversation will overflow and also be full of grace as well! If our conversation is to be full of grace, there is no room for negative criticism and harsh words! We should be the example of
Eccles
Words from a wise man’s mouth are gracious,
but a fool is consumed by his own lips.
Paul already set the tone for this earlier in
But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices
We are to be full of grace yet seasoned with salt.
Jesus said in , “You are the salt of the world.”
Paul takes that same idea and says your conversation should be seasoned with salt. Why?
Salt purifies.
Salt penetrates.
Salt preserves.
Salt gives pizzazz.
When you allow this to happen, you will be able to give an answer to everyone. No matter what they may question!