Open your Bibles up, if you would,
to Colossians chapter 4. We are closing in fast to the
end of the study. There's still a few more nuggets
scattered through this chapter, but we're closing fast. our study
on the book of Colossians, and it's been a great journey, a
wonderful journey through this book. Colossians chapter 4, let's read
verses 2 to 6, and tonight our text will be found in verses
5 and 6, but we'll read the context. Continue in prayer and watch,
and the same with thanksgiving. Wherewithal, praying also for
us that God would open unto us a door of utterance to speak
the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds, that I may
make it manifest as I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward
them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be
always, always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know
how ye ought to answer every man. Now last week we looked at where
Paul asked the saints at Kloss to pray for him, and to specifically
pray for him that a door of utterance would be opened up for him and
others to preach the gospel, to proclaim the unsearchable
riches of Christ. Now Paul knew Paul knew that
unless God opened the door to preach, and unless God made the
preaching effectual, that no one would be saved. Because as
Scripture declares, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the
word of God, and how shall they call on him in whom they have
not believed? And how shall they believe in
him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without
a preacher? So Paul asked the Colossian believers to pray that
God would open up doors of utterance for him to be able to proclaim
and preach Christ and Him crucified. He wasn't promoting himself.
He was boasting in the One who had saved and redeemed his soul.
And this is what Gospel preachers do, because the Gospel must be
preached And again, Paul asked the Colossians if they could
pray that God would sovereignly open the doors of utterance for
him to proclaim Christ. Because Paul knew that if God
didn't sovereignly open the door, there wouldn't be no door open.
So every time a preacher gets to proclaim the gospel, it's
God sovereignly opening the door of utterance for the preacher. And notice that Paul is asking
that God would open up doors of utterance rather than himself. Now may that be a lesson to all
of us. Paul's asking that God would open up the door and not
he himself. That's a lesson for every preacher,
every Christian. We don't want to kick the door
open ourselves. We want to let God open the door.
When someone asks you a question about what you believe, that's
an open door. That's an open door. And we also pray that God would
help us to be bold and not afraid to proclaim the gospel. And that
he would season our answers with grace. And we'll look at that
tonight. With that fresh in our mind,
let us read the text that says Colossians four verses five and
six walk in wisdom toward them that are without. Redeeming the
time. Let your speech be always with
grace, seasoned with salt that you may know how you ought to
answer every man. So let's look at verse five.
We're exhorted, the Christians at Coloss are exhorted, and we
are too tonight, studying this book, to walk in wisdom toward
them that are without. To walk in wisdom toward them
that are without. Now to walk in wisdom is to be
cautious and aware of dangers that are besetting us all around. Beloved, we who believe are beset
with difficulties and dangers on all sides. Believers in the
days this letter was written to Kalash lived in the midst
of heathens. They lived in the midst of heathens.
They lived in the midst of heathens ruling over them. They lived
in the midst of heathens being all around them. And as Solomon
says, there's nothing new under the sun. There's nothing new
under the sun. We have religious lost people
and ungodly people who rule over us. And we need to be cautious
and aware of the dangers all around us. In the writing of
this book, most of the cities had temples belonging to false
gods. Belonging to false gods. And
sacrifices were offered at those sites. So they were surrounded
by heathen idolatry. Everywhere they went, they were
surrounded by it. And they needed wisdom in how
to live before the pagans and how to speak to them. They never
wanted to confirm the pagans in their idolistic worship, never,
never. And they also never wanted to
oppose those who had rule over them. So they needed wisdom from
God, unless they crossed the line where they said they couldn't
preach. And then they just kept preaching. But Paul didn't start
revolutions. He preached Christ. And it started
things. They turned the world upside
down. That's what they said of him. My. So they needed wisdom from God
to walk toward them that are without. Scripture says here
to walk with them that are without. So we are to live our lives wisely,
living before the unsaved. With carefulness and cautiously
before those outside of the church, because they're watching us.
I'll tell you that. I'll tell you that. They're watching
us. And I know they don't have to
look too close to me to see my faults. That's why we preachers, we say,
don't look to us, we'll let you down every time. We're sinners
just like everyone else. And so the first thing we tell
people when they ask questions about what we believe, we say
we're sinners. I'm a safe sinner, but I'm a
sinner. And those who are without, those
who are without here are the unsaved, are the unsaved, the
unsaved ones all around us. And let us remember this too,
that we who are redeemed, we're hewn from the same rock as them. We're hewn from the same rock.
That's why scripture, as Brother Henry used to always say, don't
ever forget the rock you were hewn from. We ought not to get
on a high horse, because we know what we are. We know where we
came from. Reflect on think of this, too,
if you don't think that they're there, they're watching you when
you profess to be a Christian, think of how you were before
the Lord saved you and someone told you they were a Christian. I remember what that was like.
Used to watch them all the time. Here's something to ponder. Think
of this. I thought about this today. Isn't it amazing that
the world thinks that we're holier than thou, right? That's what
some of the world thinks about Christians. They think that,
well, they think they're holier than thou, but in reality, Each
one of us think we're the chief of sinners. Each one of us. The world thinks they are good
people. And God is showing us. God has revealed to us that in
the flesh dwells no good thing. The opposite of what they think
is how we think. The world thinks they can work
their way to heaven. And we know as believers that
the only reason we're going to heaven is because of the work
of Christ. Now there's two things that natural
man hates to hear, and they will hear it if they ask you about
Christ. Two things, I've talked to several
preachers about this lately, two things that natural man absolutely
hates. They hate to be called a sinner. And God's people say, I'm a sinner. Why? What's the difference? Who
made us different? God. God has revealed to us who
we are and what we are. And as Brother Tim was praying,
oh Lord, show people their desperate need for Christ, because that's
what He's done for us. He's shown us what we are. So one thing that unsaved natural
man hates to hear is that they're sinners. They don't believe they
are. Trust me. You talk to them, they
don't believe they're sinners. They believe everyone else is
sinners. But when you hit the hammer to the nail, oh boy, They
don't like that. And number two, they don't like
to be told that their works amount to nothing before God. They don't like to be told, because
religious men, and even unsaved people who aren't religious,
they think they're good. And they think they can get to
heaven because they're good. Well, Scripture declares there's
none good. None good. None good at all. You tell a
natural man those two things, and it's like kicking a hornet's
nest, beloved. It's like kicking a hornet's
nest. And these people get madder than a wet hornet when you tell
them about that. They'll get lit right up. They will. But
what does a believer do when he hears those two points? He
or she, they dispel their head. And they say, yes, yes, I'm a
sinner, and my works don't mean nothing before the Lord. Isn't
that amazing? Now God's people are ordained
to good works, right? Scripture declares that. Norm
Wells and I was talking about that the other day. We don't
even know when we do them. We have no clue. And the only
reason they're good is because it's God working in us. There's
nothing in us, beloved. So the ones spoken of in our
text that are without are the unsaved. Walk and listen toward
them that are without, redeeming the time. They are those who are still
held by the power of darkness, by the power of Satan, by the
power of sin. And never forget we were there
too. Never forget that. They are members of our own family,
our friends, our neighbors, our co-workers, who have not been
called out of darkness. Pray for them. Pray for them. And they watch us, beloved. They
do. And we as God's children should
not give those who are watching us reasons to speak evil of our
God. reasons to speak evil of our
God. Pastor Henry Mann said this, it becomes us in our communication
with these people to behave wisely and in such a manner that the
gospel is not blasphemed and reproached. Do all that you can
in your contact with unbelievers to gain their respect, affection,
and approval of your conduct, conversation, and attitude. We
should be known in our families, in our communities, in our businesses,
business circles, as peaceful, honest, holy, and kind people.
I think that's a wonderful point. It's a wonderful point. We should
be different than other people. And it's not because of anything
we do. It's because God, the Holy Spirit has regenerated us
and we're born again. And this takes wisdom from God.
This takes wisdom from God. It's not something we can drum
up. It takes wisdom from God. And it comes from him, his grace. The Holy Spirit working in us,
enabling us to walk as children of light. Doing all things in
word or deed in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and giving
thanks to God, giving thanks to God and the Father by him
heartily as unto the Lord and not unto men. We're not men pleasers. We walk. Walk to give glory to
the Lord, don't we? We live our lives to give glory
to the Lord. We're sinners. But praise be to God, we're saved
sinners, beloved. Brethren, walk in wisdom, pray
for wisdom. And who is our wisdom? Christ. Christ is all our wisdom. Our
text continues, redeeming the time. Redeeming the time, or
buying the time. In other words, using our time
carefully and diligently. Carefully and diligently. The
same Greek word for redeeming. is found over in Ephesians chapter
5, turn there if you would, where we believers are exhorted by
Paul to Ephesians 5 verses 15 to 21. See then that you walk circumspectly,
not as fools, but as wise. Ephesians 5.16, redeeming the
time because the days are evil. Wherefore, be ye not unwise,
but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk
with wine wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit.
Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing And making malady in your heart to the Lord, giving
thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting yourselves one to
another in the fear of God. But verse 16, the same Greek
word is used here, redeeming the time because the days are
evil. Again, we're to use our time
carefully and diligently, beloved. not letting opportunities and
doors that God opens up for us to speak about Christ slip by. Opportunities even just to glorify
God, our Lord Jesus before the ungodly were not to let these
opportunities slip by. We can only do this in this life. And it is an honor, and it is
a blessing, and a privilege to speak of what Christ has done
for us. And that's all it is. When the
Lord opens the door, it's just speaking to others about what
Christ has done for us. Now, the Word of God does not
tell us to be brow beaters. No, religion does that. They
just take and hammer folks. No, that's not what we're called
to do. We just proclaim the great things God has done. We can't
grab people by the lapels of their coats and shirts and shake
them into the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ. They must
be born again. It must be a spirit's work. But
when he opens the door, let us Lord, please give us grace and
strength to speak. To proclaim. The wonderful things
of Christ. Salvation is of the Lord. It's
His work. And the sinner is only born again
by the work of the Holy Spirit. Let us then use this time wisely.
If God opens a door of utterance for us, let us proclaim what
Christ has done for us. See, Paul's exhorting Christians.
He's exhorting everyone. Some may say, well, I don't know
what to say. Well, let me give you a few things
that are easy for every redeemed, blood-bought saint of God to
say. Number one, we can tell others
that we and they are all born sinners. We're all born sinners. That all of mankind are born
sinners and can't please God by our works. And we can proclaim
to them that there's none who seeks God. That He must seek
you. He must seek you. Number two,
we can tell others that God has granted us faith to believe.
He took one who didn't believe and granted me faith. And granted
me repentance. When He regenerated us. He granted
us faith to believe on who? On the Lord Jesus Christ. And
now, you say, I'm eternally saved. Well, I'm walking on this earth,
I'm saved. Number three, we can tell others
that when Christ died for us on the cross, that he redeemed
us, he purchased us. And you can tell him it's similar
to purchasing something. Remember that outline I gave
you, that grace preacher gave me? When you go to the store
and you choose what you want, you got a list, you choose what
you want, you go and you pay for it, you buy it. He purchased
our souls. He purchased our souls with his
own precious blood. And we can also tell them that
he lived before God's holy law in our place as our substitute. and the justice which we offended,
he satisfied. Number four, we can tell others
that he forgave us all our sins, that they're gone as far as the
east is from the west, and that he saves all who come to him
by faith, never casting out one mercy beggar who flees to him.
And we can tell others that Christ died on the cross and was buried
and rose again for our justification. that God has pardoned us because
of what Christ has done. And we can tell others that right
now, He's seated at the right hand of glory. Seated at the right hand of the
Father. He's in heaven, and He's our advocate right now, our Redeemer,
and our Savior. And one day we'll be with Him.
Every blood-bought child of God can tell folks this. That's the
gospel in a nutshell. It's all in Christ. I ask you,
what is the hope within you? Christ. Christ is the hope that's
within you. It's the Lord Jesus Christ. Turn,
if you would, to 1 Peter 3. Now we'll be going back to this
little portion here at the end of the sermon. These will be
the two verses if you want to if you want to put a mark or
something that would be there. But these two verses, I'm going
to read them now, but we're going to be going back there. Look
at first Peter, chapter three, verses 15 and 16. What a hope
we have beloved in Christ. First Peter, chapter three, verse
15 and 16. But sanctify the Lord God in
your hearts and be ready always to give an answer to every man
that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness
and fear. Now look what Paul writes. He's
writing this to believers. But sanctify the Lord God in
your hearts and be ready always to give an answer to every man. that asketh you a reason of the
hope that is in you with meekness and fear, having a good conscience
that, whereas they speak evil of you as of evildoers, they
may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ." Oh Lord, help me to always be ready to
give an answer to every man for the reason of
the hope that lies within." Now let's look at verse 6 in
light of what we just looked at. Colossians 4, 6. Let your speech be always with
grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer
every man. Oh beloved, may we pray that
our speech may be at times, all times gracious, seasoned with
salt. So we may never be at a loss
to know how we should answer anyone who asks a question about
the hope which we have in Christ Jesus our Lord. Now the Greek
word translated, speech, in verse six here, is the same Greek word
that Paul used for utterance. We're with all praying also for
us that God will open to us a door of utterance to speak the mystery
of Christ for which I am also in bonds. So Paul prays for a
door of utterance in verse 3 to proclaim the gospel of the Lord
Jesus Christ and he tells the Colossians that when God opens
a door for you to speak that we are to season our words, our
utterance with grace, with grace. And he prays that God would give
them wisdom to answer every man. Now note, there's no discrimination
in whom we are to talk to. poor, family, friends, when the
Lord opens the door for us to speak about the wonderful things
Christ has done for us, we are to do it with grace, with grace,
seasoned with grace. Now, grace should just flow from
our lips, beloved, should just flow from our lips, because we
have Remember this. I remember one grace preacher
saying this a long time ago. He who has been given grace will
give grace. So it should just flow from our
lips when we have the opportunity to speak before others or to
others. Grace should be in. Grace should
also be the subject matter, because grace always points us to Christ.
Right. How are we saved by grace through
faith? Who is the faith in? Christ. It always goes back to our King. Always, beloved. Always. Always goes back to Him. Grace
should be the subject matter of our speech. As one grace preacher
I spoke to this week said this, he said this, and I thought this
was pretty profound. He said that what we believe
about Christ Jesus, our Lord, is not that we can find within
these four walls. It's not to be confined within
these four walls, beloved. We are to tell others what Christ
has done for us. And remember praying that God
would open the door. And if God opens the door, you won't
have to force nothing. And as I said, we just speak
about what Christ has done for us. That's all. So let us always remember that
when we talk with believers, grace should also dominate our
conversation, right? I'm believers are believers.
Our speech should be seasoned with grace. Seasoned with salt,
full of grace. Those who are without need, those
who are without, spoken of in our text in verse 5, those who
are without, they need to know that God has freely bestowed
His grace upon us, His people, through the Lord Jesus Christ.
And we need to tell them that it's His grace that's made the
difference. It's nothing we do. It's all about Christ. Again,
to see even how in these two points here, in these two verses
here even, what's Paul doing? Bringing it right back to Christ.
He's a master. And I know the Holy Spirit is
the one who inspired him to pen this. I know that. But if you notice, Paul was so
determined to preach Christ in him crucified and nothing else.
He just kept getting the hearts and minds of the people he was
writing to on Christ, on Christ. It's incredible. Now, what is having our speech
being always with grace? Beloved, it is speaking from
a new heart and a new spirit. That's within us. It is speech
that is not abusive. It's speech that's not vindictive. And it will be patterned after
the example of Christ who, when he was reviled, reviled not again. When he suffered, he threatened
not. but committed himself to him
that judges righteously. Now, that's hard for us to do. Because if someone wrongs us,
what do we want to do? Let's admit it. We want to give it right back,
don't we? But we ought not to be that way. We ought not to
be that way. No. Oh, we're to be full of grace. full of grace. We're to speak
the truth in love, aren't we? Scripture says this, but speaking
the truth in love may grow up in him in all things, which is
the head, even Christ. Even Christ. Now Paul goes on
to give us further instruction in this verse, further description
of this gracious speech. It's to be seasoned with salt.
Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that
ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. Our speech should
be seasoned with salt. Now, salt makes certain foods
taste better. So grace will be to our speech
what salt is to meat, more savory, more pleasant. And salt also one one commentator
said this salt also prevents corruption. It also prevents
corruption. Ephesians, chapter four, turn,
if you were there, Ephesians four, verse twenty nine, Ephesians
four, twenty nine. Look at this exhortation by Paul.
When when thinking about seizing in our speech, with salt Ephesians 429 let no crap communication proceed
out of your mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying
that it may minister grace unto unto the here's let no crap communication
proceed out your mouth that which is good to the use of edifying
that it may minister grace unto the here so speech season with
salt is not empty speech. It's not empty speech. It's thought
provoking speech. One commentator said it's worthwhile
speech. And a Christian should be known
by their conduct and by their speech. We're not what we used
to be. We're not what we used to be.
Lastly, the scripture tonight declares this, that you may know
how you ought to answer every man. Let's read the verse again. Let your speech be always with
grace. Seasoned with salt. That you
may know how you ought to answer every man. Now, he doesn't mean
for us to speak the same way to everyone. He's not saying
that. but speak appropriately to each
separate person as he or she has need. Listen to what they
have to say. Listen to where they're coming
from. We must give perceptive and discerning
answers in accordance with the unique circumstances of each
individual who the Lord allows us to talk to. Now they all have
the same need, right? Same need we have. Everyone has
the same need. But some you will encounter will
have probing intellectual objections. And they will. Some of them will.
While others are struggling with deeply entrenched sin. Or deeply entrenched sinful habits. But the one thing needful for
all sinners is Christ Jesus the Lord. And that's who we proclaim. That's
who we proclaim. we proclaim Christ. Again, let's
turn back again to 1 Peter 3, 15 and 16, and we're closed with
this. Oh, may God have us always be
ready to give an answer for the hope we have in Christ, which
for us who believe is an anchor. Christ is an anchor. He's an
anchor of the soul and beloved. He's an anchor. That's steadfast
and sure. Steadfast and sure for every
he's he's the city of refuge that we fled to. And we are safe
in him. Remember, there was one way into
that arc, wasn't there? There was only one way into that
arc. And God shut the door. And all who were outside that
ark perished. But all who were inside, not
a drop of rain fell on them. Not a drop of God's wrath fell
on them. What a picture of us in Christ, beloved. What a picture
of us in Christ. This is the wonderful truth that
we can proclaim to others. Look at this, and again, 1 Peter
3, 15 and 16, and we're closed with this. But sanctify the Lord
God in your hearts and be ready always to give an answer to every
man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with
meekness and fear. Do you notice? You don't have
to bang the door down. They're going to ask you. They're
going to ask you. And people ask us all the time.
Ask it to you a reason of the hope that isn't that is in you
with meekness and fear, having a good conscience that whereas
they speak evil of you as of evil doers, they may be ashamed
that falsely accused your good conversation in Christ. Oh, my
God. Have us to set our mind upon
Christ, who is the hope within us, the hope with us. Heavenly
Father, we come before your throne with thankful and grateful hearts.
We who have been redeemed by your precious blood, Lord Jesus,
we have been purchased by the sacrifice of you upon the cross. Oh, Lord, give us the words to
speak when you open the doors for us to speak to our family,
our friends, our co-workers, whatever Whenever you open a
door. Oh, Lord, give us the words.
Have scripture come to remembrance for us or something that we've
heard, Lord. And may we most proclaim, though,
the truth of what you've done for us, what you've done for
us. Oh, Lord, you're so merciful
to your people. You're so good to your people.
You purchased us, you redeemed us, and now you keep us. Oh,
Lord, what a day that will be when we see you face to face.
And we love you because you first loved us. In Jesus name. Amen.