Colossians chapter 4. Colossians
chapter 4. The name of the message tonight
is a door of utterance. A door of utterance. Colossians
chapter 4. We'll read verses 2 to 6. Continue in prayer and watch
in the same with thanksgiving. wherewithal, praying also for
us, that God would open unto us the 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, walking wisdom toward
them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be
always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how you
ought to answer every man. Our text tonight will be in verses
3 and 4 where scripture declares, wherewithal praying also for
us that God would open unto us a door of utterance to speak
the mysteries, the mystery of Christ for which I'm also in
bonds that I may make it manifest as I ought to speak. Now this
is a subject that's very dear to gospel preachers of course.
Very dear to gospel preachers. this door of utterance being
opened. And the door of utterance is
the door that the Lord opens for us to preach and proclaim
the gospel. To preach and proclaim the gospel. And of course, gospel
preachers, we love to preach about Christ. We love to tell
others about our Redeemer. That's our one subject. That's
our one subject, is Christ. It's Christ. So before we Look
at verses three and four. Let us consider what we looked
at last week in verse two, where we saw Paul exhort the Colossian
believers to continue in prayer. And we saw that to continue in
prayer and to be watchful in prayer. We saw that that was
to be steadfast in prayer and to continue means that, you know,
like we talked about last week, you can be in prayer at your
job site. You can be in prayer when you're driving. You can
be in prayer when you're just walking around. You can be in prayer
in your home. Prayer is just uttering to God our needs, telling
Him, lifting up to Him our needs and also the needs of others
and the needs of the church, just lifting up people you love
and care about, lifting up unsafe loved ones, praying that God
would save them if it's His will. And so we're to seek the Lord
with watchfulness. In the latter part of the verse
said we are to pray for, pray with thanksgiving. We're to pray
with thanksgiving. And when we consider the great
things that the Lord had done for us, it makes it easy for
us to be thankful. It makes it very easy for us
to be thankful. We closed that study with some
things for us to consider through the week, and they were that God's people are
vessels of mercy. Vessels of mercy. We who have
salvation in Christ, we are vessels of mercy. That's what we are. Vessels of mercy. And scripture
declares that. The potter has the right to do whatever he wants
with the clay, right? To make a vessel of honor and
a vessel of dishonor. Well, God's people are vessels
of honor because the divine potter has made it so. because the divine
potter has made it so. Another thing that will cause
us to be thankful and fill our hearts with joy and thankfulness
is when we think about all our sins have been purged by the
Lord Jesus Christ. Scripture declares, who beholding
the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person
and upholding all things by the word of his power when he had
by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of majesty
on high, Hebrews 1.3. So when we think about that,
when we ponder that and consider that all my sins are forgiven,
it'll fill our hearts with joy, beloved, with joy. And then the
other point was our Savior has obtained eternal redemption for
us. It's not something we have to obtain. So religion tells
you you got to do, do, do. No, we point you to the one who's
done it all. and having obtained eternal redemption. Scripture
declares this. Neither by the blood of goats
and calves, but by his own blood, he entered in once into the holy
place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. The believer
has... If you're saved, you have eternal
redemption right now. Isn't that beautiful? It's wonderful.
Fill your heart with joy. Fill your heart with joy. And
then, the next point was God has forgiven us for Christ's
sake. Ephesians 4.32 says, And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted,
forgiving one another, even as God, for Christ's sake, hath
forgiven you. So we looked at that when we said, when I look
at how much God's forgiven me, it should make it easy for me
to forgive others. And the scripture declares that. We're to forgive
one another, even as God, for Christ's sake, hath forgiven
you. And so it fills our hearts with joy and thanksgiving when
we consider these precious truths. And when we ponder the scripture
that says this, all things work together for good to them that
love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Who are the called according to his purpose? His elect, his
people, given to him, given to Christ before the foundation
of the world. So amidst afflictions and sorrows of this life, the
believer can say with Job, as God gives him grace and strength,
because we can't say this on our own, but as God gives us
grace and strength, though he slay me, yet will I trust him.
Yet will I trust him. So beloved, let us consider verses
3 and 4 tonight. Paul exhorting the Colossian
believers to pray for those who preach and proclaim the gospel.
Wherewithal praying also for us that God would open unto us
a door of utterance, 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. Now note the Apostle Paul is
in bonds. He's in bonds. When he's writing
this wonderful epistle, he's in bonds, beloved. He's in prison. And it's not like the prisons
of today. It's a Roman prison. And he's in bonds for what? Preaching
the gospel. Preaching the gospel of the Lord
Jesus Christ. And even though, note here, note
even here, even though he's in bonds, he's not being discharged
from his commission from God, which is to what? He's commissioned
from God to preach the gospel, right? And look what he's saying.
He's in bonds and he's saying, 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. So he's in
bonds, he's a prisoner, and he's asking. for the Colossian believers to
pray that he can have a door to preach the gospel, to preach
the very thing he's imprisoned for. My, my. So what is this door of utterance?
It's a door to preach and proclaim the free grace of God in and
through the Lord Jesus Christ in him alone. And Paul earnestly
desired, he earnestly desired, we could see it from this text,
he earnestly desired To have liberty to preach the gospel.
To have liberty to preach the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Praying always. Turn if you would to Ephesians
chapter 6. He wrote about, in Ephesians 6 he wrote this too
also. Ephesians chapter 6 verses 18 to 20. Now think of this too. There's nothing more important
to the Apostle Paul than preaching the gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ. There's nothing more important to him. Look at Ephesians
chapter 6 verses 18 to 20. Praying always with all prayer
and supplication in the spirit and watching there unto with
all perseverance and supplication for all saints. The verse 19,
and for me that utterance may be given unto me that I may open
my mouth boldly. To make, to what, why, what?
No, no. Think of this, gospel preachers
nowadays, they get up and they tell you all about themselves.
Not gospel preachers, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, not gospel. False
preachers, yeah. False preachers get up and they
tell you all about themselves, right? But gospel preachers,
we tell you about Christ. We proclaim Christ. He's the
one topic, the one thing that we wanna proclaim is preaching
Christ and him crucified. Look at this. And for me that
utterance may be given unto me that I may open my mouth boldly
to make known the mystery of the gospel. to make no in the
mystery of the gospel. Look it, for which I am an ambassador
in bonds. He's, remember we've seen in
other scriptures, he claims that he's an ambassador for Christ,
which all believers are, but he's saying here, I'm an ambassador
in bonds. I'm still an ambassador, even
though I'm in bonds, even though I'm in bonds, that there and
I may speak boldly as I ought to speak. He's praying that God
would give him the words to speak, beloved. Because we preachers
know that it's not by our power and it's not by our might, but
it's by the Spirit. It's by the Spirit. So even while
he was a prisoner at Rome, when he wrote this epistle, Paul asked
the Colossian saints to pray for him and to pray for his fellow
ministers, his fellow preachers, that God would open unto them
a door of utterance also. And we know, we know that all
things work, right? All things are under the feet
of the Lord Jesus Christ. So it was God's sovereign purpose
and plan that Paul would be in bonds when he's writing this
epistle. And we know that God the Father
has put all things into his hands and Paul knew this. Therefore,
Paul's asking the saints to pray to God that he would open a door
of utterance. Oh, that we might pray for that.
And by his divine providence, our Lord Jesus Christ alone is
the one who opens the door. He's the one who alone who opens
the door by which his preachers are allowed the honor. And it
is an honor and a privilege. To preach the gospel. To preach
the gospel. What humiliation is here before
us, the apostle Paul knows he knows the apostle Paul knows
that he can do nothing. Nothing on his own. He knows
that any ability to preach comes from the Lord, comes from the
Lord. He knows that any ability to
proclaim Christ must come from the Lord. I've told you before, I can't
tell you about somewhere where I haven't been. But if I've been there, I can
tell you about it, right? You see, I'm saved by grace.
Gospel preachers, we proclaim what we know, what God's done
for us, what God's done for us. Oh, but we know that the ability
to preach. The strength to preach, the grace
to preach all must come from the Lord Jesus Christ in him
alone. And what do we speak of? Oh, we proclaim the unsearchable
riches of Christ. The unsearchable riches of Christ.
And that means I had one guy tell me one time, I think I mentioned
it before, they said, all you do is preach Christ. And I said,
well, I preach the unsearchable riches of Christ. And I said,
I looked up in the dictionary and it's unfathomable. You can't
even come close to even knowing all about it. It's unsearchable,
but we gospel preachers get up and we preach and proclaim what
God's taught us from the scriptures. Now, Paul set a high value on
the prayers of the saints here in petition. They're petitioning
God for the furtherance of the gospel. As again, he knew that
absolutely no one would be saved without hearing the true gospel,
the true gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. of God's saving grace
through the perfect redeeming work of the Lord Jesus Christ
in him alone. He knew that no one would be
saved unless they heard that gospel. And so he prays that
God would open. He asked the saints to pray,
and we know he prayed on his own, too. He asked the saints
to pray for a door of utterance, a door of utterance to be opened
up. Turn, if you would, to Ephesians. Ephesians chapter 1, verse 17
and 18. And I'll read Romans 10, 13,
which says this. Whosoever shall call upon the
name of the Lord shall be saved. How shall they call on him in
whom they have not believed? And how should they believe in
him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without
a preacher? And how shall they preach except they be sent? And look at Ephesians 1, 17 and
18. that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,
may give unto you the spirit of wisdom in revelation in the
knowledge of Him. See, He must reveal Christ, or
else we'll never know Him. It's a revelation, beloved, from
God. The eyes of your understanding being what? Enlightened. We're
in our natural state. We're in darkness. Darkness. that she may know, now every
believer knows this, that she may know what is the hope of
his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance
in the saints. Oh my beloved. Paul asked those
believers in the Colossian church to pray for the Lord's ministers
that God would open unto us a door of utterance. A door of utterance. And note the fact again, Paul
was in prison. Think of this too. Now look at
our text here, 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 bounds. Paul was in prison. He's bound,
right? Yet he sought no liberty for
himself. Note that in the prayer, he didn't seek any liberty for
himself. None. But he sought liberty for
the preaching of the gospel. Isn't that amazing? He sought
liberty for the preacher of the gospel. He didn't ask that the
prison door of his cell would fly open, but he asked the brethren
that if they would pray to God, oh, that fair adventure that
God would give Paul and other preachers the liberty to preach
and proclaim the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. And think
of this again, which was the very reason he was in prison.
So he's asking for liberty. To be able to preach. The very. Thing they put him in prison,
which is Christ and him crucified for the pre. He is in bonds for
the preaching of Christ. And he's he's asking the saints,
please pray that I could still preach this gospel, that God
will give me a door of violence, that God will give me a door
of violence. Oh, my. That's a heart of a preacher
right there. A door of utterance to what? To speak the mystery
of Christ. To speak the mystery of Christ.
Turn, if you would, to 2 Corinthians, chapter 4. Now, God's preachers
ask for a door of utterance. They don't ask for a door to
preach about themselves, because we don't have anything to say
about ourselves. They ask for a door of utterance
to preach and proclaim the Lord Jesus Christ in Him alone. 2
Corinthians, chapter 4. Verses 1 to 6. Therefore, seeing
we have this ministry as we have received mercy, we faint not,
but have renounced the hidden things of dishonor, not walking
in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but
by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every
man's conscience in the sight of God. But if our gospel be
hid, it is hid to them that are lost. Whom the God of this world
has blinded, the minds of them which believe not, lest the light
of the glorious gospel of Christ who is the image of God, should
shine unto them. Now look at this, for we preach
not ourselves. Paul didn't go around promoting
himself. No gospel preacher goes around
promoting himself. No, we boast in Christ, and we
boast in Christ alone, for we preach not ourselves, but Christ
Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.
I'm a servant, just like you. We're all servants of Christ.
We who believe. For God who commanded the light.
Look at this. For God who commanded the light
to shine out of darkness. And He did that, beloved. He
did that. We're born again by the Holy
Spirit of God. And oh, what darkness we were
in. You ever been in the dark and
you're groping around? So dark that you're groping around
you can't see nothing even when you close your eyes to try to
get your eyes to adjust For ten seconds you open them up and
it's still just pitch black That's what we read. We're groping around
Before the Lord saved us But look at this For God who commanded
a lot to shine at a darkness has shined in our hearts to give
the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face
of Jesus Christ Oh my, the Lord Jesus Christ has revealed himself
and does reveal himself to lost sinners, his people. And God
does not open up doors of utterance for His preachers to talk about
political issues or about worldly problems from the pulpit. No,
no. We don't have the liberty to
preach about the sinful works of man, what man's doing. No,
we preach and proclaim Christ, and Christ and Him crucified.
Oh, the only hope for sinners, we're to speak the mystery of
Christ. gospel truths concerning Christ
are a mystery. They cannot be understood by
the unregenerate mind. And just think back of before
we were saved. I didn't know anything about justification.
I didn't even, to be honest with you, I don't even think I knew
what the word, it never really entered my vocabulary. Redemption?
I didn't understand any of that. None of that stuff. Now these
wonderful truths, I see them scattered all through the scriptures.
And this book's alive, beloved. My, and it's a mine of endless
jewels from the Lord. It's incredible. Gospel truths
concerning Christ are a mystery. They cannot be understood by
the unregenerate mind. They must be revealed by God. They must be revealed by God.
And God uses the preaching of the gospel. He uses sinful men
who have been saved by his grace to preach and proclaim the wondrous
truths of the unsearchable riches of Christ. It's incredible. And by the power of the Holy
Spirit, he takes that preaching and he reveals Christ to the
other lost sinners. And then he builds up, he builds
up all of the saints who get together. And he builds us up
in Christ. The preacher never sees what's
happening with God's word, but it's penetrating. It's penetrating. It. It's incredible. It's absolutely
incredible. So Paul. Paul could not preach
anything else, but. Paul desired to preach the gospel
of the Lord Jesus Christ, to speak the mystery of Christ,
to proclaim the unsearchable riches of Christ, of His person,
of His work, where He is now, and the hope that believers have
in Him right now. Right now. 1 Corinthians 9.16
says this, and this is true of every gospel preacher. For though
I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of, for necessity is
laid upon me, yea, woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel.
My, so Paul, think of this too. Paul didn't preach about his
own works, did he? He didn't preach about his own
works. He didn't tell people that he's doing this and doing
that. No, he preached about Christ's work. This is what Christ has
done. Christ died for his people. Paul
didn't preach about our merit because we don't have any before
God, but he didn't preach on that like morality preachers
do. No, but he did. He did bring
forth the merit of Christ's finished work on the cross for his people. Paul did not preach about man's
so-called righteousness. He proclaimed that we have none. But he did proclaim that the
believer is clothed in the perfect, spotless righteousness of Christ. Paul did not preach about man's
supposed wisdom, but he did preach Christ, who is the wisdom of
God. Paul did not preach about man
being able to sanctify himself. He preached Christ Jesus, our
Lord, in whom the believer is sanctified. Paul did not teach that we could
fulfill the law by our own works. No. He preached we cannot even
keep the law. He preached that if we break
the law on one point, we broke it all. But he did preach that Christ
fulfilled the law in the believer's place. And he did preach that
Christ is the end of the law for righteousness. He did preach
that for those who believe. Paul did not preach you could
be saved by your own works. No. He proclaimed we're not saved
by works of righteousness. Which we have done. But he did
proclaim that we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone,
in Christ alone, to the glory of God alone. He did preach that. Beloved, salvation is of the
Lord. It's a work of God. And Paul
proclaimed Paul preached and proclaimed the all-sufficient,
complete Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. And we've seen that in
our study in Colossians, the all-sufficient, complete Savior
of His people, the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul had absolutely nothing
to glory in, nothing to glory in, beloved, save in the Lord
Jesus Christ and Him alone. Look at our text again. We're
all praying also for us that God would open unto us a door
of utterance, to speak the mysteries of Christ, for which I am also
in bonds, that I may make it manifest as I ought to speak."
Now, when a door of utterance is opened for a gospel preacher,
they proclaim the mystery spoken of in our text. One of the mysteries we proclaim
is that there are three divine persons that make up the great
majestic God. Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.
And this is a mystery unless it's revealed by God. When a
door of utterance is opened for the gospel preacher, they proclaim
the unconditional electing grace of God in Christ alone, that
God himself chose a people, chose a people in eternity for himself,
for himself. And that he would save them by
his grace, granting them faith and repentance to believe on
the Lord Jesus Christ. And this is a mystery unless
it's revealed by God. It's a mystery unless it's revealed
by God. When a door of utterance is opened
for the gospel preacher, they proclaim the perfect righteousness
of Christ. The perfect righteousness of
Christ. that He established for His people by His perfect obedience
to the will of God and to the law of God. This is an absolute
mystery, unless God reveals it. When a door of utterance is opened
for the Gospel preacher, they proclaim the perfect redeeming
work of the Lord Jesus Christ. his substitutionary death for
his elect, for his people, that satisfied the holy justice of
God, enabling him to be just and justifier, just and justifier
of those who believe. And again, this is a mystery,
unless it's revealed by God. When a door of utterance is opened
for the gospel preacher, they proclaim the miracle of the new
birth, that God's chosen blood-bought people are are taken out of darkness
and translated into the eternal kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ
under the preaching of his gospel. And this is a mystery unless
it's revealed by God. When a door of utterance is open
for the gospel preacher, they proclaim the believers walk by
faith, serving the Lord Jesus Christ out of love. It's not
we're not saved by our works. We we live a life of faith. We
walk by faith. We walk by faith. out of the
love of Him, love for Him, for Christ. And this is a mystery
to the unregenerate, but it is revealed to God's people by the
preaching of the gospel and the power of the Holy Spirit of God.
And all those truths are revealed by the Holy Spirit of God to
His people. Again, our text proclaims 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.
Turn, if you would, to Colossians chapter one, verses 26 to 28. Now, Paul asks for prayer that
he might have a door of utterance open for him, that he might make
it the mystery of the gospel manifest as he ought to speak. That's in verse four, that I
may make it manifest as I ought to speak. And over in chapter
one, verses 26 to 27, Paul mentions this mystery which has now been
manifested. Now, look at this. Even the mystery
which has been hid from ages and from generations, just let
that sink in. Ages and generations. How many people? it even the mystery which at
how many people now even is it praise God if he's revealed Christ
give him all the glory even the mystery which have been hit from
ages and from generations but now is made manifest to do is
say manifested to his people whom God would make known what
is the riches of the glory of this mystery. Among the Gentiles,
which is what Christ and you, the hope of glory. Christ and
you, the hope of glory. Whom we preach, what what's the
one topic for gospel preachers? Christ, Christ, and no one can
ever tell me I'll preach Christ too much. If they say that, I'll
say thank you. He said that to Brother Henry, he said, you preach
Christ too much. He goes, thank you very much. That's a compliment. We preach Christ, beloved. Whom
we preach, what? Warning every man and teaching
every man in all wisdom that we may present every man perfect
in Christ Jesus. Now under the old Mosaic economy,
the gospel was, as John Gill put it, wrapped up in types and
shadows and sacrifices. It is still hidden unto the natural
man and it's still hidden. It's hidden unto the natural
man unless God. It was hidden to me until God revealed it.
Is it so with you? And when he revealed it, oh,
it's you found the pearl of great price. My goodness. My goodness, beloved. Now, Paul
desires again that he would that he would be given the liberty
and opportunities and power from on high to preach the unsearchable
riches of Christ. Now, when Paul preached, think
of this too, when Paul preached, turn if you would to 1 Corinthians
2, verse 2. Now, when Paul preached, he didn't
use enticing words of wisdom. He didn't use fancy words and
enticing words of wisdom. He used a plainness of speech.
And remember, remember this, he was well-educated. He was
well-educated. He had sat under some of the
most renowned teachers of his day. But Paul did not speak with
words, which his hearers could not understand. No, he wanted
to be understood. He wanted to be understood. Look
what he says in First Corinthians chapter two, verse two, for I
am determined not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ and
him crucified. Now, although Paul was in a well-educated
in Jewish learning, and he had a good knowledge of Greek literature.
And he was probably capable, some commentators say he was
capable of conversing with almost anyone on the current thoughts
and issues of the day. He was a very intelligent man.
But he, look, for I am determined not to know anything among you
save Jesus Christ and him crucified. He was resolved to make nothing,
the subject of his ministry and message, save Jesus Christ and
Him crucified. What a contrast to some folks
that make whole ministries out of end time stuff. Or make whole, whole ministries
out of this and that. How to live a successful Christian. The gospel preacher has one topic, just like Paul. For I am determined
not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ and Him crucified. That which was the greatest offense
to others was the most delightful to Paul. That which was the greatest offense
to others was the most delightful to him because salvation comes
only through and by the obedience and death of Christ. Only by
what he's done. So Paul, even though they told him not
to preach anymore, he just kept preaching. He just kept proclaiming
Christ, because he had a commission from God. He's a good soldier,
beloved. He's a good soldier. And what did he tell his hearers?
Oh, beloved, he told his hearers who Jesus Christ is. He is the
God, man, our creator incarnates in the flesh. He told his hearers
what Jesus did. He fully justified His people
by His perfect obedience unto death, even the death of the
cross. My! He told His hearers who God's
people, who they are. They're the elect of God. They're
His chosen people. They're His sheep. Those who
believe the true gospel are His people. Paul told his hearers,
Jesus Christ is right now Right now he's risen He's risen And
he has ascended into heaven and he is seated he is seated on
the sovereign throne of power Right now right this second and
the next one and the next one and the next all the way into
it My he told his hearers that Jesus
Christ is coming again He is coming again in flame and fire,
taking vengeance on those that know not God, on those who do
not obey His gospel. But He is coming again to receive
all of His redeemed saints, beloved, unto Himself and wherever be
with Him in glory. My! Paul asked for prayer that
he might make manifest the mystery of Christ as he was allowed the
honor of preaching the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Again,
he's that great soldier of the cross, and he knew that only
God could reveal the mystery. Only God could reveal the mystery
of Christ to the heart. Unregenerate men and women will
remain in darkness unless God himself commands the light to
shine in their hearts, revealing his glory in the face of Jesus
Christ in him alone. Second Timothy 1 8 to 10 says
this. Be not thou therefore ashamed
of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me as prisoner. Again,
Paul's writing and he's in prison. He's a prisoner. But be thou
partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power
of God. Remember, he's writing to a young
preacher. but be thou partaker of the afflictions
of the gospel according to the power of God who has saved us.
Christ is the one who saved us, beloved, and called us. Christ is the one who called
us with an effectual calling, not according to our works, but
according to his own purpose and grace. You're saved. If you're redeemed, you're saved. according to His own purpose
and grace. That's wonderful. That's wonderful. Which was given
to us now. Now think of it. And this is
for every one of us who believe. Was given to us in Christ Jesus. My, my, what mercy. When? Before the world began. Before the world began. You mean
I just didn't receive it when I believed? Now, the believer's chosen Christ
from eternity, beloved. My goodness! What a Savior. But is now made, what? Manifest
by the appearing of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who has abolished
death and has brought life and immortality to light through
the gospel. Do you see now why Paul desired
that the door of utterance would be opened? So that he could preach
the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ with liberty. He's in
bonds and he's not asking again. He's not asking to get out of
his chains. But he's asking, Lord, if you open the door, please
open the door, maybe for the guard, so we could talk to the
guard about the free grace of God in Christ. My, my. Now the voice of the preacher
is important. We must preach the gospel. That's our commission
as gospel preachers. But we're just mouthpieces. We're
just mouthpieces. Proclaiming that which is most
important, the Lord Jesus Christ. And our Lord alone can open the
hearts. Our Lord alone is the only one
who can grant faith. Our Lord alone is the only one
who can give repentance to needy sinners. Only Him. Only Him.
Paul said this in 1 Thessalonians 4 or 5, Know Him, brother and
beloved, your election of God. For our gospel came not unto
you in word only. You didn't just hear words, but
in power. in power, and in the Holy Ghost,
and in much assurance. My, the gospel comes in power,
in the power of the Holy Spirit to the believer. Beloved, pray
for your pastor. Pray for other gospel preachers
that you know. Pray for us. Pray for us that God would open
a door of utterance for us, whether it's when we're walking around
town or whether when we're preaching and proclaiming the gospel, because
this is as much a door of utterance as when I'm talking to someone
else to you. Oh, pray. Pray that God would
open doors of utterance for his preachers. Oh, pray. Pray that a door of
utterance may be opened. And pray that the door of men's
hearts, those who will hear, pray that God, if He desires,
will open their hearts, like He did with Lydia, right? Granting
her faith and repentance to believe the gospel. Men may hear the
gospel with natural ears and still not hear with the heart.
But the gospel of God's grace and glory is a mystery, as we
saw tonight in our text. which must be revealed by the
power of God's Holy Spirit, else man will remain in darkness even
after hearing the precious gospel. And then pray that the door of
my lips may be opened. Pray that God would give me words
to say and the ability to say them, and the wisdom to do it
all for His glory. and pray that I may preach the
gospel faithfully and boldly with clearness of speech, clarity
of speech as I ought. Please keep we preachers in your
prayers. May God be glorified through
the preaching of his word. Heavenly Father, we just come
before thee Oh, and seeing how Paul the Apostle, while he was
in Bonds, praying that door of utterance would be opened up
for him to speak the gospel bold. Lord, just lift up our gospel
preachers to you tonight, preachers that we know. We pray that you
would open up doors of utterance for them and that they may be
able to speak the gospel boldly, give them words to say. clarity
of mind and bring back things that they've studied to be able
to preach and proclaim the wonderful unsearchable riches of the Lord
Jesus Christ. I pray that your people will
be blessed by this message. All that we would leave here
rejoice in. And we love you and praise you in Jesus' name. Amen.