Proclaiming the Good News!

Declaring the Mystery of Christ! Conducting Yourself Wisely!

Colossians 4:2-6 (NRSV) Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving. At the same time pray for us as well that God will open to us a door for the word, that we may declare the mystery of Christ, for which I am in prison, so that I may reveal it clearly, as I should. Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone.

Our lesson from Colossians is short this time. It is filled with encouragements for Christians as they look inward and outward.

At times I have used an illustration about the nature of the church. I ask everyone to hold hands to form a circle. What is natural for us is to hold hands and look inward. When our family joins hands in prayer, we are looking at one another. But I will then challenge the people in the circle to form a circle another way. Someone is usually thinking outside the box enough to turn around, and yet still hold hands. That is the church too. We look at each other and care for each other. But the church is dead or dying if it is only caring for its own and about itself. The Lord sends us out into the world.

DECLARE THE MYSTERY: Paul calls the Christians in Colossae, and us of course by extension, to be serious and regular in prayer, for His mission, alert with thanksgiving. The Roman world knew of the mystery religions, open only to the few who were select, and not to everyone. But Paul prayed that the mystery of Jesus Christ would be revealed and celebrated by everyone. That means first of all the 277 or so members of Emmaus Lutheran Church. Christians hunger to hear the story of salvation. Unbelievers think it is just about a few rules that you can learn on your own. The mystery is that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, not counting our trespasses against us. Paul was in prison for saying it. Would you be put into prison for telling what you hold most dear, your eternal salvation?

CONDUCT YOURSELVES WISELY: Having looked inward, encouraging the believers as they cared for one another, Paul now turns outward, turns the eyes of the members outward. It is not just about whether you could be put in prison for your faith. It is whether others even know the hope that fills you. Someone once asked whether there would be enough evidence to convict you if you were charged with being a Christian. Evidence that you gather with others. Evidence that you believe the mystery of God in Christ that changes your eternity. Evidence that it even bothers you about what you believe. We all stand, I pray holding hands as a group, looking out into a world that is lost forever without Christ. We are to be gracious in our speech that we do not drive people away from their eternity and ours. May God grasp our heart in Christ to shout the hope that fills us and be alert for those in front of us who need to be loved by His eternal love. Fear not, He is with us!

Pastor Tom Trapp, Mission Pastor
Walking the Emmaus Road with the Risen Lord

(Originally published in Emmaus Footprints, Vol. XVII, Number 3, October 2015)