COLOSSIANS
4
(NIV)

COLOSSIANS
4
2Devote
yourselves
to
prayer,
being
watchful
and
thankful.
3And
pray
for
us,
 



May
27,
2010
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.
4Pray
that
I
may
proclaim
it
clearly,

as
I
should.
5Be
wise
in
the
way
you
act
toward
outsiders;
make
the
most
of

every
opportunity.
6Let
your
conversaHon
be
always
full
of
grace,
seasoned

with
salt,
so
that
you
may
know
how
to
answer
everyone.
1. Paul
winds
down
his
le[er
to
the
Colossians
by
offering
some
final
words
of


7Tychicus
will
tell
you
all
the
news
about
me.
He
is
a
dear
brother,
a
faithful
 exhortaHon
and
encouragment.

In
verse
2,
he
begins
by
urging
them
to
pray.


minister
and
fellow
servant
in
the
Lord.
8I
am
sending
him
to
you
for
the
 Actually
he
says
devote
yourselves
or
be
steadfast
in
your
prayers.

It’s
easy
to
think

express
purpose
that
you
may
know
about
our
circumstances
and
that
he
may
 about
prayer
as
a
means
to
an
end.

We
pray
in
order
to
get
something
from
God,

encourage
your
hearts.
9He
is
coming
with
Onesimus,
our
faithful
and
dear
 but
prayer
is
more.

Oswald
Chambers
once
said,
“Prayer
does
not
fit
us
for
the

greater
works;
prayer
is
the
greater
work.”

Prayer
is
certainly
a
means,
but
it
is

brother,
who
is
one
of
you.
They
will
tell
you
everything
that
is
happening
 more
an
end.

How
does
this
statement
gel
with
your
understanding
of
prayer?


here. How
about
your
pracHce
of
prayer?


10My
fellow
prisoner
Aristarchus
sends
you
his
greeHngs,
as
does
Mark,
the

cousin
of
Barnabas.
(You
have
received
instrucHons
about
him;
if
he
comes
to

2. Not
only
does
Paul
urge
them
to
pray
but
when
they
pray,
they
are
to
be
watchful

you,
welcome
him.)
11Jesus,
who
is
called
Justus,
also
sends
greeHngs.
These

and
thankful
(v.
2).

What
do
you
think
he
means
for
them
to
be
“watchful
and

are
the
only
Jews
among
my
fellow
workers
for
the
kingdom
of
God,
and
they
 thankful?”

See
Acts
12:12‐17.

Which
is
more
of
a
struggle
for
you
to
be:
watchful

have
proved
a
comfort
to
me.
12Epaphras,
who
is
one
of
you
and
a
servant
of
 or
thankful?
Christ
Jesus,
sends
greeHngs.
He
is
always
wrestling
in
prayer
for
you,
that
you

may
stand
firm
in
all
the
will
of
God,
mature
and
fully
assured.
13I
vouch
for

him
that
he
is
working
hard
for
you
and
for
those
at
Laodicea
and
Hierapolis.

14Our
dear
friend
Luke,
the
doctor,
and
Demas
send
greeHngs.
15Give
my
 3. Paul
asks
the
Colossians
to
pray
for
opportuniHes
to
share
the
gospel,
while
in

prison.

By
this
we
see
that
Paul
is
more
interested
in
helping
others
find
freedom
in

greeHngs
to
the
brothers
at
Laodicea,
and
to
Nympha
and
the
church
in
her
 Christ
than
he
is
in
finding
freedom
from
chains.

This
kind
of
perspecHve
tends
to

house. expose
our
idols
of
comfort
that
cause
us
to
pursue
a
comfortable
life
over
a

conformed
life.

Where
do
you
see
the
idol
of
comfort
play
out
in
your
life,
and
how


16AZer
this
le[er
has
been
read
to
you,
see
that
it
is
also
read
in
the
church
of
 do
we
give
it
up?


the
Laodiceans
and
that
you
in
turn
read
the
le[er
from
Laodicea.


17Tell
Archippus:
"See
to
it
that
you
complete
the
work
you
have
received
in
 4. Paul
sends
Tychicus
with
the
express
purpose
of
informing
the
Colossians
of
his

the
Lord." circumstances
and
to
encourage
them.

How
does
hearing
about
ChrisHans
who
are

suffering
for
the
gospel
encourage
us?

18I,
Paul,
write
this
greeHng
in
my
own
hand.
Remember
my
chains.
Grace
be

with
you.
5. Paul
sends
a
host
of
greeHngs
from
his
Jewish
and
GenHle
partners
in
ministry
to

the
Colossians.

Why
does
Paul
take
the
Hme
to
list
these
greeHngs?