By: Pastor Rick Smith

Are you witnessing for Jesus? You know not everyone can be a pastor, or an evangelist, or a teacher, but every Christian is a witness. We are all commissioned to “Go into all the world and preach (proclaim) the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15NKJV). Some say, “I witness by my life.” But we are told to tell, to speak with our lips, the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that one of the problems that I have is making the message of the gospel clear. Paul seems to have had this same problem. This is what he said when requesting prayer: “May I reveal it as clearly as I should!” (Colossians 4:4 ISV). That should also be our heart’s desire. Sometimes the gospel message is hidden from those that need to hear it most. In fact, Satan has made it his business to confuse, refute, and pervert the gospel from being understood by both those that need to hear and those that a proclaiming the gospel. So I want to share a few thoughts about this from Colossians 4:2-6)

First we need to live a life of prayer. Listen to Paul’s prayer request. “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; Withal 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.” (Colossians 4:2-4). Prior to this Paul instructed them on living the Christian life, but it is impossible to live the Christian life without prayer. Prayer and thanksgiving should be our constant activity. Jesus taught us the pattern of prayer in Matthew 6:9-15 in the Lord’s Prayer. Our witness, and the witness of even “professional” preachers and evangelists, is futile without prayer. Look at what Paul requested: an open door (opportunity) to speak the mystery of Christ (the gospel – Jesus is the good news), to make the message clear, as he ought to speak. We need the same kind of prayer for ourselves. We are helpless unless God moves. The Father draws souls to Christ and teaches them (John 6:44-45). God has to open their eyes, ears, and hearts to the gospel. It is God that converts and heals from sin (Matthew 13:15). They cannot be born-again by human means; that is something only God can do (John 1:11-13). So we have to live a life of prayer – praying before we witness, while we witness, and after we witness. And we need the prayer support of others and we need to pray for others that they may share Jesus clearly.

Secondly, we need wisdom. Where does wisdom come? It comes from God by His word and through prayer. “Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.” (Colossians 4:5). This is not talking about being careful, except to have wisdom to make the message clear. We are dealing with hell bound and dying people. Each breath they take brings them closer to hell. They need to be rescued. We must be wise in what we say (and don’t say) and urgent in the call for them to repent. Keep it simple saints, knowing that we have such a short time to reach them. Make the most of our opportunities while we can.

Also, we must have gracious speech. “Let your speech be alway with grace…” (Colossians 4:6a). A drowning man doesn’t need a lecture, he needs to be rescued. We are to rescue the perishing, not condemn them for they are already condemned (John 3:17-20). We are to offer them grace. If we speak of hell it should be as a warning and we should do it with tears in our voice. We are ambassadors for Christ. Our appeal should be that they should make peace with Jesus.

What we say should be appealing. “…seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” (Colossians 4:6b). We don’t change the message. The message of Christ should always we clear. But our attitude expressed toward the lost is one of compassion, grace, and love. Read Acts and look at the messages particularly of Peter and Paul. They told the truth and sometimes it hurt, but it was always appealing. When Paul preached to Agrippa, remember how Agrippa responded? “Almost you persuade me to be a Christian.” (Acts 26:28). Paul was not cruel or crude. Learn from the Bible how appeal to the heart of the lost by giving them the gospel clearly.

If you have any questions, we invite you to visit with us this Sunday. Worship at 10:50 A.M. We are located at 711 West Washington Ave. Check our sermon videos on Youtube @ricksmith2541. Send comments and prayer requests to prayerlinecmbc@gmail.com.

Rick Smith is the Pastor at Calvary Missionary Baptist Church in Artesia