Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.
Summary: Communication is an art form. Over communicating can actually garble the message. Paul asks for prayer to ensure he speaks clearly.
As we look at this passage, the first question is, “What is ‘it’?” If we back up to verse 3, Paul is asking for prayer so “God may open a door for our message ….” The message, of course, is the Gospel (Colossians 1:3-6).
Paul follows up his request with our passage for this meditation. He wants to “proclaim it clearly.”
So what is the Gospel message?
I see three key points:
1. God is real. (Colossians 1:19-20)
2. The Bible is God’s authoritative Word. (Colossians 1:25-26)
3. We need to have a relationship with Jesus Christ. (Colossians 3:17)
These three things are the prerequisites for everything else. If a person doesn’t believe in God, nothing else matters. If the Bible is not authoritative, then we can’t be sure of what it says. If Jesus isn’t real, nobody is going to put their hope in him.
Paul is careful to explain that we have a sin problem (Colossians 1:21) and Jesus is the solution (Colossians 2:13-14). He also describes our need to repent and trust Jesus in our daily lives (Colossians 3:5, 8) and our hope for salvation in Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:13-14).
These things are important parts of the Gospel message. Unfortunately, our minds can only handle so much information before they hit “overload.”
For example, imagine you are a passenger in a small two-seater airplane. It is a beautiful day and your friend who owns the plane is the pilot. As you fly through the cloud-dotted sky, the cars below look like toys and people look like ants.
Then, over the roar of the engine, you hear a noise that doesn’t belong. Your friend, the pilot, has gasped loudly, clutched his chest, and slid sideways onto your shoulder. You look at the controls, nearly paralyzed by fear. The plane continues to fly, but it is drifting into a turn and you don’t know what to do.
You remember listening to your friend talk on the radio, so you push the transmit key and yell for help. Through your growing panic, you hear a voice, “Aircraft calling for help. This is Airport Tower. Stay calm. What is your situation?”
Now — do you want the person in the control tower to explain how all the controls work? Do you need to know the principles of aerodynamics? Are you interested in the finer points of instrument flying?
No, of course not. You want to know how to get to the airport and land the plane without dying.
When Paul was in Athens (Acts 17:16-34), he gave a short speech to the Athenians there. Most of the speech was about God. The New Testament wasn’t written yet, so his second point was repentance. He doesn’t even mention Jesus by name.
There are definitely times for a more detailed study of the means of salvation (Hebrews 5:12-14). There are also times for simple clarity.
Application: Pray for clarity in sharing the Gospel.
Food for Thought: What happens in the mind of a first-time listener when we unload all of the details of the Gospel message at once?
I like your airplane analogy.
I was once told be a missionary to Muslims living in the Middle East that they have to hear the gospel about two hundred times before they even understand it. I am not sure how he got his numbers, but certainly there are more barriers depending on someone’s background. I was also told the average American needs to hear the gospel nine times before they have a firm grasp.
So I think the background of the individual needs to be taken into account. We can feel out what they are ready to understand and engage with by listening to them and sharing through a relational communication. Not everyone is going to be a street evangelist. It’s great if you are, but if not I think we simply move the conversation along looking for understanding and taking that conversation as far as we can while prayerfully looking to the Lord to change the heart.
There is an apologist named Greg Koukl who wrote a book called Tactics. In it, he suggests that our job is to “put a pebble in their shoe.” That is, to make them a little uncomfortable to seek more.
Whether one likes his approach or not, we are commanded to be the Lord’s witnesses, to shine our light, and proclaim the gospel. Prayer is certainly necessary. And seeing each person as an individual with their own baggage and background might help us as we share in relationship and conversation.
Thank you, Rich!
Your points are well made. The clarity Paul is praying for is expressed differently for different people which is why we have so many of Paul’s letters in Scripture so I absolutely agree with you.
Good devotion this morning, and very well said Rich.
What happens in the mind of a first-time listener when we unload all of the details of the Gospel message at once?
My experience in unloading too many details at once is that they start to view the words as a sales pitch, and they start looking at it all from an earthly perspective of cost/benefit. Also, sometimes the listener begins to perceive that the messenger thinks they are better than them, especially when the messenger adds personal testimony along with the entire message of the Gospel. Sharing of the gospel, and personal testimony, should be done in good measure. Like Rich had said, you have to have a conversation and “feel out what they are ready to understand and engage with by listening to them and sharing through a relational communication.”
The Bible gives us wisdom in speaking with others about the gospel of Christ:
The goal is to allow the word of God to pierce their hearts:
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Believers are on the other side of the Cross and the Word of the Cross is folly to unbelievers:
1 Corinthians 1:18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Matthew 13:10-11 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.
It’s not about us:
1 Corinthians 1:17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
As the Pastor of my home church says about sharing the Gospel with others “Open hearts, slow feet.”
Isaiah 28:10
For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept,
line upon line, line upon line,
here a little, there a little.”
Thank you, Chris!
I am glad the meditation resonated with you! You certainly add a lot with your comments here! I especially like your point that “it is not about us.” We are the workers. God owns the vineyard. We need to trust that he knows what he is doing. 🙂
What happens in the mind of a first-time listener when we unload all of the details of the Gospel message at once?
Their walls go up and our words become noise.
To be the effective instruments of God we must first focus on Our becoming small so He may become Large.
We must learn it is not us, but Christ in us, by the power of the Holy Spirit who presents the Word of God to others.
Mark 4:1-20, Jesus teaches, “ The parable of the Sower “.
John 3:30-36, We become small, the Spirit is given without limit.
Galatians 2:16, 2:20, Romans 8:11, 8:28-29, 1 Corinthians 1:27-29, 15:31
Presenting the Gospel message is a process which varies with each individual brought to us by God. He knows their hearts, the proper time, and the words He wants to speak to them. I have found, allowing the Holy Spirit to speak to those brought to us is our calling. Get out of the way and allow God to do His work.
Hi Ron!
Thank you! I love that you point us to the Holy Spirit. Getting out of the way so God can do His work is what it is all about. 🙂