Thank you all for that good singing this morning. We are, in the book of Colossians, quickly coming to the end of the book of Colossians, but we're gonna see this morning that before Paul's closing comments, he's given us an important few verses on a most significant topic. 

We've seen a consistent theme in the writings of Paul concerning the living out of the new life that we have in Christ, and that set in contrast to the life that we formerly lived in Adam. Paul has continually described these two different realities to us as having an inward truth that is expressed outwardly through the members of the body. For instance, in Adam we were told that we were dead in trespasses and sins, that our inner man, our spirit, was dominated and controlled by indwelling sin, and therefore our living outwardly through the members of our body was only sinful all the time. 

We consistently produce the fruit of death outwardly through the members of this physical body in Adam, but in Christ we see that God has performed an inward transforming work, a recreation, what Jesus called the new birth in our spirit on the inside. That old man in Adam who we were died, was crucified with Christ, buried and raised to newness of life, and now we are alive in our spirit, free from the controlling power of indwelling sin, and now we see the fruit of righteousness produced by the life and power of Jesus living in us, the Holy Spirit indwelling us permanently, and our new spirit alive to God in full agreement with God's will and purpose. 

And this righteousness, these acts of righteousness, are produced out through the members of our body. This is evident with our eyes, our mind, our hands, living out the reality of who we are in Him by His grace and power, working in us for His glory. And there's one member of this body which is more powerful, has more influence, can be used for greater good or greater evil than any other, the tongue. 

Proverbs 6 or 18 21 says, death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit. In James 3 6, he says, the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body and sets on fire the course of nature and is set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature, the sea is tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil full of deadly poison. 

With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both saltwater and fresh. 

The Bible speaks of the tongue 114 times, and we see the word speak 508 times. In Luke 6 45, Jesus said this, a good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good, and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. In Adam, the tongue is controlled by indwelling sin and produces tremendous harm, cursing, bitterness, blasphemy, deceit. 

In Paul's amazing description of the man in Adam in Romans 3, we see a profound metaphor concerning the tongue of the lost man. Turn over to Romans 3 with me at verse 10. Romans 3 10, as Paul describes the carnal man, he says, as it is written, there is none righteous, no not one. There's none who understands, there's none who seeks after God, they have all turned aside, they have together become unprofitable, there is none who does good, no not one. 

Look at verse 13, their throat is an open tomb, with their tongues they have practiced deceit. The poison of asps is under their lips, whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Paul says the poison of asps is under their lips, this speaks of deceit. An asp is a snake who has his fangs folded back and the roof of his mouth hidden, but when he strikes those fangs come out and inject poison into his victim. 

I heard a stunning illustration about this years ago when a businessman in Los Angeles, who was somewhere he should not have been doing things he should not have been doing, picked up a lady of the evening on the side of the street and thinking he was going to satisfy his lust, when he went to kiss her she had a razor blade held in her teeth and she cut his face to shreds. This is the picture of the tongue of the man and Adam, filled with deceit, like an asp, a viper who strikes with hidden fangs. 

Jeremiah 9.8 says their tongue is an arrow shot out, it speaks deceit. One speaks peaceably to his neighbor with his mouth, but in his heart he lies in wait. In the man and Adam the tongue is used for personal gain, deception, lies, false doctrine, tearing down others. In Romans 1.28 it says even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind to do those things which are not fitting, being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness. 

Now listen to this, they are whisperers, they are back biters, proud boasters, inventors of evil things. Much more damage is done in this world, even in the church, with the tongue than with any other member. Paul describes Satan as an angel of light, his ministers masquerading as ministers of righteousness. Peter tells us that there will be false teachers in the church. Jude tells us they are in the body, in the fellowship. 

Paul warns the Ephesian elders that men will rise up from within and savage wolves will come from without. And how is it they deceive the hearts of the simple? How is it that they take captive believers and haul them away in deception as we see Paul warn against in this epistle? 2nd Peter 2.3 says, By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words. With deceptive words. In Acts 15 at the council meeting, what was the issue? It was words, false doctrines, salvation by works plus faith coming from the false teachers, the Judaizers. In verse 24 it says, Since we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying you must be circumcised and keep the law, to whom we gave no such commandment.

Colossians 2.4, Now that I say, lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words. Ephesians 4.13 says, Till we all come to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, that we should no longer be children tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men and the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but rather speaking the truth in love may grow up in all things in Him who is the head, Christ. 

It's with the tongue that men deceive with lies and error, but it's also with the tongue that truth is spoken. The mystery of Christ is preached, that we bless God, that we pray and seek His will, and it is with the tongue that the gospel goes forth. In our text today, Paul's making a final application of what he taught us at the beginning of chapter 3 in verses 1 to 4. Go back and look at 3.1 to 4, this is the important context and foundation of all he's saying. 

Colossians 3.1, Since you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth, for you died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. These are the foundational truths, the indicatives concerning our salvation, who we are in Christ. We died, we were raised with Christ, we are sitting at the right hand of God, our life is hidden with Christ in God. When He appears, we also will appear with Him in glory. 

Christ is our life. We must set our minds, that is, think God's thoughts, and in thinking His thoughts, seeing things from His perspective, all things, we will speak His truth. And this is the message of the words before us this morning, we are new creations, we are new men because of the salvation work God did in us, and therefore we must have new speech. 

Before, in Adam, our speech was contemptible, blasphemous, self-serving, cursing God and men. We believed lies and therefore we spoke lies, lies against the truth from our father the devil, but now in Christ we are new men, dead to sin, alive to God, and now we have a new kind of speech. We no longer curse God, we no longer use His name in vain, but we bless Him and love Him and sing His praises, proclaim His goodness. 

We used to speak only of earthly things, temporal, carnal matters continually. Now we speak of eternal things, we talk about life and death and eternity, we talk about Jesus and His Word and His promises, we speak of men in spiritual terms and long for their salvation, we speak truth to the brethren for encouragement and edification. 

We used to seek the things of this world, the wisdom of men, for comfort and solace and solutions to our problems. Now we speak to God, we seek His face, we desire His will, we pray continually without ceasing in the normal course of our lives, not in the rote, repetitious prayers of religious men, but in sweet fellowship with our Abba Father. 

Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. Paul says, we believe, therefore we speak. God has given the believer in Christ a new heart and a new spirit, and it's out of this new heart that Paul encourages us to speak. 

Let's look at our text together, Colossians 4.2. Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving, meanwhile praying also for us that God would open to us a door for the word to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, that I may make it manifest as I ought to speak. 

Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. I've given you four points on your outline. First, talk to God. Second, speak the mystery. Third, speak with grace. And fourth, the answer is Jesus. 

As we've been discussing, this new speech that we have comes from a new heart and a new desire that God has put in us, and this starts with our relationship with God. I want you to turn back to Ephesians 2.11, please. Ephesians 2.11, our new relationship with God. 

Paul says, therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh who are called uncircumcision by what is called the circumcision made in the flesh by hands, that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel, strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ, for he himself is our peace, who has made both one and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in his flesh the enmity that is the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that he might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. 

And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and to those who were near, for through him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. Now therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. 

We were enemies of God, we were dead in our trespasses and sins, separated from God without hope, and we were in this world, lost. But now we have been brought near, we have peace, Jesus is our peace, we have fellowship with God, He's our Father, we are children of God, co-heirs with Christ, and now we look to Him, we talk to Him as our loving, gracious Father, we speak to God continually in prayer. 

For the one in Christ, prayer is not many words repeating the same prayers over and over as the pagans do, it's not a list of demands or carnal desires seeking God, prayer is conversation.

We speak to God as we abide in Him, as we walk in relationship to and fellowship with our dad, our papa, and we depend on Him, we look to Him, we trust in Him to do what is best, we know that He is in control, that He's sovereign over all things, and is bringing His will to pass in our lives. Christ is our life, and our life is hidden with Christ in God. It's natural for us to commune, to praise, to talk to our God. 

But we must recognize that this is a profound change in our speech and the exercise of the most powerful member of our bodies, the tongue. It's at this point where perhaps the greatest transformation is manifest in our speech, starting with prayer to God and earnest desire to walk with Him. Now, I remember I told you this story, you've heard this story, but I remember years ago I used to fish with these guys on Lake Superior and Jim Cox and Julio and some of these guys. And we were all pagans. And we talked like pagans. 

And I remember when I got saved and I was sitting at the Guile Flowage boat ramp there and Guile on a picnic table with Julio and Jim and I was talking different, talking about different things. And Julio said, you're spending too much time at that church, that's your problem. But I remember Julio came here a couple of years ago to the Thanksgiving dinner. And Tammy told us, when they went home, Julio said, what happened to John? And Tammy said, well, when you see Jesus, it changes you. And Julio said, did John see Jesus? It changes you. It changes what you talk about. And prayer is just the beginning of that. 

This speech is also manifest outwardly to the brethren in the world. Look at verse 3 in our text. Meanwhile, praying also for us that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, that I may make it manifest as I ought to speak. I always think this is such a stunning thing in Ephesians as well, that Paul would ask for prayer, that he would preach the gospel and the mystery of Christ the way he ought to, that he might make it manifest the way he ought to speak. 

If Paul needs that prayer, you can bet we do, right? Paul says, in your talking to God, pray for us. For what? Now, if a man and Adam were to ask for prayer, perhaps a religious man, what would he pray for? Maybe health? Pray for my bum knee, right? I wrote these notes last weekend this morning. I was milking, and my knee went out, and I thought, hang on. Maybe I'll ask him to pray for my bum knee. Would he pray for wealth? Pray for my finances? Pleasure? Things? Maybe vengeance? Self-satisfaction? 

Do you know you'll never hear a man and Adam express with words and true desire from his heart to God that God would use him to help and encourage others, that God would use him to preach the truth so that men might be saved? He doesn't understand that. What does Paul ask for? He asks that they pray that we might have an opportunity. An opportunity for what? An open door for the word. Paul wants to speak the word. And he's looking to God for an opportunity to do just this. 

We believe, therefore we speak. We preach Christ crucified. Paul wants an opportunity for the word in the church and in the world. He wants to speak the mystery of Christ. What is this mystery of Christ? In Romans 16.25, Paul says, now to him who's able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began. The mystery is now revealed. It's been kept secret up to now since the world began. It's according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ. 

In Ephesians 1.7, it says, in him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace, which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of his will. According to his good pleasure, which he purposed in himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, which are on earth, in him. 

Ephesians 6.18 says, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints and for me, he's asking the same thing here, and for me that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel. Colossians 1.25, which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you to fulfill the word of God, the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to his saints, to them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 

And Paul says, him we preach. This word translated mystery means something that has been hidden and is now being revealed. This mystery revolves around the coming of Christ and the institution of the new covenant in his blood and the formation of his body, the church, Jew and Gentile and one new man. We looked at this in Ephesians 2 on Wednesday night and we saw that in the old covenant, men were divided into two groups, Jew and Gentile. 

And they were related to God through the old law covenant. So one was either under the covenant or outside the covenant. Those under the covenant were Jews by birth, circumcision, or by conversion to Judaism with the sign of circumcision. So all men were either Jew or Gentile, either under the law covenant or outside of it. And it was in this sense that the law covenant of Moses separated the two groups of men. 

But in the new covenant, in the blood of Christ, now in the church age, what's it tell us? There's no longer Jew or Gentile. There's a different dividing line, not by birth or by sacrament. Do you enter this new covenant? But by faith in Jesus alone. And every man is either what? In Christ or in Adam. The mystery revolves around this new covenant and its promises, the regenerative work of God, the indwelling of Christ in us. The mystery concerns the formation of one new man creating the body of Christ, the church. 

And this for the express purpose of the fulfillment of the will and purpose of God to bring all things to consummation in Christ.

So this is something entirely new, never before revealed, the church. Look at Ephesians 3, verse 8 with me. Ephesians 3, 8. Paul says, to me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God, who created all things through Jesus Christ, to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church, to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

So in our text, when Paul asked the believers to pray for an opportunity to speak the mystery of Christ, he has all of these things in mind, not only evangelism, which is most certainly included here, speaking the mystery, the gospel of Jesus Christ, the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus and new life, salvation through faith in him alone, but also a door to the church, to disciple, to help by words, speech, truth, doctrine, for every believer to truly understand, to grasp and believe this mystery of Christ in all its fullness. 

We see this so clearly back in Ephesians 3, that passage we just looked at. Go back to Ephesians 3.9. He says again, and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God, who created all things through Jesus Christ, to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church, to the principalities, powers, and heavenly places according to the eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Now, where does Paul go immediately? He immediately goes to God in prayer concerning the believer's great need to fully understand this mystery, this new covenant, this new body, the church, the new creation, the man in Christ. Look at verse 14. For this reason, I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might through his Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height, to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 

Now, to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us, to him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever, amen. This is Paul's prayer for us and for all believers. It is the door of opportunity that Paul is asking the believers to pray for for him and his fellow ministers in Christ. 

For to continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving, meanwhile praying also for us that God would open to us a door for the word to speak the mystery of Christ for which I'm also in chains that I may make it manifest as I ought to speak. Yes, the gospel, yes, evangelism, but also the mystery of Christ explained to the church made real to us by the Holy Spirit, that I might make it manifest, that I might make it known, clear as I ought to speak. 

This is Paul's greatest desire inside and outside the church to lead men to faith in Christ through the preaching of the mystery of the gospel, and also perhaps more at the core of Paul's heart and ministry to have the believers come to full understanding of the mystery of salvation in Christ in this new covenant and the eternal purpose of God in the church. 

And for this to be accomplished, our speech must be consumed with the mystery of Christ. We must be speaking not only the gospel to the lost, but most importantly, we must be speaking the mystery of Christ to one another, the truth of our salvation, of our regeneration, of the body, the church, of who we are, what we have in Christ, renewing our minds, reminding one another about what is true, what is real, who we are, why we are here, and by what power we live and produce fruit out through our bodies, in particular, our speech. 

Words, truth, are so vital. And the words that we speak to one another have tremendous influence in our minds, our thinking, and therefore our actions. Turn over to Ephesians 4 at verse 20. Ephesians 4.20, Paul, after telling them they should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, he says in verse 20, but you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard him and have been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus. 

What's the truth in Jesus? That you have put off concerning your former conduct, the old man, which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts. You're being renewed in the spirit of your mind. You have put on the new man, which was created according to God in true righteousness and holiness. That's what he says in verse 25. 

Therefore, put away lying. Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. Be angry and do not sin. Do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil. Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. 

Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. 

This is the same instruction we see in our text in much more detail. In our text, he says, walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. Walk in wisdom. Where do you find wisdom? In the word of God. 

We must speak the word of God, the truth to one another. We must preach it from our pulpits. We must let the word of Christ so dwell in us that it oozes out of us in our words, in our speaking.

And when we walk in this world concerning those who are outside, we must be so filled with the love of Christ that we no longer regard men according to the flesh. We see them as spiritual beings and are keenly interested in their salvation. They're being placed into Christ through faith alone, in him alone, and then their growth in understanding the mystery of Christ. So that they might know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge and experience the fullness of life in him, Christ in you, the hope of glory. 

And our speech must always be grace. The grace of God changes everything. The gospel we preach is centered in the grace of God, his eternal plan in Christ. It has nothing to do with law, performance, cleaning yourself up for salvation, religious rites or rituals, etc. Our message is grace, the grace of God in Jesus Christ at the cross. And our message to the church is grace, walking by grace through faith, sanctified by grace through faith alone as we walk in the Spirit, in consistency with the reality of who we are, trusting in Him alone in His full sufficiency. 

Because as Paul says in 2nd Corinthians 3, we have such trust through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, the mystery of Christ. Not of the letter, but of the Spirit, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 

Our message, our speech is always grace, but grace the way God defines it, seasoned with salt, that is truth. Salt in its proper proportion makes most things agreeable and acceptable to taste. Grace, biblically, does not include compromise of the truth. Grace does not mean licentiousness, and thus we are to be pleasant, loving, courteous in our speech, in our conversations with others, but those conversations are always to be centered in truth, seasoned with salt. 

The truth is the basis of our words, our speech, and that which brings life and peace and joy. Jesus says, I give you peace, not as the world gives. The truth will set you free and bring abundance in your life. We speak with grace, we purposefully, intentionally speak words necessary for edification, and those words are always set in truth, and even hard things, true things, can be spoken in love. Our motive is for the good of every man, and that good starts with salvation, and salvation can only come by a clear message spoken in love, spoken in truth. 

And my brothers, my sisters in Christ, the answer, the answer is always Jesus. Colossians 4.6, let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. How should we answer each one in grace with truth about Jesus? 1 Peter 3.15 says, sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks you a reason for the hope that is in you with meekness and fear. 

Now this verse has often been used in apologetics, right, in creation, evolution, the deity of Christ, whatever the argument may be, says we should have this apologetic, and I appreciate that. I'm not sure the value of apologetics in evangelism, I find it more useful for believers, but what I want you to think about is this, what is the reason for the hope that is in you? What is the reason for the hope that is in you? How should we answer each one where they are in their need? What is the need of every man? What is the reason for the hope that is in you? 

I would submit that the answer is Jesus. When it comes to meeting men where they are in this life, answering each one, the only answer is Jesus. His grace, seasoned with salt, is truth, the mystery of Christ, the gospel. And the only answer for you and for me, for the believer in every day of life, in a myriad of circumstances, is Jesus. Jesus is the answer. 

And the way we should answer each one and give a reason for the hope that we have in us. Because my brothers, my sisters in Christ, He is the reason. He is my hope. He is my life. He is my assurance. He is my Savior. He is my Lord and my God. 

And this is why, like Paul, we must pray, speak to our Father, that He might give us opportunity to speak the mystery of Christ in all its fullness, that we might know and understand the truths of our salvation and God's purpose in our salvation in Christ, so that we might believe. And believing, we might speak. And speaking, we might speak the truth and speak it in love, that our speech would be about Jesus. 

Let's close in prayer. Father, we're so thankful for Your grace, thankful for Your Word, Your truth, thankful that You're our Father for what You've done in Christ, in salvation, for who we are in Him through faith. Help us to remember...remember who we are. Help us to purposely, intentionally speak words necessary for edification, to speak about Jesus, to exalt Him, to glorify Him with our words. 

And let our words be for Your glory, for Your name. We thank You, we praise You, in Jesus' name. Amen.