The Mystery of Christ

For these days:  Colossians 4:2, Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; 3 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, 4 that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak (NIV – to proclaim clearly as I should).

Be earnestly in prayer – bringing before God the areas of the “Lord’s Prayer”:  God loved and glorified, Jesus’ victory and second coming, the Spirit’s will desired which is mostly found in the Bible, acknowledging God’s rule and our daily needs, noting sins and seeking forgiveness and granting forgiveness and aware of the many temptations around and asking for victory over any and all.

…be vigilant in prayer – be interrupted of agenda in order to pray, be given to call out to God often daily and be driven to the ministry of intercession and supplication.

…do so with thanksgiving – realize God’s grace, mercy, love, work and presence – be thankful always!  Labor to see God’s hand and be sure to give Him thanks!

…prayer for us – for the Ukraine, for world leaders, for Christians persecuted, for Israel

…praying also for us – in chains – let us be aware of brothers and sisters suffering for their faith and lift them before their God and our God

…praying that God would open to us a door for the word – do you have such a prayer request? Do you see others as in a terrible state of darkness and facing a horrible future?  Are you sincerely interested in showing them Jesus to the extent that you have others asking God to join you for an open door to show them their lostness, Jesus’ sacrifice and their need to repent, confess, and submit?

Evangelism is to not just to invite them to church or to invite them to love or follow Jesus but to speak the mystery of Christ.  Which means what?

Not just Jesus – Jesus was surely a great man: a unique birth in poverty and rejection (no room) with high level visitors; of a royal line of David, a great king (like a direct descendent of Abraham Lincoln); of Judah – an esteemed group, reared in Nazareth – in a tough neighborhood where few excelled; who went about doing good to losers, enemies and foreigners, and died a brutal execution when in fact He was innocent.  He was an impact player for based on Him, His doings and His teachings, a worldwide movement was founded and is still HUGE!

Jesus was great – like, but lesser, Mohammed, Zuckerberg, Joseph Smith or Martin Luther.

But, we are to talk the Mystery of Christ – which means what?  1 Christ was God, 2 Christ was the One foretold in the OT, 3 Christ was a second Adam – no sin nature/virgin born, 4 Christ lived a sinless life (Heb. 4:15), 5 Christ did all God asked (I John 17:4), 6 Christ took the wrath of God – He became the object of punishment for sin, 7 Christ died by an act of His will, 8 Christ defeated death and the grave, 9 Christ is seated at right hand – in power and prestige and 10 Christ is coming to crush sin and evil and bring in a glorious worldwide kingdom.

The mysteries of Christ!  Speak these!

Jesus was a very typical human who ate, slept, walked, cried, groaned, died and was buried.  As such, His unjust death alongside two criminals was terrible but not unique.

Jesus was a very good man, in fact, a very special man, who served, who sacrificed, was a wonderful teacher, and left a rich heritage.  He was certainly rare and a powerful model worthy to follow.

But, Christ is the topic!  Let us speak the mysteries of Christ!

Back to Colossians 4…  Speaking Christ landed Paul in chains and it has happened to others – many others!

Paul’s prayer was that he would present Christ clearly and in a way pleasing to God.  We need to be very careful in speaking of Christ as their destiny is on the line and God greatly cares.