INTRODUCTION
Quote: “I’ve always said that I don’t respect people who don’t proselytize (preach your religion with the aim to persuade someone to believe). I don’t respect that at all. If you believe that there’s a heaven and a hell, and people could be going to hell, or not getting eternal life, and you think that it’s not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward…how much do you have to hate somebody to not proselytize? How much do you have to hate somebody to believe everlasting life is possible and not tell them that?” “I mean, if I believed, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that a truck was coming at you, and you didn’t believe that truck was bearing down on you, there is a certain point where I tackle you. And this is more important than that.” Close quote.
Friends, those aren’t the words of a theologian, pastor, or Christian apologist. Those are the words of outspoken atheist, magician, and comedian Penn Jillette—and he has a point. At the heart of the Christian faith isn’t good advice but good news. If you’re beginning to explore biblical Christianity, the core of what we believe is called “the gospel,” or the good news. That good news is that God so loved the world that He gave His only Son to die and rise for our sins so that whoever truly trusts in Him will not perish eternally but have eternal life. And, as Penn Jillette colorfully pointed out, if you’ve received that news and believe it, it only makes sense to share it with those who haven’t yet believed. Spreading the gospel to outsiders is where the Lord takes us next in our journey through Paul’s letter to the Colossians.
When it comes to spreading the good news that Jesus Christ lived, died, and rose for our sins, we often make things more complicated than they need to be. Our passage uses two primary words that describe our task: “pray” in verses 2–4, and “speech” in verses 5–6. In other words, to spread the wonderful news about Jesus Christ, you need to talk to Jesus Christ about people (pray) and talk to people about Jesus (speak). That brings us to the big idea of our passage this morning: Pray and speak to spread the gospel. This morning we’ll explore the passage in two parts:
Pray to spread the gospel (vv. 2–4)
Speak to spread the gospel (vv. 5–6)
PRAY TO SPREAD THE GOSPEL
Have you ever wondered why we’re so hesitant to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with the aim to persuade someone to believe? You hear Penn Jillette say that you really have to hate someone to not proselytize, and you respond, “Yeah, that’s right, absolutely.” But when was the last time you actually spoke the gospel with the aim to persuade someone to believe? Why are we so hesitant?
Typically, sharing good news is easy for us. A couple weeks ago, at my son’s elementary school graduation, he won the Presidential Award for excellent academic achievement and a character award voted on by his peers. We’re so proud of him. He works so hard. It’s great news—and I’m not even a little hesitant to tell you about it. So why am I comparatively hesitant to tell outsiders the far better news that Jesus Christ died and rose to forgive their sin and secure eternal life for them if they believe?
There’s more going on in our hesitancy than meets the eye. One reason we struggle to speak the gospel is because it’s opposed. Cosmic, demonic, satanic forces—more clever than we are—hate and oppose the spread of the gospel. Whether or not we’re consciously aware of this spiritual opposition, it makes us hesitant to speak.
Additionally, we can be hesitant because it’s impossible to make someone believe. The New Testament describes the natural state of humanity as dead in our trespasses and sins. Dead people can’t believe unless God sovereignly and graciously makes them alive. We feel the weight of that impossibility, and it can make us hesitate.
Finally, we often suffer from what some have called gospel amnesia. We forget how much we’ve been forgiven and how wonderful the gospel is. We start to care more about pleasing people than pleasing God.
When you realize what we’re up against, you begin to see why prayer is indispensable to spreading the gospel. Only our Father in heaven can overcome demonic opposition, dead human hearts, and our misplaced desire for approval. Trying to spread the gospel without prayer is like trying to sail with no wind. You can have an incredible sailboat and the most skilled crew, but without wind, you’re not going anywhere. Prayer is calling down wind to fill the sails of gospel mission.
And we should pray with hope. Every single one of us who believes in Jesus Christ is proof that God overcomes every obstacle to reconcile people to Himself through Christ.
Illustration: Today, after I finish preaching at the third service, I’ll be heading out to officiate a Christian wedding. Just a few years ago, both people in the couple were sprinting in the opposite direction of Jesus Christ. If you had met either of them back then, you’d never suspect they would ever follow Jesus. But in the past couple years, they’ve turned to Jesus in repentance and faith, been baptized, and their lives are radically different. They serve the church tirelessly, and today they’ll be joined in Christian marriage. What can explain that? Prayer. God promises to save, and prayer puts those promises into motion. The task of spreading the gospel is too daunting not to pray.
Now that we’ve seen why prayer is essential, we’re ready to look at how to pray and what to pray for when it comes to spreading the gospel.
How do we pray to spread the gospel? Answer: Pray steadfastly, watchfully, and with thanksgiving. Colossians 4:2 — Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. “Steadfastly” means we devote ourselves to prayer for the spread of the gospel and we don’t give up. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus tells a story to teach us to pray like that. He describes a man who goes to his friend’s house at midnight to borrow bread. We all have at least one friend who would do that. And Jesus says, in modern terms, that for a while we’d just text him from inside the house telling him to go away, but eventually we’d give him the bread—not because we like him, but because he won’t stop knocking. Jesus says, “Pray like that for the spread of the gospel. And even more so, because your Father loves to give good gifts to those who ask.” Give Him no rest.
One tool that helps with this is prayer cards—either handwritten (like the ones on your seats) or digital (like the PrayerMate app). Use them to give your Father no rest.
But as you pray steadfastly, notice that Paul also says to be watchful and thankful. In the context of Colossians, “watchful” likely refers to being alert to false teaching—especially any idea that Jesus isn’t enough to forgive sin or that salvation can be found apart from Him. Be on guard against any anti-gospel message as you pray.
Also, be watchful because, as John Piper says, prayer is a wartime walkie-talkie, and the devil loves to jam it by distracting us. And be thankful. As you pray for the spread of the gospel, thank God for saving you and for His unstoppable plan to save others. Thankfulness fuels steadfastness. Pray steadfastly, watchfully, and with thanksgiving.
What should we pray for? Answer: Pray for open opportunities, open hearts, and clarity in speaking. Colossians 4:3–4 — At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. When you make your prayer cards, write down things like this. It will help you pray consistently and track stories that remind you that God saves sinners and spreads the gospel through prayer. Pray for open doors for Christian workers. Pray to spread the gospel.
SPEAK TO SPREAD THE GOSPEL
The gospel is good news. And like all good news, it spreads by being spoken. So we speak to spread the gospel. But how?
Answer: urgent speaking, salty speaking, and individualized speaking.
Urgent speaking. Colossians 4:5 — Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. When Paul says, “walk in wisdom toward outsiders,” he doesn’t just mean, “live a good lifestyle.” We should live lives that are distinct and attractive—but here Paul is calling us to something specific: urgency in gospel speech. The second clause explains the first—making the best use of the time means to act with urgency, to “snatch up” every opportunity to share the gospel.
Salty speaking. Colossians 4:6a — Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt… Salt makes bland food appetizing. Our speech about Jesus should be like that—desirable, appealing, persuasive. Os Guinness calls the opposite “burp evangelism”—when we unload the gospel just to get it off our chest. That might make us feel better, but it’s off-putting to others. Don’t just get the message across—speak in a way that helps others want to believe. You can’t do that unless you’re daily experiencing how good Jesus is. If you know His grace is beautiful and life-giving, you’ll speak that way.
Individualized speaking. Colossians 4:6 — Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. The gospel doesn’t change, and we should never adjust it. Adjusting the gospel to make it more desirable would be like me—someone who can’t cook—trying to improve a chef’s dish at a top-tier restaurant. It’s arrogant and foolish.
The message stays the same, but the people we speak to are different. Each person is unique. We need to treat them that way. That means listening genuinely to their individual questions and doing our best to answer them with love—even saying, “I don’t know the answer to that, but I’ll find out,” when necessary.
Every individual has their own set of questions, hang-ups, and background. We need to listen well so we can speak well. This fall, our church will be offering a class called TEAM: Training in Evangelism, Apologetics, and Mission. You can indicate preliminary interest on your connect card. It’s a great opportunity to learn how to speak the gospel clearly and how to answer people thoughtfully and personally.
Individual speaking takes time. But regularly inviting coworkers, neighbors, or friends out for coffee or a meal creates space for it. Even better, invite them to read the Bible or a short Christian book with you over a few meals. Let God’s Word do the work—and answer the questions.
CONCLUSION
We play our part in God’s story of redemption by praying and speaking to spread the gospel. The more we experience the truth of the gospel and remember our great salvation in Jesus Christ, the more we will pray and speak to spread it.
So let me remind you of that wonderful news:
1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins
2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—
3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,
5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
(Ephesians 2:1–9)
Let that truth fuel your prayers and your speech—for the glory of God and the good of others.