A note from the Pastor’s Desk:

“That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.”

Colossians 4:4

Good Morning Dearly Beloved,

It is a profound paradox of the New Testament that the early church’s greatest missionary power came from a man who spent his final years behind bars, pleading not for prison doors to open, but for doors of utterance to be unlocked. Our study verse this week continues the thoughts from verse 3. The Apostle Paul is asking the community of believers at Colossae and Laodicea to pray not for his physical release but for the ability to preach the gospel. In particular, in this verse, he prays for bold clarity and the strength to meet divine obligation, and he does so with Apostolic humility.

The central prayer of the Apostle is for the ability to make the “mystery of God” manifest to the people of God. The word manifest, as translated here, means to make the invisible visibly plain. A specific element of the mystery was the inclusion of the Gentiles into a full, equal covenant alongside the Jews. During the Old Testament era and Christ’s earthly ministry, God restricted His divine teachings to the Jewish people. Christ’s death shattered this boundary, opening the door for the Gentiles to receive this knowledge and launching the Apostle on a specific mission to bring God’s word to them. However, this message came with a cost. The preaching of this truth caused the riot in Jerusalem that landed the Apostle in jail. Now, he is praying for the strength to preach the bold message without watering it down for his own safety.

The Apostle further elaborates, saying that preaching the gospel with clarity is how he “ought to speak.” The word ought carries a meaning of a moral and spiritual imperative. The preaching of the gospel with a precise and strong method is not a preference of the Apostle; it is his calling from God. The Apostle sees himself as a royal ambassador delivering the King of Kings’ decree. As an ambassador, he doesn’t edit the king’s message to make it more popular. He is charged not with creating an appealing call to action for the people. Rather, his charge is to be a faithful steward of the truth revealed to him as he reveals it to the people.

In all of this, the humility of the Apostle shines through. Even though God chose him in a moment of divine authority, has had the gospel directly revealed to him, and has been given the power of an apostle out of due season, he still requests the prayers of the local assembly. It is important to understand the reason behind the prayer in this verse. The Apostle does not think that the church’s prayer is necessary to convince God to open a door of utterance. He knows that God could use one man to spread the gospel to the ends of the earth if he so desired. The request for the prayer of the church is to unite the Apostle and the congregation that he might gather strength from this bond. He desires that they be supportive and encouraging of his continued ministry. He needs their compassion and love in this difficult journey.

This verse captures the vulnerability of even the greatest of God’s messengers. It shows the Apostle’s dependence on God and his need for the strength of his fellow believers. It also should encourage us to seek out and give one another strength and encouragement in our discipleship walk through our prayers to God.

Our Prayers are with you daily,

Brother Jeremiah