Leverage Your Life “Stick Together” Colossians 4:2-18

Leveraging Your Life: Week 4 “Stick Together”

Colossians 4:2-18

² Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving.

³ At the same time, pray also for us that God may open a door to us

for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains,

⁴ so that I may make it known as I should.

⁵ Act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time.

⁶ Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person.

⁷ Tychicus, our dearly loved brother, faithful minister, and fellow servant in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me.

⁸ I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know how we are and so that he may encourage your hearts.

⁹ He is coming with Onesimus, a faithful and dearly loved brother,

who is one of you. They will tell you about everything here.

¹⁰ Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you greetings, as does Mark,

Barnabas’s cousin (concerning whom you have received instructions:

if he comes to you, welcome him),

¹¹ and so does Jesus who is called Justus. These alone of the circumcised

are my coworkers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me.

¹² Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. He is always wrestling for you in his prayers, so that you can stand mature and fully assured in everything God wills.

¹³ For I testify about him that he works hard for you,

for those in Laodicea, and for those in Hierapolis.

¹⁴ Luke, the dearly loved physician, and Demas send you greetings.

¹⁵ Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters in Laodicea,

and to Nympha and the church in her home.

¹⁶ After this letter has been read at your gathering, have it read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea.

¹⁷ And tell Archippus, “Pay attention to the ministry you have received in the Lord, so that you can accomplish it.”

¹⁸ I, Paul, am writing this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.

Intro:

• We are halfway through our 6-week study exploring how to:
  • Leverage Your Life
  • Seek First the Kingdom
  • Deepen Devotion
  • Stick Together
  • Think Multiplication
  • Engage Our City
• Over the last three weeks, we have looked at how to Leverage our lives
• Based on the way Jesus Defined the purpose of life through the apostle Paul
• In 1 Corinthians 15…That “whatever we do we do for the Glory of God.”
• We were challenged to leverage our “whatever’s” Big or Small for the benefit of others Coming to know Jesus
• As well we have looked at “Seeking First the Kingdom”
• We learned to See the kingdom – God rules and reigns in our lives
• Share the kingdom – Telling others the Good News of the Kingdom (the Gospel)
• And to Speak the kingdom- Praying for God’s Kingdom to come by seeing others saved and our lives surrendered to his call
• Then we looked at our next Kingdom Priority

Deepen Devotion

• Meaning
• “Deepening Our Connection With Jesus Shapes Who We Are and Drives How We Share His Love With Others.”
• It all begins with Jesus by:
• Commit to abiding in Jesus daily through prayer and the Word.
• Let your connection with Christ fuel your ministry and witness.
• Seeking to produce spiritual fruit that glorifies God and impacts His kingdom.
• Today we will continue by looking at our fourth Kingdom Priority

Stick Together

• For God’s kingdom to have the greatest impact
• Those who follow him must stick together
• This morning, I want to help us see this
• By looking at the latter half of the Letter Paul Wrote to the Colossians
• Paul wrote the letter to the Colossians while he was in prison in Rome (around AD 60-62).
• He was writing to encourage them in their faith
• And to address false teachings that had infiltrated the church.
• As Paul nears the end of his letter, Colossians 4:2-18
• That we just read
• He shifts from doctrinal teaching to practical application,
• Urging the Colossians to live out their faith in three distinct ways
• Prayer, Wisdom, and Mission.
• In Colossians 4:2-18, Paul highlights
• The importance of community in ministry—no one serves alone.
• He calls believers to pray for one another, walk in wisdom, support the mission, and work together as the body of Christ.
• He names several faithful co-laborers,
• Showing that ministry is a collective effort, not a solo endeavor.
• That the Christian life is meant to be lived in partnership with others.
• Pointing out that our impact in God’s kingdom grows as we stick together
• This passage highlights the 3 distinct ways
• We can leverage our lives by sticking together for the sake of Christ.
• Let’s look at them together
• First

STICKING TOGETHER IN PRAYER:

Colossians 4:2

Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving.

• Paul begins this section by urging believers to “Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving.”
• By saying “Devote yourselves”
• He is telling us that Prayer should be a consistent and corporate habit among God’s people.
• It’s a call for us to Commit to praying daily and faithfully
• It’s a call to deepen devotion
• Then he says that Prayer should be watchful or (Stay Alert)—
• Meaning we needed to be attuned to God’s work and aware of spiritual needs.
• Jesus Modeled this for us in

Matthew 9:36

³⁶ When he saw the crowds, he felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd.

• He was looking “He saw”
• We must Pray God gives us eyes to see
• He concludes by saying
• It should also be thankful—expressing gratitude for God’s goodness and answered prayers.
• Paul says something similar in

Philippians 4:6

⁶ Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

• Why Thanksgiving?
• To remind ourselves of who he is and what he has done
• When Thanksgiving is the filter, we pray through
• Then we don’t leave room for fear, doubt, worry, or anxiety
• Because if they try to show up, we have already been reminded that God is in Control
• Here is the reality… fear, doubt, worry and anxiety
• Will always try to creep into our lives
• But here is a powerful truth hidden in this Philippians verse
• The words for prayer, petition, and present are unique in the Greek language
• Unlike in English, we would see all of these words as Verbs or action words
• But here all three are nouns (person, place, or thing)
• More specifically prayer is seen as a place
• Why does that help?
• If Prayer itself is not just the action of communicating to God
• But it is also a “place”
• Then I don’t need to be in a specific place to pray
• So that when the creep of these negative things comes in
• I can stop and be in a place of prayer anywhere
• And through thanksgiving remind myself and our enemy that God is in control
• He continues this call to prayer in

Colossians 4:3-4

³ At the same time, pray also for us that God may open a door to us for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains,

⁴so that I may make it known as I should.

• Paul asks the Colossians to pray specifically for his ministry—
• So that God would “open a door” for the Word and that he would speak clearly.
• As evidence of our togetherness
• We are called to Pray for pastors, missionaries, and evangelists to have opportunities to share the gospel.
• What does that look like practically
• Pray for me and my family
• Pray for New City Globally
• Pray for the missions work that New City Partners with
• Pray for the other churches in our city
• What are we praying for them all?
• Yes, we can pray for their health and safety
• But more importantly,
• We are praying like Paul that each would have an open door to proclaim the Gospel Boldly
• The second distinct way we are called to leverage our lives by sticking together is
• Through

STICKING TOGETHER IN WISDOM:

Colossians 4:5-6

⁵ Act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time.

⁶ Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person.

• More Specifically, this call to wisdom in sticking together is
• Walking in Wisdom Toward Outsiders
• What Does It Mean to Walk in Wisdom Toward Outsiders?
• Paul’s instruction is clear—
• believers are to act wisely when engaging with those outside the faith.
• Wisdom is not merely intelligence or knowledge,
• But the ability to live out the gospel in a way that attracts others to Christ.
• Walking in wisdom means considering how our words, actions, and attitudes reflect Christ to non-believers.
• How Do We Live Wisely Among Non-Believers?
• By Showing Integrity –
• A life of integrity speaks louder than words.
• People notice when Christians act with honesty, fairness, and faithfulness in daily life.
• By Demonstrating Kindness –
• Love and compassion draw people toward Christ.
• We reflect Jesus when we treat outsiders with dignity and care.
• By Practicing Discernment –
• Not every conversation or moment is the right time to speak about faith & The Gospel,
• But every moment is an opportunity to live it out.
• Paul emphasizes “making the most of the time”—
• This means we must be intentional about the way we interact with non-believers.
• Every place we live, work, and engage with others
• Is a mission field where God has placed us to be salt and light.
• Rather than waiting for the perfect opportunity,
• We should be actively seeking ways to demonstrate Christ’s love in ordinary interactions.
• Let Your Speech Be Gracious:
• Paul instructs believers to speak in a way that reflects the grace they have received from Christ.
• This means:
• Avoiding unnecessary arguments or debates.
• Listening before responding.
• Choosing words that encourage and build up.
• Seasoned with Salt: Salt in the ancient world was used for preservation, flavor, and healing.
• Similarly, our words should:
• Preserve truth in a world of falsehood.
• Add wisdom and insight to conversations.
• Bring healing to broken people.
• Balanced Communication:
• Walking in wisdom means finding the balance between gentleness and boldness.
• Avoiding harshness or judgment that drives people away.
• Yet Being bold in truth, speaking with confidence about Christ’s love.
• Why Does This Matter So Much?
• Our daily conduct among outsiders either opens or closes doors for gospel conversations.
• How we treat people, handle conflict, and respond to criticism
• Shows the world whether our faith is genuine.
• When we speak wisely and graciously,
• We position ourselves to be ready to answer each person individually—
• Tailoring our response to their spiritual needs.
• The Third area is

STICKING TOGETHER IN MISSION:

Colossians 4:7-9

⁷ Tychicus, our dearly loved brother, faithful minister, and fellow servant in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me.

⁸ I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know how we are and so that he may encourage your hearts.

⁹ He is coming with Onesimus, a faithful and dearly loved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you about everything here.

• Paul tells us the first way we stick together in mission is by
• Sacrificing and Sending for the Good of Others
• Paul sent Tychicus and Onesimus to encourage the Colossians.
• These men were valuable to Paul,
• Yet he sent them for the benefit of others.
• Like some of you who gave up being at another campus to come be an encouragement here at New City Olathe
• But Also, for others who are here to one day Be willing to be sent out
• It can also be about our willingness to step up through Financial support
• Maybe for the first time or in a more consistent way
• Financially through giving to the ministry you receive from
• If you are for the church you are apart of
• Or you receive hope and encouragement from it
• Then you should consider supporting it
• If that is here at New City Then I encourage you to support us
• (if it is not us then give it somewhere)
• Paul continues this idea of sticking together in mission when he says

Colossians 4:10-14

¹⁰ Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you greetings, as does Mark, Barnabas’s cousin (concerning whom you have received instructions: if he comes to you, welcome him),

¹¹ and so does Jesus who is called Justus. These alone of the circumcised are my coworkers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me.

¹² Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. He is always wrestling for you in his prayers, so that you can stand mature and fully assured in everything God wills.

¹³ For I testify about him that he works hard for you, for those in Laodicea, and for those in Hierapolis. Luke, the dearly loved physician, and Demas send you greetings.

¹⁴ Luke, the dearly loved physician, and Demas send you greetings.

• What is Paul saying? Or a better way to say it
• What is Paul demonstrating?
• That one of the greatest ways of sticking together in mission is
• Honoring and Empowering One Another for Mission
• Paul names several individuals—
• Aristarchus, Mark, Justus, Epaphras, Luke, and Demas—
• And acknowledges their contributions to the gospel.
• Why is this important?
• The kingdom is not filled with just superstars and only those with special talents
• Part of sticking together is recognizing and honoring all those faithfully serving in the church.
• In Big and Small ways
• Paul teaches us that we need each other
• Everyone has a part to play in the kingdom
• God has gifted each of us
• And when we take the time to honor and encourage one another
• It not only fuels us to continue our mission
• But it helps to accomplish the mission together.
• Paul then shows us that sticking together in mission
• Is not just about New City Olathe

Colossians 4:15-16

¹⁵ Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters in Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her home.

¹⁶ After this letter has been read at your gathering, have it read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea.

• It’s also about Serving and Partnering with Other Local Churches
• Paul instructs the Colossians to share this letter
• With the church in Laodicea,
• Emphasizing cooperation between churches.
• Churches should work together,
• Not compete,
• In fulfilling the Great Commission.
• The church needs to be open to collaborating in community outreach, missions, and discipleship.
• And to Share resources, wisdom, and encouragement
• With other believers beyond our local congregation.
• I am not sure if you’re aware of this
• But that is exactly what we do here every week with The Branches
• We are working together to reach our city
• We are sharing both people and financial resources
• Finally, Paul tells us the final way we stick together in mission is by
• Encouraging and Remembering One Another

Colossians 4:17-18

¹⁷ And tell Archippus, “Pay attention to the ministry you have received in the Lord, so that you can accomplish it.”

¹⁸ I, Paul, am writing this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.

• Paul closes by addressing Archippus, encouraging him to fulfill his ministry.
• He also reminds the Colossians to remember him.
• What is he saying?
• Encourage fellow believers who may feel weary or overlooked in ministry.
• Remember those who have impacted your spiritual journey and express gratitude.
• Stay connected with the broader body of Christ, praying for one another.
• We need each other…We need to be encouraged by one another
• We can only do that in community
• And the reason that all three of these are possible

STICKING TOGETHER IN PRAYER

STICKING TOGETHER IN WISDOM

STICKING TOGETHER IN MISSION

• Is because of what Jesus did for us
• Jesus Prayed for us
• Jesus through the wisdom of the Father Sacrificed being in heaven humbled himself and came to earth for us
• But he did not stop there
• Jesus came and fulfilled his mission to pay the price for our sins
• So that we could be a part of his kingdom
• He leads the way
• So today we are going to take a moment and honor what he did through communion
• And use our time of remembering to ask him for the grace to walk out

STICKING TOGETHER IN PRAYER

STICKING TOGETHER IN WISDOM

STICKING TOGETHER IN MISSION