WEBVTT 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:00.880 Well, we made it. 00:00:01.040 --> 00:00:07.599 We are in our last Sunday of the book of Colossians, which we've been studying through this fall. 00:00:07.839 --> 00:00:12.800 Our text this morning is what Stacy just read for us, Colossians 4, 5 and 6. 00:00:12.880 --> 00:00:16.719 And Paul says for us to walk in wisdom in front of outsiders. 00:00:16.800 --> 00:00:21.039 So to walk in wisdom in front of those who don't know Jesus. 00:00:21.359 --> 00:00:31.120 So that's just to say, when you're with people, be with that person, which is incredibly, incredibly hard to do. 00:00:31.440 --> 00:00:39.280 This week, two words kept coming back to me as I reread these two verses, and that was wisdom and winsomeness. 00:00:39.439 --> 00:00:40.560 Wisdom and winsomeness. 00:00:40.640 --> 00:00:47.280 So let's talk about the wisdom to use our time wisely with people, and then the winsomeness with our words. 00:00:47.439 --> 00:00:56.240 Verse 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. 00:00:56.479 --> 00:01:02.079 Point number one is this our words are means of preservation to needy hearts. 00:01:02.560 --> 00:01:05.599 So in the ancient world, salt was a preservative. 00:01:05.760 --> 00:01:09.439 It preserved good things from rotting or decaying. 00:01:09.599 --> 00:01:12.879 Salt was the refrigerator of ancient times. 00:01:13.040 --> 00:01:18.319 And so Paul is saying for us to be refrigerators, which is not flattering. 00:01:18.480 --> 00:01:22.959 So maybe you just need to be like a European refrigerator if that makes you feel better. 00:01:23.120 --> 00:01:24.560 But that's what we're called to be. 00:01:24.640 --> 00:01:27.599 We're called to be refrigerators, preservatives. 00:01:27.680 --> 00:01:32.239 Now imagine that you bought two cartons of strawberries on Monday. 00:01:32.319 --> 00:01:37.439 And you got home and you took one carton of strawberries and you put it outside on the back deck in the sunshine. 00:01:37.599 --> 00:01:40.879 You took the other carton of strawberries and you went in the kitchen and you put it in the fridge. 00:01:41.040 --> 00:01:43.840 Now I imagine you come back on Friday. 00:01:44.079 --> 00:01:47.599 The carton out on the deck would probably look something like this. 00:01:47.760 --> 00:01:49.359 I don't know, something, right? 00:01:49.519 --> 00:01:50.400 Or worse. 00:01:50.640 --> 00:01:54.799 And then the carton from the refrigerator would look something like this, right? 00:01:55.200 --> 00:01:58.159 And the difference there is preservation. 00:01:58.480 --> 00:02:01.200 One has been preserved. 00:02:01.599 --> 00:02:06.000 And Paul is saying, it's incredibly empowering to us. 00:02:06.239 --> 00:02:11.199 Paul is saying that you have that power. 00:02:11.919 --> 00:02:23.599 You actually have in you, by your words, the ability to be a force of preservation in people's hearts and lives. 00:02:24.159 --> 00:02:30.879 Maybe you remember in James 3, 4, and 5, James's words about our words. 00:02:31.120 --> 00:02:32.719 Look at the ships also. 00:02:32.879 --> 00:02:40.719 Though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder, wherever the will of the pilot directs. 00:02:40.879 --> 00:02:46.159 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. 00:02:46.400 --> 00:02:49.759 So when we study this passage last year, I told you about the Gerald R. 00:02:50.000 --> 00:02:54.879 Ford aircraft carrier, 1,106 feet long. 00:02:54.960 --> 00:02:58.080 It's the longest, largest aircraft carrier in the world. 00:02:58.240 --> 00:02:59.520 I love aircraft carriers. 00:02:59.599 --> 00:03:00.639 I love fighter jets. 00:03:00.800 --> 00:03:05.680 Have you ever been on the beach down in Florida and a fighter jet flies over? 00:03:05.919 --> 00:03:09.360 I mean, it's like, let's let's pay some taxes. 00:03:09.520 --> 00:03:10.479 Like I will. 00:03:11.599 --> 00:03:13.280 That's when I'm ready to write a check. 00:03:13.360 --> 00:03:20.960 It's the only time I'm ready to write a check, is when I see a fighter jet or aircraft carrier, and you're like, yes, let's let's let's build some stuff like that. 00:03:21.120 --> 00:03:22.639 Like I'm excited about that. 00:03:22.800 --> 00:03:24.639 Anyways, maybe you're not, I don't know. 00:03:24.719 --> 00:03:26.240 But it's a massive ship. 00:03:26.479 --> 00:03:27.039 Massive. 00:03:27.199 --> 00:03:29.439 The length of three football fields. 00:03:29.680 --> 00:03:32.000 And it sails around the world by a rudder. 00:03:32.080 --> 00:03:34.319 Here's an aircraft carrier rudder. 00:03:34.560 --> 00:03:35.599 Which is really large. 00:03:35.680 --> 00:03:37.199 I mean, that's a grown man right there. 00:03:37.280 --> 00:03:40.000 And he's just like, Russ, you're destroying your metaphor. 00:03:40.080 --> 00:03:41.280 The rudder is large. 00:03:41.439 --> 00:03:48.879 But the point is that rudder is.03, the length of that ship. 00:03:49.120 --> 00:03:50.639 It is tiny. 00:03:50.960 --> 00:03:55.280 And James is saying, your words seem small. 00:03:56.319 --> 00:03:58.240 Your words seem small. 00:03:58.479 --> 00:04:04.560 But they have enormous power over your life, and they have enormous power into other people's lives. 00:04:04.879 --> 00:04:06.000 Go back to Colossians. 00:04:06.159 --> 00:04:11.759 Paul is saying the words that come out of your mouth are not just words. 00:04:12.080 --> 00:04:15.919 They are powerful forces that shape hearts and lives. 00:04:16.079 --> 00:04:27.199 Paul is saying that those of us who have been saved out of darkness know Jesus, are known by Jesus, and live for Jesus, we're called to speak words of truth and grace about Jesus to other people. 00:04:28.000 --> 00:04:29.839 Back to verse 6 again. 00:04:30.160 --> 00:04:36.000 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. 00:04:36.319 --> 00:04:38.639 Ligonier Resources says this about this verse. 00:04:38.720 --> 00:04:39.360 Now hang with me. 00:04:39.439 --> 00:04:45.120 There's a couple paragraphs I'm going to read, but it's just such a good summary of what this verse means. 00:04:45.680 --> 00:04:57.120 The Greek words that are behind speech, gracious and salt, are used together in the first century literature to refer to speech that is gracious and attractive. 00:04:57.839 --> 00:04:58.639 Winsome. 00:04:59.439 --> 00:05:02.560 Even witty words that are also spoken in a humble manner. 00:05:02.800 --> 00:05:13.759 In other words, the apostle wants the presentation of the gospel to the outside world done in a manner that captures the gospel's excitement and that is able to answer the unbelievers' legitimate questions. 00:05:14.000 --> 00:05:23.279 The idea is similar to that found in 1 Peter 3.15, which commends gentle speech that respectfully presents and defends the gospel of Jesus Christ. 00:05:23.519 --> 00:05:30.480 The goal is not to try too hard to be funny or to speak or act in a manner that is not true to one's personality. 00:05:30.639 --> 00:05:41.839 Instead, our goal should be that we understand the gospel and its implications so well that we do not come off unnecessarily as killjoys. 00:05:42.240 --> 00:05:51.439 Our life and speech should be such that people can see the freedom that Jesus brings and get a glimpse of what it really means to have new life in Christ. 00:05:52.319 --> 00:05:59.120 So it's to say, Christians, we shouldn't be these boring, burdened people. 00:05:59.279 --> 00:06:01.680 Like that's not the that's not the story. 00:06:01.920 --> 00:06:06.720 Like if that's your story, then you're not tapped into the gospel and the implications of the gospel. 00:06:07.279 --> 00:06:15.279 Because this is a story about increased freedom and increased joy as we have our forgiveness and righteousness already settled in Jesus. 00:06:15.519 --> 00:06:20.879 Point number two is this our words can reveal the joy and freedom we have in Jesus. 00:06:21.120 --> 00:06:22.879 That you have that power. 00:06:23.120 --> 00:06:29.759 Fifteen years ago, I traveled with an older pastor, he's about 30 years older than me, and we went to a conference in Boston. 00:06:30.000 --> 00:06:35.759 And so James is the name of the pastor, and James and I, that first evening, we're on the subway in Boston. 00:06:35.920 --> 00:06:42.160 James is incredibly disarming, he's very extroverted, much more than me, and he's incredibly gracious, much more than I am. 00:06:42.240 --> 00:06:45.519 And so I'm just like watching him and how he interacts with people. 00:06:45.759 --> 00:06:47.519 That first evening we sit on the subway. 00:06:47.600 --> 00:06:51.680 Now, when I sit down on the subway, I my plan is to talk to no one. 00:06:51.839 --> 00:06:52.639 That's my plan. 00:06:52.800 --> 00:06:56.720 And hopefully make eye contact with nobody and hopefully not touch anybody. 00:06:56.879 --> 00:06:58.399 Like that's all my goals. 00:06:58.560 --> 00:06:59.920 Just stay in my ear. 00:07:00.000 --> 00:07:02.000 So, but I sit down, James sits next to me. 00:07:02.160 --> 00:07:06.560 A lady sits next to James and she sits down, she has a couple bags, like she's been out all day. 00:07:06.800 --> 00:07:11.920 And James just leans over to her very kindly and he says, It looks like you have a lot going on. 00:07:12.000 --> 00:07:13.360 What have you been doing today? 00:07:13.600 --> 00:07:17.279 And she says, Well, you know, I came from one job and I'm headed to another job. 00:07:17.439 --> 00:07:19.600 And he says, Oh my gosh, that sounds really hard. 00:07:19.680 --> 00:07:22.240 That sounds like a really full, tough day. 00:07:22.480 --> 00:07:23.680 And she says, Yeah, it is. 00:07:23.759 --> 00:07:24.639 You know, it's been a tough day. 00:07:25.040 --> 00:07:26.399 We just have to work two jobs. 00:07:26.560 --> 00:07:27.360 And she had an accent. 00:07:27.600 --> 00:07:29.360 He said, Oh, I recognize an accent. 00:07:29.439 --> 00:07:30.079 Where are you from? 00:07:30.160 --> 00:07:31.439 And she said, I'm from Haiti. 00:07:31.600 --> 00:07:34.319 This was right after a horrible earthquake had hit Haiti. 00:07:34.560 --> 00:07:40.240 And James says, Oh my gosh, that's, you know, like, are you you have friends and family there? 00:07:40.319 --> 00:07:41.920 You know, and out it comes. 00:07:42.160 --> 00:07:46.639 Like, like she hadn't spoken a word of any of this to anybody. 00:07:46.800 --> 00:07:54.160 And out she just begins to pour her concern for her friends and family that she's barely getting word that they're okay. 00:07:54.319 --> 00:08:02.240 And he just sits there and he listens to her and listens to her, and then our stop comes, and the timing actually worked out pretty good as her story starting to trail off. 00:08:02.399 --> 00:08:09.759 And he gets up, we get up to get off, he gets up and he pulls out his wallet and he opens it up and he reaches in, he grabs all the cash in his wallet. 00:08:09.839 --> 00:08:10.800 It's back when we carried cash. 00:08:10.879 --> 00:08:11.519 Do you remember the cash? 00:08:11.600 --> 00:08:13.439 It's rectangles, paper. 00:08:13.839 --> 00:08:17.839 They're paper rectangles, and you can use them for exchange of goods. 00:08:18.079 --> 00:08:22.319 So he pulls all his cash out of his wallet and he hands it to her. 00:08:22.399 --> 00:08:26.079 And he said, Can you please get some of this to your family? 00:08:26.240 --> 00:08:29.120 And we will you tell them that Jesus loves them. 00:08:29.439 --> 00:08:35.519 And we walk off the subway, we get like three steps off the subway, and he looks at me and he says, Russ, do you have any cash? 00:08:35.679 --> 00:08:37.279 I don't have any cash. 00:08:40.720 --> 00:08:45.039 So two days later, we're on the plane coming home. 00:08:45.679 --> 00:08:51.519 And now when I get on a plane, I mean the air pods are in before the rear hits the seat. 00:08:51.679 --> 00:08:52.799 I'm zoned in. 00:08:52.879 --> 00:08:57.360 I got my tech organizer with all my chords, and I'm getting, you know, I'm in this zone. 00:08:57.519 --> 00:08:58.480 My wife tries to talk to him. 00:08:58.799 --> 00:08:59.360 I can't hear you. 00:08:59.440 --> 00:08:59.840 I'm sorry. 00:09:01.519 --> 00:09:02.799 I'm in my zone. 00:09:02.960 --> 00:09:07.840 See, I have my plan and my zone, but he sits down and he's much more gracious than I am. 00:09:08.080 --> 00:09:11.360 He actually's thinking about other people, which is an amazing concept. 00:09:11.440 --> 00:09:13.919 I'm slowly learning about. 00:09:14.639 --> 00:09:18.480 And so a lady sits next to him, and he just sort of says, Hey, how are you? 00:09:18.559 --> 00:09:19.279 And she says, Good. 00:09:19.360 --> 00:09:22.559 And he can tell, like she's one of the people, not like me, who's willing to talk. 00:09:22.639 --> 00:09:23.919 And he says, Where are you going? 00:09:24.000 --> 00:09:26.159 And she says, Oh, you know, I'm headed wherever. 00:09:26.320 --> 00:09:27.600 And he says, Oh, that's good, that's great. 00:09:27.759 --> 00:09:28.159 You have kids? 00:09:28.639 --> 00:09:29.519 Oh, yeah, I got two kids. 00:09:29.600 --> 00:09:36.559 It turns out so she says, I got two kids, and uh, two kids with my boyfriend, and we live together and we've been together for 15 years. 00:09:36.720 --> 00:09:38.960 And she and he says, Oh, do you have any church background? 00:09:39.120 --> 00:09:45.600 And she says, Ah, you know, I used to, and and then finally she just says, I'm too ashamed to go back to church. 00:09:46.799 --> 00:09:55.200 And he says, you know, I I'm sorry if you have a church background where you feel that way, but I don't think you need to feel that way. 00:09:55.440 --> 00:10:04.000 And he tells her how much Jesus loves her and how much Jesus has loved him and all of his sin and the problems and issues. 00:10:04.879 --> 00:10:16.879 Um and then he looks at her after, you know, at this point I have the headphone out and I'm listening along, and he looks at her and he says, and you know, um I think you should marry him. 00:10:18.399 --> 00:10:19.840 And she just kind of nods. 00:10:20.000 --> 00:10:25.039 And he goes, it would it would really honor God and it would bring a lot of security to your children. 00:10:26.000 --> 00:10:28.159 And she said, Yeah, I've never thought about it that way. 00:10:28.240 --> 00:10:31.279 And they have this another lengthy conversation about marriage. 00:10:31.840 --> 00:10:43.039 But for me, it was like a lesson in how do you speak winsomely about Jesus' love and grace and truth and even distribute a tough truth. 00:10:43.759 --> 00:10:52.240 But she never felt condemned because he had already established that he cared for her. 00:10:53.440 --> 00:10:53.759 Right? 00:10:53.840 --> 00:10:55.279 And that's what he's really good at. 00:10:55.440 --> 00:11:02.080 And when he is when he's doing this Colossians 4, 6, as a Christian, and see, I have to tell his story. 00:11:02.159 --> 00:11:05.519 I can't tell my stories because I I'm I'm still learning this. 00:11:07.039 --> 00:11:16.240 To be winsome is to be warm and welcoming and appealing, to be using words about the gospel that are that are true for it and what it's done in our lives. 00:11:16.480 --> 00:11:23.039 Here's what I've noticed that he does, and I've seen other people do this people who are really good at using their words with outsiders. 00:11:23.519 --> 00:11:26.960 The word would be evangelism, talking about Jesus to other people. 00:11:27.440 --> 00:11:29.519 The first thing they do is they listen. 00:11:30.639 --> 00:11:36.320 I once heard that most people can't even tell the difference between being loved and being listened to. 00:11:37.200 --> 00:11:40.879 Because the two, the experience of the two are so close together. 00:11:41.120 --> 00:11:47.679 That's the power of just somebody actively, compassionately listening to you, that you feel loved. 00:11:47.840 --> 00:11:50.080 Now, my problem with that is I have my plan. 00:11:50.799 --> 00:11:56.639 I have my plan for the next 30 minutes, I can tell you my plan for the next three hours, for the next day, I can tell you my plan for the week, for the month, for the year. 00:11:56.799 --> 00:12:00.720 I have a plan, I have a plan for your life, I have a plan for my life, I have a plan. 00:12:01.200 --> 00:12:05.840 And my wife keeps teaching me people over plans, which I just hate. 00:12:06.000 --> 00:12:10.320 Because I love, I'm just self-oriented that way that I have my plan. 00:12:10.480 --> 00:12:14.080 Then some of you, even that are people-oriented, you have your plan for what you want to say. 00:12:14.159 --> 00:12:17.440 And they're talking, but you're already thinking about what you're gonna say, right? 00:12:17.759 --> 00:12:19.519 It's not active listening. 00:12:19.759 --> 00:12:23.759 So we actively listen, we seek to understand their point of view. 00:12:23.919 --> 00:12:30.320 We actually care enough to know what is their point of view on this thing, what's their point of view on this issue? 00:12:30.480 --> 00:12:33.360 It's not just you getting to spout out what you think. 00:12:34.159 --> 00:12:38.320 And then third, we respond with our own depravity in view. 00:12:38.559 --> 00:12:42.399 Yeah, I know Jesus and I know truth, but I'm no better than you. 00:12:42.639 --> 00:12:47.919 When we come with that sort of humbleness, all of a sudden people want to talk a little bit more. 00:12:48.240 --> 00:12:52.080 Number four, we have an answer for why Jesus brings you joy and freedom. 00:12:52.159 --> 00:12:54.879 That we have enough, we've learned enough. 00:12:55.679 --> 00:13:03.200 That we have an answer for what Jesus gives to people, what he's given to you, what the implications are of Jesus in your life. 00:13:03.279 --> 00:13:07.039 And then fifth, we try to speak gracious words of truth that honor Jesus. 00:13:07.360 --> 00:13:08.159 And we just try. 00:13:08.240 --> 00:13:12.559 I mean, some of us are so scared to get in a conversation about Jesus, but we're scared we're not gonna have an answer. 00:13:13.279 --> 00:13:14.159 But we're just trying. 00:13:14.240 --> 00:13:14.799 It's a journey. 00:13:14.879 --> 00:13:16.240 We're not gonna be perfect at it. 00:13:16.399 --> 00:13:22.720 And this last phrase is a little bothersome because it says Colossians 4.6, this last phrase, so that you may know how to answer everyone. 00:13:22.879 --> 00:13:24.000 That feels overwhelming. 00:13:24.080 --> 00:13:28.000 Like that feel like it's like every, like I'm gonna have an answer for everyone. 00:13:28.240 --> 00:13:31.759 And I think we need to have some good theology when we approach this phrase. 00:13:31.840 --> 00:13:39.679 And point number three is this we are not called to convert anyone, we are called to be winsome to those around us. 00:13:39.840 --> 00:13:41.840 Now, let me clarify that. 00:13:42.799 --> 00:13:44.480 We should have an answer for everyone. 00:13:44.559 --> 00:13:45.600 That's what Paul's saying. 00:13:45.840 --> 00:13:50.720 But it doesn't mean that you're you're gonna have every answer to every question. 00:13:52.240 --> 00:13:54.799 Now, you do have an answer for everyone, by the way. 00:13:54.960 --> 00:13:59.600 And we we're equipping you as a church extremely well because we say it every week. 00:13:59.919 --> 00:14:06.799 The thing that we see every week, that sentence, is the gospel, it's the story of what Jesus has done in your life. 00:14:06.960 --> 00:14:10.799 That you're more sinful than you originally thought, that you're discovering that. 00:14:11.039 --> 00:14:15.039 And yet, God has loved you more than you'd ever dream in Jesus. 00:14:15.279 --> 00:14:16.879 That's the story in a sentence. 00:14:16.960 --> 00:14:22.399 Now, learning all those implications starts to educate us and equip us to be able to speak to people. 00:14:22.559 --> 00:14:25.600 But it's okay to not know an answer. 00:14:26.159 --> 00:14:28.000 This happens to me all the time. 00:14:28.159 --> 00:14:31.600 Somebody asks me a question, and I'll go, that is a phenomenal question. 00:14:31.759 --> 00:14:33.200 I have no idea. 00:14:33.519 --> 00:14:35.679 Can I circle back with you? 00:14:35.919 --> 00:14:37.679 There's nothing wrong with that. 00:14:38.559 --> 00:14:39.759 There's nothing wrong to say, what? 00:14:39.919 --> 00:14:41.039 That's a phenomenal question. 00:14:41.200 --> 00:14:47.039 You know, I I remember knowing that at some point, but I have I have no memory of what the answer is. 00:14:47.200 --> 00:14:48.480 Can I circle back to you? 00:14:48.639 --> 00:14:49.759 It's okay. 00:14:50.000 --> 00:14:59.919 So we shouldn't be scared to go into conversations with people because if we don't know the answer, we know the answer of what Jesus means. 00:15:00.080 --> 00:15:04.320 But we might get into all sorts of theological, philosophical questions, and that's totally fine. 00:15:04.480 --> 00:15:06.879 Let's entertain those, let's be equipped for those. 00:15:07.039 --> 00:15:08.879 But you might not be equipped in that very moment. 00:15:08.960 --> 00:15:11.039 And you can always say, hey, great question. 00:15:11.200 --> 00:15:12.480 Like, can I circle back? 00:15:12.639 --> 00:15:15.679 Let's get coffee again, let's keep the conversation going. 00:15:15.919 --> 00:15:21.039 And what we rest in is we rest in that we don't convert people. 00:15:21.279 --> 00:15:23.759 Their eternity is not on your hands. 00:15:23.919 --> 00:15:27.360 God pursues, God draws, God converts people, not us. 00:15:27.519 --> 00:15:30.559 That's in Acts 4, Ephesians 2, Romans 8. 00:15:30.799 --> 00:15:32.720 God does all the saving. 00:15:33.039 --> 00:15:37.919 We do not cause anything, but we do participate. 00:15:38.320 --> 00:15:40.240 And we're called to participate. 00:15:40.480 --> 00:15:44.960 That God works through us, and he even works beyond us. 00:15:45.440 --> 00:15:53.039 And we get to love people, and we get to speak about Jesus to people and participate in God's saving of people. 00:15:53.279 --> 00:16:00.240 Point number four is this our words of love are empowered by God's word of love to us. 00:16:00.480 --> 00:16:03.200 Remember the Colossian structure we keep revisiting? 00:16:03.440 --> 00:16:08.480 The Colossian structure is that Colossians 1 and 2 lead into 3 and 4. 00:16:08.559 --> 00:16:09.519 You know, I got that. 00:16:09.600 --> 00:16:10.960 1, 2, 3, 4. 00:16:11.279 --> 00:16:16.240 1 and 2 are all the indicatives, what's been indicated to us in Jesus, all the promises. 00:16:16.480 --> 00:16:23.120 You are lavishly forgiven, you are lavishly righteous, you are lavishly worthy, all because of Jesus, no work you do, his work for you. 00:16:23.200 --> 00:16:24.639 One and two is over and over. 00:16:24.720 --> 00:16:26.159 Promise, promise, promise, promise. 00:16:26.240 --> 00:16:30.639 And then chapter 3 is like, and by the way, now here's how you should live. 00:16:30.879 --> 00:16:43.919 And the reason why it's structured that way is because Paul is teaching us something very particular that has to do with our relationships and our marriages and our parenting and our work life and our everyday life and our words, our the words we speak. 00:16:44.080 --> 00:16:51.440 And he's teaching us that we are beloved sons and daughters of the Heavenly Father before we are our roles and our practices. 00:16:52.480 --> 00:16:57.279 Meaning, how we should live is fueled by what is already true about us. 00:16:57.440 --> 00:17:00.159 So there's no guilt on you or condemnation on you. 00:17:00.320 --> 00:17:05.839 There's grace on you that fuels gracious words. 00:17:06.799 --> 00:17:11.200 The word of relief in Jesus precedes how we live for Jesus. 00:17:11.519 --> 00:17:18.000 The word of love to us fuels words of love through us. 00:17:18.319 --> 00:17:28.000 Proverbs 16, 24 says this gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul, and health to the body. 00:17:28.480 --> 00:17:33.599 Last week, Christy showed up at our house with the Trader Joe's peanut butter cups. 00:17:33.759 --> 00:17:34.400 Do you know these? 00:17:34.480 --> 00:17:36.400 These, oh, oh my gosh. 00:17:36.559 --> 00:17:44.079 And I have been, I've talked about before my deep love for the Reese's dark chocolate fins, and I put them in the fridge. 00:17:44.240 --> 00:17:45.279 Does anybody else do this? 00:17:45.359 --> 00:17:48.559 I put them in the fridge, walk by 10 times a day. 00:17:48.880 --> 00:17:51.599 Well, these showed up, and I had one. 00:17:51.680 --> 00:17:54.079 I was like, oof, that's good. 00:17:54.400 --> 00:18:00.880 Two, three, after breakfast, after lunch, the crate just gets lower and lower and lower. 00:18:01.039 --> 00:18:01.680 They're gone. 00:18:01.759 --> 00:18:02.559 They're amazing. 00:18:02.720 --> 00:18:04.000 I can't get enough, right? 00:18:04.160 --> 00:18:05.839 And words are like that. 00:18:05.920 --> 00:18:08.799 It's the sweet thing that you love that you can't resist. 00:18:08.880 --> 00:18:12.480 I don't know what your sweet thing is: a brownie, a cookie, a piece of cake. 00:18:12.640 --> 00:18:15.759 The thing that you love, you can't, oh, that piece of pound cake from Nana. 00:18:16.000 --> 00:18:16.799 It was so good. 00:18:16.960 --> 00:18:17.920 It's so good. 00:18:18.400 --> 00:18:20.160 And I have one, but it's not enough. 00:18:20.240 --> 00:18:21.359 I need another one. 00:18:22.559 --> 00:18:24.799 That's what winsome words are. 00:18:25.920 --> 00:18:27.839 Honeycomb, sweetness to the soul. 00:18:27.920 --> 00:18:29.519 We just can't get enough. 00:18:29.759 --> 00:18:31.440 And it's also the power of words. 00:18:32.000 --> 00:18:33.119 Isn't that wild? 00:18:33.599 --> 00:18:34.880 You have that. 00:18:36.079 --> 00:18:37.759 And that you carry that around all the time. 00:18:38.079 --> 00:18:41.519 That possibility of what you could do in somebody's life. 00:18:41.839 --> 00:18:51.279 That you have the power to speak, a winsome, warm, welcoming word to them, an encouraging word to them that could change the trajectory of their life. 00:18:51.759 --> 00:18:56.880 And that we have that power, that ability, that tool with us all the time. 00:18:58.079 --> 00:19:00.559 Now that's also overwhelming. 00:19:01.039 --> 00:19:02.240 Because we don't do it. 00:19:02.559 --> 00:19:04.400 On one side, it's encouraging, right? 00:19:04.480 --> 00:19:05.759 It's the call and it's encouraging. 00:19:05.839 --> 00:19:06.640 It's like, that's amazing. 00:19:06.720 --> 00:19:07.519 I got all this power. 00:19:07.599 --> 00:19:14.400 And on the other side is like, oh gosh, I'm a really horrible human being because I walk around with that power and I never use it. 00:19:14.559 --> 00:19:16.559 I'm just selfish and I don't even talk to people. 00:19:16.720 --> 00:19:17.759 I don't even care. 00:19:18.640 --> 00:19:25.039 And that's why it's so important to know the gospel and to remember the structure of Colossians. 00:19:25.200 --> 00:19:28.720 We don't get to Colossians 4 without going through Colossians 1 and 2. 00:19:28.880 --> 00:19:36.160 We don't get to how we should live without already having been through everything we already are in Jesus. 00:19:36.400 --> 00:19:45.359 And Paul finishes his letter with some greetings to friends and a closing word, and then he compasses the whole letter with a phrase. 00:19:45.920 --> 00:19:47.839 Grace be with you. 00:19:48.319 --> 00:19:49.599 This letter's bookend. 00:19:50.000 --> 00:19:51.680 At the end he says, Grace be with you. 00:19:51.759 --> 00:19:54.160 At the beginning, he says, Grace and peace to you. 00:19:54.559 --> 00:19:57.359 So he begins and ends most of his letters like this. 00:19:57.440 --> 00:20:00.160 It's very clear what Paul's communicating. 00:20:00.799 --> 00:20:07.920 He's saying, I'm going to give you lots of ways you should live, but at the beginning and the end of this has to be grace. 00:20:08.400 --> 00:20:13.839 Has to be God's unconditional love to you, apart from any of your work or how well you use your words. 00:20:14.079 --> 00:20:16.799 Because even how you use your words fueled by that. 00:20:18.000 --> 00:20:21.839 In Jesus, we have all the absolution and love we need. 00:20:22.160 --> 00:20:22.799 You do. 00:20:23.599 --> 00:20:27.359 Even when you do not speak those words of grace and truth and love. 00:20:27.599 --> 00:20:32.880 And that's actually the very thing that helps us speak words of grace and truth. 00:20:33.200 --> 00:20:44.400 Now perhaps you're here and you have a question about that, or maybe you have a spiritual question or a question about something else after the service, I'll be down front, and I would love to talk to you and hopefully, hopefully listen to you as well. 00:20:44.559 --> 00:20:45.519 Let's pray together. 00:20:46.319 --> 00:20:51.759 Heavenly Father, thank you for your grace to us, that you know us and you love us. 00:20:52.240 --> 00:21:03.039 Father, none of us are perfect at using our words in encouraging ways that are winsome to outsiders or even loving, encouraging to our family or to other Christians. 00:21:03.119 --> 00:21:07.920 And for that, we are all the more in need of Jesus' forgiveness. 00:21:08.640 --> 00:21:12.319 Thank you that you love us despite our resume of our words. 00:21:12.559 --> 00:21:16.799 And thank you that your word to us is our ultimate definition. 00:21:17.440 --> 00:21:22.240 That we are fully known and we are fully forgiven and we are fully righteous. 00:21:22.480 --> 00:21:25.839 Help us to rest all the more in your sufficiency for us. 00:21:26.000 --> 00:21:27.279 In Christ's name we pray. 00:21:27.440 --> 00:21:27.839 Amen.