Sermon Cloud

How to be a World Changer

Colossians 4:2-6

Intro: World Changer?  Those are just the kids that go on the trip.  I could never be a world changer.  It’s not even worth trying.  I’ll just do my own thing.

Ex. Quarter in toilet.  For a quarter no – but for a dime yes. 

Proposition:  This world has more value than you think.  And you can be used to do more for God’s kingdom than you think.  You can be a world changer.  In Colossians Paul tells us how.

I.                Devote yourself to prayer. (2-4)

“Devote yourself to prayer.”

It is impossible to be a world changer if we do not learn how to devote ourselves to prayer.  What in the world does that mean though?  What does devotion to prayer look like practically?

Well the Greek word “devote” in this passage means “steadfastly continue” or “to persevere”.

-The word “devote” means keep going like in a hard exercise. 

Most people don’t pray as much as they should, because it is hard.  Simple short prayers are easy, but devoted extended prayers for real change are hard.

Ex. Exercises that are short or easy compared to high reps of a hard exercise.  It is easy to quit early or just not do it.  “Uh, I got to go to work.”  We do that with prayer.

Those who do physical exercise have learned they must make it a habit if they are going to be healthy.  They must do it even when they don’t want to.  It is the same thing for prayer.

Train yourself to be godly. 8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.  1 Timothy 4:7-8

Ex. World changers – you will get sore from being out of physical shape.  And the easiest thing to do when you get back is quit using those muscles – but real strength will come through persistence.  Same thing will happen spiritually with prayer.  Pray now to prepare and keep praying hard after.

If any of us are going to be prepared to do great things we need to have previously worked out or we won’t be able to do all we could.  Devote yourself to prayer now to prepare you to be a world changer.  Ex. People get to shoot baskets for money at ball games always stink.  But JC was ready and got free tuition.  Will you be ready?

-The word “devote” also means to continually give your self to. 

Prayer is meant to be done on a regular and consistent basis.  Part of that means sifting your thoughts through prayer. 

Pray without ceasing. 1 Thess. 5:17 

Ex. Water purifier in Muncie.

We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.  2 Cor. 10:5

Praying continually also means let it be a regular part of your week.  I don’t think you have to be a super saint who spends 2 hours a day at 5am every day praying.  God gifts some people to do that, but it isn’t what God wants from all of us.  But how about 15-20 minutes 3-4 days a week?  Come on Wed. night and get a full hour of time devoted to prayer every week.

Ex. One anonymous person wrote on the pastor review – “I don’t like it when we spend the whole hour praying on wed. night – I can do that at home.”  Do you?  I would imagine if you did then you would be happy to do it with your brothers and sisters in Christ.

-And the word “devote” means to wait on.

Devotion to prayer is a challenge, because it means learning to wait on God.  We don’t like to wait.  We like to charge ahead.  But God wants us to wait on Him.  “God, I want you to direct my steps.” 

So devoting yourself to prayer means making a habit of prayer even when it is hard and learning to wait on God.  And then Paul tells us two other things about our devotion to prayer.

1. Keep alert with a thankful attitude. (2)

“Keeping alert” actually means keep awake.  Don’t fall asleep while praying.  Literally that is a good lesson.  Ex. Times Amy shares and I fall asleep.  She’s not happy.  I’ll stay awake and listen as a sign of my love.  Jesus dealt with this with Peter, James, and John while praying the night of his capture.

But more fully I think Paul is saying don’t let your prayers lose their power.  Don’t let your prayers of faith fall asleep into blind repetition.

"And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do.”  Matthew 6:7

Do you ever notice you get caught up praying the same thing over and over again?  We go into prayer cruise control.  We don’t stay alert.  You are never going to be a world changer if you live in prayer cruise control.

Paul says the ways to avoid prayer cruise control is to always pray with an attitude of thanksgiving.  Every time you pray start with praise and thanksgiving.  Think on all God has done for you.  If you reflect on all God has done then you will pray more boldly.  You will say – well God you did this before – so I know you can do this now.

Ex. Acts 4. Peter and John told to stop preaching.  The people prayed and remembered that God was creator, He moved in King David’s life, He moved with Jesus’ crucifixion, and now they knew He would help them.  And God moved so clearly that the place shook! 

Speaking of praying for boldness – that leads us to the other thing Paul tells us about prayer:

2. Pray for open doors for the word and the boldness to walk through them. (3-4)

Paul asks us to pray that people will have open doors to proclaim the mystery of Christ.  And to pray that they and we will have the boldness to walk through those doors – even in the face of persecution.

Pray for our World Changers team this prayer specifically.  You can even paraphrase this passage when you pray.  Dear God, I pray that You will open up to our youth a door for the word, so that they may speak forth the mystery of Christ… 4 that they may make it clear in the way they ought to speak.

You can go down the list of names going and pray that individually for each one of them.  Pray 4 VBS workers too.

The world is filled with closed doors, but God is in the business of opening them if we would just pray.  And we can change the world if we will walk through them.

Ex. RA training: Behind closed doors.  Terrified of what would be there.  But only through the courage to open the doors could lives be saved and great things done.

II.             Conduct yourself with wisdom. (5-6)

Paul doesn’t just tell us to pray to change the world.  As vital as prayer is – God also uses action.  He wants us to both pray and go out and do.  Go out into the world and be used as a change agent.  And that will only happen through conducting ourselves wisely. 

The direct translation of the first part of verse 5 is, “In wisdom, walk toward those without.”  In other words – you ain’t gonna change the world in your living room.  You ain’t gonna change the world just by coming to church.  You have to walk toward those without and show them Jesus in how you live.  How?

1. Make the most of opportunities. (5)

The language Paul is using means – make the most of the time you got.  Go make time with those without – and then put it to good use. 

You have to make your opportunities.  You’ve head, “you got to make your own luck.”  Well you got to go make your opportunities.  If you and others are praying for them they will be easier to find – but a family is not going to knock at your door and say, “Hey, we’re pagans and we need Jesus.  Show us the way.”

World changing isn’t pizza delivery – you don’t call a number and the unsaved are promised to arrive in 30 minutes or less.  It’s not even carry out.  It’s dine-in only.  You got to go into their world and sit down beside them.

How do I do that?  Be intentional.

1.    Sunday School visitation.  2. Build relationships at work.  3. Sports evangelism with kids (talk about rec comm.) 4.  Get involved with an organization or group non-church related.  I told you before when I was filling the pulpits – one of the reasons God has led Amy and I to have a home based business is because we get out into the world.  Talk to Ron and Pam Schumaker about the motorcycle ministry.

It’s going to take more than having a revival service and saying, “y,all come”.  Paul says, “In wisdom, walk toward those without.”

Listen, don’t miss church on Sundays please.  But if you have to miss other stuff the church does because you are intentionally being in the world to shine as lights for Christ – GOOD!  Amen!  Go do it more!  If we are doing something that I ask you to be at and you got a commitment to being with those without Christ – you tell me.  I’ll tell you, “Way to go!”  I can’t say everyone in church will feel that way – but I want you to know I will.  I’ll give you a high five an a prayer.

Ever hear the phrase “that person is so heavily minded their no earthly good.”  I don’t like the way it is worded but the thought behind it is right.  Put it this way, “some people are so church walls minded that they have forgotten how to be world changers.” 

2. Speak with grace at all times. (6)

Paul says speak in a way that attracts people.  Youth – you are going to have to watch this on your trip.  But all of us have to watch the way we speak.  If your words are filled with tearing down, complaining, filth, gossip, slander, or negativity – no one is going to want to hear what you got.  Why?  Out of the mouth people see your heart.  A garbage mouth means you have garbage inside – and no one needs anymore garbage in their life.

The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. Luke 6:45

Besides, speaking about that which is good and godly will make you notice opportunities better.  On mission trips I always talk about Christ more to believers and that leads me to share Him more with nonbelievers.  I pay attention more for opportunities.   Kinda like buying a car – see it all the time.

Conclusion: I heard what was supposed to be an inspirational story.  Guy stands waving everyone to stop.  One finally does after full day.  Made a difference to you. 

You aren’t going to change the world by standing at the side of the road and yelling.  It takes standing in the middle of the road and risking your life to stop each car that comes.  Go out there and give yourself away for His glory and to change the world.