“Lord, Open a Door for Us”

I. Text: Colossians 4:2-6

II. A door open for the gospel

A. The New Testament writers use the illustration of an open door to describe opportunities to teach the gospel.

B. 2 Corinthians 2:12 – A door opened for Paul in Troas

C. Acts 14:26-27

D. Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch after their first preaching trip—what we know as the first missionary journey—rejoicing at the success they had in teaching the Gentiles. Paul said that God had “opened a door of faith” to the Gentiles.

E. The open door symbolizes open access.

F. An employer who wants to appeal to his employees will tell them he has an open door policy; he will make himself available to them.

G. Jesus asks for access when He says, “I stand at the door and knock,” Revelation 3:20.

H. Jesus will not force His way into our lives. He wants us to open ourselves to Him.

I. The open door implies that sometimes the door may not be open; there may be inopportune times to teach others.

J. We often bemoan the fact that some people seem to have no time to think about eternal life, evaluate their status before God, or obey God.

K. However, in most people’s lives there are times where they may be more susceptible to considering their soul’s condition.

L. Major life changes

M. Move to a new area – clean slate, new priorities and commitments Marriage – Start a new life together; perhaps start a spiritual life together. Birth of a child – May remember going to church as a child; want to provide spiritual nourishment for the child; ready to reform Death of parents, siblings, spouse, or children – feeling of mortality; consideration of eternity and one’s relationship to God Terrible illness – feeling of mortality, prepare to meet God

N. Sometimes we close the door of the gospel

O. I would not want to bring a non-Christian into a church where members are warring against one another; where strife exists1 Corinthians 3:3 – such behavior is not spiritual and does not promote spiritual growth or opportunities to teach When problems arise, they must be resolved quickly lest they kill the church.

P. God will one day shut the door for all people

Q. Hebrews 9:27 – We will all die and go to the judgment When Jesus appears we will have no more opportunity to obey2 Corinthians 6:2 – Now is the day of salvation

III. What must we do?

A. Pray for an open door

B. Colossians 4:2-6

C. Paul wanted the Christians in Colosse to pray earnestly to God thanking Him for their blessings and praying for opportunities for the gospel.

D. Paul did not ask them to pray that someone would teach the lost but to give him an opportunity to teach someone.

E. Sometimes we pray that the lost will hear the gospel. We should also pray that we have an opportunity to teach someone the gospel. Though Paul was in prison, he wanted to teach others about Jesus.

F. Ephesians 5:18-20

G. In the companion letter to Colossians, Paul asked the Ephesians to thank God, pray for their brethren, and to pray for opportunities to teach others.

H. He asked them to pray for Paul to be bold in preaching the truth.

I. Paul was in prison; it could have tempered his spirit. However, Paul was emboldened to teach despite his chains. Accordingly, the whole palace guard and some of Caesar’s household heard the gospel message.

J. Look for the open door

K. Brent Hunter told an interesting story in his book, Evangelism 101, that emphasizes the need to look for opportunities. (Acres of Diamonds)

L. Would anyone consider this person a good prospect for the gospel?

M. This person…

N. Is of a different race; one considered inferior to yours Has strange religious beliefs rooted in error Is in an unlawful marriage situation Is probably looked down on in the community for the unlawful marriage Just a common person and might not grasp the gospel message Would we spend time teaching this person?

O. Jesus did when he taught the Samaritan woman at the well.

P. The disciples wondered why Jesus talked with her. Yet she brought many from her city to hear Jesus teach.

Q. John 4:35 – The fields are white with harvest Matthew 21:31 – In Jesus’ day, the harlots and tax collectors readily accepted the gospel when the respectable religious people rejected Him. We must look for that open door everywhere, not where we expect to find it.

R. Go into the open door

S. An open door is useless unless we enter it.

T. In the 1980’s, many prayed for an opportunity to teach in communist countries.

U. The Berlin Wall fell and the opportunity to teach Christ was opened. However, it would have done no good if no one went to teach or supported those who did.

V. Paul describes the growth of the kingdom in 1 Corinthians 3:5-8

W. We work in the field. God gives the increase; He makes it grow.

X. Revelation 3:7-8

Y. God set an open door before the church at Philadelphia though they only had a little strength God gave them an opportunity, they had to use it. Ezekiel 33:1-9 – Will we be accountable as Ezekiel was?

Z. Last week, when talking about love for others, we noted that we are responsible to act when ability and opportunity come together.

A. Jesus used the Parable of the Good Samaritan to show that the neighbor we help may be a stranger to us; ability and opportunity make him our neighbor.

B. It is the same with the gospel.

C. We see one who has been beaten down by Satan and left to die. We have the message that connects to the power that can heal his wounds; the message of the gospel. We make sacrifices to teach him the gospel so that he can have remission of sins and God can fix what Satan destroyed. Will we, like the Levite or the priest, pass by on the other side, hurrying along our way; perhaps even going to do some spiritual work?

D. How do we do this (Colossians 4:5)

E. Walk in wisdom towards non-Christians

F. Do not air out problems in the church or with some members. Do not complain about the preacher, teacher, song leader, etc. to them. Do not live like a hypocrite; people judge the church by you.

G. Redeeming the time

H. Look for opportunities to mention Christ and gospel principles. Do not waste your time; make time to study so you can teach. Make time to study with others. If you are too busy to teach others the gospel, you are too busy.

I. Know how to answer

J. You can say something right in a wrong way and do more damage to the work of Christ. Learn how to say what must be said; learn tact. Remember that the person is lost and may not see clearly what you have learned.2 Timothy 2:24-26 – Answer wisely and humbly1 Peter 3:15 – Be ready to answer

K. Overcome adversity

L. 1 Corinthians 16:9 – A great door but adversaries Satan does not want you to enter that door and will try to thwart your efforts. Do not give up at the first resistance; look for additional opportunities to teach. Do not look for the perfect time, it will not come.

M. Let God give the increase

N. Do not put the pressure on yourself; God will give the increase. Our job is to teach the gospel; it is up to the hearer to obey but “how can he obey unless someone teaches him?” (Romans 10:14)

IV. A door is open for us

A. Who will go in?

B. We have the opportunity and the ability; do we see our responsibility?

V. Illustration: “Acres of Diamonds” from Evangelism 101 by Brent Hunter

VI. Let me share with you a true story from the pages of the late 19th century. A farmer settled in Africa and heard of others that had made millions through the discovery of diamonds. The African continent was rich in diamonds and he could hardly wait to sell his farm and search for diamonds himself. The farmer sold his farm and spent the rest of his life wandering the vast African continent searching for those ” gleaming gems” which brought such high prices on the markets of the world, but without success. Finally, years later, as an old man, broke and desperate, he threw himself over a bridge and drowned.

VII. Meanwhile, the man who had bought his farm was plowing and cultivating the land, working with what he had, and he found a large unusual stone. This particular field was literally covered with them. He wasn’t sure what they were so he took one of them to an expert to have it examined. It turned out to be great diamond of enormous value! Today, it is one of the world’s richest diamond mines.

VIII. Imagine, the first farmer sold his farm for practically nothing in order to look for diamonds elsewhere. If he had only taken the time and study to find out what diamonds looked like in their rough state, and first thoroughly explored the land he presently owned, he would have the riches that he sought — right in his own back yard!

IX. I believe each of us, at this very moment, is standing in the middle of our own acres of diamonds — if we would just take the time and have the patience to first thoroughly explore the circumstances in which we now find ourselves. Don’t you see? Right now, the contacts, friends, neighbors, loved ones, and business associates, that we know and see regularly, are the riches that we seek in their rough state, literally right in our own back yards!