Colossians Study: Good Words

[Colossians 4:1-18]

5- 6 [CEV] “When you are with unbelievers, always make good use of the time. Be pleasant and hold their interest when you speak the message. Choose your words carefully and be ready to give answers to anyone who asks questions.”

• Always make good use of time
  • Walk in wisdom.
  • Use your head. Don’t miss a trick.
  • Remember it’s when you act the fool that all eyes are upon you.
  • Be honest (we all need Jesus) and point to Jesus in all you do.
• Be pleasant & hold their interest
  • Be gracious in your speech – grace stoops down and brings up
  • Speech seasoned with salt (salt elevates)
• Choose words carefully
  • Words can build up and tear down, encourage or kill
  • Consider the motives for your words before you speak
  • Grace with Truth. Not one or the other.
  • Consider what God’s Word says—and say that!
• Be ready to give answers
  • Always be prepared to answer questions.
  • One is prepared to answer questions from Bible reading & study, daily prayer, and the guidance and direction of the Holy Spirit. It’s God’s Word that gives the answers and God’s Spirit which leads the way. You aren’t in this alone.
  • Don’t fear being asked questions. No one knows all the answers. When in doubt, admit you don’t know and seek answers together. It is better to say you do not know and look together than to be proud and pretend you know and lead someone down the wrong path. Stand for truth at all cost. Seek the Truth always.

Bible Study Questions:

1) The Bible says we are to make good use of time, walking in wisdom. What does that mean? Do we always have to be so serious?

2) The Bible says we are to be pleasant and hold the person’s interest. What does that mean?

How do you hold someone’s interest without trying to entertain them with the aim of making Jesus “more exciting”?

What does “speech seasoned with salt” mean to you?

3) The Bible says we are to choose our words carefully. What happens when our speech is all truth? What happens when our speech is all grace?

How can we use words that build up instead of tear down whenever we speak?

4) The Bible says we are to be ready to give answers. Does it mean we always have to know the answer? What does it mean to be ready? If we don’t know the answer, what are some ways we can respond?

This is one part of a 12-week Sermon Series and Bible Study focused on Colossians. The 12 weeks include:

Gospel Truth
Will of God
Lord of All
Ministry to Maturity
Foolish Philosophies
Men of Rules
Realities of Heaven
Taking Responsibility
Godly Living
Worship Work
Good Words
True Forgiveness