Colossians: Clear Direction for Life Study Guide #7 - M. Kevin McKee

Study Guide: Colossians: Clear Direction for Life Author: M. Kevin McKee Table of Contents	PDF version (108K)

Colossians:
Clear Direction for Life
Traveling Notes for the Journey
Study Guide #7

Colossians 4:2-18

Read the passage twice (or more) and consider the following questions:

1. What does Paul mean in verse 2, “Devote yourself to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”?

Where else in Colossians does Paul talk about being thankful?

What is Paul thankful for?

2. What do you think is a conversation that is always full of grace? (v. 6)

What do you think is a conversation that is seasoned with salt? (v. 6)

How does this kind of conversation impact Paul’s relationship? (v. 7-18)

3. Paul had such intimate relationships with people. He called Tychicus a “dear brother, faithful minister, and fellow servant of the Lord” in verse 7. What binds Paul to the people he commends in verses 7-17?

4. What does “Grace be with you” mean? (verse 18)

Our culture presents us with forms of prayer that are mostly self-expression—pouring ourselves out before God or lifting our gratitude to God as we feel the need and have the occasion. Such prayer is dominated by a sense of self. But prayer, mature prayer, is dominated by a sense of God. Prayer rescues us from a preoccupation with ourselves and pulls us into adoration of and pilgrimage to God. Pastors [and people], who are vocationally immersed in so much Experience—people throbbing with pain, panicked in crisis, mired in confusion—are in particular need of such rescue.
Under the Unpredictable Plant—Eugene H. Peterson

Life Response

1. How do you (will you) devote yourself to prayer?

How are you watchful and thankful? (verse 2)

2. How do you clearly proclaim the mystery of Christ? What would you say to an outsider? Do you make the most of every opportunity? (verse 4-5)

3. How can your conversations be full of grace and seasoned with salt? (verse 6) How does this kind of conversation impact your relationships?

4. Who are your “dear brothers”? What binds you together? What are you doing or can you do to strengthen these relationships? (verse 7-17)

5. If you were writing a letter like Paul, how would you close? (verse 18)

Prepared as a team, Sharon Comiskey with Kevin McKee