Redeem the Time

Summary: Paul urges believers to remain steadfast in prayer, staying spiritually alert and expressing gratitude as they pray. He also asks them to pray for him and his coworkers, specifically that God would open a door for the message so that they may clearly proclaim the mystery of Christ - the very reason Paul is in chains. His concern is not merely that the message be spoken, but that it be made clear in the way it ought to be presented. He then turns to how believers should live before those outside the faith. They are to conduct themselves wisely, redeeming the time. Their speech should consistently be gracious, yet also seasoned with discernment, so that they know how to answer each person appropriately. In this passage, prayer, gospel clarity, wise conduct, and gracious speech are closely connected: believers are to depend on God inwardly while representing the message of Christ thoughtfully and faithfully outwardly. Teaching: Regarding the world - that is, those outside the church - the passage tells us to walk in wisdom. This means that when we are with people outside the church, we are to speak the mystery of Christ through the wisdom of God. The phrase “redeem the time” means that we should not lose or waste the time given to us, but recover it and make use of it. As we live in the world, we should not spend our days carelessly or unwisely while being with people of the world. Rather, by the wisdom of God, we should say what must be said and do what must be done, turning this time into a time of salvation. To spend time well is not something we can accomplish merely by calculating or managing it on our own. We must follow the time of God’s administration and purpose. Seizing the opportunity and making a firm decision is what it means to act by faith. Excerpt from the sermon by Pastor Lee, June 24, 2026 Colossians 4:2-6