The Speech of the New Man, Part 2

Here is the speech of proclamation here is the apostle Paul saying pray for me that I may open my mouth and proclaim, and by allusion here, not of course by a direct statement to us. We see that another element in the speech of the new man is the speech proclamation, but when everything seems to fall into that don't do category you might end up wondering what am I supposed to do well where your speech is concerned. John MacArthur's going to start taking you through a biblical to do list today on grace to you as he continues to look at the speech that should characterize you as a Christian is titled this convicting study taming the tongue, and now here's John MacArthur.

Colossians chapter 4 verses two through six. One of the greatest studies you'll ever make in the Bible is to study the mouth of Jesus and just go through the New Testament catalog everything Jesus said one that has meant a great deal of me as this one in Matthew 52 and he opened his mouth and taught them. That's a great thought is not.

He opened his mouth and out came instruction. Matthew 52 and there are other things we find about the mouth of Jesus there in the book of Luke and there are many, but I just give you a couple of illustrations and bore him witness Luke 422 and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth.

He opened his mouth and taught. He opened his mouth and spoke with grace graciously or gently or courteously, becomingly, in Luke chapter 11 verse 54 and Luke seems to be somewhat preoccupied with the words of Jesus. But in Luke 11 I think it's verse 54 it says that they were laying in wait for him and seeking to catch something out of his mouth that they might accuse him. And we all know that they never, ever were able to do it in the New Testament tells us in the book of James that a man in whose mouth there is no deceit, and who makes nowhere with his mouth is a perfect man, Jesus never did make an error with his mouth in John chapter 6 and verse 63 again in reference to the mouth of Jesus says the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life in first Peter chapter 2 in verse 22 again regarding the mouth of Jesus who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. He never said a word that would deceive anybody or trick anybody or hook anybody or cover up any truth. And that's just for little looks at the mouth of Jesus, or five.

Study it for yourself. And he's the model so that the new man has a new mouth and he begins to speak with the new accent. He begins to lose the accent of the world. Now what comes out of this new mouth well for things that Paul deals with here in chapter 4 verses 2 to 6 we mention one last time. The first distinct element in the speech of the new man is the speech of prayer verse to read it again continuing prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving, continuing prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving another first characteristic of the speech of the new man is prayer the new man speaks to God. Let's look at the second the second element of speech is the speech, not of prayer, but verse three and for the speech of proclamation.

The speech of proclamation. The new man's mouth utters this notice verse three and Paul links it up with prayer as a prayer request, praying also for us, that God would open to us a door utterance to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in prison that I might make it manifest, as I ought to speak twice to see the words speak once you see the word utterance.

Once you see the word manifests.

And here is the speech of proclamation here is the apostle Paul saying pray for me that I may open my mouth and proclaim, and by allusion here, not of course by a direct statement to us. We see that another element in the speech of the new man is the speech of proclamation. Notice the phrase at the end of verse three, for which I am also in prison or bonds. Paul at this particular point in his life, and I give you little background of the book of acts. Let's look at it, just very briefly look at acts 21. Let's see how Paul got to the place where he is and asked 21 verse 27 Paul had come to Jerusalem and boy to been a long trip Gartner been a very arduous one, and he had very lovingly collected money all over the Gentile world to give to the poor saints, and to try to conciliate the Jews in the church there with the Gentile believers and he had done some great great things to to get over the hump of getting this thing accomplished and he finally arrived with great joy in Jerusalem and no sooner had he gotten there and all chaos broke loose. Verse 27, after the seven days of the valley was involved in it ended nearly the Jews of Asia. When they saw him in the temple stirred up the people laid hands on him trying out men of Israel help. This is the man that teaches all men everywhere against the people and the law and this place that is the temple and further he brought Greeks into the temple and is polluted the holy place, which of course is not true.

It simply says they had seen him in the city with pro forma's and Ephesian and they suppose, Paula brought them to the temple and all the city was moved, and the people ran together and took Paul and drew it out of the temple and it once the doors were shut and they went about to kill. In verse 31 on I was the beginning of the imprisonment of Paul. He was taken as a prisoner there kept in prison made a defense.

He finally was delivered out of Jerusalem because it was too dangerous for them because of the plots to kill him.

He was taken to Caesarea which was on the coast in Caesarea was the Roman occupied city where they'd set up their the rule for the land he was there for a while and he gave some great speeches they're defending himself to Felix and Festus and Agrippa and finally realizing he was nearly get anywhere. There he appealed to Rome and they put him on a ship and sent them to Rome, never that. And on the journey to Rome. He went through all that tremendous problem at see the shipwreck and further on in the book as you get into chapter 27 you read about that. Finally, in chapter 28 he arrives in Rome. Now we get it get him to Rome.

It tells us a little bit about what happened to him in relation to his being a prisoner. Look at verse 16 of 20 8X 2816 when we came to Rome Centauri and that would be a soldier over 100 men delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard. Paul was permitted to dwell by himself with a soldier that kept.

Apparently Paul was allowed a hired house or a rented house in which he was Prisoner and tied to a soldier or soldiers that would come and go and guard him.

Verse 30 of the same chapter and Paul dwell two years, 20 years in his own hired house and received all that came in unto him right now. You go back to collage so we find the apostle Paul and that two-year imprisonment when he writes the book of Colossians uses his chains as a means to accomplish his ministry gets a lot of letterwriting done because he not doing much traveling and another thing, he gets a lot of done is a lot of evangelizing of soldiers of the soldiers came and went. Were no doubt evangelized. He says in Philippians 113. He also wrote Philippians during the same two years so that my bonds are my changes in Christ are manifest in all talents and in all other places. This is this the greatest platform whatever had just keeps enemy soldiers to keep one of the Christ in the back and they keep wanting others and crowds of people were coming to his own hired house and he was preaching the gospel.

Philippians 422 says all the saints greet you.

Chiefly they that are of Caesar's household. He'd even won some of the people in Caesar's household. Now if you were to go backwards again to the last verse of the book of acts asked 2831 it says this during that two whole years he was preaching the kingdom of God and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence in this great statement.

No man the forbidding him for two years with up with imprisonment as a platform he preached and taught, and the prayer request in chapter 4 was answered so that he had an open door and nobody during that whole time ever forbid him to preach all the time of his bondage was a time of proclamation and asked 21 when he was first taken prisoner.

He gave a great sermon before the mob read it a masterpiece in acts 26 before Herod Agrippa.

He gave another great message concerning the truth, including his wonderful testimony of his conversion in acts chapter 28 when he arrived as a prisoner in his own house. The first thing he did was call the Jews together so we can evangelize them to start with and he called them all to his house and asked 2817 and had a great time of Jewish evangelism to start off his imprisonment. Man never had a negative thought in his mind.

Everything was only an opportunity.

He was always proclaiming the only time his voice was silent was when the ax cut his head off. What a great lesson. There are no negative circumstances only unique opportunity. It was a strategic thing in the city of Romeo the golden days of Rome were gone. The dictators and gradually usurped all the power of the people in the Republic was dead despotism rule in the worst of the mall was ruling at this time a man by the name of Nero and when the apostle Paul arrived in Rome. Nero would've been around 25 years old and he would already have been responsible for the bloodied murder of his mother, Agrippina, and he most surely it also. By this time, murdered his wife Octavia in the middle of all this to the temple of Jupiter and the false worship that went on their and on the pallet team were the three great palaces of Augustine's Tiberius and Caligula and they had been all lumped together to form the one home for Nero in Rome would become the center of decadence and paganism. There were approximately 2 million people living in the city more than half of them 1 million or better were slaves and historians tell us that of the rest 700 were senators 10,000 were knights 15,000 were soldiers in the majority of the rest were poor, thousands of whom slept in the streets because they had no homes and into this new file and end of this debauchery and end of this problem area drop this little Jewish bomb and even though it was a prisoner and even though it was locked up in his own house that never hindered his proclamation at all during this time he wrote Colossians. During this time he wrote Ephesians. During this time he wrote Philippians. During this time he wrote Philemon was a productive time and so he says here, praying also for us, that God would get us out of this all you don't see he didn't pray for where his body was. He only prayed that his mouth would have an effect. Choices pray for us that God will open to us a door. What X of speech to speak the mystery of Christ, pray for us is kinda nice the plural pronoun means he probably was including some of his buddies who were with him. And if you look at the end of chapter 4, you'll see a list of names and at one time or another. Those dear coworkers of Paul were with him and so he saying, pray for us and especially that we would speak the mystery of Christ semantic with one thing in his mind.

One thing and that was to speak why pray for Paul that God would open to us a door of utterance. Literally the Greeks as a door for the word, a door for the word in Ephesians 619 a similar prayer. He writes to the Ephesians.

Of course you wrote this book. At the same period of time so it has much similarity he says in Ephesians 619.

Pray for me, that utterance may be given on the me that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in bonds that I may speak boldly as I ought to speak. Pray for me that I might be bold. Pray for me that a door for the word might be opened. This man was aware that he was on the battleground in the forefront out in the trenches fighting as a as an infantryman he did nasty pray for his personal needs. He didn't say pray for me that I'll hold up under the stress he didn't say pray for me that I get released from prison. He just said pray for me that I'll open my mouth and find a door for the word boldness. Nothing's really changed.

People you go all the way back to the book of acts, and when the church was born the first prayer meeting they ever had, in which the events of the prayer meeting and the requests they prayed for are recorded is recorded in acts chapter 4 verse 29. The other prayer meetings.

The first time we know what they prayed for his acts 429 and now Lord.

Behold their threatenings more the whole towns after our hide and grant under thy servants, that we may get out of this mess alive and say that grant to thy servants that with all boldness they may speak thy word in verse 31, when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled they were filled with the Holy Spirit and they spoke the word of God with boldness and the multitude of those that believe were of one heart and one more.

The first time. We know a prayer request of the early church. It's a prayer for utterance.

It's a prayer for boldness. It's a prayer for proclamation mouth of the new man should speak the gospel. I've often said that Christians unfortunately are like the Arctic River frozen over at the mouth somehow because of some inhibition because of some fears we are lost to the effort of evangelism unless we are poked and jabbed and prodded, continue, I know how Paul feels because I fight the same better how used you desire above everything else that there would be a door for the word of God that you have an opportunity to speak, and you have this terrible fear that in your own strength. You can't do it. It's like Moses and God said Moses speak for me and Moses as I can.

I did I stutter. One of my own to do and God says who made your mouth.

In other words, God says if I made it I can make it work. Just trust me and Jeremiah had the same problem. Jeremiah said if you think I want to get involved in this ministry by myself. You got another think coming off Lord God, I can't speak. He said that's a story but I can do it three so Paul is saying.

What I can't do it on my own. So the Lord is going to have to provide a door for the word no door in the New Testament means an opportunity night verse of first Corinthians 16. Paul says all Terry at Ephesus to Pentecost for a great door and effectual is open to me now were designed to stick around Ephesus. It's too good here. I mean, the door is wide open and the door means opportunity. The reason he lingered in Ephesus for so long a time. Well over two years and I am to three was because the opportunity was so great a door is open for me. Now God had closed some doors in Paul's life.

If you read acts 16 he started to go into Asia minor and the spirit stopped and restarted the going to Bithynia and the spirit stopped him.

So the Lord closed doors and Paul knew that, but the Lord also open doors. He was close to the because he just been there.

He was close to the South because the spirit stopped. He was close to the north. The only way to go is to the west and got to the West and he got to the Aegean Sea and he said now what Lord and Amanda Macedonia came in a vision, said come on over and help us and God opened the door so he was used to God opening and closing doors of opportunity and you see that's God's business pulses just pray that God will give me an open door for the word no beloved. That's really all you need to pray about it. Got the courage to do it, just pray for open doors. Pray for opportunities textile courage to do that because you going to get him if he knew and you feel responsible. It's God's business to open doors in Revelation chapter 3 verse seven it says this to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write these things saith he that is holy, he that is truly that has the key of David even open such Christ and no man shuts and shuts and no man open when the Lord shuts the door. It's shot when the Lord opens the door is open, because I know your works. I have set before you an open door God gave him an open door and said nobody will shut it. If I open you've got an open door for the word. All I'm asking you to do is proclaim people. We have an open door, knowing there's no man can forbid us to preach is is no law to stop us. There's nothing to prevent it except our own indolence, our own unfaithfulness, our own self will, in acts chapter 12. Rome had padlocked the prison doors, and set a guard on Peter, but the Lord opened him because the Lord wanted to preach in acts 14 Paul was beaten and stoned Mr. but God raised him up and send them back into town because he wanted them to preach, he returned to his brother at Antioch and he testified to the church there that all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door to the gym to God is open the door for us.

It's up to us to open our mouths and speak the speech of the new man is a speech or proclamation you know you gotta push a little bit.

I mean, the door may be open, but you might have to just kinda push it aside young country boy came to apply for a job in the big city was awed by this big building that he went in and he went to the prospective employer sat down for his interview and the employer said you have a motto in life young man. Yes sir. Same as yours said what you mean son sought on the door sir push is a good model push might be open to find out if it isn't in Paul Sheldon here and he says God I hope this is open. Notice the word utterance. There, in Colossians really means word he is saying an open door for the word hi I love the fact that Paul never bothered to share his opinion. Paul always taught the word and what about was the teaching will look at verse three to speak the mystery of Christ that we've studied enough to know what the mystery of Christ is it's all the gospel and all that it embodies all those sacred secrets hidden in the Old Testament revealed in the new all the truths about Jesus Christ, but he indwells the believer.

That's the mystery of the indwelling Christ in Colossians 126 and 27 but he is God incarnate. That's the mystery of the incarnation. Colossians 22 and three, the mystery of the rapture. The Jesus is going to return for his church. First Corinthians 1551 and 52 the mystery of the bride that is going to unite himself with us in an eternal way as the bride and object of his love. Ephesians 5 mystery of iniquity that he's going to come and put an end to the fullness of sin.

Second Thessalonians 27 all of those sacred secrets are revealed in the New Testament in the gospel of Christ, the mystery of the one church Jew and Gentile woman him. In other words, Paul says pray for me that I may have a door for the word to speak the full truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ so important, he says in verse four that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak knows the word ought he had a divine in his life. Read Romans chapter 1 he says I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, the power of God to salvation to everyone that believes a Jew first and also to the heathen.

Earlier he had said I must speak I am compelled to speak.

I am a debtor. Remember that the Jew and Gentile, and then first Corinthians chapter 9 that great passage where he says hello is on the me if I preach not the gospel doesn't care about liberty for his feet.

If he has liberty for his mouth and he wants to do it right. I want to do it the way it ought to be done. I will make it manifest the way it ought to be made manifest. I want to speak the fullness of that mystery.

Listen beloved God wants you to proclaim Christ, but he wanted to proclaim Christ as it ought to be done.

I see two thoughts in that phrase I ought to speak.

That's the art of doing it and that's the art of speaking it the way it ought to be spoken afraid sometimes that a good message proclaim in a bad way will do just about as much as a bad message. Paul wants prayer about his own motivation to speak the way he should. And about doing it right to speak the way he should speak about this is grace to you with John MacArthur. Thanks for being with us. John calls his practical study on what the speech of a Christian should look like taming the tongue and along with his radio ministry. John is also Chancellor of the Masters University in seminary and John you said a moment ago that the right message presented poorly will probably not be effective. And I know a lot of people who are hesitant to share the gospel and the reason they give for that.

Is this.

While I'm not eloquent, I'm not a gifted speaker, but of course John there is something that's even worse than a bad presentation of an accurate message right will yeah it would be in the accurate presentation of the truth or an unclear presentation of the truth.

I think what holds people back to things.

One is they're not confident in articulating the gospel. You need to develop the ability to give the gospel the second thing is they assume that it's going to be some kind of an intrusion and they're going to get an immediate sort of resistance to it and I think you overcome that by looking at and this is very important. By looking for common ground.

One of the things that bothers me about many of the contemporary approaches to evangelism. Is this canned approach walk up to personally.

Throughout this little formula. Maybe it's the law and you throw out commandments and do you do this to you break visiting what he thinks going to happen.

This is very confrontive. This is very hard to do and you. You've really never established something that I think is really important that is common ground, you don't find that in the Bible you don't find in the New Testament. Any formulaic presentation of the gospel. Every gospel conversation in the New Testament is different. It's different because there's got to be common ground, you gotta find a way to walk with someone on a path of common interest, until finally it did deviates when you get to the point of the gospel of our Lord went through his ministry, having conversations with people.

None of those multiple conversations recorded in Scripture is the same as the other one.

The woman at the well, the rich young ruler, the Pharisees, whoever it was, it always started with him finding a common issue to deal with.

The same is true for us as we evangelize you find it, even in the book of acts with the evangelism of the apostles when they were talking to Jews. They went to the Old Testament there talking to Gentiles.

They went back to creation or something common on Mars Hill the idle to the unknown God will who is this unknown God, and you start there.

So you need to have the ability when you get to the gospel to make the gospel clear and you need to sensitively look to find a point of common ground where you can walk together at least a little way down the path and something with which you agree rather than confronting an adversarial level. You don't want to be unclear you don't want to be an accurate and we want to help you with that. We want to offer a book called nothing but the truth nothing but the truth you're wondering how can I present the truth.

This book will train you to do that okay. Lots of discussion questions, application exercises and prayer suggestions. Get a copy of nothing but the truth available from Grace to you yes and friend. This thoroughly documented book can help you know right where to turn in Scripture for the truth you need to share with unbelievers the title again nothing but the truth to order yours contact us today our number here 855 grace and our website Jide TY.org. John's book nothing but the truth will show you why there's only one road to heaven and help you tell others about that narrow path.

With love, and yet without compromise again to order a copy: 855 grace or go to our website Jide TY.org and to learn even more about evangelism God's design for the church or any other biblical topic. Let me encourage you to download our app simply called the study Bible to free app that gives you the full text of Scripture in the English standard King James or new American Standard version along with access to thousands of free online resource and for a small price. You can add the notes from the MacArthur study Bible. That's an additional 25,000 notes that will enrich your study study Bible app is free to download. Just go to Jide TY.org now for John MacArthur. I'm Phil Johnson encouraging you to be here tomorrow when John looks at how the Bible commands us to speak and how your words can draw others to Christ.

It's another half hour of unleashing God's truth one person at a time on grace to you