Building a Testimony

Colossians 4:2-18

Message #12

We have a great text today to wrap up our study in Colossians. Three messages ago, we did Put Off your old flesh nature. Then we did Put On New Life Traits,” and last week, it was How Then Should We Live? And funny enough, since we began that, I’ve had a situation simmering around the church that I really need to “put into action” all three of those messages. God is so good to put me in situations that bring to life his Living Word – AS I’m teaching it.

And so, today, with all that has come in those previous three messages, now (and as a final truth) Colossians ends with Building a Testimony.”

Today, Paul is going to
1). Give us instruction on how to Build a Testimony and
2). He’s going to give us some examples to follow

And so, in Colossians 4, verse 2, Paul begins with the foundation for building a great testimony in our lives.

Colossians 4:2 (NLT)
2 Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.


If you want to build a great testimony in your life, start by devoting yourself to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.

“Devote yourself” means “to be constant, persevering, and tireless in prayer.” And devote yourself to prayer with an alert mind. Maybe alert to what’s going on around you. Maybe alert to what (or who) needs prayer around you.

And… devote yourself to prayer with a thankful heart. Developing a thankful heart has tremendous power in our lives. It causes us to view everything differently. So, to begin building a real testimony in your life, FIRST develop a devoted, focused prayer life with an always thankful heart.

And when you’re ready for your prayer life (and your testimony) to really take off, start praying for others.

Colossians 4:3–4 (NLT)
3 Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains. 
(Rome, house arrest, chained to Roman Soldier)
4 Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should.


Paul is asking for intercessory prayer because Paul knew a critical truth that, unfortunately, we often forget. The success (or defeat) of a ministry is determined first and foremost on the spiritual plane. And the most important way we join the work of the ministry is in devoted, focused, intercessory prayer.

Throughout Paul’s letters, he is constantly asking for prayer from those who are willing to intercede for him.

And notice Paul asks the church to pray
1). That he would have more opportunities to speak about Jesus
2). That he would proclaim the message clearly, as he should

Wait a minute, Paul – don’t you want us to pray that you’d get out of prison? Don’t you want us to pray that God would take out your enemies and make all the wrongs right and vindicate you? NO! Paul asks for prayer that more of God’s will would be accomplished in his life right in his present circumstances.

We often pray, “Change my circumstances, Lord, so I can serve you better.” We pray that way because we think that somehow our circumstances are IN God’s way. But they’re not. Our circumstances ARE God’s way.

He doesn’t ask that God would make his circumstances better. He asks that God would give him (and those with him) more opportunities to speak about Christ, which is what got him in there in the first place (as verse 3 says).

So, when you pray or ask others to pray for you, don’t be so quick to ask God to make your circumstances better. You might be praying against God’s will. Instead, pray that more of God’s will would be done in the midst of your circumstances, in spite of your circumstances, or through your circumstances. Pray that God would continue to work where you’re at right now. Instead, pray that more of God’s will would be accomplished in your life because I promise you it is God’s will being done in your life. THAT is what builds a testimony for his glory.

Praying that our circumstances would change and things would get better might make our life easier, but praying that God’s will would be done in the midst of difficult circumstances – that’s what builds a testimony for the glory of God. Don’t back out – press in. Lean in.

Now, Paul knows that ministry battles are won in prayer. However, he also knows that we have got to live wisely, and so, now we see the practical side of building a testimony in our lives.

Colossians 4:5 (NLT)
5 Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity.


Do you see that Paul goes from spiritual to the practical? He goes from understanding that the victories are won spiritually, but then he says, live wisely.

Again, if you can see him chained to a Roman soldier, you can imagine where he is at when he says, live wisely among nonbelievers.

Wisdom is “the right application of knowledge.”

We can’t just have knowledge about God – we have to know how to rightly apply that knowledge in every situation. And so, when we have an opportunity to interact with an unbeliever, we’ve got to rightly apply what we know is right!

This takes everything we’ve learned in the last three messages to do this.
1). Putting off our flesh nature (our sin nature, crucifying the flesh)
2). Putting on our new life traits in Christ
3). Rightly applying our new life traits – in all of our relationships

And there’s one more crucial thing to building a testimony, and it is harder than anything we’ve talked about so far.

Colossians 4:6 (NLT)
6 Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.


The only way this is going to happen is if we are walking in the Spirit. If, in the power of the Holy Spirit, we have crucified our fleshly, sin nature, and we have immersed ourselves in our New Life Traits in Christ, and we have rightly applied our New Life Traits to our relationships and our conversations – THEN our conversations can be gracious and attractive and only then will we have the right response for everyone around us.

Again – let your conversation be gracious

God’s grace is us giving that person “what they do not deserve.” And this can definitely only be done if the Holy Spirit is in full control of your conversation.

And then verse 6 says, let your conversation be “attractive” – or “savory,” like salt on food.

In conversation – we are to
1). Give that person what they do not deserve (grace)
2). Make our conversation attractive (savory)

SO – build a testimony:
1). Devote yourself to prayer
2). Live wisely
3). Make the most of every opportunity
4). Speak with grace in a right response to everyone

Wow! That’s hard. It’s enough (at least in the beginning) for us to say, “Lord, I want to build that testimony. I want to build that testimony in my life.” Because this isn’t just something where you just flip the switch – this is radical sanctification. This is you being transformed by beholding the glory of the Lord on a daily basis and being transformed more and more into his image.

That is awesome (and practical) counsel on how to build a testimony.

And now, from verse 7 on, Paul lists some of the servants who did build their testimonies – most of them good. And as we go through their names, I’d encourage you to ask yourself – “Am I building a testimony like THAT?”

Colossians 4:7–8 (NLT)
7 Tychicus will give you a full report about how I am getting along. He is a beloved brother and faithful helper who serves with me in the Lord’s work.
8 I have sent him to you for this very purpose—to let you know how we are doing and to encourage you.


Tychicus carried three of Paul’s letters (Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon). He often traveled with Paul and was often Paul’s messenger. He was a “Beloved Brother,” “Faithful Helper,” and “Serving in the Lord’s Work.” Are you building a testimony like THAT?

Colossians 4:9 (NLT)
9 I am also sending Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, one of your own people. He and Tychicus will tell you everything that’s happening here.


Onesimus is the runaway slave (originally from Colossae), and the letter of Philemon is about his conversion and repentance. And he is most probably carrying with him the Letter to Philemon (his master) at this point. Paul is sending him back – in repentance – to be reconciled to his master. Are you building a testimony like THAT?

Colossians 4:10(a) (NLT)
10 Aristarchus, who is in prison with me, sends you his greetings . . .


Aristarchus [AIR-HIS-TAR-KUS] is from the church in Thessalonica.

He went with Paul to take an offering to Jerusalem
He was with Paul at the riot in Ephesus
He went with Paul to Rome
AND ended up in prison WITH Paul there

He never flinched – he never looked back – and he suffered with Paul for the sake of the Gospel. Are you building a testimony like THAT?

Colossians 4:10(b) (NLT)
10 . . . and so does Mark, Barnabas’s cousin. As you were instructed before, make Mark welcome if he comes your way.


This is the John-Mark who deserted Paul and Barnabas in Acts 13, and in Acts 5 (because of him), there was such a conflict between Paul and Barnabas that they went their separate ways. But John-Mark has been redeemed and restored as a faithful minister, and he will continue to be until the end of Paul’s life. His testimony is about quitting and coming back, being restored to ministry. Are you building a testimony like THAT?

Colossians 4:11 (NLT)
11 Jesus (the one we call Justus) also sends his greetings. These are the only Jewish believers among my co-workers; they are working with me here for the Kingdom of God. And what a comfort they have been!


Aristarchus, Mark, and Justus were the only Jewish believers with Paul at this point. They were all still working for the Kingdom of Kingdom and were all a great comfort to Paul. Are you building a testimony like THAT?

Colossians 4:12–13 (NLT)
12 Epaphras, a member of your own fellowship and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. He always prays earnestly for you, asking God to make you strong and perfect, fully confident that you are following the whole will of God.
13 I can assure you that he prays hard for you and also for the believers in Laodicea and Hierapolis.


Epaphras was the Pastor of Colossae who brought news of the church to Paul in prison. He always prayed hard in intercession for the church – praying for their strength and maturity. Are you building a testimony like THAT?

Colossians 4:14 (NLT)
14 Luke, the beloved doctor, sends his greetings, and so does Demas.


Dr. Luke, the Apostle, was with Paul and was probably finishing writing the Book of Acts about now. But sadly, Demas was also with Paul, and he was writing his own testimony. Later, 2 Timothy 4:10 (NLT) says, 10 Demas has deserted me because he loves the things of this life

Please, don’t make THAT your testimony.

Colossians 4:15–16 (NLT)
15 Please give my greetings to our brothers and sisters at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church that meets in her house.
16 After you have read this letter, pass it on to the church at Laodicea so they can read it, too. And you should read the letter I wrote to them.


The “house church” of Laodicea met in the house of Nympha. About thirty years later, Jesus would send a letter to this church through the Apostle John in the Book of Revelation. This church becomes the church that Jesus calls – lukewarm, and he promises to spew them out of his mouth. I pray you are NOT building a testimony like THAT!

In Colossians 4, verse 17, Paul sends out an exhortation to Archippus [AR-KIP-US] to be sure to “build his testimony.”

Colossians 4:17 (NLT)
17 And say to Archippus, “Be sure to carry out the ministry the Lord gave you.”


This is an exhortation; we assume he is a young guy because Paul throws in this fatherly exhortation. “Get to it – carry out the ministry the Lord gave you.”

And finally, the Apostle Paul closes his own letter.

Colossians 4:18 (NLT)
18 Here is my greeting in my own handwriting—Paul. Remember my chains. May God’s grace be with you.


Paul, the Apostle, is seeking more of God’s will in his life. But he is always focused on God’s will in the midst of his circumstances. Let’s pray that we would build a testimony like THAT!

I mentioned at the start that I have a situation simmering around the church where I really need – to “Put to action” this entire section of Colossians.

I am so grateful for the current “spiritual health” of this church, and I am so grateful for what I see God “doing” for the next generation of this church. And so, I shouldn’t be surprised that the enemy is again trying to stop us from building a good testimony. And so, I really want to ask you to pray with us for unity. True unity with Christ and with one another, and for us to continue to build our testimony as a church.

The enemy is at work. But please listen to me very closely. THE ENEMY HAS NO FACE. The enemy has no face. People are not the enemy. People are simply used by the enemy. And the primary way that people are used by the enemy is by the enemy stirring up our flesh, and we can all be used by the enemy – every single one of us – including me.

So, we have a situation going on where the enemy is trying to ignite a major conflict. It involves a person who does not attend the church. It involves slander of me personally and of this church, and an attempt to bring division to the church.

And so, in line with this message, I want to ask you to pray with us and pray for us. Pray for the unity and protection of every person who attends here, and pray for the testimony GOD is building here. And please keep your spiritual eyes open. Recognize slander and division when you see it – even if it is subtle and cloaked in Bible verses.

This is really hard for me because I am called to apply the truths of this section of Colossians – to THIS situation. I am called to crucify my own flesh, being immersed in the New Life Traits, and walk in the Spirit and grace toward all people, and responding wisely. BUT I am also called to protect the unity of this church.

Our purpose is to build a testimony for Christ here, both for us individually and for us as a church. And believe me, possibly the hardest thing I’ve ever done is try to respond correctly to someone who is slandering me and the church, and attempting to sow division here.

The truth is, I’ve never handled it successfully, and I’ve had plenty of opportunities (more than enough). And so, I am praying, the leadership team is praying, and I’m asking you to pray with us that we – as a church – would handle this one correctly and successfully. And that we, individually and as a church, would continue to build our testimony for the glory of Jesus Christ right here.

So, let’s pray for unity and communion with one another AS we prepare to receive communion together.