Pray Play Say

 

Colossians 4 v2-6 Pray-Play-Say

 

PRAY for your lost sporting friends – (v 2 Devote yourselves to prayer)

 

PLAY in a way that honours God – (v 5 Be wise in the way you act towards outsiders)

 

SAY something of the good news of Jesus – (v 6 So that you may know how to answer everyone)

 

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So – will you say something of the good news of Jesus?

 

As soon as we mention saying something of Jesus to friends we freeze.  We think it’s a terrifying thing to do and much of this thinking comes from our understanding of what it means to tell our friends.  Much of the time we think that telling our friends means that we have to stand up with a bible and preach it.  

Check out Colossians 4v6 “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt so that you may know how to answer everybody”

 

3 big points:

- Conversation to be full of grace

- seasoned with salt

- Ready to answer everybody

 

Conversation full of Grace.  It doesn’t mention standing up and preaching in your dressing room.  It says let your everyday chat be full of grace.  What does this mean?  It means as you talk to friends make sure you’re upright, warm and not self centred.  In normal conversation let Christ shine out of you.  Don’t back chat, gossip, lie, bad mouth, swear etc etc.  People will see a difference and will ask questions.

 

Seasoned with salt.  Salt in the old days was ultimately used to preserve meat. Old day butchers before the time of freezers used to wrap the animal meat and it in salt to preserve it. You and I have the words of truth that preserve life – let's use them.

Salt is also used to add flavour. You and I have words of flavour – let's use them!

Yet salt also stings. Have you ever dipped your hand into a bag of salt & vinegar crisps and sharply pulled it out because you had a sore on the side of your finger? Salt is sharp and it stings a wound. You and I have words that are sharp. To some people our words of truth and life will sting, but never forget that these words preserve.

Let your words be like salt– preserving, bringing flavour, and with an added sharpness!!

 

So that you may know how to answer everyone.  Have you ever been tongue-tied when somebody has asked you a question about God or Christianity? Ever told blatant lies? Ever told half truths? We refer to that moment in Christians in Sport as ‘squeak or speak’.

Will you squeak – and shirk away from telling your friends about Jesus? or

 Will you speak – and stand tall for the good news of Jesus?

 

 

Want to know more about saying something of the good news of Jesus?

Check out these links:

 

• Sharing my testimony

• Telling friends about Jesus