Colossians 4:2-18

If you knew your time was short on this earth and you wanted to give final instructions or advice to loved ones what would you say?  It would be difficult but important.  You would focus on essential matters rather than incidental things.

Paul finishes his letter to the church at Colosse with certain admonitions, requests and reminders.  Paul was in prison for the last time and I believe he knew the end was near.  He wanted to leave them with a few essentials for life and ministry.  Two of these he spells out and the third he describes in his final greetings.

In these last 17 verses of Colossians we can find three essentials for minister that apply to all of us today.  There care three things we must do if we’re to be successful in the Christian life.  These are:

1. ___________________ to God (vv. 2-3a)
   • Prayer that is ________________
   • Prayer that is ________________
   • Prayer that is ________________
   • Prayer that is ________________
2. __________________ the Word (vv. 3b-6)
   • Responsibility of __________________
   • Responsibility of __________________
3. __________________ with Others (vv. 7-18)
   • With those who __________________
   • With those who __________________
   • With those who __________________