Colossians 4:2-6 It’s good to be with you today as we take another look at God’s Word together. This program is produced by Heralds of Hope, where our goal is to use media to make disciples of Jesus. This program is the media. We are studying in Colossians, and Lord willing, all of us are becoming like Jesus; we are being His disciples.   As I’m sure you’ve noticed, we are nearing the end of the book of Colossians. After this lesson, we have one more, and that will complete our teaching from Paul’s fantastic book. As you may recall from last week, our title is “Getting the Word Heard,” and last week we explored how vital communion with God is in spreading the Word. Today marks the second part of this teaching, and the main points will be clarity, conduct, and conversation, each an essential element in allowing the Word to be heard.   If you can turn with us to Colossians 4:2-6.  2 Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving;  3 meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains,  4 that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.  5 Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time.   6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each one.  This text contains several ELEMENTS we must consider if we want to be effective in “Getting the Word Heard.”   The Next ELEMENT (in getting the Word heard) is,  Clarity  If people can listen to our words but don’t understand them, the Word isn’t being truly heard. Genuine hearing involves the intellect and the heart. I recall my mentor, Dr. J. Otis Yoder, speaking about the importance of clarity in teaching and preaching. He said, “If you’re going to feed the sheep, you have to put the food where they can reach it.” To do that, you need to know your audience. Paul asked the Colossian Believers to pray that he would be able to proclaim the Word clearly, to put the food where the sheep could reach it.  Sometimes we Christ-followers use language that is familiar to us but foreign to non-believers. Several decades ago, people understood what it meant to be “born-again.” Today, many people are like Nicodemus. When Jesus talked with him about being born again, he couldn’t see how that was possible. Many people today have little or no exposure to God’s Word and biblical truth. So, the Word must be conveyed in language they can understand and relate to.     Paul emphasizes the importance of clarity in 1 Corinthians 14. The context is his teaching about speaking in tongues, but his conclusion applies just as well to this essential element of clarity. In verse 8, he says, “If the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? So, it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air.”   Here again, prayer is part of the process because we can ask God, through His Holy Spirit, to help us share His truth in ways that people can understand, and to enable them, by His Spirit, to understand what we’re saying. That’s what Paul was asking the Colossian Believers to pray for him. He knew his effectiveness in getting the Word heard depended, at least in part, on his clarity. The same is true for you and me today.   The Next ELEMENT (in getting the Word heard) is,  Conduct  In the English language, we have a saying: “What you...