1. Are you Taking Advantage of the Doors Opened to You? Scripture Reading: Col 4:1-4

2. Introduction In the New Testament, the expressions, “great door,” “open door,” and “door of utterance,” convey the idea of opportunity and accessibility Paul used these expressions, referring to the opportunities he had to preach the gospel (1 Cor 16:9; 2 Cor 2:12; Col 4:3) Jesus opened a door of opportunity for the church in Philadelphia which He said, no man could close, (Revelation 3:8) This morning I would like to take a look at how these opportunities may be treated

3. Many never see opportunities to preach the gospel, so they conclude that other Christians who are successful in reaching the lost must possess great talent in doing so. These “Other Christians” do not possess some great talent, but do have a great concern for the lost Consider the compassion of Jesus (Mt 9:35-38) Lam 3:22 “ 22 Through the L ORD ’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not.” Mt 18:27 “ 27 Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.” Mk 5:19 “ 19 However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.”

4. Many never see opportunities to preach the gospel, so they conclude that other Christians who are successful in reaching the lost must possess great talent in doing so. Consider the compassion of Jesus (Mt 9:35-38) When He saw the crowd it was not simply what He say but how He saw the people and how different His reaction was from what ours often is Compare the reaction of others to Christ The reaction of the disciples (Mk 10:13-14) The people’s reaction to Bartimaeus (Mt 10:46-48) We need to learn to see men and women as Jesus does… What we see and how we see will affect our hearts (Lam 3:51) We need to ask ourselves if we truly care whether people live and die without Christ (Jn 8:24)

5. An open door may be seen, but passed by because someone does not have the time to enter. In today’s world, some Christians are “too busy” for the Lord’s work. They seek opportunities to talk to their lost friends about business, pleasure, hobbies, etc., but never about their souls. We are only given a limited amount of time (Jam 4:14; Eph 5:15-17; Col 4:5) People cannot claim to be putting the kingdom first who are so busy that they do not have time to teach the lost (Mt 6:33, 28:19-20) Opportunities lost are lost forever

6. Doors which stand open, are many times closed by a disciple’s own belligerent bluntness. Christians who claim to be trying to teach the lost, but who portray and unloving, impolite, and inconsiderate attitude in their words or demeanor, actually become stumbling blocks. This is not to say that truth should be “watered down” and made palatable for some that do not have a love for truth (1 Thes 2:10-12) It is recognition of a truth which states that disciples must be “wise as serpents, and harmless as doves,” (Matthew 10:16) We must known how to handle the word of God aright (2 Tim 2:15; Col 3:16; Prov. 25:11-12) To close doors of opportunity is to destroy souls, and for such action one shall surely give an account (Ez 3:17-18, 33:7-8) The wise man is one who would save souls (Prov 11:30)…with the Lord’s help he seeks to open doors-not close them Paul used his opportunities in Ephesus and Troas and looked for even more while in prison (Acts 16:19-34, 28:16-31)

7. Conclusion we need to pray for opportunities to teach lose souls, recognize them, and then use them to spread the Word 1 Cor 15:58 “ 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”