Colossians 1:24-29 says...
Today's verses are Colossians 1:24-29, which read,
v.24 - Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions.
Paul's instruction and prayers to and for the new Christians in the church in Colossae do not come without a price. Paul's open witness of Christ has put him in prison. In prison, Paul's response is to rejoice because of why he is there. He is there directly related to Christ and Christ's body, the church. The persecutors of Jesus, in which Paul was one at one time, are not done persecuting the Lord. Jesus ascended into heaven to be at the right hand of God but His persecutors have just changed their sights to the followers of Jesus in which Paul was a chief target. Paul rejoices over the fact of this affiliation of his life with the life of Christ and His church, the redeemed by the grace of God through the cross of Christ.
v.25-27 - Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God, that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints, to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
The preaching of God's word to the world and specifically to edify the church has brought upon Paul persecution that has put him in prison. The persecution is not about Paul but about what he is preaching. He is preaching the Bible and so the push back is against the words it contains and not Paul's own words.
"Mystery" is a favorite word of Paul to explain what is happening since Jesus came, lived, died, and rose again. Mysteries of the Old Testament have been revealed about the Messiah spoken of there. This mystery revealed is that He came for Jews and Gentiles. The salvation given to the Gentiles was more than knowledge of who He is but an actual relationship of Christ in them including eternal life with Him. Paul was witnessing that mystery revealed as he spoke the words of Jesus to the Gentiles and they answered the call of His calling. That revealing of the mystery was good enough for Paul to rejoice in prison for the persecution he was receiving. Salvation was not just for a certain group of people. It started there but was never planned to just stay there. A Messiah would come from that group of people who would call out to every tribe and every nation. Paul is the messenger of that Messiah's international call.
v.28, 29 - We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.
Paul proclaimed Christ. He told of Christ and His words. Those words are given to correct our ways and to teach us His ways of wisdom. Our following of His ways leads to maturity in who Jesus is and our right relationship with Him. Paul is speaking this and living this out in front of "every man." He has such a desire for any and every man to know about Christ. As there is no partiality with Christ, therefore there is no partiality with Paul in regards to someone hearing about the King of kings and Lord of lords.
Paul labors and strives knowing that it is God's power in him and through him that makes those transformations happen. Paul takes no credit of what God can only do but he does put forth physical effort to be a witness of that power of God. The word for labor means to work to the point of exhaustion. The word for striving means to give effort to finish an athletic event. Paul's labors and striving was physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually taxing but to experience God's transforming power in the lives of others was well worth it.
The question for us is how much do we labor or strive for others to know about the transforming power of God through Christ? This message that is a mystery to some around us that is contained in us, does it come out when given the opportunity by God or does it stay hidden within us for fear of persecution? Paul is telling us that we can rejoice in the persecution because the persecution is nothing compared to seeing God's power work in the lives of others. We are actually missing out on life with God when we don't labor and strive enough or at all that might lead to experience persecution for His sake and the sake of His words. We are missing out on another rejoicing event with and to our Lord. Let's pray.
"Lord, we look at persecution as bad but even in the midst of it we can rejoice if the persecution is because of our relationship with You and therefore it points to an authentic relationship with You and Your words. When persecuted against, I have been given a real life experience to stand for God in obedience as You did Yourself to the cross. I am identified with You and shouldn't that be a high praise of my life? May any persecution I receive be because of that authentic relationship with You. Amen."
Pastor Adam
v.24 - Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions.
Paul's instruction and prayers to and for the new Christians in the church in Colossae do not come without a price. Paul's open witness of Christ has put him in prison. In prison, Paul's response is to rejoice because of why he is there. He is there directly related to Christ and Christ's body, the church. The persecutors of Jesus, in which Paul was one at one time, are not done persecuting the Lord. Jesus ascended into heaven to be at the right hand of God but His persecutors have just changed their sights to the followers of Jesus in which Paul was a chief target. Paul rejoices over the fact of this affiliation of his life with the life of Christ and His church, the redeemed by the grace of God through the cross of Christ.
v.25-27 - Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God, that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints, to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
The preaching of God's word to the world and specifically to edify the church has brought upon Paul persecution that has put him in prison. The persecution is not about Paul but about what he is preaching. He is preaching the Bible and so the push back is against the words it contains and not Paul's own words.
"Mystery" is a favorite word of Paul to explain what is happening since Jesus came, lived, died, and rose again. Mysteries of the Old Testament have been revealed about the Messiah spoken of there. This mystery revealed is that He came for Jews and Gentiles. The salvation given to the Gentiles was more than knowledge of who He is but an actual relationship of Christ in them including eternal life with Him. Paul was witnessing that mystery revealed as he spoke the words of Jesus to the Gentiles and they answered the call of His calling. That revealing of the mystery was good enough for Paul to rejoice in prison for the persecution he was receiving. Salvation was not just for a certain group of people. It started there but was never planned to just stay there. A Messiah would come from that group of people who would call out to every tribe and every nation. Paul is the messenger of that Messiah's international call.
v.28, 29 - We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.
Paul proclaimed Christ. He told of Christ and His words. Those words are given to correct our ways and to teach us His ways of wisdom. Our following of His ways leads to maturity in who Jesus is and our right relationship with Him. Paul is speaking this and living this out in front of "every man." He has such a desire for any and every man to know about Christ. As there is no partiality with Christ, therefore there is no partiality with Paul in regards to someone hearing about the King of kings and Lord of lords.
Paul labors and strives knowing that it is God's power in him and through him that makes those transformations happen. Paul takes no credit of what God can only do but he does put forth physical effort to be a witness of that power of God. The word for labor means to work to the point of exhaustion. The word for striving means to give effort to finish an athletic event. Paul's labors and striving was physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually taxing but to experience God's transforming power in the lives of others was well worth it.
The question for us is how much do we labor or strive for others to know about the transforming power of God through Christ? This message that is a mystery to some around us that is contained in us, does it come out when given the opportunity by God or does it stay hidden within us for fear of persecution? Paul is telling us that we can rejoice in the persecution because the persecution is nothing compared to seeing God's power work in the lives of others. We are actually missing out on life with God when we don't labor and strive enough or at all that might lead to experience persecution for His sake and the sake of His words. We are missing out on another rejoicing event with and to our Lord. Let's pray.
"Lord, we look at persecution as bad but even in the midst of it we can rejoice if the persecution is because of our relationship with You and therefore it points to an authentic relationship with You and Your words. When persecuted against, I have been given a real life experience to stand for God in obedience as You did Yourself to the cross. I am identified with You and shouldn't that be a high praise of my life? May any persecution I receive be because of that authentic relationship with You. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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