09/13/2021
Colossians 1:24-29
24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.
Rejoicing or grumbling?
Psalm 78:22 – They did not believe in God and did not trust his saving power. This is a Psalm to sing and remember. Do we believe God is sovereign? Do we trust his saving power? If we do, then that is a work of God. This is our hope.
Complain – express, state your suffering, dissatisfaction about something.
Grumbling – The action or fact of complaining in a bad-tempered way. Bad-tempered is easily annoyed or made angry. Grumpy, grouchy, crotchety, disagreeable, short-tempered, short-fused, snappy are some synonyms.
Philippians 2:14-18 - 14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. 17 Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 18 Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.
Rejoicing – expression great joy, jubilation, to take pleasure, delight
We know Israel grumbled and the Lord was displeased. But the Psalmist in Psalm 142:1-2 is complaining. There is a place where it is ok to complain, even encourages us to do it alone and in the congregation. We are to lament, pour our hearts out before the Lord.
In our suffering are we “rejoicing”, “complaining” or what God disapproves of “grumbling”?
Paul points us to choose to REJOICE!
• Paul’s sufferings are the means God uses to extend the message of the gospel to others.
• We too share in the sufferings of Christ because we are one with Him.
• Christ is being seen, this is why we can rejoice with Paul.
Colossians 1:24
Lacking – to be deficient or missing, to be short or have need of something
Transitive verb defines it as – to stand in need of, suffer from the absence or deficiency of.
• The sufferings endured by the body of Christ while Christ is seated at the right hand of God are not done yet and all believers participate in those sufferings.
• There are many people yet to be saved. Every tribe, nation, and tongue. There are many who have not seen or know God.
• They must hear the gospel by ministers, servants, missionaries, and us. When these lost people see Christians suffering and enduring afflictions, they are getting to see Christ afflictions. They see the filling up what is lacking.
John 12:24-25 - 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
2 Corinthians 11:23 - 23 Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death.
1 Corinthians 15:31 – “I die every day”
Luke 9:23 - Take Up Your Cross and Follow Jesus 23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
Luke 21:17 - You will be hated by all for my name's sake.
John 15:20 - 20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.
• Suffering is a result of faithful obedience in spreading the gospel as well as part of God’s plan for making known to the world who Christ is.
• We embrace HIS suffering for us and we spread the gospel by our suffering with him.
Mathew 10:17-18 - Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, 18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles.
• We are NOT fellow redeemers! Christ is sufficient! Hebrews 7:27 He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself.
Philippians 2:25-30
• Epaphroditis stepped in to fill up that lack. The whole church was sending a gift to Paul. They all couldn’t present it to him.
• So in Paul’s suffering they see Christ’s suffering.
• He REJOICES in this “seeing”.
• It is painful but a happy journey.
• Do we rejoice in our suffering? Do we cry out to God with lamenting and complaining? Or do we run to people around us and grumble?
Verse 25
Acts 19:15-16 - 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”
• We too are chosen by God.
• Suffering not meaningless.
• Do not be surprised by the fiery trials.
• Paul’s ministry is given by God with the full aim in making the gospel known.
1 Peter 4:12-13 - 12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.
Christ in You – Our hope!
Verse 26 & 27
• The mystery – God is unfolding the plan for the world. Redemption has come!
• Union with Christ. We are ONE with him.
• Once hostile, alienated, doing evil deeds and no covenant promise.
• Christ has been revealed to us. He is our hope.
Ephesians 3:1-13 - For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— 2 assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you, 3 how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. 4 When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. 6 This mystery is[a] that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
7 Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power. 8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in[b] God, who created all things, 10 so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. 13 So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.
Also (Ephesians 2:11-23, 3:2-6)
• If Christ has not been raised from the dead we are most to be pited. (1 Cor. 15:19)
• Paul chose to be in this peril of suffering as Christ did.
• Do I?
Romans 16:25-27 – Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith—to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.
Him We Proclaim - Verse 28
• Do we? Why not if we don’t?
• This is just not for missionaries, pastors and their wives.
• What discomfort are we willing to suffer?
• Do I die daily to show the lost world around me that “He is worthy!”?
• What do we proclaim?
• Are we warning people of the coming judgment?
• Are we teaching?
Ephesians 4:11-16 - 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds[a] and teachers,[b] 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood,[c] to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
• Paul wants more than a profession of faith. He wants them to grow, to mature.
• Are we growing and maturing?
• False teachers are coming.
Hebrews 13:17-19 Do we grumble, or are we thankful and rejoice and pray for them?
Christ’s energy and power – verse 29
Toiling – to work extremely hard or excessively
Struggling – striving to achieve or attain something in the face of difficulty or resistance
• That is Paul’s life and purpose. Is it ours?
• Colossians 2:1 “great struggle”
• HOW? Christ energy that he powerfully works in us.
• This is how we are taught to grow and mature in Christ. The energy and power that He gives to His servants. Rejoice!
• Burnt out? Relying on own strength.
• Rest in God. His grace is sufficient and mercy’s are new everyday.
• Pray for a heart that’s dependent on God’s grace
• Pray for God to guard your heart from being tempted to grumble not rejoice.
