READY FOR SERVICE--Colossians 1:23-29
Proposition: After a person makes a full commitment to the preeminence of Christ, that person needs to be ready to share the Gospel with all people in our world.
Objective: My purpose is to challenge God’s people to be ready to serve our Lord Jesus Christ and share the Good News about Him.
INTRODUCTION: READY
Ready to suffer grief or pain, Ready to stand the test,
Ready to stay at home and send Others if He sees best.
Ready to go, ready to stay, Ready my place to fill,
Ready for service, lowly or great, Ready to do His will.
Ready to go, ready to bear, Ready to watch and pray,
Ready to speak, ready to think, Ready with heart and brain,
Ready to stand where He sees fit, Ready to bear the strain.
Ready to speak, ready to warn, Ready o’er souls to yearn,
Ready in life, ready in death, Ready for His return.
If you received a letter from a man you had never met, a man who was a prisoner, accused of being a troublemaker, how would you respond? The Colossian believers faced that exact problem. They knew that Paul had been instrumental in leading their pastor, Epaphras, to saving faith in Christ. They also knew that Epaphras had gone to Rome to consult with Paul and had not yet returned. The church members had received Paul’s letter, brought to them by Tychicus and Onesimus. But the false teachers in Colossae had been discrediting Paul and causing doubts in the people’s minds. “Why listen to a man who is a political prisoner?” they asked. “Can you trust him?” Paul’s enemies made much of the fact that the great apostle was a prisoner of Rome.
Illus: The Gnostics were saying: “Christ is not the Creator, the Incarnation is not real and faith is not enough.” They had a negative view of life: “God is far away, matter is evil and demonic forces are constantly threatening us.” The Colossian error did not deny Christ but it did dethrone Him; it gave Christ a place but not the supreme place.
The work of God’s servant was to show that Christ is preeminent—first and foremost in everything—and the Christian life should reflect that priority. Even though Paul is in prison he writes to give direction to the church and help them give Christ the proper place in their lives and in their church. Paul shared with his Colossian brothers and sisters some of the critical details of his calling and ministry. As his audience would have certainly realized, it was filled with instances of suffering and hardship. However, despite the presence of constant pain and tribulation, Paul chose to “rejoice in my sufferings.” Paul was always “READY FOR SERVICE” but his desire is that God’s people also be “READY FOR SERVICE” in sharing the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I. THE PRIVILEGE OF THE MINISTRY: Serve Christ Even if You Suffer ( vvs. 23-24) “I now rejoice in my sufferings for you”-- Be willing to pay the price. Writing from prison, Paul can say that he now rejoices in his sufferings for the saints, that is, on their account. As a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, he was called upon to endure untold hardships, persecutions, and afflictions. These to him were a privilege—the privilege of filling up that which was left behind of the afflictions of Christ. When Saul of Tarsus was struck to the ground on the road to Damascus, he heard a voice from heaven saying, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?” Saul had not been consciously persecuting the Lord—he had only been persecuting the Christians. He learned, however, that in persecuting believers, he was persecuting their Savior. The Head in heaven feels the sufferings of His Body on earth.
To suffer in the service of Christ is not a penalty but a privilege of sharing in His work.
1. The call (v. 23b) “of which, I Paul became a minister”-- God made him a minister of the church. Paul says this was because of the call of God on His life (v. 1). This call was by Jesus Christ, who appeared unto him, & called, qualified, & sent him forth as such. This is mentioned to encourage the Colossians to abide by the truths of the Gospel.
2. The courage (v. 24a) “I now rejoice in my sufferings for you”-- Paul: "Instead of being ashamed of my suffering, I am rejoicing in it!" He can rejoice because he knows the reason and the nature of his sufferings, as a part of God’s pur-poses for his life. Paul looks on all the suffering that Christians are required to go through for the sake of the sufferings of Christ which still remain. They include suffering for righteousness’ sake, suffering for His sake (bearing His reproach), and for the Gospel’s sake. It is the price tag he has to pay in order for the church to become more firmly established and to expand. Paul did not ask, as do some believers. "What will I get out of it?" Instead he asked, "How much will God let me put into it?" The fact that Paul was a prisoner did not stop him from ministering to the churches.
3. The cause (v. 24b) “for the sake of His body”--Believers, both of Jews and Gentiles, form that one body, of which Christ is the head. The sacrificial sufferings of Christ are over, but His body, the church, experiences suffering because of its stand for the faith. The Head of the church in heaven feels the sufferings that His people endure. (Acts 9:4) Paul was taking his turn in sharing these afflictions, & others would follow in his train. But Paul did not complain. “For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds by Christ” (2 Cor. 1:5).
4. The completion (v. 25)”I became a minister…to fulfill the word of God”—We learn that Paul had declared the whole counsel of God. Had Paul com-promised with the Jews and stopped ministering to the Gentiles, he could have been spared a great deal of suffering. But he could not abandon his calling just for personal safety and comfort. Suffering is not simply a matter of joy (v. 24), but of duty as well. Paul means that his special ministry was to make clear the true nature of the Gospel as a divine provision intended for all people.
Illus: So popular and effective was G. Campbell Morgan’s ministry that he was given all kinds of offers from many different places and people. John Wanama-ker, the great merchant of Philadelphia, offered to build Morgan a million dollar church if he would become its pastor. Morgan turned him down, something the wealthy Wanamaker was not accustomed to in his dealings with people. “I am God’s man,” said Morgan. “If I did that I would become John Wanamaker’s man.” He counted being God’s man a privilege and he must be obedient to Him.
II. THE PASSION FOR THE MINISTRY: Let our lives be CHRIST-DRIVEN, NOT SELF-DRIVEN (vvs. 26-27)”Christ in you, the hope of glory”--He was driven by Christ, for Christ, through Christ.
1. The new disclosure (v. 26a) “The mystery which has been hidden…now has been revealed to His saints”-- In the NT, a mystery is a truth not previously revealed, but now made known to the sons of men through the apostles and prophets of the NT. It is a truth that man could never have arrived at by his own intelligence but which God has graciously designed to make known.
2. The new desire (v. 27) “God willed to make known”-- God manifests to these how abundantly glorious this Gospel is among the Gentiles; and how effectual is this doctrine of Christ crucified to the salvation of multitudes. Paul seems to have been thinking of the wonder of the unfolding of the divine mystery in the conversion of pagan people and in their being drawn into the one body of Christ. The spring and cause of the manifestation of the Gospel to the saints, and chosen of God, is not their works, but according to His own grace.
3. The new discovery (v. 27b) “The mystery…which is Christ in you, the hope of glory”-- The indwelling Christ is the believers’ hope of glory. Christ is God’s "open secret." Here is the content of the mystery which has been made known: "Christ in you." The presence of God is among people in a new form embodied and actualized in Jesus Christ. The particular aspect of the mystery which Paul is emphasizing here is that the Lord Jesus is willing to dwell within the Gentile heart. This was spoken to the Colossians, who were Gentiles. He piles words upon words in order to impress his readers with the fact that this is a glorious truth that deserves their closest attention. The world does not need to see an imitation of Christ--it needs to see Christ in us. The indwelling Christ is the believers’ hope of glory. The fact that He indwells us makes heaven as sure as if we were already there.
Illus: An important question that every believer in Christ might ask is simply, “Is there any one thing that captivates and directs my life, or am I like the man at a Christian conference who said, “I’m interested a little in a lot of things, but nothing has ever really captivated me.” When asked to doodle on a piece of paper and draw a picture to portray his life as he saw it, he drew a pie with many lines through it that showed his multiplicity of interests, but no one driving force. Such, however, was not the case with the apostle Paul. Paul was a man directed by God’s mission and mandate on his life. “… He had both purpose and power.
III. THE PROCLAMATION OF THE MINISTRY: It’s All About Him (v. 28) “Him we preach”-- Paul preaches a Person, not a system of teaching as false teachers. He knew that He warns God’s people against the lies of the enemies (Acts 20:31). This is the minister’s message. "Him"--the One whom Paul has set forth earlier in this chapter (vvs. 15- 18) "we proclaim." Then there is the minister’s method. First comes a general declaration: Him "we proclaim." It means "to tell out" in the certainty of the message’s truthfulness and in the conviction of its effectiveness. The innovators mumbled their mysteries in secret places. But Paul, by contrast, wanted to proclaim his message to the whole world.
1. Peril “warning every man” (v. 28b)—The false teachers were a peril to the proper growth of the saints. Paul not only preached (the word means “to announce with authority as a herald”), but he also warned. While it is good to proclaim positive truth, it is also necessary to warn God’s people against the lies of the enemy (Acts 20:31). In fact, God’s people should be alert to warn one another (admonish in Col. 3:16 NIV). Paul considered himself a spiritual father to the local churches, and it was his duty to warn his children (1 Cor. 4:14).
2. Proper Instruction “teaching every man in all wisdom” (v. 28b)—This is to build up God’s people to be faithful servants of God. Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. The false teachers promised to give people a “hidden wisdom” that would make them “spiritually elite.” But all true spiritual wisdom is found only in Jesus Christ.
3. Presentation “that we may present every man” (v. 28c)-- He wanted to present every believer “perfect in Christ Jesus.” Paul was anxious that no one to whom this gospel was preached should be lost. He believed it to be adapted to save every man; and as he expected to meet all his hearers at the bar of God, his aim was to present them made perfect by means of that gospel which he preached.
4. Perfection “perfect in Christ Jesus” (v. 28d)---The word perfect was a favorite word with the Gnostic teachers. It described the disciple who was no longer a novice, but who had matured and was fully instructed in the secrets of the religion. Paul used it to mean “complete, mature in Christ.” This is the goal of all preaching, warning, and teaching.
Illus: Notre Dame football star George Gipp could do it all—run, pass, and punt with unparalleled skill. The 1920 season established the Gipp as a football immortal. But on December 14, 1920, young George Gipp died of pneumonia. But thanks to football legend—and a movie in which former president Ronald Reagan portrayed Gipp—the story of George Gipp lived on. On November 10, 1928, Notre Dame and Army were tied at half-time. Notre Dame coach Knute Rockne, himself a legend, told of being at the dying Gipp’s bedside. Rockne recalled how Gipp feebly said, “Sometime, Rock, when the team is up against it, when things are going wrong and the breaks are beating the boys—tell them to go in there with all they’ve got and win just one for the Gipper.” They did. Illus: Ready to go, ready to suffer”
IV. THE POWER FOR THE MINISTRY: Only by His Strength (v. 29) “I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily”—This strength is through which his task can begin and ends all right. Paul strives and Christ strengthens. Note that Paul’s ministry was not in his own power; God worked in him and then he worked for God (Phil. 1:12-15, Eph. 3:20-21)
1. Action “To this end I labor” (v. 29a)—laboring to exhaustion. “For this I labor to the point of exhaustion, agonizing” is a literal translation of the first part of Colossians 1:29. What a picture of prayer! So much of our praying is calm and comfortable, and yet Paul exerted his spiritual muscles the way a Greek runner would exert himself in the Olympic Games. He also taught Epaphras to pray the same way (Col. 4:12).
Illus: Some years ago a woman in Africa became a Christian. Being filled with gratitude, she decided to do something for Christ. She was blind, uneducated & 70 years of age. She went to her missionary with her French Bible & asked her to underline John 3:16 in red ink. Mystified, the missionary watch her as she took her Bible & sat in front of a boys’ school in the afternoon. When school dismissed, she would call to boys & ask them if they knew French. When they proudly responded that they did, she would say, “Please read the passage underlined in red.” When they did, she would ask, “Do you know what this means?” And she would tell them about Christ. The missionary says over the years 24 young men not only accepted Christ but became pastors due to her work. Illus: Ready to go, ready to suffer..”
2. Agony “striving” (v. 29b)— Greek agonizing. He taxed all his
energies to accomplish this, as the wrestlers strove for the mastery in the Grecian games. This shows the agonizing in an athletic event or in a fight. What a picture of prayer! Here is the minister’s means through which his task can be begun & ended aright. Paul strives & Christ strengthens. This is the key for any ministry which will count for God. Maclaren says: "The measure of our power then is Christ’s power in us. He whose presence makes struggle necessary, by His presence strengthens us for it." It is often said: “When all is said and done, there is more said than done.”
3. Assurance “according to His working which works in me mightily” (v. 29c)— It was toward this goal that the apostle labored, as well as all the other apostles. And yet he realized that he was not doing this in his own strength, but according to His working which worked in him mightily. He was conscious of the fact that the Lord was working in him mightily as he went from place to place planting churches and feeding the saints of God.
CONCLUSION: Ready for service:
1. There is the ministry of sharing (preaching).
2. There is the ministry of suffering.
3. There is the ministry of striving.
4. There is the ministry of strengthening.
Illus: The Story of a Masai Warrior Named Joseph--One of the least likely
men to attend the Itinerant Evangelists’ Conference in Amsterdam sponsored by the Billy Graham Association was a Masai Warrior named Joseph. But his story won him a hearing with Dr. Graham himself. The story is told by Michael Card:
One day Joseph, who was walking along one of these hot, dirty
African roads, met someone who shared the gospel of Jesus Christ with him. Then and there he accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior. He was filled with such excitement and joy that the first thing he wanted to do was return to his own village and share that same Good News with the members of his local tribe. Joseph began going from door-to-door, telling everyone he met about the Cross [suffering!] of Jesus and the salvation it offered, expecting to see their faces light up the way his had. To his amazement the villagers not only didn’t care, they became violent. The men of the village seized him and held him to the ground while the women beat him with strands of barbed wire. He was dragged from the village and left to die alone in the bush. Joseph somehow managed to crawl to a water hole, and there, after days of passing in and out of consciousness, found the strength to get up. He wondered about the hostile reception he had received from people he had known all his life. He decided he must have left something out or told the story of Jesus incorrectly. After rehearsing the message he had first heard, he decided to go back and share his faith once more. Joseph limped into the circle of huts and began to proclaim Jesus. "He died for you, so that you might find forgiveness and come to know the living God" he pleaded. Again he was grabbed by the men of the village and held while the women beat him reopening wounds that had just begun to heal. Once more they dragged him unconscious from the village and left him to die. To have survived the first beating was truly remarkable. To live through the second was a miracle. Again, days later, Joseph awoke in the wilderness, bruised, scarred—and determined to go back. He returned to the small village and this time, they attacked him before he had a chance to open his mouth. As they flogged him for the third and probably the last time, he again spoke to them of Jesus Christ, the Lord. Before he passed out, the last thing he saw was that the women who were beating him began to weep. This time he awoke in his own bed. The ones who had so severely beaten him were now trying to save his life and nurse him back to health. The entire village had come to Christ. This is one vivid example of what Paul meant when he said, "I complete what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of His body."
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