Colossians 1:24-2:7
Good morning and welcome to our continuing journey together through the book of Colossians. If you recall, the book of Colossians is actually a letter that Paul wrote while in prison and he wrote it to the Christian Church in Colosse. Paul had never been to Colosse but he had an influence on Epaphras who took the Gospel message to Colosse and started a church there.
Last week we looked at chapter 1:15-23 which is where Paul gives a very clear description of who Jesus Christ is and what He did for us. To summarize, Paul reminds us that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh, He existed with God in the beginning, and that all things were created by Him and for Him. Paul led us into realizing that Jesus Christ holds supreme authority over all creation in heaven and on earth to include people and governments. Then Paul dropped a bomb on us. He told us who we are apart from Jesus Christ’s saving grace. Apart from Christ we are alienated from God. We are enemies with God and at war with Him in our mind. I don’t know about you but I’ve read Revelation and I know who wins the war so I definitely don’t want to be on any other side than God’s. But praise be to God that Jesus Christ made peace for us through His blood shed on the cross for all who believe that Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins, that he was dead and buried for three days, he rose from the grave, ascended into heaven where He purchased a place for you and me by His sacrifice and offers us that place in heaven and forgiveness of sin as a free gift.
Let’s start today’s message with a question, “Why are you here?” “What is your purpose for being here and what is your purpose in life?” There have been many books written to help people determine and /or define their purpose and some decide to come up with a mission statement that directs their lives. Everything and everyone has a purpose. For example, The Taj Mahal is one of the most beautiful and costly tombs ever built, but there is something fascinating about its beginnings. In 1629, when the favorite wife of Indian ruler Shah Jahan died, he ordered that a magnificent tomb be built as a memorial to her. The shah placed his wife’s casket in the middle of a parcel of land, and construction of the temple literally began around it. But several years into the venture, the Shah’s grief for his wife gave way to a passion for the project. One day while he was surveying the sight, he reportedly stumbled over a wooden box, and he had some workers throw it out. It was months before he realized that his wife’s casket had been destroyed. The original purpose for the memorial became lost in the details of construction. SOURCE: Dr. James Dobson, Coming Home, Timeless Wisdom for Families, (Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton; 1998), p. 122.
In Chapter 1:24-2:7 Paul focuses upon the Purpose of the Church, the Power to achieve that purpose and a Proposal for what the church gains. It is also our purpose because Paul tells us that “you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” We need to stay focused on our God given purpose so that we do not get consumed by our earthly mission and overlook our primary purpose.
Let’s read the text and see what God’s Word has for us today.
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Col 1:24-2:7
24 Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. 25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness- 26 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. 27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
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28 We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. 29 To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.
2:1 I want you to know how much I am struggling for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. 2 My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ,
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3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. 5 For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how orderly you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.
6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. NIV
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I. Purpose
Paul shares with us his purpose which is also the purpose of the church which by default, since you and I are the members or parts of the body, is also our purpose.
First of all Paul says that he is struggling and suffering for the Colossian Christians. He says that he is rejoicing in it. Wait a minute. This can’t be right. This doesn’t sound like any mission trip I’ve been on or any church youth camp. You never see advertised, “Come suffer with us as we struggle to help others! You won’t be able to do any sightseeing but you will definitely be tired at the end of every day. You may have a bed to sleep on but that is not guaranteed. The blisters on your hands from swinging a sledgehammer will cause you to REJOICE!” Churches use all kinds of gimmicks and advertising to attract people. You will never see them advertise “Come suffer with us as we serve Christ together.” In verse 24 Paul says:
“Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. 25 I have become its servant…”
Paul is rejoicing in the fact that Christ died for all of us and that he too has a part in suffering for others. He is not saying that there is anything left to be done to assure salvation. Instead, he is referring to the suffering that Christians must endure to live a Christ-like life and be a positive Christian influence on others. Remember, Paul is in prison for preaching the gospel. The gospel was not popular then and it is not popular now. In this world of tolerance it is not popular to say that Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven. The Gospel, by its very nature, is offensive to those who do not know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior because it is that very message that will either save them or condemn them. We even have to be careful to say the name Jesus Christ because we might offend someone. We should be struggling against social issues such as gay marriage, abortion, etc. It is not popular but our purpose is not to be popular. When we stand up for what is right in an appropriate manner then all of heaven rejoices and so will the Spirit within us.
In verse 27 Paul gives us the purpose of struggling for others and why we should be rejoicing it. He says “God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Paul says so much in so very few words. The Jewish people were God’s chosen people. The Old Testament applied to the Jewish people. The covenant in the Old testament was with the Jewish people. The God of all creation was the God of the Jewish people. But now God was saying you are all my people. Not just the Jewish. The message of salvation and the sacrifice of Jesus’ blood on the cross made peace between God and ALL PEOPLE! We have reason to celebrate because we are Gentiles! Paul was ecstatic about this. And the mystery that is revealed is Christ in you, the hope of glory. When we confess our sin to God and accept Jesus Christ into our lives as our personal Lord and Savior then the Holy Spirit dwells within us and we are given the assurance of spending eternity with God the Father in heaven. This is the best way that I can illustrate for you the “hope of glory” that comes from that assurance of eternal life because of Christ in me. Let’s take a worst case scenario. Imagine that I am in a humvee driving down route Cherry and we hit an IED. God has blessed me with the most incredible wife and 2 awesome kids and I long to see them as soon as possible. But, if I were to die in that IED blast I know for certain that I will be in heaven with my heavenly Father and Jesus my Lord and Savior. I long to be in the presence of the One who formed me. I long to be in the presence of the One who pursued me longer than I ran from Him. I long to see my Savior face to face and tell Him in person “Thank you.” And one day I will do just that. That is the hope of glory. Until then, like Paul, you and I struggle for the purpose of presenting everyone perfect in Christ. It is only through the blood of Christ that we can be presented blameless, free from sin, before God the Father. There is a hymn Margaret and I used to sing at night with Stephen and Grace when we were putting them to bed; “What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.” You and I have the God given purpose to reflect Jesus to the people around us and to tell them about what He did, how we are changed by what He did, the hope and assurance we have for our future here now and after we die and how they can have it to. We must not let anything else distract us from that overarching purpose. It is why we are here. But it isn’t popular.
II. Power to Fulfill the Purpose
One of the things I like about Paul’s writing is the practical nature of it. He doesn’t simply say what his purpose is and then move on letting us try to figure out how to do this on our own. In verse 29 he says
To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.
The power source for Paul and for every Christian is Christ in you! What a spectacular gift God has given us. He has given us His strength and His presence. Let’s take a look at who Scripture says we are without Christ:
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Eph 2:1 – dead in your sin
Eph 2:3 – objects of wrath
Eph 2:12 – excluded from citizenship
Eph 2:12 – without hope
Col 1:21 – alienated from God
Col 1:21 – enemies of God
These are not very comforting or encouraging attributes.
Now let’s see what Scripture has to say about us with Christ in us:
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John 1:12 – You are a child of God
1 Cor 12:27 – You are a member of Christ’s body
1 Cor 6:19-20 – You are adopted by God
Col 1:13-14 – You are redeemed and forgiven of all your
Sin
Rom 8:1-2 – You are free from condemnation
Phil 3:20 – You are a citizen of heaven
Col 1:20 – You are reconciled with God
Col 1:20 – you are at peace with God
1Cor 3:16 – You are a temple of God
Rom 8:37 – You are more than a conqueror
Phil 4:13 – You can do all things through Christ who
strengthens you
These are some of the changes that occurred in you the moment that you invited Jesus Christ to come into your life and be your Lord and Savior. It is Christ in Paul that enables him to “rejoice in all things”, “to count it all joy when he faces many kinds of trials” and to know that he “can do all things through Christ who strengthens him.” Yes, in prison Paul is able to have this attitude and focus on the needs of others and the church. Jesus says in Revelation 3:20, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” Jesus does not invite you and me into a religion. He invites us into a personal relationship. When we choose to enter into a personal relationship with Jesus his Spirit, the Holy Spirit, takes up residence within us.
If all Christians have Christ in them why do we struggle?
Chem-Light illustration:
Hold up the chem.-light for everyone to see and say. Let’s use this chem-light as an example. This chem-light is designed to shine light in a dark area. It consists of a plastic container and we can see a fluid inside but it is not fulfilling its purpose. It is not giving off light. It is only reflecting the environment around it. It is not having any impact of its own on the surrounding environment. We can shake it up but still it does not shine. But, if we look a little closer we see that deep down inside the chem.-light there is another container that holds another mixture of chemicals. The chem.-light will only fulfill its purpose when it is broken and the inner filling flows throughout the rest of the body. Then it shines a bright light in the midst of a dark world.
So it is also with a Christian. You may have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit which is Christ in you but are you allowing Him to shine through your life onto the lives of others? Like the chem.-light we must be broken for Him to shine. We must come to the breaking point where pride and selfishness gives way to humility. We have to come to the point where we say “Yes Lord” instead of “but Lord.” We have to come to the point where our prayerful motivation is changed from “and Lord, let my will be done” to “Lord, your will be done.”
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III. Proposal – You will live a life overflowing with thankfulness if:
Paul has shown us his purpose, the power to achieve the purpose which is Christ in you and now he provides us with a proposal or proposition. He says that you will live a life that is overflowing with thankfulness if:
a. You stay rooted in Christ. This is a picture of a tree that has matured over the years. Its roots grow down deep into the soil and the minerals that allow it to grow and mature and fulfill its purpose while weathering the storms that come. In John 15 Jesus says that He is the vine and we are the branches and that apart from Him we can do nothing. But when we are rooted in Christ, when we are firmly connected with Him then we can say as Paul does that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.
b. Be built up in Christ. Rooted is the past tense referring to the point in your spiritual life where you enter into that personal relationship with Christ. Being built up is the present tense meaning that we continue to learn and grow and serve. How much time throughout the week do you consider spiritual things? How often do you acknowledge God and His continual presence? Do you spend time alone with God? Do you pray? Do you read His word? Do you talk about Him to others? Do you give Him the credit for the things in your life or do you take the credit? Grow in Christ. Pray. Get connected with other believers. Participate in bible study and worship. Praise God throughout the week for the things He has done. Continue growing in your relationship with Him.
When we live our life allowing Christ to overflow through us then we will have a life overflowing with thankfulness because:
1. We will acknowledge and understand the enormous grace that was extended to us.
2. We will have a love for the One who gave himself up for us that cannot be explained.
3. We will have a peace that surpasses all understanding.
4. We will be in awe that the God of all creation allows us to participate with Him in the salvation of others as we go and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything that God has commanded.
Pray
Receive the Benediction:
Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
