INTRODUCTION
• SLIDE #1
• I thought Easter was awesome this year! I mean for me it is awesome every year, but it was even better because millions of people watched the Bible series on the History channel.
• When we think about the meaning of Easter, when we think about the suffering Jesus went through for us, do you ever wonder why?
• Now, we need to pause for a moment and think about this question, “Why?”
• Why did Jesus die for us, why did God go to the trouble of saving us?
• Why did God reveal Himself through Jesus? Why do we gather together each Sunday?
• Did God go to all this trouble just so He could have something to do or is there a high purpose?
• I think the Christians have taken it for granted that we are saved and we treat our salvation as a suit in the closet, if we are not careful, we find ourselves pulling it out of the closet only on “special” occasions.
• When this happens to us, it affects the church negatively also.
• You need to understand something very important. God sent His Son to die for you because He loves you! Jesus willingly endured hardship because He loves you. Everything God has done for us has been done because of His great love for us.
• Now think about this for a moment. Have you had someone love you or have you loved someone only to have them not show you any appreciation for the love you have for them? Have you ever had that happen to you?
• It is not a good feeling. It hurts to know you have given and sacrificed for someone you love, only to find that you get little to no response from them.
• Today we are going to answer part of the question pertaining to WHY Jesus saved you. The main reason is that He loves you, but there is also a follow up reason.
• He wants us to serve Him, we have been saved to serve and we serve because we love Him back.
• Serving is one of the ways we can show God that we love Him, that His Word and His Son are a priority in our lives!
• Part of our response to God’s love for us is serving Him!
• As we study Colossians 1:24-29 this morning, I hope that we will get a clear understanding of what God is calling us to do individually and as a church!
• Let’s turn to Colossians 1 we will begin with verse 24!
• SLIDE #2
• Colossians 1:24 (ESV) 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,
• SLIDE #3
SERMON
I. You are not called to serve only when it is easy.
• As we look at verse 24, does that verse jump off the page and grab you?
• I see something a bit strange, don’t you? Paul is rejoicing in his suffering for their sake. You need to realize Paul is in prison when he is writing this letter to the church at Colossae.
• Sometimes in the course of serving God, we will be called to sacrifice.
• Today even on a small scale folks displayed a level of sacrifice for you to be able to enjoy our worship time. Folks sacrificed their time to hone their talents for the Lord today!
• Of course what Paul is dealing with is much deeper.
• Sometimes we get off course by some of the smallest inconveniences, we give up when EVERYTHING does not go our way.
• Paul was REJOICING over the fact that he was able to suffer for the sake of his brothers in Christ!
• Everyone who is teaching this morning is sacrificing in order to serve.
• Some folks will not consider serving in God’s church because they would have to make some small sacrifice to do it, such as getting up a few minutes early to do something.
• We are saved to serve!
• Paul understood this concept very clearly.
• Notice he says that He is suffering for their sake and he is doing his share on behalf of His (Jesus) body, the church.
• Paul was called to level of sacrifice we may never experience, but the fact of the matter is this, we are called to sacrifice to serve. We need to understand that when we give our lives to Jesus.
• We cannot just serve when we feel like it; we should be willing to serve the Lord at every opportunity!
• We must guard against wanting to ride the coat-tails of others. It is easy to look at the church and ask what they are going to do for me.
• We lose sight of the fact that we are called to sacrificially serve Jesus. He put up a great sacrifice for you!
• WE are called to sacrifice time, talents and treasures for Jesus and for His church.
• Paul endured many hardships for the cause of Christ. 2 Corinthians 11:23-28 lay out a few of the sacrifices and suffering Paul endured for the cause of Christ.
• In redemption, Jesus did for us what we cannot do for ourselves. It is up to us to now sacrifice and serve.
• In what ways are you serving Jesus right now?
• In what ways are you serving His church, FCC? Or whichever church you may belong to?
• If we are not willing to serve or if we will only serve when it is easy, the work of the church will never get off the ground.
• When I played football and baseball, I sacrificed a lot of time and energy. I was glad to do it because playing football and baseball was worth it to me.
• For some getting good grades in school is something they are willing to sacrifice for.
• Do you see the work of this church as something worthy of your sacrifice? We have a special calling to sacrifice!
• Let’s look at verse 25-27
• SLIDE #4
• Colossians 1:25–27 (ESV) 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.
• SLIDE #5
II. All Christians are called to serve Jesus by proclaiming the gospel.
• In verses 25-27 we see the second calling for the church and for each one of us who are a part of the body of Christ.
• Paul was called specifically to be a minister of the gospel according to verse 25. He was called to carry out the preaching of the word.
• I have been called to carry out the preaching of the word. Do you realize we are all called to be ministers of the word?
• You may not be a preacher, but you carry out the preaching of the gospel by the way you live for Jesus.
• The other thing we need to realize is that we are all called to proclaim God’s word to lost people.
• You will be able to impact people that I might never be able to reach.
• In order to proclaim the Gospel, we need to know it. Did you know I was not given the gift of biblical knowledge? When I started going to church with Robyn, I knew nothing except what I saw on the 10 Commandments movie.
• I read and studied. I took advantage of the opportunities to learn from the Sunday School program and I listened to Maurice and asked questions.
• We have the PRIVILEGE of telling others about Jesus.
• Here are two reasons.
• 1. The message was hidden in the past.
• In verse 26 we are told that the message was hidden from past generations. It was called a mystery.
• This does not mean the message was a secret teaching, but rather it was something that God had not yet revealed.
• The prophets of the Old Testament did not receive a full revelation from God, they only saw in part.
• The Old Testament was meant to lead us to Jesus!
• SLIDE #6
• Galatians 3:24 (ESV) So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.
• REASON #2 is…
• 2. The message has been fully revealed to the saints.
• The mystery was Christ and in Him God revealed Himself fully and that Jesus died for the Jews and for the rest of mankind also!
• The false teachers in Colossae believed that spiritual perfection was a hidden plan (or “mystery”) that only a few privileged people could discover. Their secret plan was meant to be exclusive. Paul wrote that he was making the word of God fully known (1:25), not just a part of it. Making God’s word fully known meant revealing the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations. (LIFE APP BIBLE)
• The mystery which God wanted us ALL to know is the fact that we can have Christ in us! That because of Him being in us, we have the hope and assurance of future glory, which is salvation!
• We have the privilege of proclaiming this wonderful truth to those who do not know it!
• You do not have to be a Bible College graduate to know and proclaim this!
• Christ in us makes us Christ-like in this life and allows us to share in His glory at the Second Coming!
• Let’s examine verse 28 together!
• SLIDE #7
• Colossians 1:28 (ESV) Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.
• SLIDE #8
III. Jesus saved you so you could help the faith of others grow.
• Not only are we to proclaim the Word to people, but we have the ministry of helping people to grow in Christ.
• This takes a bit more knowledge, wisdom, and effort on our part.
• Verse 28 gives us some thoughts on how we can help others grow.
• First of all we help others grow by…
• 1. Proclaiming Jesus.
• If we are going to help people grow in Christ, it must be Christ we are proclaiming to them. We must make sure when we give advice and help that we are giving them 100% Jesus as much as we can.
• When we are trying to initially reach people, we must win them to Jesus and Jesus alone. We cannot win them to programs, music, preacher, etc…
• We must proclaim Jesus to them.
• To help people grow there are a couple more things we need to do…
• 2. Admonish one another.
• To admonish means to “warn, encourage, stimulate. There are times when we will need to warn people of the consequences of rejecting Jesus or the consequences of being disobedient to Him.
• Other times we will need to encourage people to hold fast, to hang on for dear life. There are other times when we will need to stimulate their thinking concerning Jesus and what they are doing.
• 3. Teach with all wisdom.
• We to teach with all wisdom. This means that we are to make sure we are not only imparting knowledge, but that we are also teaching people how to apply the principles of scripture in their lives.
• Life is based on doctrine. What we believe is how we live. We need to make sure people know what God wants from them.
• The warning and teaching always had one goal in mind: so that we may present everyone mature in Christ. This “presentation” would have been when Christ returned, so that every person presently living in union with Christ (every believer) would be complete, full grown, and perfectly instructed in doctrine, faith, and practice. Believers are not to remain like babies in the faith, easily led away by something new.
• Verse 28 tells us that we are to present every person complete or perfect in Christ.
• The church has to goal of reaching people and then teaching them how to be pleasing to God.
• WE are all called to help one another grow.
• It is sad to see a church where people cannot wait to get out the door, we need to be here for one another. You have heard it said that it takes a village to raise a child. Well, it takes a church to raise a Christian.
• Every last one of us has a part to play in the special calling we have from God.
• Let’s conclude with verse 29
• SLIDE #9
• Colossians 1:29 (ESV) For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.
• SLIDE #10
IV. You do have to serve alone; you can rely on the power of Jesus!
• How are we going to carry out this special calling on our own?
• We are not; we are called to rely on the power of Jesus!
• Notice Paul said he was laboring and striving. But he was laboring and striving according to Jesus power which was working mightily within him!
• Paul labored and strived to help make everyone complete in Christ.
• I believe it is easy to forget that message when we forget God’s purpose for us and for the church.
• We have a big job ahead of us, the job of bringing people to Jesus and then helping them grow. If we try to do these things in our own power, we are doomed to failure.
• God is working within you, are you aware of the power that is available to you.
• Through Christ, you can do all things!
• SLIDE #11
• Philippians 4:13 (ESV) I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
CONCLUSION
• God called you for a special purpose, are you ready to fulfill that purpose.
• A life lived within God’s plan and purpose for your life is exciting and fulfilling.
• If you have been struggling with following God’s call for your life, today is the day you can change that!
