For those mountain climbing, the time they are in most danger is right after they reach the summit. In striving so hard for so long, after the point to which they reach their goal, they are most likely to put their guard down and lose their way. We've just celebrated the pinnacle of our year in the resurrection of Christ. It is easy al this point to just coast off course and lose our way. It's all too easy to substitute our work for His, to engage in ministry apart from His direction. From the time after Jesus' resurrection to His ascension, he remained with His disciples for 40 days to direct their efforts in ministry.
The ministry is a topic that was dear to the heart of the apostle Paul, and it is a frequent theme in his letters. He never lost the sense of wonder that God would call him to the ministry, and he never tired of talking about it. Toward the end of his life, he wrote to his protégé and fellow minister Timothy, “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service; even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor” (1 Tim. 1:12–13). Like Jeremiah, who spoke of the Word of God as a burning fire in his bones (Jer. 20:9), Paul felt compelled to carry out his ministry. To the Corinthians he wrote, “For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel” (1 Cor. 9:16).
Do you have a clear vision for the ministry of Christ in your life? Do you know for certain what we collectively should be doing? What is the consequence in getting off course? If we get off course, how would you know and what could be done to get going again the right. way?
Paul often spoke of his ministry when he needed to establish his authority and credibility. That was his aim in this passage. Colossians was written in part as a polemic against false teachers, and it was essential for Paul to defend his authority to speak for God. Otherwise, the false teachers would have dismissed what he wrote as merely his own opinion. Having begun the epistle with a statement of his apostolic authority (1:1), Paul now gives a detailed look at the divine character of his ministry.
He quickly recites eight aspects of that ministry: 1) The Source of the ministry (Colossians 1:23c, 25a), 2) The Spirit of the ministry (Colossians 1:24a), 3) The Suffering of the ministry (Colossians 1:24b), 4) The Scope of the ministry (Colossians 1:25b), 5) The Subject of the ministry (Colossians 1:26–27), 6)The Style of the ministry(Colossians 1:28a), 7)The Sum of the ministry (Colossians 1:28b), and 8)The Strength of the ministry (Colossians 1:29).
1) The Source of the Ministry (Colossians 1:23c, 25a)
Colossians 1:23c [23](if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of) the gospel (that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven), and of which I, Paul, became a minister. (ESV)
Colossians 1:25a [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), (ESV)
Paul introduced the content of the Colossians’ faith, namely the gospel, the saving truth of which he became/was made a minister (1:23). In 1:25 he repeats the thought, saying again that he became/was made a minister of Christ’s church. The source of his ministry was God. Paul’s appointment made him a minister of the gospel (Eph. 3:7; Col. 1:23) a minister of God (2 Cor. 6:4); a minister of Christ (1 Cor. 4:1); and a minister of the New Covenant (2 Cor. 3:6) (Radmacher, E. D., Allen, R. B., & House, H. W. (1999). Nelson’s new illustrated Bible commentary (Col1:25). Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers.).
New Testament readers first meet Paul under his Jewish name, Saul, at Stephen’s martyrdom (Acts 7:58).. Not content with a supporting role, he quickly became the leading persecutor of the church: (Acts 9:1–2). It was while engaged in his one-man crusade to wipe out the church that he had the experience which turned his world upside down: encountering the resurrected Christ.(Acts 26:12–18) Paul did not volunteer to become a minister of Jesus Christ; he was appointed one by the Lord Himself.
•All Christians have been called to serve God in one capacity or another. As God is sovereign in calling people to salvation, so is He in calling them to service. The Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts, which are enablements for the service to which one is called, according to His sovereign will (1 Cor. 12:11). Like Paul, the believer’s responsibility is to be obedient to that calling (Acts 26:19).
Because he was made a minister by sovereign call, Paul viewed his ministry as a stewardship from God. Stewardship translates oikonomia, a compound word made up of oikos (“house”) and nemō (“manage”). It means to manage a household as a steward of someone else’s possessions. The steward had oversight of the other servants and handled the business and financial affairs of the household. That freed the owner to travel and pursue other interests. Being a steward was thus a position of great trust and responsibility in the ancient world.
Unlike many who have held high offices throughout the church’s history, Paul sought no glory for himself. He wanted to be regarded “in this manner, as [a servant] of Christ, and [a steward] of the mysteries of God. In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy” (1 Cor. 4:1–2). He had a God-given task that he was obligated to fulfill (cf. 1 Cor. 9:16–17; Gal. 2:7; Eph. 3:2, 7–8). Paul’s firm sense of the divine call in his life that he wrote in 1 Corinthians 9:16–17. said that he preached out of necessity and woe to him if he didn't. He said how he was entrusted with a stewardship.
Please turn to 1 Peter 4 (p.1016)
Lest we think that the stewardship is reserved for the Pastor-Teacher, we must understand that the entire church is the household of God (1 Tim. 3:15), and all believers have the responsibility to manage the ministries the Lord has given them. Contrary to much popular teaching today, our spiritual gifts are not intended for our own edification. They are given to help us minister to others. Paul told the Colossians that his stewardship was given to me for you/bestowed on me for your benefit. Peter echoed the same truth when he wrote:
1 Peter 4:7-11 [7]The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. [8]Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. [9]Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. [10]As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: [11]whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies--in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (ESV)
•Leaders have a special stewardship: “The overseer must be above reproach as God’s steward” (Titus 1:7). Every Christian will one day give account to Christ of his stewardship. May none of us be found poor stewards, like the lazy slave in the parable of the talents (Matt. 25:24–25).
2) The Spirit of the Ministry (Colossians 1:24a)
Colossians 1:24a [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), (ESV)
Joy is generated by humility. People lose their joy when they become self-centered, thinking they deserve better circumstances or treatment than they are getting. That was never a problem for Paul. Like all of God’s great servants, he was conscious of his unworthiness. Imprisoned in Rome, while other preachers got the glory, he wrote, “Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice, yes, and I will rejoice” (Phil. 1:18). Facing the possibility of martyrdom, he wrote, “Even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all” (Phil. 2:17). Beaten and imprisoned in Philippi, he sang hymns of praise to God (Acts 16:25). Because he believed he deserved nothing, no circumstance could shake his joyous confidence that God was in control of his life (cf. Col. 2:5; 1 Thess. 2:19–20; Philem. 7).
Illustration: The joy of the early church was a dramatic testimony to the world. The second-century apologist Aristides wrote to the Roman emperor Antonius Pius a description of Christians that said if any righteous person from among them passed from this world the Christians would rejoice and give thanks to God. When a child was born to Christian parents, they would praise God. If it died in infancy, according to Aristides, the parents thanked God even more because the child would be one who had passed through the world without encountering sin. (The Apology of Aristides, trans. Rendel Harris [London: Cambridge, 1893].)
•Circumstances, people, and worry are the thieves that are eager to steal the joy of the ministry. Humility, devotion to Christ, and trust in God protect the joy that is Christ’s legacy to every Christian (cf. John 15:11; 17:13).
3) The Suffering of the Ministry (Colossians 1:24b)
Colossians 1:24b [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, (ESV)
To emphasize that joy is independent of circumstances, Paul tells the Colossians that he rejoices in my sufferings for your sake. The plural “my sufferings”—that pertain to his present imprisonment (Col. 4:10, 18; Eph. 3:1; 4:1; Philem. 1, 9, 23) from which he wrote Colossians (Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. (1953–2001). Exposition of Colossians and Philemon (Vol. 6, p. 86). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.).
Paul could rejoice despite his imprisonment because he always viewed himself as a prisoner of Jesus Christ, not the Roman Empire (cf. Philem. 1, 9, 23). First, suffering brings believers closer to Christ (Phil. 3:10). It assures the believer that they belong to Christ (Jn. 15:18; Mt. 10:24; 1 Tim. 3:12; 1 Pt. 4:14). Suffering also brings a future reward (Rom. 8:17-18; 2 Cor. 4:17). It can result in the salvation of others. Church history is filled with accounts of those who came to Christ after watching other Christians endure suffering. Finally, suffering frustrates Satan. He wants suffering to harm us, but God brings good out of it (Gen. 50:20). Paul accepted suffering on behalf of others (ὑπέρ ὑμῶν)—a reminder that the sufferings were not sought in anything like a masochistic spirit, but were accepted, indeed welcomed, as the unavoidable consequence of the all-important objective of preaching the gospel (Dunn, J. D. G. (1996). The Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon: a commentary on the Greek text (p. 114). Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle: William B. Eerdmans Publishing; Paternoster Press.)
In my flesh refers to Paul’s physical pain. But, in what sense were Paul’s sufferings filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions? These sufferings are part and parcel of Christ’s afflictions—not his death on the cross or redemptive sufferings which are ‘finished’—but the afflictions of his people which he endures(Carson, D. A., France, R. T., Motyer, J. A., & Wenham, G. J. (Eds.). (1994). New Bible commentary: 21st century edition (4th ed., p. 1267). Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press.).
Paul was receiving the persecution that was intended for Christ. Jesus, having ascended to heaven, was out of their reach. But because His enemies had not filled up all the injuries they wanted to inflict on Him, they turned their hatred on those who preached the gospel (Gal. 6:17; cf. 2 Cor. 11:23–28). He not only suffered for Christ, but also for the sake of the church (2 Tim. 2:10). Those who wish to represent Christ and serve His church must be willing to suffer for His Name. That is what he meant when he said: for the sake of his body, that is, the church). He is indicating that the physical pain he endures at the hands of Christ-hating persecutors is the result of what he does to benefit and build the church. It was not his personality that offended and brought hostile injury to him, but his ministry for the Body of Christ. He suffered the attacks of those he sought to reach with the gospel, and he suffered at the hands of the Jews who sought to stop the advance of the gospel. His suffering related to the Colossians in that his personal difficulties came because of his attempts to convince the Jews to accept the Gentile believers (Melick, R. R. (1991). Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (Vol. 32, p. 238). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.).
•What is your commitment to your brothers and sisters in Christ? People today tend to depart a local fellowship when they don't get exactly what they want. Paul expressed such a deep commitment for his fellow brother and sisters that he was willing to face imprisonment and sufferings for their sake.
Application:
In general most people try to avoid suffering, and people who do suffer would prefer not to. We are not created to enjoy pain. As babies, we cried when hungry; later, we cry at grief or loss or impending death.
Paul was not promoting the idea that pain is good, that suffering is joy, and that hurt should be our high ambition. Pain is almost always bad news.
But in Christ, affliction points to good news. As Jesus suffered on Friday, he rose on Sunday. Christians called to endure hardship for the sake of Christ (and this includes even personal suffering like cancer and car accidents) endure their affliction with the assurance that Sunday comes: restoration, resurrection, and eternal life. Because Christ guarantees our resurrection, we can handle anything until then. But until then, we must take our share of pain for Jesus: work hard for his kingdom, give him our best energy and resources, and take the pain of others on ourselves, as Jesus (Barton, B. B., & Comfort, P. W. (1995). Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (p. 176). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.)
4) The Scope of the Ministry (Colossians 1:25b)
Colossians 1:25b [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, (ESV)
Paul was driven to fulfill his ministry. He told the Ephesian elders, “I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, in order that I may finish my course, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24). That ministry consisted primarily to make the word of God fully known/the preaching of the word of God, of “declaring… the whole purpose of God” (Acts 20:27). His economy of effort, his single-minded devotion, and clear, direct focus on the task God had given him enabled him to carry out his ministry fully. He set himself to do God’s will, nothing more or less, and stayed within that narrow prescription. He desired to preach the whole counsel of God to those to whom God called him, never shirking his duty or mitigating the divine message.
Some in the Lord’s service think they have to personally win the entire world. As a result, they spread themselves so thin that they accomplish little. Paul was led by the Holy Spirit to make only three missionary journeys, all to the same general area. Yet few people in history have affected the world the way he did. Jesus never left Palestine, yet no one has come remotely close to having the impact on the world that He has. Jesus’ ministry was effective because He limited it to doing what God wanted. He limited His ministry to do God's will (Jn. 5:30), in God's timing (cf. 2:4; 7:30; 8:20; 12:27; 13:1; 17:1), for God's objective (Mt. 15:24), to proclaim God's kingdom (Matt. 22:21), to God's people
•Those who desire truly effective ministries must learn the importance of limits. If they concentrate on the depth of their ministries, God will take care of the breadth.
5) The Subject of the Ministry (Colossians 1:26–27)
Colossians 1:26-27 [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. (ESV)
The message Paul proclaimed in his ministry was the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed/been manifested to His saints. There are some things God reveals to no one. Deuteronomy 29:29 says, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God.” God reveals other things only to certain people. “The secret of the Lord is for those who fear Him” (Ps. 25:14). The “ages” are the vast successive periods marked by successive orders of beings and stages of creation. (Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Col1:26). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.)
Still other things were hidden in the Old Testament but have now been revealed in the New. The New Testament calls them mysteries (mustērion). Paul’s use of this word is not to indicate a secret teaching, rite, or ceremony revealed only to some elite initiates (As in the mystery religions), but truth revealed to all believers in the New Testament. This truth, that has now been revealed/manifested to His saints, is that which has been hidden for ages and generations, namely the Old Testament era and people. Now refers to the time of the writing of the New Testament. Such newly revealed truth includes the mystery of the incarnate God (Col. 2:2–3, 9); of Israel’s unbelief (Rom. 11:25); of lawlessness (2 Thess. 2:7; cf. Rev. 17:5, 7); of the unity of Jew and Gentile in the church (Eph. 3:3–6); and of the rapture (1 Cor. 15:51). This mystery truth is available only for those who are saints—true believers (cf. 1 Cor. 2:7–16).
The phrase in verse 27 to them/whom God chose/willed to make known clearly indicates that the mysteries are not discovered by the genius of man, but are revealed by the will and act of God. It is God’s purpose that His people know this truth.
Of all the mysteries God has revealed in the New Testament, the most profound is Christ in you, the hope of glory. At the deepest level, therefore, the apostle conceived of his message not as a system or as a collection of rules and regulations, but as a living and glorious Person who is the fulfillment of the deepest hopes of humanity and the source of new life for all his people (Vaughan, C. (1981). Colossians. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Ephesians through Philemon (Vol. 11, pp. 192–193). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.).
The Old Testament predicted the coming of the Messiah. But the idea that He would actually live in His redeemed church, made up mostly of Gentiles, was not revealed. The New Testament is clear that Christ, by the Holy Spirit, takes up permanent residence in all believers (cf. Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 6:19, 20; Eph. 2:22). That Christ indwells all believers is the source for their hope of glory and is the subject or theme of the gospel ministry. What makes the gospel attractive is not just that it promises present joy and help, but that it promises eternal honor, blessing, and glory. When Christ comes to live in a believer, His presence is the anchor of the promise of heaven—the guarantee of future bliss eternally (cf. 2 Cor. 5:1–5; Eph. 1:13–14). In the reality that Christ is living in the Christian is the experience of new life and hope of eternal glory. The missiological issue facing every person after Christ, then, is this: How does one enter into Christ, and how does one remain in him in order to participate in the blessings of God’s salvation? The short answer given by Paul is sola fide—“by faith alone.” (Wall, R. W. (1993). Colossians & Philemon (Col1:27). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.)
6) The Style of the Ministry (Colossians 1:28a)
Colossians 1:28a [28]Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, (that we may present everyone mature in Christ). (ESV)
Paul’s summarized his message of Him we proclaim who had done so much for him. Notice that Paul does not preach a religion but a relationship; not a dogma but a Person, Jesus Christ (Criswell, W. A., Patterson, P., Clendenen, E. R., Akin, D. L., Chamberlin, M., Patterson, D. K., & Pogue, J. (Eds.). (1991). Believer’s Study Bible (electronic ed., Col1:28). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.).
Katangellō (proclaim) means to publicly declare a completed truth or happening. It is a general term and is not restricted to formal preaching. Paul’s proclamation included two aspects, one negative, one positive. Paul’s primary thrust is proclaiming—even better expressed as announcing or broadcasting. (The tense here implies continuing action.) (Martin, E. D. (1993). Colossians, Philemon (p. 92). Scottdale, PA: Herald Press.)
Please turn to 2 Thessalonians 3 (p.990)
The negative work is that of: Warning/Admonishing is from noutheteō. It speaks of encouraging counsel in view of sin and coming punishment. It is the responsibility of church leaders. In Acts 20:31, Paul described his ministry at Ephesus: “Night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears.” But it is also the responsibility of every believer. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians,
2 Thessalonians 3:14-15 [14]If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. [15]Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother. (ESV) (Cf. Rom. 15:14; Col. 3:16)
•If there is sin in the life of a believer, other believers have the responsibility to lovingly, gently admonish them to forsake that sin.
The positive work is that of: Teaching which refers to imparting positive truth. It, too, is the responsibility of every believer (Col. 3:16), and is part of the Great Commission (Matt. 28:20). It is especially the responsibility of church leaders. “An overseer, then, must be… able to teach” (1 Tim. 3:2).
Warning/Admonishing and teaching must be done with all wisdom. Wisdom refers to practical discernment—understanding the biblical principles for holy conduct. The consistent pattern of Paul’s ministry was to link teaching and admonishment and bring them together in the context of the general doctrinal truths of the Word. Doctrinal teaching was invariably followed by practical admonitions. That must also be the pattern for all ministries.
Finally is also a very important detail that can be linked here with the previous subject of the scope of ministry. Who exactly are the everyone mentioned here? Since Paul has not visited Colossae, “everyone” cannot be restricted to “every person in Colossae” . On the other hand, it cannot mean “every person in the universe” either. It is best taken in this context to mean “every person we encounter,” “every person God brings into the scope of our ministry.” (Moo, D. J. (2008). The letters to the Colossians and to Philemon (p. 160). Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Pub. Co.)
•It is so easy to become discouraged in ministry that we are not accomplishing enough. We can be driven crazy thinking that there is always another person to win to Christ. The result is a ministry of ever increasing breadth, and ever shallower depth. Unless we have a clear understanding of what our ultimate goal is in dealing with every person to whom we do encounter, we fall into this trap.
Making this goal clear, Paul summarizes with:
7) The Sum of the Ministry(Colossians 1:28b)
Colossians 1:28b [28] (Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom), that we may present everyone mature in Christ. (ESV)
To be mature/complete is to be like Christ. Although all Christians strive for that lofty end, no one on earth has arrived there yet (cf. Phil. 3:12). Every believer, however, will one day attain it. “Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is” (1 John 3:2). Christians move toward maturity by feeding on God’s Word: “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that The Man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16–17).
Please turn to Ephesians 4 (p.977)
The Colossian heretics believed perfection was only for the elite, but Paul expressed that clearly that it is for all believers. The goal of ministry is not to chase the fads or jump on every new religious bandwagon. The goal is spiritual maturity. By reminding believers of this simple truth, Paul hopes to help us avoid the enticing sounds that might lead us away from maturity and into deception (Anders, M. (1999). Galatians-Colossians (Vol. 8, pp. 285–286). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.).
Describing how Christ gives the leadership of the local church toward this end, Paul said:
Ephesians 4:11-13 [11]And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, [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, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, (ESV):
•Our aim is not merely to win people to Christ, but to bring them to spiritual maturity. They will then be able to reproduce their faith in others. In 2 Timothy 2:2 Paul charged Timothy, “The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.”
8) The Strength of the Ministry (Colossians 1:29)
Colossians 1:29 [29]For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me. (ESV)
Kopiaō (toil/labor) means to work to the point of exhaustion (cf. 2 Cor. 11:23-28). Struggling/Striving is from agōnizomai, which refers to competing in an athletic event. Our English word agonize is derived from it. Success in serving the Lord, like success in sports, demands maximum effort.
Lest anyone misunderstand him, Paul concludes how this work is possible when he says that he strives with all his energy/according to His power that he powerfully/ mightily works within me. All his toil and hard labor would have been useless apart from God’s power in his life. To the Corinthians he wrote, “By the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me” (1 Cor. 15:10). God gave Paul the strength to work hard at his ministry. Galatians 2:20 really sums up the two components in this human divine action: “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me.” God’s working or energy is working and energizing in his person (ἐν ἐμοί, R. 587) in power (Lenski, R. C. H. (1937). The interpretation of St. Paul’s Epistles to the Colossians, to the Thessalonians, to Timothy, to Titus and to Philemon (p. 82). Columbus, OH: Lutheran Book Concern.).
These eight aspects of Paul’s ministry should characterize every believer. All Christians serve Christ in some capacity. Paul’s message to all in this passage is, “The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things” (Phil. 4:9).
(Format Note: Outline & some base commentary from MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1992). Colossians (pp. 66–81). Chicago: Moody Press.)
