This morning we’ll be looking at a particular passage in Colossians, and specifically one verse.
Before we get started, I have to ask:
• Did you read any scripture this past week for the first time, or
• did you see familiar scripture with new eyes?
• And equally, if not more important, did you apply it in some way by sharing it?
• Or how about this? You ever see the same verse in different situations or environments and wonder why you keep seeing the same verse over and over again?
That has happened to me recently
Before we get to this passage of scripture, I’d like to share a few interesting points about Pauls’ letter to the Colossians:
• Written while he was in prison
• Written about the same time he wrote Ephesians
• Check this out, fun fact: there are 34 words found in Colossians that aren’t found anywhere else in the NT
• Paul writes of:
o the preeminence,
o the supremacy,
o and the sufficiency of Christ.
o In fact, there are 15 verses that use in Christ or some similar variation.
• Although Paul’s travel was extensive, this letter was the only letter to a church in which he had never been to the city or the church.
• He wrote this letter because he had gotten word that the church there, was beginning to practice some false teachings, and he wanted them to understand that everything they needed, could be found in Christ alone.
Something else I’d like to share with you:
• A few months back, after a message I brought to the church, I got a text asking me to provide all the scripture I had used in that message.
• I replied with the 15 verses, and the response was “wow”.
• I didn’t have the courage to ask if that was a “good wow” or a “bad wow”, so I just left it there.
• However, it did cause me to ask, “why do I use so much scripture when I bring God’s Word?”.
• I found the answer, in the question. Because its’ Gods’ Word.
I believe:
• scripture interprets scripture, so I do my best to back up everything I tell you from behind this pulpit, with Gods Word.
So today, is no exception. I don’t think there are 15 verses to back up todays’ message, but I guess we’ll find out!
Colossians 1:24-29
Stand with me as we honor God while reading His word.
Today, I’d like to share with you what I believe Paul is telling the Colossians, as well as you and me, in this passage,
And…how we can apply this in our own lives.
Re-read v. 24:
? I’d like us to pull out three words, or phrases and do our best to understand what Paul is saying.
? As I began my study in this verse, I read many commentaries, and most of them were to the effect of:
o This is one of, if not the most complex verse in the NT.
Oh great, just what I needed!
• Then I realized why I haven’t heard many (if any) sermons on Colossians.
• It’s deep, way too deep for me.
But God is telling me something in the verse, that we’ll get to a bit later.
Back to those 3 words or phrases.
As we look at this first one, “joy” I’m reminded of how we greet friends, and even strangers.
How are you?
First there’s the “I’m surviving” responses. You know the ones:
• I’m fine, or I’m good
• I’m above ground
• I’m here
• I’m alive
Then there’s the sarcastic ones:
• Another day in paradise
• Just living the dream
Every now and then we’ll get the:
• I’m blessed
Which I don’t always know how to take.
Over the last several months, my reply when someone asks me how I’m doing, has frequently been a heartfelt:
• Better than I deserve (sometimes I add: no doubt in my mind)
I love to see/hear the response, because it is not often people confess they are doing better than they deserve!
But I’ve never heard these responses:
• “I’m just over here rejoicing in my suffering”
Or
• “I’m a prisoner in chains for Christ”
When I hear these responses mentioned above, I have to ask:
Have we lost our joy?
Recently, I read this definition of joy:
• Joy is the deep down confidence that God is in control of our life.
When you look at it in this context, maybe Paul is saying, “I have this deep down confidence (joy)that God is in control of my suffering”.
Look at this passage with me:
Acts 9: 10-16 (read from my bible)
Paul/Saul realizes something special is going to happen with him.
Let’s examine one more passage on the joy of suffering
Most of us have heard or read James 1:2 “count it all joy”
But I’d like us to look at verses 3-8 as well, and particularly verses 7-8
James 1:2-8(read from my bible)
V2- as Christians, we are going to experience trials
V3-faith produces patience
V4-patience has its’ perfect work, complete and lacking nothing
V5-ask for wisdom (when facing trials) and have faith
V6-doubting not allowed
V7-for if we do, we receive nothing from God
V8-double-minded and unstable (in their faith)
If we have doubt, God is not going to bless us!
RE-READ Colossians 1:24
So, Paul is telling them “I rejoice in my sufferings FOR YOU”.
Think about his words here.
• Personally, I don’t mean to sound selfish or ungrateful, but if I’m over here suffering, I’m ok with you getting some of your own! (speaking sarcastically, of course)
But not Paul, he is standing in the gap, and offering the suffering on their behalf. Wow!
How ashamed should I be in my selfishness?
Several years ago, I heard Zig Ziglar say
“If you were accused of being a Christian, would you be acquitted due to a lack of evidence?
Listen to what Paul tells Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:12: “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution”.
I believe in over the last few weeks, God is asking me where my suffering is…
Paul is saying “I am taking my turn in suffering”.
I think that being a couple thousand years removed from the passion of Christ, it is hard for us to imagine the hatred there was for Him at the time of His death.
It was so deep that they weren’t satisfied with His death alone, it was an insatiable hatred, so they persecuted those who remained, the church.
However, I think we are starting to get a glimpse of that type of persecution, in our world today.
Paul is saying he is suffering for the church, the body of Christ.
The Greek word for the church is “Ekklesia” (ek-lay-see-a) which literally means “the called-out ones”.
Have you been called out?
Tell Sean’s persecution story
What’s your persecution story?
You see, I don’t have one!
Revelations 6:9-11 (read from my bible)
I’d like us to look at a couple of other passages that have special reference.
Philippians 3:10 (fellowship)
“that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death”. The Greek word for “fellowship” is Koi-no-nea, which means “an intimate sharing of oneself with another.”
Paul is saying “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and have an intimate sharing of His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death”.
Listen to what Jesus says in John 15:20 “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 keep yours also.”
• We will be persecuted for His names’ sake.
I’m convinced that if we aren’t being persecuted, we aren’t doing anything!
• Think about this:
o Since both Paul and we are part of Christ’s body, then Christs’ sufferings affect us, and our sufferings affect Christ.
I heard an interesting speech this past weekend. The speaker said “you are all ministers for Christ”.
• It caused me to think “as ministers of Christ, at what point is there joy in the suffering?”
In Pauls’ writings while in prison, he never claimed to be a prisoner of Rome but instead, he claimed to be a prisoner of Christ.
So, I’ll ask it again, “as prisoners of Christ, at what point is there joy in the suffering?”
Now, just somewhat briefly, let’s look at the “afflictions” part of this verse.
I read several versions/translations, and the one I prefer, in regards to what Paul is talking about when he says
“what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ,” is the NLT version.
Because when you read the NKJV (read NKJV) is it easy to see why one would think that Paul is saying that there was something lacking in Jesus’ suffering for us. But in the NLT it reads
“I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for His body, the church.”
When you consider it in the context of these other verses mentioned today, it becomes somewhat easier to understand what Paul is telling the church in Colosse.
And that is:
“I joyfully suffer for you, and it is my turn to stand in the gap for those whose suffering for Christ, whose time has not yet come. I do this for the sake of His body, which is the church.”
Call Ashley up
To wrap this up, I’d like us to consider a couple of things:
How do we apply this in our lives?
First of all, we need to love other Christians,
• because when it gets down to it, that’s all we are going to able to count on, in this earthly realm, is other Christians.
• Yes, I know, people will let us down, but we can’t control what other people do, we can only control what we do.
Listen to some ways Paul tells us to love other Christians and why it is worth it to persevere, in our times of suffering.
This is found in Colossians 3:
• Seek those things which are above
• We’ve died and our lives are hidden with Christ
• When Christ appears, we will appear with Him in glory
• Put away the evil things, because the wrath of God is coming to the sons of disobedience
• Do not lie to one another, like the “old man” did
• Bear one another, forgive one another
• Put on love and let the peace of God rule in our hearts
• Christ is all, and in all
What persecution are you suffering for Christ?
• Shamefully, the answer is easy for me (or should I say painful), none.
• And this is why, I believe God put this word on my heart.
Let’s bow our heads and just take a minute or two of reflection while Ashley closes us out in worship.
-give a moment for reflection-
The altar is open if you need prayer. I’d like to close out with one final verse.
James 5:16 “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results”.
Call Dan up to close us out
Every head bowed and every eye closed while we close out in prayer.
