Colossians 1:24-29: Him We Proclaim- Christ in You (Part 1)!

Intro:

In order to mature in Christ, Jesus needs to be #1 in our lives

Reconciliation through Jesus produces a stable steadfast hope in the gospel

If Jesus was able to reconcile us and our sin to God through his life, death, and resurrection is there anything that cannot be reconciled through Jesus?

The town of Colosse was prone to earthquakes. Is it any wonder that Paul would use the imagery of being steadfast and stable. The city was devestated and possibly destroyed by and earthquake in A.D. 61-62. Roughly the same time Paul wrote this letter. The same one that rocked Laodicia (which is mentioned in 4:15). The difference was that Laodicia recovered, Colosse did not.

How do I survive the earthquakes of life? Well is Jesus #1 in your life, are you foundation-laid on what Jesus has accomplished through His life, death, burrial and resurrection?

Paul now is going to turn and describe his personal ministry, his response to what God has done through Jesus.

This is the fist part of a chiastic structure, which finds it’s theme in contending or toiling, then it moves to Paul’s commission as an “A”postle, his message, back to Paul’s commission, and ends with Pauls toil and struggling.

I have broekn up the sermon into to application points, a response to the message of Paul that Christ is in you

Outline:

Personal Rejoicing: “Filling Up…Fully Know” (vs. 24-27)

Personal Resolve: “Mature in Christ” (vs. 28-29)

Summary: Christ in me is more powerful than Crisis outside of me.

Prayer:

Personal Rejoicing: “Filling up…Fully Know” (vs. 24-27)

Present Rejoicing in Suffering (v. 24)

Now- at the present moment, what is going on right now in Paul’s life…clink, clink, jail! and logically the next step in the letter.

I rejoice in- presently, as Paul is in jail,

My sufferings- “path-eh-masin” plural: affliction, a stat of great suffering and distress due to adversity. Adversity to the gospel message.

for your sake- Paul’s suffering was meant to benefit those in Colosse

I am filling up- “anatanapl-eh-rw” pres, act, ind, 1st, sg- to satisfy in turn, to satisfy in place of another’s lack; conceived of as filling up where another has left empty.

What is lacking in Christ’s afflictions (“thlipsewn”)- distress, an oppresive state of physical, mental, social, or economic adversity, not used of Christ’s death on the cross.

Lacking- this means what you think it means, need, the state of needing something that is absent or unavailable.

in Christ’s affliction- what are you saying, that Jesus’s death and suffering was not sufficient? Ah, now that I have you attention, what a great opportunity to talk about understanding something in its context.

in my flesh- Paul

for the sake of his body

that is, the church- not the sake of redemption, salvation, justification, for the sake of the body, the church. Were are we in the time line of redemption? We are past the time of Jesus and now in the Early Church era.

When Paul started following Jesus what was it that he was told in Acts 9:15-16 “But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”

Acts 14:22 “strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”

Personal Commitment (vs. 25-26)

Of which I became a minister

according to the stewardship from God- God gave him this administration

The people never met Paul, he is describing the ministry that God has given him as an “A”postle

That was given to me for you- He was given the administration for the people

To make the word of God fully known- The objective of the stewardship is to satisfy or filling completely the Word of God. Wow, is he meaning every aspect of God’s Word, because that would take some serious time...

The mystery- something not previously known

hidden for ages- unkonwn by virtue of concealment, secrecy, or complexity

and generations

But now revealed to

His saints

Hope of Glory (v. 27)

To them (saints?)

God chose to make known-

How great among the Gentiles- not just the Jews, Paul is setting us up to know where some of the conflict of chapter 2 is coming from...

Are the riches of the glory of this mystery

which is Christ in you- notice the preposition

not around you- god in everything

Not among you

Not ahead of you

Not behind you

In you!- The riches of the glory of the gospel goes right to the source of our sin and seeks to deliver us from the inside out

the hope of glory

Application/Implications:

notice the filling of suffer is matched with the fully known word of God. As we feel the filling of our suffering we need to turn to what we know in God’s Word.

What will that look like for you this week? What will that sound like? How is the best way for you to match the fully known word of God to the ever filling suffering in your life?

Then and only then will you be able to rejoice as you choose to.

The riches of the glory and mystery of Jesus is that He is IN you. We cannot mistake this with looking inside yourself for the answers. You have all the answers you need you just need to look within. That is not what Paul is saying. He is saying look at the one who is greater than you, who is at work in you.

How has God commissioned you to make the word of God fully known in the lives of those around you and us? How has God gifted you to help make the Word of God fully known in this church family? Paul was using his giftedness, how are you using yours? Because suffering is only going to increase, we need the increase of the Word of God among our people

Speaking and Serving

Transitional phrase: Paul confirms that through his own suffering and comission by God to make the Word of God known the greatest mystery and anchor of hope is found in the one that is inside him. So, how does this theology challenge him and us to live...

Personal Resolve: “Mature in Christ” (vs. 28-29)

Proclaiming (v. 28)

Him we proclaim- “katangellomen” verb, pres, act, ind, 1st, pl, to announce broadly, to make known openly and with wide distribution. Paul’s commission has now become a shared venture. It is not the responsibility of Paul alone to proclaim Christ.

warning everyone- “nouthetountes” pres, act, part, nom, mas, pl, to admonish, warn or counsel in terms of someone’s behaviour, counselling

Neuthetic counselling- comes from this word

and teaching everyone- “didaskontes” pres, act, part, nom, masc, pl, to teach instruct

with all wisdom-skillful living

That we may present everyone- once again, this is no longer just Paul speaking of himself but involving others.

mature (perfect) in Christ- “teleion” adjective, perfect, mature, spiritualy mature- being at an advanced stage of spiritual development; usually as a result of experience, teaching, and in most cases time. used the most in the book of James, the wisdom literature of the New Testament

Not just mature, but mature in Christ. It is possible to mature and not mature in Christ. The one happens by default, the other is quite different

“For the Hebrew, however, something was ‘perfect’ if it fulfilled its purpose. those who are wholehearted, sincere, and in right relationship to God are described as perfect in Scripture”. NIVAC, 124.

Toiling (v. 29)

For this- presenting everyone mature in Christ

I toil- “Kopio” pres, act ind, 1st, sg, toil, labor, to be wearisome labour, or labour unto extreme fatigue.

struggling- “agonizomenos” pres, mid/pass, part, nom, mas, sg to strain or fight- to exert much effort or energy (in something); conceived of as engaging in a fight or contest

With all his engery

that He works - “energoumen-eh-n” pres, midd, part, acc, fem, sg to implement- to cause to function; to carry into effect.

within me- His energy is focused within me, the internal fortitude, not the outer circumstances.

Powerfully- “dynamei” power- possession of controlling influence; often understood as manifesting influence over reality in a supernatural manner.

Application/Implications:

Christ in you, what does that look like or sound like for you this week when it comes to personal resolve?

Is your gifting more in line with speaking? How does this passages give you a better understanding of what needs to be proclaimed

Is your gifting more in line with serving? In what ways does the full knowledge that His energy is a t work in you while you serve encourage you to continue

Sometimes we can think that being mature means you don’t need counsel. Paul is saying the direct opposite. In order to be mature, you need to be counselled by the Word of God, Which takes work.

The message that Paul has been commissioned to proclaim and suffers for is the great and glorious riches of Christ in you, the hope of glory

Have you ever wondered if there was a place that God was not able to work or that He was capable of working better? His work within you is far greater than His work around you. Think about it, so often we think the greatest show of God’s power is by the change of circumstance we experience that fall in line with what we want. Not according to this text. The greatest work, the ones that is powerfully at work is the one that is done IN you!

Transitional phrase: The internal truths we believe are ment to shape and mold us more than the external circumstances we experience

Summary

Song

Discussion questions

Worship- Renew the Mind (Scripture)

1. What passage of Scripture did we look at? Summarize it in your own words.

2. What is being “filled” and what is to be “fully known” according to verses 24-25?

3. Paul mentions a “mystery in verses 26-27, how does he describe it? What is it and who is it for?

4. What is the end goal of the proclaimation of Christ and the toil and struggle found in verses 28-29?

Grow- Engage the Heart (Conversation)

1. In what ways does the message of the gospel ground you when suffering, struggles, and toil seek to shift you?

2. Do you think your gifts fit more with making the Word of God fully know through proclaimation (warning/counselling, teaching) or the toil of serving? What are you Spiritual Gifts?

3. What is one area of your life that you would like to see Christ work in you powerfully?

Serve- Enlist the Body (Action)

What will personal rejoicing look/sound like this week? In what ways will you choose to let the fully known Word of God stabelize you as suffering fills the week?

What will personal resolve look/sound like this week? In what ways will you choose to toil and struggle to present others mature in Christ?

Come prepared to share one of the following: what you are personally rejoicing in this week or what is an area you would like some counsel from God’s Word about?