The Gospel in Our Suffering

Text: Colossians 1:24-2:5

Introduction/Recap: Last week, we took a theological deep dive into the doctrine of the Trinity and talked about why it’s so important and how we can see this doctrine taught from Scripture itself. Many people think that doctrine is something we should save for seminary or Bible school, but from my experience, average Christians need to know what they believe and why they believe it, too. There’s a lot of false gospels floating around in the world today, and if you’re not well taught, it’s easy to be deceived.

I told you before that Colossians was written to address a false teaching that was threatening the church at Colossae, and next week we will really take a look a that. But, we’ll see Paul allude to it today near the end of our passage when he talks about “plausible sounding arguments.”

One of the areas of life where these “plausible sounding arguments” hit hardest is in the area of suffering. All of us will go through suffering in this life. We will all experience loss, pain, and heartache. When we go through suffering, we often look for answers. The Bible doesn’t answer the “why” question in every case, but it does tell us a lot about some of God’s purposes in our suffering, and it gives us some safeguards to keep us from looking in the wrong places for the answers.

So, turn with me in your Bibles to Colossians 1.

Colossians 1:24–2:5 NIV84

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. 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. 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, 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.

Prayer for Illumination

Transition:

I think that all of us probably know that suffering is inevitable in this life. But beyond that, this passage tells us that suffering is not only inevitable...

Suffering is a necessary part of the gospel presentation.

Colossians 1:24 NIV84

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.

What wasn’t lacking in Christ’s afflictions?

Not lacking in severity of the penalty

Isaiah 53:4–5 NIV84

4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

Not lacking in purity of the sacrifice

Hebrews 4:15 NIV84

15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.

Hebrews 7:26 ESV

26 For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.

Not lacking in sufficiency to save

Hebrews 10:11–14 ESV

11 And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

Hebrews 7:25 ESV

25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

Christ’s death was fully sufficient to save any and all who call upon his name in faith.

So then, what does Paul mean? What is lacking in Christ’s afflictions? We get a clue from another of Paul’s letters:

Philippians 2:25–30 ESV

25 I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need, 26 for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. 27 Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. 29 So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men, 30 for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me.

The ESV Study Bible Chapter 2

Epaphroditus had faced this peril on behalf of the Philippians, who had desired to send gifts to support Paul but had not been able to do so (what was lacking in your service to me) until Epaphroditus made it possible (see 4:10, 18).

What was lacking in the Philippians’ service to Paul was the physical presentation of the gift.

The Philippian church had taken up a collection for Paul to help his ministry, but they were unable to actually give it to Paul themselves.

So, Epaphroditus, took the risks upon himself and nearly died from illness in the process of bringing the gift to Paul on their behalf.

What is “lacking” in Christ’s afflictions is the physical presentation of his gift.

Christ’s death has accomplished redemption for all who will believe in his name, but that doesn’t mean that those who are going to be saved will just be saved.

Obviously, they have to respond to the offer of salvation. But before they can even do that, there has to be a presentation of the Gospel.

Romans 10:14–15 ESV

14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

Suffering is not merely inevitable as a Christian, it is necessary.

The most effective presentations of the Gospel are those that illustrate the sacrifice that Jesus made for us.

In 1956, five young missionaries were speared to death in the jungles of Ecuador while trying to take the gospel to the notoriously violent Waorani tribe: Ed McCully, Roger Youderian, Nate Saint, Pete Fleming and Jim Elliot. These five men left behind wives, young children, and many friends and family in their efforts to reach the lost with the hope of the gospel. They and their families endured unspeakable suffering and tragedy.

Over time, many of the Waorani ended up coming to Christ, including the missionaries’ murderers. In time, some details came out that were shocking. It turns out that the missionaries had a gun with them, but had made a pact not to use it against the Waorani because they knew they weren’t saved. The Waorani quickly realized that the men they had just killed had the means to defend themselves and had chosen not to do so and instead allow themselves to be killed. The result? Many of the Waorani came to Christ. God used their willingness to suffer for the gospel as the means of bringing many people to Christ and to inspire an entire movement of of believers to become foreign missionaries, including ourselves even some 60 years later.

A History of Christianity: An Introductory Survey Tertullian of Carthage (160–220)

A native of Carthage, Tertullian was the son of a Roman centurion. He received a good education and showed talent in rhetoric but despised philosophy, so he pursued law in Rome. After becoming a Christian around 192, he returned to Carthage. Tertullian said he had become a Christian because of the witness of the martyrs and a fear of hell. In fact, Carthage had faced so much persecution it was dubbed the “Church of the Martyrs.”

Blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.

Tertullian of Carthage (A.D. 160-220)

Scripture even tells us in Revelation that there is a number of martyrs—known only to God—that must be completed before God comes in judgement to make things right.

Revelation 6:9–11 ESV

9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. 10 They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11 Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.

God has ordained that suffering is often a necessary part of our presentation of the Gospel because it is an enacted Gospel presentation.

God often uses suffering in our lives to bring us and others to maturity in faith.

Paul, how can you have this attitude in the midst of suffering?

Colossians 1:28–29 ESV

28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

The NIV uses the word “perfect,” but the greek word here means “complete,” and “mature” is probably a better rendering of that word.

Mature faith rejoices in suffering because our suffering benefits others. (v. 24)

Colossians 1:24 ESV

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,

Colossians 2:1–2 ESV

1 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ,

Paul was not a sadist who enjoyed suffering for sufferings’ sake.

Paul could rejoice in his suffering because he knew it would benefit the Colossian Church to see him stand strong in the midst of suffering.

If you haven’t yet come to the point where you can rejoice in your suffering because it benefits others, you’re probably not done suffering yet.

Mature faith looks past the suffering the the hope of eternity. (v.27)

Colossians 1:28 ESV

28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.

Colossians 2:2 ESV

2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ,

When we suffer gracefully, we show the world around us that our hope is rooted in something better than this life.

Illustration from story of my friend’s death in high school and the way his father ministered to all of us through it.

When we suffer the loss of a loved one, that’s an opportunity to display our hope in eternity. When we suffer the pain of illness or chronic pain, that’s an opportunity to display the strength Christ gives us. When we suffer financial hardship or material discomfort, that’s an opportunity to show the world where our true treasure is.

True wisdom and knowledge are found in Christ. (2:2-5)

There are many competing sources of “wisdom” in this world that can lead us astray.

Many want science to be the sole standard of truth.

Naturalism claims that there is no God because every phenomenon can be explained scientifically.

Overstepping the bounds of what science can say and making moral judgments

Philosophy, psychology, politics, etc. claim to know what’s true.

What does that have to do with suffering? Why is Paul talking about wisdom in Christ in the middle of this talk about suffering?

Oftentimes, suffering causes us to rethink our beliefs. And for many people, it causes them to search for systems of belief that can minimize suffering and maximize happiness.

Beware any theology that minimizes the need for suffering in the life of a believer.

Colossians 2:4–5 ESV

4 I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. 5 For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

As we try to answer the question, “Why would a good, loving God allow ____...”, we have to be on our guard for false wisdom that will lead us astray.

The path to atheism says, “He wouldn’t. God must not exist.”

The path to heresy says, “He must not have known it would happen or been able to prevent it.” (Open theism)

The path to the prosperity gospel says, “If you have enough faith, you can eliminate suffering from your life.”

Conclusion:

Do not be deluded by “plausible sounding arguments.” Stand firm in the gospel, even if you don’t know “why.”

The gospel tells us that God is in control.

Matthew 10:29–31 ESV

29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

The gospel tells us that we will experience suffering:

John 16:33 ESV

33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

He’s working all things for the good of those who love him.

Romans 8:28 ESV

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

He’s using your suffering for the benefit of yourself and others.

Colossians 1:24 ESV

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,

It will all make sense one day.