2021-11-14 AM, Christ Above All: Colossians 1:24-29

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,

Colossians 1:25 ESV

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,

Reference back to the last clause in Col 1:23, “gospel…,of which I, Paul, was made a minister.”

Further discussion of the gospel...

Colossians 1:26 ESV

the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints.

What a special time we get to live. It’s been revealed to us, but it was hidden for so long.

It was revealed to us. And since we believed it, we became part of a new class of heavenly people called saints.

To the Saints, Paul explains

Colossians 1:27 ESV

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.

Among the Saints are Jews, and also Gentiles. This would be dramatic change to the teachings of the OT that a person needed to convert to Judaism to be of the covenant people of God.

The Gentiles are eligible for the new covenant

Because the New Covenant is based on

Christ in you

Christ is called the hope of glory

Why does Paul bring this up? What does this have to do with the heresy? Was it Semetic centric

1:28

NASB

We proclaim HIm, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ.

Christ is at the center of the gospel. Not Judaism

Paul admonishes every person to believe in Christ and to submit to Him as Savior and Lord.

Paul teaches every man all wisdom (skill for living) so every man may be a whole hearted disciple of Jesus.

In these two parts of making disciples, men are made whole

Paul sees it as his mission in life to present people complete in Christ

Vs. 29

For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.

Paul knew God’s will for his life and his mission in life.

Paul labors to do this

He strives to do this

He knows how to work in God’s power instead of his own strength

He sees God’s strength working within him- motivation, wisdom, attitude, words, actions)

Not all of us are Paul. Not all of us have a calling identical to Paul’s- to the gentiles, to plant churches, to foster a church planting movement

But we do share the commission like Paul. Though we may be gifted differently (administration, ministry, discipleship- evangelism and missions) we all own the commission.

So we share in admonishing and teaching

We share in laboring for the purpose of Christ. Whatever we do, we need to work at it, in His power rather than our own.

We will all rejoice as we witness the strength of God in us (motivation, wisdom, attitude, words, actions)