[Transcript represents full sermon's text]

       Colossians 1:24: “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake" (ESV).

       Coming to this verse today, we are presented with something, which, admittedly, seems foreign to us in American society. It seems definitely so. To rejoice in one’s sufferings. We are taught to avoid suffering at all costs. Our society is even geared in that direction. Depending on what position a person takes as pertains to the wealth of our society and democracy, it certainly is apparent that we are blessed greatly. The mind is under the impression that the reasoning behind this, dare it presume, is multifaceted. An obvious reason is the support and care for Israelites, God’s original chosen people, who have the Old Testament promises. To paraphrase, we know God said of old, “Bless Israel and I will bless you.” That is experientially true. But there is also the aspect of obedience, and while obedience doesn’t always bring here and now blessing (as we are seeing right here in this passage), at the same time it often does. So, a second reason for the blessedness of our society and government could be linked to that.

       Nevertheless, again, we taught and geared to avoid suffering at all costs. Just a breeze through the local bookstore will demonstrate that fact, or a scrolling through your favorite online bookstore on your smartphone. All kinds of books, whether secular or otherwise, have been written to help us in and steer us from suffering. Suffering is bad. No one wants to suffer. And yet, Paul tell us today that he rejoiced in his sufferings. He doesn’t say he wanted to suffer, or even sought it, but he says his reaction to it was that of rejoicing. Seems somewhat perverted based, again, our our preconditioned mindsets. So, what do we do with this? How do we understand it? Well, not all of us have perfect lives. There are those who suffer. Probably not the same way Paul did through external persecution, but there are other kinds of suffering. There is disease, hospitalizations, broken relationships, divorce, mental issues, lack of money, etc. Indeed, while many are not that familiar with everyday suffering, many around us, at the same time, actually are.

       One may wonder where this is going, and whether, on account of this verse or other verses, it means that the Christian is supposed to “rejoice” no matter what the sufferings. However, if we take a close look at what Paul was rejoicing over, it was actually sufferings for Christ’s sake. Not suffering for getting Alzheimer’s, not suffering for one’s baby dying, not suffering for separation from a friend, not suffering for the spouse leaving you and the kids behind, not suffering for disturbing thoughts that are hard to bring under control, not suffering for working that low paying job. These are bad things that really happen and of which are just that, bad. Paul emphasis today is something else. To put it another way, he would say to the Corinthians, “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:17, 18, ESV). Thus, we need to be mindful to distinguish between personal problems and Gospel problems.

       Continuing in the verse; “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.”

       Paul brings Christ into the picture here. Christ—remember—the great healer of the problems of the world. The one who went round and round the various parts of Israel alleviating personal suffering. Yet, he himself would suffer for his ministry of reliving suffering. How ironic. But, certainly, there was more to it than that. There were those who hated Jesus, mainly the leaders of his day, because really, they were jealous. He was stealing their worldly glory. The crowds were going after Jesus instead of going after them. Perhaps their teachings, which had been that which the crowds followed, those teachings were no longer the ‘thing.’ There were new teachings, as it was perceived, and the new teachings were doing-in the old. And we could say this revealed the Jewish leaders’s true hearts, that they were selfish and prideful. Jealously was just the surface emotion that lead back to deeper problems.

       And so, killing Jesus off wasn’t enough for these leaders, who we know as the Scribes and Pharisees, the teachers of the Law (that is, the Jewish Law). They were the original offenders, and they came after the church. Remember, Paul himself, as Saul, was one of them. Paul said of himself on one occasion, “as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church” (Philippians 3:5, 6, ESV). So, in writing to the Colossians, Paul is referring to his current imprisonment in Rome. He was currently under persecution for the Gospel’s sake. The Jews themselves oftentimes led secular leaders to persecute the church, which really needs no explanation. And we know that secular people had opposed Paul as well, like when he was in Ephesus and the idolmakers came against him (see Acts 19). But the overarching point Paul is trying to make is that it wasn’t enough for everyone to take Jesus out, but now, just like he had been himself, they were focusing on his followers.

       Backup up a little in verse 24: “for the sake of his body, that is, the church, 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).

       It is interesting how Paul calls himself a minister of the church. We often think of him as a missionary, and rightfully so, for he even mentions that in saying “to make the word of God fully known.” (Word of God representing the Gospel rather than the Bible as might come to our minds here in the twenty-first century when hearing that phrase). Paul then is both—a minister and a missionary. What is of key focus is what he says this calling from God means, and that he has been entrusted with the job. He has a stewardship. That invariably implies that God is not meticulously controlling Paul, as might be presumed. Rather, Paul has been entrusted with the work. It implies freedom. Ministers and missionaries are more free than they a lot of times realize. Free to make good choices which will benefit the kingdom of God—good choices on where to lead, and even what to focus on. If God has put a person in that position to begin with, he trusts them.

       This idea of stewardship seems to be understood among us, as Americans, easily when thinking of, like corporations, or even sports teams, for instance. With a cooperation, a CEO (Chief Executive Officer) is entrusted with making good and wise business choices. He or she oftentimes doesn’t even need to consult others when making those choices. Sometimes they do, and sometimes they don’t. Coming to mind, in keeping corporations in focus, and using a specific example here, was when Steve Jobs, of Apple Inc, was handing off the reigns to Tim Cook. Steve trusted Tim from working with him over the years, and he knew he would lead Apple well. And that puts Apple in Tim’s hands, so that he makes the decisions to best lead the company. Like his recent decision, for example, not to raise the price of the pro iPhone. To use another example, we can think of a head coach of a football team, and how that coach makes good and effective decisions to manage the team. We can note how Ryan Day, head coach of The Ohio State Buckeyes, recently vowed to give a couple Buckeye defenders more time in games. A decision he made.

       So, we understand these things. It’s easy for us. But does the minister of God, or missionary for that matter, understand then the tremendous responsibility entrusted to him or her? It doesn’t mean they don’t pray. Surely, prayer can be and often is a part of decision making. The point is that just like the CEO, or the head coach, the minister and missionary is expected to make wise choices that will lead the church in the right directions, down the right paths. The freedom and responsibility is there. It takes boldness, and perhaps more leaders in the ministry need to follow their hearts and make bigger and better choices. That’s what God wants.

       Back in verse 25: “to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints.”

       The keynote presentation or the press conference the comes with purpose for the laborer of God. It is the make the mystery which was hidden in the past—to make that known to everyone who will listen. Jesus modeled this perfectly for us when he began his earthly ministry. We know he was doing something right, for right after he began, right after he gave his famous Sermon on the Mount, remember, the Scripture records for us, “the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes” (Matthew 7:28, 29, ESV). As onlookers, we are typically astonished at the latest iPhone keynote. Or the latest OSU press conference, whether we agree with the decisions or not. Does the minister present the Word of God in an astonishing way? Well, we don’t want to get too out of bounds. The minister may not have the most innovative or fired up speech, but it should bring faith and hope to the table, with some love mixed in, right? But, perhaps like Jesus, it doesn’t hurt for the minister to be as innovative as he can. We know some great Christian thinkers who have been. Rick Warren is coming to mind.

       What is the mystery? Actually, Paul reveals that for us in the next verse: “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).

       This is a big verse, a big verse. One of the biggest we’ve come across in Colossians 1. Much to discuss. A foundational summary would likely be helpful at this point. We know, in reading our Old Testaments, and going back toward the beginning of our world, that all the way back in the book of Genesis, God choose Abraham, and it was Abraham’s offspring that would become the Nation of Israel, a race of people who God choose specifically as his own from all the people groups of the world. During the times of the Old Testament then, God’s focus and dealings was with Israel as a people group. And, they would be dealt with collectively rather than individually, and by this it is meant that the focus was more or less on the group as a whole versus the individual as a whole. In the New Testament, with the appearance of Jesus on the scene, we see this focus shift. It shift’s first for the Jewish people, in that they are encouraged to come into personal relationship with God through belief in Jesus as Messiah. But, first through the Apostle Peter, we see God start to offer the gift of salvation to the Gentile peoples as well.

       The riches that were had for Israel, then, come to the Gentiles also. Paul talks about this in Romans 9. We usually think of Romans 9 as a deep and complicated discussion on the individual salvation of people within the two groups. Many have taught this perspective, including who you’re listening to right now. Really, though, it seems more likely that Paul’s real emphasis there in Romans 9, which carries over into chapters 10 and 11, was on the whole people-group of Israel verses the people-group of the Gentiles. We know that the Israelites decided to reject the Lord Jesus Christ and had him crucified through Pontius Pilate, their Roman leader. Now, this wasn’t the case with every Jewish person, as many did come into faith in Jesus, as the Gospels clearly show, but it was the case in an overall, collective picture of the group as a whole. That which Paul talks about in Romans 9 through 11. He would conclude starting in Romans 9:30: “What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law” (Romans 9:30, 31, ESV).

       The whole mystery of the inclusion of the Gentiles was part of God’s plan from the beginning, all the way back to the beginning in Genesis 12 with God’s dealings with Abraham. We know this; we are familiar with it. That’s good news indeed. We should not assume, however, that God wanted the Israelites to reject Jesus to seemingly give the Gentiles a chance. That couldn’t have been the plan because God is foreordaining individuals actually sinning against him in that case. The Israelites chose that path—it was their sin for which they are responsible. Paul even says, going back to Romans, now in chapter 11: “And even they [the Jews], if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again” (23, ESV). Of course, this is the famous discussion of the Israelites’s failure to attain right standing with God.

       Regardless, of whether Jew or Gentile, Paul notes to the Colossian believers that the riches of the mystery are “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” This part of the mystery, which can safely be assumed is the indwelling of the Spirit of God in the one who believes, was not revealed during Old Testament times. So from the time of Abraham, all the way to when this was revealed, a time period of about 2,000 years, this part was not known. And that’s how God generally works. He doesn’t always reveal the full picture right in the beginning. We are familiar with this idea, in understanding the recent Evangelical theology, that the Rapture of the Church was not conceived until some 1,800 years after it was written about from the Apostle Paul. Yet, that is what we believe, and the evidence for such a position does seem strong. Some believers, like Eastern Orthodox, might say, “Well, doctrines like the Rapture of the Church can’t be true because they weren’t believed by the early church fathers. They knew nothing of it.” Well, the Old Testament writers knew nothing of this indwelling of the Spirit of God that was to become so monumental for the Christian.

       We know Christ does not himself dwell within us. He is in a physical body in Heaven right now. Rather, he said, recall, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:16, 17, ESV). Notice that the Old Testament way was that of the Spirit of God dwelling with the believer, versus inside the believer. Jesus contrasts the two. The second, newer way, is obviously much greater. It gives us permanent fellowship with God, versus a fellowship that comes and goes. It doesn’t seem that it’s often thought to be like that—that really we are in continual connection with God. And this indwelling, as Paul said, is “the hope of glory.” A couple verses come to mind in light of this. First, Romans 8:16: “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (ESV). That’s how we know we are saved, we are truly in right relationship with God. Lack that, then question it. The second verse is Ephesians 4:30: “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption” (ESV). Note he must be constantly indwelling us if we can grieve him. And also that he is our seal for “the hope of glory.”

       Continuing on in Colossians. The first part of verse 28: “Him we proclaim, warning everyone… with all wisdom” (ESV).

       The understanding of Paul and his companions, specifically Timothy in this letter’s context, proclaiming Christ is really of no need of explanation. That is understood by this point in the New Testament. The Book of Acts shows that clearly. The “everyone” Paul is referring to appears to be the collective group of unbelievers and believers alike. The way he says it in the verse seems to make that connotation. He says first, in the proclamation of Christ, that he goes about “warning.” Warning of what? What is Paul and Timothy warning people about? The need for a Savior, right? The need to be delivered from one’s sins through trust in Christ’s sacrifice of himself on the cross and rising from the dead. The need to trust in that provision of salvation or else. Or else what? Is it that God is going to ‘get’ people if they don’t? Is it trying to come into compliance with an angry God that is out to ‘get’ people. No, really, it is just the stark reality of the situation for everyone. Everyone has rebelled against God in some way, shape, or form, and is therefore separated from God. No real connection to him; no indwelling from the Holy Spirit. That issue needs to be resolved.

       People sin out of their own choice. God isn’t causing anyone to sin. So, the sin that individuals have—it is their responsibility to rectify. And the only way of rectification is through Christ. That’s what Paul is warning people. Anyone can be a good person. Anyone can do good things, good deeds if you will. People can be givers of their time, givers of wealth, help the homeless, help the sick, whatever you want to name. At the end of the day, though, good deeds don’t make up for the bad deeds. That’s the warning. It’s not a weight scale were bad is outweighed with good. A lot of individuals believe that’s the way it works. As a matter of fact, that’s what most of us were taught growing up. You do something bad as a child, and then you make it good by doing something good. It seemingly, in most cases, erases the previous bad that was done. That’s not how dealing with our sin works. It’s an all-or-nothing proposition. We are either covered by Christ’s blood and made clean, or we are not. We can’t be partially clean and sort of get into Heaven with a lesser experience as a result. We are either in or we are out. Each person needs to contemplate on this today.

       In understanding God’s wisdom in this, it is as Paul told the Romans: “Do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed” (Romans 2:4, 5, ESV). Notice how Paul addresses the lack of judgment that is often visible in our current world. Notice this; this is important. A lot of people miss this. Often times the reason we don’t see instant judgment from God for sin is because God is wishing for people to change. Hence, obviously God doesn’t control people and make them sin. If that were the case, then why would God show kindness in hopes of leading people to repentance? Individuals have the choice whether to keep their hardened and unrepentant heart, or whether not to. And how long one has—that is uncertain. And note also that “God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.” Again, it’s often not apparent right now—it’s not very clear to those walking this earth that that’s what God’s going to do, that he’s going to call individuals to account for their sin.

       Finishing up verse 28: ““Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ” (ESV).

       The ultimate goal is then twofold. First, to bring people into relationship with God. For the Jewish person, that’s back into relationship with God. For the Gentile person, that’s into relationship with the real God. And second, to make people mature who have believed. To make the Christians mature. How are folks to become mature? Paul says it is through wise teaching. Wise teaching. That’s what the pastor does. That’s what all the ministers and Bible teachers on the radio, or in the podcasts, do. There's no question about it, in our day and age, here in twenty-first century America, we have more Christian teaching available to us than any Christian population has ever had. It is wide and far. Though we know, that we can hear everything that there is, but at the end of the day we have to put what we hear into practice, right? It is as James said in his epistle, “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like” (James 1:22-24, ESV).

       People have asked the question in the past, of what is thought about some of the modern, more charismatic, televangelist (to use a somewhat dated term) types of preachers. Pay attention to the fact that Paul told us today that his and Timothy’s teaching came “with all wisdom.” While it doesn’t seem right to group these type of teachers into one bag and declare them all no good, at the same time it is important to be wise. Let’s lay out an illustration to try to get the point across. Let’s say someone wanted to be healthy as a person. Now let’s say that person decided to eat a healthy, balanced diet, and that of which caters to the person’s individual needs. We would call that person wise. But we wouldn’t call that person wise, on the other hand, if the person instead decided to eat chocolate cake three times a day, everyday. It seems likely there would be unnecessary weight gain, and not to mention other issues. This is the wisdom we are talking about. Chocolate cake is tasty every once in a while, but seems to get overbearing the more excessively it is eaten.

- Daniel Litton