Series on Colossians - Mystery of the Gospel

 

Mystery of the Gospel 

Col. 1:24-29

Only those who have given wholeheartedly their lives to the work and will of God truly understand the suffering of serving Christ, being a steward of the will of God, and of the commission of God that Paul faced. He rejoiced in his spirit and soul to be counted worthy to carry his cross. Jesus said it plainly. “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” (Matt. 16:24)  And with that introduction into the lesson, let’s read the first portion of the text. “Now I rejoice in what I am suffering 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. 

Paul was in a prison in Rome, he had walked the walk and talked the talk of being an apostle of Christ Jesus, a minister of Gospel (v.23), minister of God (2 Cor. 6:4), minister of Christ (2 Cor. 11:23), a minister of the new covenant (2 Cor. 3:6), and a minister of God’s grace (Eph. 3:7). Now He speaks as the minister to the church to which he had given his life to serve. He hadn’t personally met the Colossians but through Epaphras, the faithful servant to those in that area, he knew of their love for one another and their faith in Christ.

Paul spoke to the church about his suffering for the work of Christ, for the believers in Colossae, and all the churches he had planted and visited either in person or by letter or proxy. He rejoiced in perseverance as did the other apostles, and disciples that they would be honored and counted worthy to suffer for Jesus, "And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name" (Acts 5:41 NIV) and “For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in Him, but also suffer for His sake, engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.” (Phil. 1:29 NIV) 

Paul wasn’t comparing himself to Christ nor was he saying that the efficacy of Christ’s work on the cross wasn’t complete. He was contemplating the suffering he had and was experiencing that wasn’t yet complete, for He was experiencing the suffering for the body of Christ and the proclamation of the gospel. For just as Christ is the head of the church, the body is the church, and when one part is suffering, so will the rest of the body. “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.” (1 Cor. 12:26 ESV)

Application - I can’t say that I have really suffered anything more than a few tongue lashing and a little ostracizing in life from proclaiming the gospel. Yet there are many around the world who know the perseverance of suffering physically, mentally, and spiritually for the sake of the gospel and in laying down their lives for others they have never met. 

I’m reminded of a pastor in China who was imprisoned for proclaiming Christ and teaching and training others in the gospel. While in prison, he was beaten, starved, and isolated in a dank cold filthy cell. While in the cell, he took a bar of soap and cleaned the cell and used the bar to write the gospel on the prison cell walls. He asked the guard if he could clean the other cells as well, and to his ebullience and astonishment, the guard agreed. So he cleaned and wrote out the gospel in every wall of the cells on his floor before they beat him again. And in Africa, there are several who have been martyred for their faith. One pastor’s wife was made to watch with her children as the marauding terrorists killed and butchered her husband for his faith in Christ Jesus. And today she is sharing the gospel to anyone in Africa who will hear what the Spirit is saying to the lost. 

Yet in each of these testimonies, the gospel was needed still to be proclaimed in the lives of many who hadn’t heard the gospel of the life of the Son of God who came to give his life for all that those who believed in Him would have eternal life and freedom from the real marauder, Satan and death. 

This is what being a minister of the gospel meant to Paul, and to many others who will pick up their cross, deny themselves and follow the Spirit of God as He leads in the work of God still needing to be finished. Where do you stand today in suffering for the gospel?

Second, Paul expounds on the stewardship of serving the gospel to the gentile church. Paul didn’t exhort the churches on proper living styles, or having a good life, or on manners of prayer, or the social mores of serving each other. He presented the fullness of Christ and the word of God that brings glorious hope. So let’s read the next portion of the text. “I have become its servant by the God who gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. 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.”

Paul taught from the scriptures on the prophecies written about Christ (almost 30 percent of the scriptures), that He must come to the Jews and to the Gentiles as well. He taught the mysteries of Christ’s deity and his humanity. He taught the salvation that comes by grace from faith in Christ. He taught the churches to live by faith not by sight, by the leading and yielding to the Holy Spirit. He taught the joy and the victory that comes from abiding in Christ, and he taught of the return of Jesus for the church. All of this is the fullness of the gospel, the word of God.

The mysteries of the prophetic word in the scriptures were alive and abounding in the times of Paul. And the life lesson of obedience and trust in the words of Jesus as he revealed the mysteries that had been hidden from the wise and given to the common with child-like faith. “At that time Jesus prayed this prayer: “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike.” (Matt. 11:25)

The gentile believers were now being grafted into God’s olive tree, they were the Lord’s people as well as the Jewish people. (Rom. 9-11) For the mystery of a great light that would shine on the gentile world had come. “Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.” (Isa. 9:1-2)  Paul was exposing the light of this revelation of the mystery of the gospel to the gentiles, for it is the radiant light of heaven to the world. “When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel…this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.” (Eph. 3:4-6, 8-10 ESV)

Paul's greatest desire was to share Christ and His glorious riches found in God as he did in Ephesus and other churches in Asia minor. The glorious riches of Christ aren’t found in searching for enlightenment or pleasure, neither are they found in knowledge and intelligence in the world, but only in Christ are found the heavenly riches that the Father bestows to those He loves, “...that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Eph. 3:16-19 NIV)

This was Paul’s greatest joy, knowing Christ lived in him, the true hope of glory, and the exaltation of seeing lost souls enter into faith and eternal life through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Application -  To many, being a servant is a demeaning and degrading position, but in God’s economy, the servant is held in high honor and privilege. “Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven....whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave.” (Matt.18:4;20:26-27)

There are not many examples of true servants who have humbled themselves and served in the proclamation of the Gospel in this world at whatever cost to their lives as there will be for those who are martyred for the proclamation of Christ Jesus and testify how Christ Jesus saved them and they were set free and more than conquerors. “They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.” (Rev. 12:11)

The mystery of Christ is being shared, testified, and proclaimed in almost every corner of the world. God is making it known through the gospel and by the Holy Spirit as He draws men and women, boys and girls to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out…No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:37,44 ESV) To this we can shout, Hallelujah!

For no one can claim ignorance, for the gospel has been and is being, and will be proclaimed till the end. “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” (Acts 17:30-31 ESV)

This is the true glorious riches of God, it is “Christ Jesus in you, the hope of glory.” 

And last, Paul desired the church to reach full maturity and with all wisdom from God. So let’s read the final portion of the text, “He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.”

Sitting in a prison cell or a guard room chained to a guard, Paul was content by whatever means to proclaim Jesus Christ to the gentile world. For as He said to the Corinthians and the Romans, “I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.” “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.” (1 Cor. 9:22b-23; Rom. 1:16 NIV)

Paul, the writer of many of the letters to the churches, realized the importance of getting the gospel out to the unbelieving world, whether by letter, by proxy, or in person. He proclaimed Jesus as Savior, Lord, and God; he admonished those to follow the teaching and the scriptures which are the truth of God and not to fall to the deceptions of false teaching about Christ. Paul knew the immense value of wisdom in order to discern and bring to maturity those who were coming to Christ in the home churches and prayer meetings. As Jesus had said there will be wolves among the sheep bearing heretical teachings. “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits.” “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” (Matt. 7:15-16a, 10:16) 

Paul strenuously contended for sound doctrinal teaching till his last breath, for he knew the power of the Holy Spirit of God working in him and through him. He continued to strive for the gospel whether in chains or freed to travel, whether in great persecution and suffering or in the joy of the presence of a group of believers hungry for Jesus Christ.

Application - Where are we today in strenuously contending for the faith, for the truth of God’s Word? Are we like Paul who gave his life wholeheartedly to the work of God? Are we seeking wisdom in order to live a life content with all the energy of Christ powerfully working in us? These are soul and thought provoking questions that each of us needs to answer. 

For in our world today, there is great apostasy, the departing from the faith and the truth of God’s Word. We see degradation and even abominations performed and set up in churches. People in the world are shouting for diversity, equality, and inclusion, but is the church shouting for oneness with Christ, submission to God’s will and plan, humility and servanthood, and are we striving for maturity in our walk with Christ even in suffering for the gospel? 

LIke Paul, we should be proclaiming the Jesus of the Bible, not the Jesus of our culture. We should be admonishing one another in purity of faith and living a life that is pleasing to God. “...You may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;  being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy.” “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.  And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Col. 1:9b-11, 3:16-17)

This is our joy, peace, and fullness to know Jesus Christ and His love for us and others. Let us make this our daily desire, to read and study His Word, and to pray for all to know Him, his joy, peace, and fullness as we proclaim, testify, and share the Good News of Jesus Christ.

I’m again including the ABC’s of salvation for all those who have not yet received Jesus Christ for salvation. For Jesus, God the Son, came to this world to save all who would believe and trust in him. He desires to reveal himself to you, He is the Light that overcomes the darkness of this lawless world. He hears your prayers, and all authority in heaven and earth have been given to him. He will answer you if you will truly believe. If you haven’t asked him to be your Lord and Savior, today could be that day.

 First, A - Admit that you are a sinner. This is where that godly sorrow leads to genuine repentance for sinning against a righteous God and there is a change of heart, we change our mind and God changes our hearts and regenerates us from the inside out. Romans 3:10 - As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one." Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (We are all born sinners which is why we must be born spiritually in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven). Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. The bad news is that the wages of sin is death, in other words our sin means that we have been given a death sentence, we have the death penalty hanging over our heads, that's the bad news. But here's the good news: The good news is that the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Ephesians 2:8-9 - For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Second,

 B - Believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and that God raised Jesus from the dead. This is trusting with all of your heart that Jesus Christ is who he said he was. Romans 10:9-10 - That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. Third, 

C - Call upon the name of the Lord. Every single person who ever lived since Adam will bend their knee and confess with their mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, the Lord of lords and the King of kings. Romans 14:11 - For it is written: "As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God." Don't wait until later — do this now. Romans 10:13 - For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." "O God, I am a sinner. I'm sorry for my sin. I want to turn from my sin. I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son; I believe that He died on the cross for my sin and that He was buried and You raised Him to life. I have decided to place my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior, trusting only in His shed blood as sufficient to save my soul and to take me to heaven. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for saving me. Amen."

Please share this with someone this week, the Lord knows that we and they need it.

If you would like other lessons, please go to http://pmdinhisservice.blogspot.com 

Until next week, In His Service Mike Davis

I have revised my webpage on Spiritual warfare. Please give it a look. Thank you. http://uss-warfare3.webnode.com