Colossians 1:24-2:5 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs!
There are so many good truths and practical lessons for us in today’s passage, Colossians 1:24-2:5. Just one of these lessons could be enough for me to chew on today, but God’s Word here is like a bountiful buffet. Let’s go!
Colossians 1:24 (NIV)
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.
On verse 24: What is Paul saying here? Is he saying that what Jesus Christ endured on the cross was not enough to pay for our sins? No. The afflictions Christ endured on earth, especially dying on the cross, was sufficient to pay for our sins and to reconcile us to God. But here Paul is saying that he has more suffering to endure as he follows God’s calling on his life. And for whose sake is Paul suffering? Christ’s body, the church. From this we can learn two important lessons:
1. When you follow Jesus, there will be incredible blessing, but there will also be suffering. That’s why Jesus says, “If anyone would follow after me, he must deny himself, carry his cross and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23) As a follower of Jesus, don’t expect that your life should always be heaven on earth. You are called to suffer for Jesus too. As Paul would say to another church dear to his heart, “For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him” (Philippians 1:29). In fact, if you never go through suffering as a Christian, you might need to question whether you really are one!
2. Just as Jesus and later Paul both gave their lives for the sake of the church, we are called to suffer for the sake of the church as well. That doesn’t necessarily mean that all of us will be executed for our faith like Jesus and Paul were. But it does mean we are called to make costly sacrifices so that God’s church may benefit. What suffering have you endured for the sake of your church, Christ’s body? What costly sacrifice is God inviting you to make for your church in this season? Do you sacrifice yourself for the sake of your church, or do you sacrifice your church for the sake of yourself? God’s church is built on the loving, selfless and costly sacrifices of God’s people.
Colossians 1:25 (NIV)
25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness–
On verse 25: Paul saw himself as a servant to the church, commissioned by God to present God’s word in all its fullness to the church. From this we can learn two great lessons:
1. God has commissioned you and me to be servants of His church too, using whatever gifts, talents, time and energy God has given us to serve His people. Do you see yourself as a servant of your church or just an attendee of your church? Are you all about service or “serve us”? Like Jesus and Paul, when it comes to our church, may we take on the attitude of a servant. As we say at THRIVE, “I” is for involved and it means we’re here to serve God with our talents.
2. For all of us who are called to preach the Word of God, present the Word of God in its fullness. The Word of God is the most powerful, relevant, life-changing message on earth. Don’t do the Word of God injustice by presenting it in a boring, irrelevant or superficial way. That includes parents, teachers, preachers, team leaders, small group leaders and every Christian since we are all called to share the Word of God with others.
Colossians 1:26-27 (NIV)
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.
On verses 26-27: In Old Testament times, prophets, priests and kings would receive revelation about the word of God as recorded in the Old Testament. But the full word of God was still a mystery, “kept hidden for ages and generations” (v26) until God’s chosen timing. It wasn’t until Christ appeared that God disclosed to His people (“the saints”) the much bigger picture of His word in its fullness, revealed through Jesus Himself and through His apostles.
Paul was now part of a team chosen by God to make this mystery known to the non-Jewish world, the Gentiles. This mystery is not a bunch of rules or a religion, but a person — Christ — and how we can have a relationship with Him: “Christ in you, the hope of glory“. In other words, the mystery of the gospel is that Jesus Christ somehow, miraculously and mysteriously, lives in sinners like us when we believe and that in believing we experience a glorious hope.
Colossians 1:28-29 (NIV)
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.
On verses 28-29: Paul and his missionary team were all about proclaiming him, that is, Jesus. They would do so by “admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom”. In its explanation of these verses, the New American Commentary gives a good definition for admonishing and teaching. To paraphrase, admonishing is confronting a person with the intent of correcting their attitudes and changing their actions. Teaching is presenting Christian truth in an orderly way that helps people to grow.
Notice that the goal of admonishing and teaching is not just for people’s information but for people’s transformation — “so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.” (v28) Whenever you teach or preach God’s Word, remember the goal: it’s not just to inform a person, but to help transform a person so that they become more like Jesus. Only God can transform a person into the image of His Son Jesus, but He uses those who admonish and teach God’s Word for that purpose.
Colossians 1:29 (NIV)
29 To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.
On verse 29: Ministry (or serving God) is about co-operating with the Holy Spirit. On one hand, Paul labors and struggles. On the other hand, it’s the Holy Spirit who provides Paul with His powerful energy to work. Ministry is working out what God is working in you.
Colossians 2:1 (NIV)
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.
On verse 1: Many scholars take this verse as a clue that Paul had not met the church in Colosse personally. Still, Paul was making an impact on people in Colosse, in Laodicea and on other people he had not met before. If Paul lived in our day, I believe he would have been an excellent user of social media, reaching people whom he had not met personally with tools like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Youtube and e-mail. May we use the tools God has given us to effectively reach others with the love of Christ, even those we have never met before.
Colossians 2:2 (NIV)
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,
On verse 2: Knowing and understanding Christ is not just about having a good knowledge of the Bible. Even more, as Paul says, it’s about having courage (“encouraged in heart”) and being united with the brothers and sisters in your church (“united in love”). As important as the Bible is, don’t just chase Bible knowledge. Be someone who brings encouragement and unity to your church.
Colossians 2:3 (NIV)
3 [Christ,] in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
On verse 3: Are you looking for wisdom and understanding for your situation today? Look to Jesus. Ultimately, all wisdom and knowledge worth having are hidden and found in Him.
Colossians 2:4 (NIV)
4 I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments.
On verse 4: Paul realized that the faith of the Colossians was being threatened by arguments that sounded nice but that were in fact false and lacking God’s power. Since all wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Jesus, whenever you might be threatened by fine-sounding arguments, always go back to Jesus.
Colossians 2:5 (NIV)
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.
On verse 5: Paul was eager to see how well the Colossian Christians ordered their lives and how firm their faith in Christ is. A firm faith and a well ordered life/church go hand in hand. If you think you have a firm faith in Christ but your life is out of control, then it’s time to allow Christ to bring under His control certain areas of your life. If your life is well ordered but your faith in Christ is not firm, then it’s time to work on your faith, and also time to ask whether the way you’ve been ordering your life is the way God wants you to order it.
Father, thank You for all the lessons we can learn from Your Word today. Thank You that we don’t live in Old Testament times when Your Word was revealed in more limited ways. Thank You that through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit You have made available to us the mystery and the fullness of Your Word. May we live and teach in that fullness. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
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