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Listen for God’s word to you from Colossians 1:24-2:5…
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. I have become its servant by the commission God 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.
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.
I want you to know how hard I am contending for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the fullriches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how disciplined you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.
At the beginning of our journey through Colossians, I mentioned that “fullness” is a key word in this letter. Now, in this passage, we learn more of what it means to live in the fullness of Christ. Paul tells us much here about what might be called his labor for the fullness, and suggests to us “Four Pillars of the Full Life”.
FULLNESS OF SUFFERING
The first thing Paul tells us is: I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions. What does Paul mean by this?
One thing that Paul cannot mean is that there was anything lacking in the atoning value of Jesus’ sacrifice. After all, were not Jesus’ last words on the cross, “It is finished!” (John 19:30)? And there are other verses that would refute the idea of any insufficiency in Christ’s atoning sacrifice. (See Colossians 2:14; Hebrews 10:11-14; 1 John 1:9.)
To understand Paul’s meaning in Colossians 1:24 we must remember what Paul teaches over and again, that Christ is in us, and we are in him. We, the church, are the body of Christ. So, if we are attached to Christ, the head of the body, then we share in his sufferings as well as in his resurrection.
When Paul was writing these words to the Colossians, Paul was suffering in prison. He saw his suffering as part of the suffering of Jesus, not adding to that suffering, but extending it.
The same is true for each of us. Whatever suffering we go through is not extraneous to the suffering of Jesus, if we are part of his body. We share in Jesus’ suffering, and he shares in ours. Jesus knows what you are going through right now and he feels your suffering with you.
It could be that some false teachers had come in among the Colossians and spread the idea that they could experience the fullness of resurrection life now, in this life. It could be that Paul is disabusing them of this false notion. He is explaining to the Colossians precisely what the full life in Christ involves. Yes, it will entail, one day, fully sharing in Christ’s resurrection. But full life in Christ also involves sharing in Jesus’ suffering now.
As George Macdonald once wrote, “The Son of God suffered unto death, not that men might not suffer, but that their sufferings might be like His.”
Paul also realizes that the purpose of his suffering is the same as that of Christ. He is suffering for the sake of Christ’s body, which is the church.
One problem with so much of our suffering is that it seems meaningless. We often ask, “Why is this suffering happening?” While that question is natural, how much better to offer up our suffering to Christ, as Paul did, so that it may benefit others.
Terry Waite, British human rights activist, author, and assistant to the Archbishop of Canterbury, was held as a hostage in Lebanon for five years. It must have been tempting for him to see his suffering as meaningless during those years of captivity. Yet, here is what Waite later said about his experience…
I have been determined in captivity, and still am determined, to convert this experience into something useful and good for other people. I think that’s the way to approach suffering. It seems to me that Christianity doesn’t in any way lessen suffering. What it does is enable you to take it, to face it, to work through it, and eventually to convert it.[1]
What a great response to suffering! Let us take our suffering and convert it into something useful and good for other people. If nothing else, we can do this by handling our suffering in such a way that it is a witness to others of Jesus.
FULLNESS OF THE WORD
The second major thing Paul tells the Colossians in this passage is that it is his job to present to them the word of God in its fullness.
Paul says…
I have become its [the church’s] servant by the commission God 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’s words suggest that the word of God was not complete until Jesus came. Jesus is the ultimate word of God in all its fullness. Until Jesus came, there was a mystery kept hidden. But now, Paul says, that mystery is disclosed to the Lord’s people.
What is this mystery? Paul explains, “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 speaks in Ephesians 3:6 about the inclusion of the Gentiles in God’s plan as a mystery. But more importantly, the mystery now disclosed to all is the mystery of Christ in us, the hope of glory.
What could be more wonderful? It was a mystery until it happened. God’s people in the Old Testament never realized that God was going to come to this earth in person. But then it happened. Jesus, the Son of God, was born as a babe in Bethlehem. He lived a perfect, full life for us. He died on a cross in the place of sinners, taking all our suffering upon himself. And then he rose again from the dead to secure everlasting life for us.
And now, this same Jesus, promises to come and live inside of us by the Holy Spirit. All we must do is say “yes”. Jesus says, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if anyone hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come in to them, and have fellowship with them, and they with me.” (Revelation 3:20) All we must do is open the door and let him in.
Once we do that, Jesus is living within us. And he promises to never leave us or forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5) Once he comes into our hearts and souls, we have the hope of glory residing in us. That means we have the assurance that the work of salvation that Jesus has begun in our hearts and lives, he will complete.
I have several books on my shelf signed by Billy Graham. Almost invariably, when signing his name in a book, Billy would put the Scripture reference, Philippians 1:6. In that verse Paul says, “he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” You can go to the bank of heaven on that one!
FULL MATURITY
The third aspect of Paul’s labor that he mentions in this passage is that it is his goal to present everyone fully mature in Christ.
Paul says…
He [Christ] 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.
“Fully mature” is just one word in Greek: τέλειον. The word is sometimes translated as perfect. The root word is τέλος which means end, purpose, or goal. In other words, Paul is saying, it is his goal to help everyone else reach their goal in Christ, to achieve their life’s purpose.
And what is that purpose? In 1 Corinthians 10:31, Paul says, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
The first question of the Westminster Shorter Catechism is: “What is the chief end of man?” And the answer given is “to glorify God and to enjoy him forever.” That, I believe, is our goal, our end, our purpose in life: to glorify God and to enjoy him forever. I believe that when we pursue that goal, we experience fullness of life. Jesus said, “I have come that you may have life and have it to the full!” (John 10:10)
But how do we glorify God? One meaning of the word “glory” has to do with brightness. We glorify God by lighting him up. Here’s a question: Do our lives cast a spotlight on Jesus Christ, or on ourselves? Do we live for Jesus’ honor, or our own?
In preparing this message I came across a letter written by Southern Baptist Missionary to Iraq, Karen Watson, prior to leaving for the Middle East. The letter was dated March 7, 2003. Karen was killed, along with four other missionaries, on March 15, 2004. But before she ever left for the mission field, she wrote this letter…
Dear Pastor Phil and Pastor Roger:
You should only be opening this letter in the event of my death.
When God calls there are no regrets. I tried to share my heart with you as much as possible, my heart for the nations. I wasn’t called to a place. I was called to him. To obey was my objective, to suffer was expected, his glory my reward.
One of the most important things to remember right now is to preserve the work…I am writing this as if I am still working with my people group.
I thank you all so much for your prayers and support. Surely your reward in heaven will be great. Thank you for investing in my life and spiritual well-being. Keep sending missionaries out. Keep raising up fine young pastors.
In regards to any service, keep it small and simple. Yes, simply, just preach the gospel…Be bold and preach the life-saving, life-changing, forever-eternal gospel. Give glory and honor to our Father.
The Missionary Heart:
Care more than some think is wise.
Risk more than some think is safe.
Dream more than some think is practical.
Expect more than some think is possible.
I was called not to comfort or success but to obedience…There is no joy outside of knowing Jesus and serving him. I love you two and my church family.
In his care,
Salaam,
Karen[2]
Wow! There is an example of someone who lived to glorify God and enjoy him forever. And we can do the same, right where we are, as we are filled with Christ through the Holy Spirit.
FULL ASSURANCE
Finally, Paul tells us that it is his goal that the Colossians may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding.
Let’s read Paul’s words one more time…
My goal 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, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Wow! What could be better than having the full riches of complete understanding? We are going to examine Colossians 2:2-7 more fully next week. But for now, I just want to focus on this one phrase in verse 2: “the full riches of understanding.”
The word that is translated as “full riches” is πληροφορία in Greek. This is a compound word. Πληρο means full. Φορία has to do with certainty or assurance. So, altogether the word means to come to full assurance or certainty.
This word, πληροφορία, appears in only three other places in the New Testament…
In 1 Thessalonians 1:5 Paul says, “our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and πληροφορία (deep conviction).”
Hebrews 6:11 says, “We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be πληροφορία (fully realized).”
And Hebrews 10:22 says, “let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the πληροφορία (full assurance) that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.”
The hymn writer, Fanny Crosby, wrote:
Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine,
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
The question is: how do we get this πληροφορία, this full assurance? The writer to the Hebrews seems to suggest that full assurance comes along with faith. He says in Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”
It seems to me that if faith is a divine gift, as Paul asserts in Ephesians 2:8, then perhaps assurance is a gift as well. That full assurance of our salvation is possible is made quite clear in the New Testament…
Paul says in 2 Timothy 1:12, “I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.”
John writes in 1 John 5:12-13, “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.”
So, my friends, you can know today, right where you are sitting, whether you have eternal life or not. All we must do is receive the Son, Jesus Christ, into our lives, and we can know with full assurance that we have eternal life.
As Paul says in Romans 10:9, “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Let’s pray…
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