The Reality of Ministry
24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I am completing in my flesh what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for his body, that is, the church. 25 I have become its servant, according to God’s commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known (Colossians 1:24-25)
Closing out the chapter, from verses 24 to 29, Pau shares the realities of ministry service. Paul wrote a large majority of the books we have now in the New Testament. With the case of the church at Colossae, he was focused on teaching them sound doctrine in order to combat the temptations and twisted words of the false teachers that were so prominent during their time. Not only that, but we know from Paul’s life that he suffered persecution, beatings to the point where people thought he was dead, multiple imprisonments, and would ultimately be executed in Rome.
Yet, through all these, what many would consider, terrible situations, we have Paul stating in verse 24, “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you.” What exactly is he rejoicing? “I am completing in my flesh what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for His body, that is, the church. Paul is identifying himself with Christ, for as Christ had suffered, he too is suffering for the truth. Not only that, but the difficulties that Paul was enduring was for the sake that other people would hear the gospel message, mature in their faith and grow.
Paul states that he has “become its servant, according to God’s commission that was given to me for you, to make the Word of God fully known.” As, Max Anders writes, “God gave him (Paul) a commission to proclaim the gospel, and suffering was included with the commission.” And through it all, Paul was still rejoicing and willing to do so out of His love for God.
I mentioned last Sunday that if the world mocked, beat, and killed the Son of God, what makes believers think they may be exempt from such treatment? The world is fallen due to sin and will reject the light, a theme we studied in 1 John. Christ challenged His followers to be the light in the world in Matthew 5:16, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” There will be times of persecution and difficulty, but it will all fall short in comparison to the glory found in heaven, hearing the Father say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”
Blessings,
Isaac De Guzman
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