Paul’s Work for the Church
This passage is loaded with Biblical principles that we should be applying to our lives.
Colossians 1:24 – 29 NLT
Paul’s Work for the Church
24 I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church. 25 God has given me the responsibility of serving his church by proclaiming his entire message to you. 26 This message was kept secret for centuries and generations past, but now it has been revealed to God’s people. 27 For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.
28 So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ. 29 That’s why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me.
Examine the Scriptures:
Colossians 1:24 – 29 NLT
Paul’s Work for the Church
24 I am glad when I suffer for you in my body,
This letter was written by Paul while he was in prison in Rome sometime between A.D. 60-62 and is referred to as a prison epistle (along with Ephesians, Philippians, and Philemon.)
Some of Paul’s suffering.
2 Corinthians 11:23-28 NLT
23 Are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. 24 Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. 26 I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not.[a] 27 I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.
28 Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches.
for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church.
Philippians 1:29 NLT
29 For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him.
- Paul believed that it was a privilege to suffer for Christ.
Paul’s believed that his suffering benefited the church.
24… I’m doing this for the sake of his body, which is the church. (CEB)
The Bible contains various verses that address the reality of suffering for Christians.
Here are a few key verses that highlight this theme:
John 15:18-19 NLT
The World’s Hatred
18 “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. 19 The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.
John 16:33 NLT
33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
2 Timothy 3:12 NLT
12 Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
Romans 8:17-18 NLT
17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.
1 Peter 4:12-13 NLT
12 Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. 13 Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.
Matthew 5:10-12 NLT
10 God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
11 “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. 12 Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.
- Suffering for the sake of Christ and His body, the church, is a reality for many Christians.
25 God has given me the responsibility of serving his church by proclaiming his entire message to you.
1 This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus.
Paul sees himself as a servant entrusted with a divine commission. Paul has been given the responsibility to faithfully carry out the mission God has given him.
Paul’s ministry is centered on making the word of God fully known to both Jews and Gentiles.
- Paul sees himself as a servant entrusted with a divine commission.
God has given each one of us a ministry.
1 Corinthians 12:7 NLT
7 A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.
1 Peter 4:10 NLT
10 God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.
Romans 12:6-8 NLT
6 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. 7 If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 8 If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.
Ephesians 4:11-12 NLT
11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.
Ephesians 2:10 NLT
10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
- Each one of us should see ourselves as a servant entrusted with a divine commission.
- A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.
26 This message was kept secret for centuries and generations past, but now it has been revealed to God’s people.
In Scripture, a “mystery” or a “secret” is something once concealed but now revealed.
A truth previously unknown or not fully understood but now revealed by God.
- In Scripture, a “mystery” or a “secret” refers to a truth previously unknown but now revealed by God.
27 For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.
Numerous scriptures refer to mysteries. A truth previously unknown or not fully understood but now revealed by God.
The mystery here is that Christ lives in believing Gentiles.
This is explained in more detail in Ephesians chapter 3.
3 As I briefly wrote earlier, God himself revealed his mysterious plan to me. 4 As you read what I have written, you will understand my insight into this plan regarding Christ. 5 God did not reveal it to previous generations, but now by his Spirit he has revealed it to his holy apostles and prophets.
6 And this is God’s plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus. 7 By God’s grace and mighty power, I have been given the privilege of serving him by spreading this Good News.
8 Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ. 9 I was chosen to explain to everyone this mysterious plan that God, the Creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning.
- The mystery revealed here is that Christ would dwell in Gentiles and deal with them on the same basis as He did Jews.
The church, as a unified body of both Jews and Gentiles, was a hidden aspect of God’s plan now revealed through Christ.
The revelation of Christ as the Savior of both Jews and Gentiles is central to God’s redemptive plan. Believers are called to embrace and share this truth.
(This would be a challenging concept for the Jews.)
Continue reading from Ephesians chapter 3.
Ephesians 3:16-19 NLT (Addressed to the Gentiles)
16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
28 So we tell others about Christ,
- Our ministry is telling others about Jesus.
warning everyone
We always be aware of the false teaching abounding around us.
and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us.
James 1:5 NIV
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ.
- Paul’s goal was for the Colossians to mature in their relationship with Christ.
Discuss Progressive Sanctification:
James 1:3-4 NLT
3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing..
Philippians 3:12-14 NLT
Pressing toward the Goal
12 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
Jesus makes us perfect.
Hebrews 10:14 NLT
14 For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy.
- Paul’s aim was to lead believers to maturity in Christ, which required diligent teaching, correction, and the application of wisdom.
- Our goal is not just to get little children (and their families) saved. Our goal is to guide believers to maturity in Christ. This requires diligent teaching, correction, and the application of wisdom.
29 That’s why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me.
Paul had to expend physical, mental, and spiritual energy in order to achieve his goal of bringing the Colossians to maturity. Paul knew that it was the supernatural power of the indwelling Christ that energized him.
- Paul acknowledges the immense effort required in his ministry, yet he attributes his strength and success to God’s power at work within him.
- Paul’s ministry is sustained not by his own strength but by divine enablement, highlighting the partnership between human effort and God’s provision.
- Even as Paul labors tirelessly, he depends on God’s power working through him, a reminder for believers to rely on God in their own ministry and growth.
- As believers, we work and struggle, depending on Christ’s mighty power working within us.
1 Corinthians 15:58 NLT
58 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.
