Paul's Ministry: The Mystery of Christ in Us

Colossians 1:26-29

INTRODUCTION

As I consider the various ministries that God has called each one of us to, one thing that continually comes through to me is this: There is never an effective presentation of divine truth without a struggle. We're constantly faced with situations that make the ministry of the Word difficult. For example, sometimes people are so deaf to spiritual truth that you have to train them and work with them until you are able to communicate effectively to them. We also have to deal with such problems as false doctrine, heresy, people's sinfulness, language barriers on the mission field, and even our own ignorance. Whatever the case may be, when we present God's truth there is going to be a struggle. Why? Because the Adversary will always make it difficult. This fact is no less true in the life of the Apostle Paul. As we look at the book of Colossians, Paul is in a struggle.

A. Paul's Circumstances Evaluated

1. The Roman Imprisonment

As Paul wrote this letter to the Christians in the city of Colosse, he was imprisoned in Rome. This was part of his current struggle. Because of his message, because of his preaching, because of his proclamation of the truth of Jesus Christ, Paul became a prisoner of Rome. In addition to the imprisonment, his struggle was compounded by...

2. The Report from Epaphras

While he was a prisoner of Rome, a dear man of God by the name of Epaphras visited him. Epaphras, undoubtedly the founding pastor of the church in Colosse, came to Paul and basically said, "Paul, something tragic is occurring in our city. The church is being exposed to terrible false doctrine. False teachers have come to Colosse saying that Jesus is not God and that Jesus cannot save men. They are also teaching legalism, ritualism, mysticism, asceticism, and all kinds of strange doctrines like the worship of angels. All of this heresy is attacking our young church in Colosse."

3. The Response of Paul

Prompted by Epaphras's distressing report, Paul wrote the letter we now know as Colossians. In this book, then, Paul deals with the heresy regarding the person of Jesus Christ and His total power to save. In fact, this becomes the major theme of the first two chapters, with the last two chapters dealing with the behavior that should come in response to an understanding of who Christ is and what He has accomplished in salvation.

B. Paul's Credentials Established

It was important for the Apostle Paul to give the Colossian Christians a reason to believe what he had to say to them in the letter. It's one thing to say something, but it's something else to have people accept what you say as the truth. Paul wanted the Colossians to believe, to hear, and to obey what he said. But since he was not the founding pastor of the church in Colosse, they probably didn't know him that well. In fact, maybe some of them didn't know him at all. So, it was important that somewhere in this letter, Paul state his right to speak, to be heard, to be believed, and to be obeyed. Well, that's what he does in 1:24-29. In these particular verses, Paul discusses his calling and the gamut of his ministry so that the Colossians will understand why they are to listen and respond to him.

In Colossians 1:24-29, Paul gives eight general features of his ministry. In our last lesson we discussed the first four. Let's begin by reviewing these rather briefly:

REVIEW

I. THE SOURCE OF THE MINISTRY (vv. 23b, 25a)

At the end of verse 23 Paul says, "...I, Paul, am made a minister." Then in verse 25 he says, "Of which I am made a minister, according to the dispensation [or `responsibility'] of God which is given to me...." In other words, Paul says, "I didn't make myself a minister, God made me a minister." The source of any ministry, beloved, is God. It is God who calls us. It is God who grants us His Spirit. It is God who directs us into the ministry He wants for us. It is God who gives us the gifts of the Spirit in order that we might minister them. It is God who equips us physiologically. It is God who gives us the human capacities and abilities to function in areas that He designs for us. It is God who calls us to a ministry. Therefore, any ministry that I have, any gifts that I have, any abilities that I have are a stewardship committed to me by God to be returned to Him in faithfulness. We do not call ourselves into the ministry.

Second, Paul not only talks about the source of the ministry, he also talks about...

II. THE SPIRIT OF THE MINISTRY (v. 24a)

In verse 24, Paul gives the spirit of the ministry when he says, "Who now rejoice...." The spirit of the ministry is joy. In our last lesson we saw that Paul always had joy in the ministry because he was humble. The recognition that he was unworthy to receive anything from God caused joy because of all that he received in Christ. Joy is a product of humility. When we sincerely believe that we don't deserve anything, even the privilege of suffering for Christ will make us happy.

The Importance of Having a Sense of Unworthiness

Throughout Scripture, you will find that whenever God called His greatest servants, whenever God picked out His choice people, He always made them face their total unworthiness. Then, whatever they had would cause them to have joy--seeing it as a gift of God's grace. For example:

* Moses--At the burning bush, Moses could only see his imperfections. In Exodus 4:10, Moses complained of his lack of eloquence. But God replied, "Who hath made man's mouth? Or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the LORD? Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth and teach thee what thou shalt say" (Ex. 4:11-12). Whenever God called His choice servants He always made them face the reality of their unworthiness, their uselessness apart from Him.

* Isaiah--In Isaiah 6, when Isaiah saw the glory of God in the Temple, he said, "Woe is me! For I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips" (v. 5a). Then, after an angel took a live coal off the altar and touched his tongue (the symbol of purification), verse 8 says, "Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us? Then said I, Here am I; send me." You see, before God used Isaiah, He wanted to show him that he was nothing. God wants everybody that He ever calls into any ministry to make that initial recognition that he is useless apart from what God wants to do.

* Peter--In response to a miraculous display of the Lord's power as He directed Peter in catching an incredible multitude of fish, Peter "fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord" (Lk. 5:8b) Peter saw that he didn't even deserve to be in the Lord's presence. Well, Jesus looked at Peter and said, "...Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men" (v. 10b).

You see, all of God's choice servants had to have a sense of unworthiness, a sense of sinfulness, a sense of inadequacy, a sense of undeservedness, because that's at the very heart of joy. With that attitude, everything that happens becomes a cause for rejoicing. And Paul, like the rest of these servants, saw that he didn't deserve anything; so everything he received from God caused him to have joy.

As long as you maintain humility in your ministry, you can maintain joy. But as soon as you start thinking that you're not getting what you deserve, you're in a lot of trouble. You'll get bitter, you'll start complaining, and you'll lose the joy of the ministry. People I meet who have lost the joy of the ministry--Christians who are tired of serving the Lord--lose their joy because they think they should have better than what they have. But the truth of the matter is that we all deserve nothing.

The third element of Paul's ministry that we looked at in our last lesson is...

III. THE SUFFERING OF THE MINISTRY (v. 24b)

In verse 24 Paul says, "...[I] rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for His body's sake, which is the church." In other words he says, "Look, the suffering of the ministry is this: I'm going to have to suffer because the world isn't through persecuting Christ. Since the world can't physically get to Christ anymore, they're going to persecute me instead. But that's all right. If I suffer getting the gospel to you, it's worth it. I'm willing to suffer or die for the work of the Lord."

The fourth aspect of Paul's ministry that we looked at is...

IV. THE SCOPE OF THE MINISTRY (v. 25b)

The scope of the ministry is seen at the end of verse 25: "...to fulfill the word of God." The scope of the ministry is to do what God has called you to do while maximizing your effort. Paul says, "God spoke to me and told me what to do. Now it's my responsibility to do it--to fulfill the Word of God. In other words, I have to fulfill my call to preach the gospel to the unsaved, and to teach the whole counsel of God to believers."

This brings us to the next four elements of Paul's ministry. We've seen that the source of the ministry is God, the spirit of the ministry is joy, the suffering of the ministry is on the behalf of Christ for the sake of the church, and the scope of the ministry is to fulfill the Word of God. Now let's look at the fifth element of Paul's ministry:

V. THE SUBJECT OF THE MINISTRY (vv. 26-27)

What is it that we are saying? What is it that we are proclaiming? What is the message of the ministry?

A. The Manifestation of the Mystery (v. 26)

"Even the mystery which hath been hidden from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to His saints"

The subject of the ministry is "the mystery which hath been hidden from ages and from generations." The word "ages" means "times" and "generations" means "people." So, the mystery has been hidden from times and people, but is now manifested to the saints. What is the message, then? The mystery. We are to teach people the mystery.

You say,"Wait a minute! What is this mystery?" Well, let's discuss the term "mystery":

1. The Secrets of God Discussed

a. God has some secrets that He never reveals-- Deuteronomy 29:29 says, "The secret things belong unto the LORD...." This is where our intelligence ends and God's begins.

b. God has some secrets that He reveals only to special people--Psalm 25:14 tells who these special people are. It says this: "The secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him...." Proverbs 3:32 adds, "...His secret is with the righteous." There are some things that only God knows, and some things that He only reveals to the righteous--those who believe in God, those who are committed to Him, those in whom the Holy Spirit dwells in this age, the children of God.

c. God has some secrets which He hid in the past but has revealed to all the saints in the New Testament--These are the mysteries. So when you see the word mystery in the Bible, it refers to something that was never revealed in the Old Testament to anybody, but is now revealed in the New Testament to everybody who is a Christian.

Now, with all that in mind, verse 26 looks something like this: "Even the things hidden from the Old Testament saints, which have been hidden from times and generations, but are now made manifest to the New Testament saints." You say, "What is this mystery which is now revealed?" Well, first let's look at some of the mysteries of the New Testament:

2. The New Testament Mysteries Delineated

a. The Mystery of the Incarnate God (Col. 2:2-3, 9)

b. The Mystery of Iniquity (2 Thess. 2:7)

c. The Mystery of the Rapture (1 Cor. 15:51-52)

d. The Mystery of Babylon (Rev. 17:5, 7)

e. The Mystery of the Church (Eph. 1:9-10; 3:3-6, 9a; 6:19)

f. The Mystery of the Bride (Eph. 5:23-32)

g. The Mystery of Israel's Unbelief (Rom. 11:25)

What, then, is the subject of our ministry? It is the fullness of New Testament revelation. You say, "Aren't we to teach the Old Testament, too?" Of course we are! But the fullness of our message is contained in the mysteries of the New Testament. These make the Old Testament meaningful.

So, when Paul uses the word mystery, he doesn't use it in the sense of some secret teaching, rite, or ceremony hidden from the masses and revealed to an exclusive group of people. He doesn't use it in the mystical sense that the Babylonian mystery religions used it. A mystery is merely something that was hidden in the past which is now revealed in the New Testament.

Now, notice verse 27:

B. The Makeup of the Mystery (v. 27)

"To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory"

Now, as we have seen, there are many different mysteries in the New Testament; but the one that Paul points out here in Colossians 1:27 is the mystery of the indwelling Christ--Christ in you. In the Old Testament, the Jews knew that the Messiah was coming, but they never knew that the Messiah would indwell the very bodies of His people. They didn't know that our bodies would become the temple of the living God. They didn't know that; it was a mystery.

Another thing that the Jews never saw in the Old Testament was "the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles." They may have understood the Messiah's relationship to Israel, but they never understood the relationship of an indwelling Messiah to the Gentiles--the mystery of the church.

We are rich, because as the church, Christ is in us. And this is the subject of the ministry. Our message is to tell people that the living God wants to come and dwell in their life. That's a fantastic reality, isn't it? A thrilling concept. In Ephesians 3:4-6 Paul says, "...ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ by the gospel."

The mystery is that Jew and Gentile are made fellow heirs to receive and possess God within them. That's our message! This is the subject of the ministry. Our message to the world is not to try to live a better life. We're not forcing imposed rituals or a self-styled alteration of life. We're not saying, "Please could you make your New Year's resolution every month?" That's not the message. The message is this: "God wants to come and live in you." That's what we're saying.

1. Our Riches in Christ

As Christians, we have become rich. This theme of the riches that we have in Christ is found throughout Paul's Epistles. For example:

a. Ephesians 1:18--"The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints."

b. Ephesians 3:16--"That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man." We are rich because Christ is in us--rich beyond imagination.

c. Colossians 2:2b-3--"...Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." If all wisdom and all knowledge are in Christ, and Christ lives in us, we have all wisdom and all knowledge. What a resource!

d. Romans 9:23--"And that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had before prepared unto glory." God, by His mercy, has made us rich now and forever.

e. Romans 11:33a--"Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!..."

God is rich in knowledge, wisdom, mercy, grace, and love...and He deposited it all in us. It's an incredible reality, when you stop to think about it. Most Christians live like paupers, yet they have the living God residing within them.

2. Christ's Residence in Us

a. Ephesians 3:19b--Paul prayed that we "might be filled with all the fullness of God." It was his prayer that all of the available resource and power of God would be used in our lives. That's the subject of the ministry. The hope for man's honor now, and the guarantee for man's honor or glory in the future, is the indwelling Christ. He is power now, and the guarantor of future security with Him.

b. Ephesians 3:17a--It's incredible to realize the reality of this verse: "That Christ may dwell in [our] hearts by faith...." I can't even fathom the principle that the living God dwells within me. The longer I think about it, the more unbelievable it becomes.

c. John 6:56--Jesus said, "He that eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, dwelleth in Me, and I in him." In other words, Jesus said, "If you will partake in My death spiritually (by accepting My death on the cross for you), and believe in My atoning blood (by accepting the sacrifice for sin that I made on the cross), then I will come and live in you." What a phenomenal reality! That's our message. That's what the world needs to hear.

d. John 14:17--"Even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." Jesus says, "The Holy Spirit is going to come and dwell in you."

e. John 14:23--"Jesus answered, and said unto him, If a man love Me, he will keep My words; and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make Our abode with him."

f. Romans 8:9-10--"But ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness." "If you're a Christian," says Paul, "the Spirit of God is in you, the Spirit of Christ is in you, and Christ is in you." He says the same thing three different ways--God lives in you if you're a Christian. What an incomprehensible reality!

g. 2 Corinthians 6:16b--Paul says, "...For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people."

h. Galatians 2:20a--Paul says, "I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me...."

That's the subject of the ministry, and "the hope of glory" (Col. 1:27). You say, "What does Paul mean by the phrase, `the hope of glory'?" Well, the only glory that a man could ever have--now or in the future--is obtained only when Christ is dwelling within him. And the message is just this: God wants to live in you.

So, we've seen the source of the ministry, the spirit of the ministry, the suffering of the ministry, the scope of the ministry, and the subject of the ministry. Let's look, now, at...

VI. THE STYLE OF THE MINISTRY (v. 28a)

At the beginning of verse 28 Paul says, "Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom...." What, then, is the style of the ministry? What's the mode? What's the method?

A. The Elements of Proclaiming

The word "preach" (Gk. katangello) literally means "to proclaim." It refers to declaring a completed truth--a completed happening. It is a general term for Paul's proclaiming mission. So, what is the style of our ministry? You say, "It's to sneak around without saying anything, and just living the life." No, you have to open your mouth and proclaim. Now, I'm not denying that you have to live the life, too. But you also have to open your mouth once in awhile. We hear a lot about being examples, which is very important, but nobody's going to follow you into the Kingdom unless you open your mouth sooner or later. The style of the ministry, then, is to proclaim. And it isn't necessarily formal preaching that Paul is referring to with this term, he's simply referring to speaking the truth.

Now, according to verse 28, our proclamation has two components: a negative ("warning") and a positive ("teaching"). The end in mind, which is that wisdom be imparted, is obtained by these two components. Let's look at them:

1. Warning

a. The Simple Definition

What does it mean to warn? The Greek word used here (noutheteo) means "to admonish." Simply put, it refers to encouraging counsel in view of sin and coming punishment. It's what you do with your children when you say, "If you keep that up you're going to be in real trouble!" That's warning or admonishing. To warn someone is to give encouraging counsel in view of sin and impending punishment. And according to 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15, it's to be done gently but it's to be done firmly.

b. The Shared Responsibility

There are many New Testament passages indicating that every Christian has the responsibility to admonish. For example:

1) Colossians 3:16a--"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another...." A responsibility that all of us have is to warn one another of sin and its consequences.

2) Romans 15:14--Paul says, "And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another." If there is a sin in the life of a believer we are to warn him lovingly and gently. All of us have that responsibility.

3) 1 Thessalonians 5:12--If every Christian has the responsibility to admonish, certainly it is the responsibility of every pastor as well. Paul says, "And we beseech you, brethren, to know them who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you." As a pastor, it is my responsibility to warn you. I have to warn you about your sin, about false doctrine, about the consequences of disobedience, about the consequences of spiritual laziness, and about missing the will of God. I have to warn you as I would warn my own children.

The second aspect of proclaiming, the positive side, is...

2. Teaching

Teaching is imparting positive doctrine. We're to impart positive doctrine by teaching the Word of God. And according to verse 28, we're to be teaching "in all wisdom." Wisdom, here, means "spiritual principles." On the basis of spiritual principles we're to warn and to teach.

The proclaiming that we do, then, is to involve warning and teaching--whether it's to an unbeliever or a believer. We're to warn unbelievers of the eternal judgment they will experience if they keep living the way they're living, and if they keep rejecting Jesus Christ. We're also to teach unbelievers what the Bible says they need to do. These same two aspects of proclamation also apply in the church. If you see a Christian sinning you're to warn and to instruct.

This is the style of Paul's ministry. He would usually teach solid doctrine, and then, on the basis of that solid doctrine, he'd warn. He'd say, "Now that I've told you this truth, here's the way you'd better act." All of us are to be proclaimers. Some stand in the pulpit and proclaim to big crowds of people, while others proclaim to small groups of friends and family. Wherever we are, all of us are to proclaim. We're all mouths for the Lord as we warn and teach. That's the style of the ministry. You say, "Well, what are we to proclaim?" We're to proclaim the mystery of "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (v. 27), and all that that means. And in doing that, we're to warn and to teach.

B. The Extent of Proclaiming

I want you to notice something in verse 28. Paul says, "Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus." Who are we supposed to warn and teach, then? Only the elect? No. It's really pretty obvious, isn't it? Everybody...every man. Let's be proclaimers! Let's be committed to opening our mouths and proclaiming--not just leaving little tracts on tables and scurrying away. Let's commit ourselves to speak for the Lord-- warning about negative behavior and teaching positive truth in all wisdom.

The seventh aspect of Paul's ministry is...

VII. THE SUM OF THE MINISTRY (v. 28b)

When it's all said and done, what is the goal, the objective, the sum of the ministry? The answer is found at the end of verse 28: "...that we may present every man perfect [or `mature'] in Christ Jesus." What, then, is the goal of the ministry? The maturity of the saints.

A. The Priority of Perfection

1. Ephesians 4:11-12--"And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ." The goal of the ministry is to build people up and to bring them to maturity.

2. Galatians 3:3--Paul wrote to the Galatians and said, "Are ye so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?" One of the ministries of the Holy Spirit is to perfect us...to mature us. So, let the Spirit do His work.

3. Hebrews 13:20-21--"Now the God of peace...make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ...." That is the objective of the ministry. We're not just to bring people to Christ, we're to bring those in Christ to maturity so that they too can reproduce by proclaiming what they know to others.

B. The Progress to Perfection

In Philippians 3:12 Paul says, "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect; but I follow after...." In other words, "I haven't arrived, but I'm sure going in that direction." You say, "What is the point of perfection or maturity in the Christian life?" It's to be like Jesus Christ. Is there anybody around who has attained that yet? No, but hopefully we are all in progress. However, the closer we get, the further away we seem to be.

You say, "John, how do you get there? How do you become perfect or mature?"

C. The Process of Perfection

Second Timothy 3:16-17 tells us how we are to become mature: "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." So, how do you get there? By taking the Word of God and making it a part of your life. That's your spiritual food. A child matures because he eats. A Christian matures because he feeds on the Word of God.

D. The Preacher of Perfection

The goal of the ministry is to bring people to maturity. This is what was on Epaphras's heart. Epaphras, who was probably the pastor of the Colossian church, was the one who brought Paul the news of the problems at Colosse. Colossians 4:12 shows us what he was concerned about: "Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, greeteth you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God." Epaphras had a great burden for the Colossian church-- that they would be perfect and complete. And that was Paul's burden too, to "present every man perfect in Christ Jesus" (v. 28b).

E. The Potential of Perfection

Christianity makes a cross-cultural, cross-time statement that is absolutely staggering. The statement is this: The potential for perfection is possible in Jesus Christ for every man, in every age, in every society. Walter Lippmann said, "As yet, no teacher has ever appeared who was wise enough to know how to teach his wisdom to all mankind. In fact, the great teachers have attempted nothing so utopian. They were quite well aware how difficult wisdom is for most men, and they have confessed frankly that the perfect life was for the select few." That's baloney! Paul says, "...we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus." The Lord Jesus Christ can perfect every man. Not every man can master every art or craft because some are blind, deaf, dumb, unlearned, unskilled, and weak. All of those people make up the body of Christ. But there is one reality for every man--Jesus Christ can make any man like Himself. That's incredible!

We've seen the source, the spirit, the suffering, the scope, the subject, the style, and the sum of the ministry. Let's look, now at...

VIII. THE STRENGTH OF THE MINISTRY (v. 29)

A. The Perspective (v. 29a)

"For this I also labor, striving..."

1. Hard Work

You say, "How is it possible to fulfill all of these elements of the ministry?" Well, the first thing that Paul says to do is to work hard at it--to labor. The word "labor" here in verse 29 means "to toil to the point of exhaustion." Sometimes people will say to me, "John, you're working too hard." But when they say that, I usually think, "No, I'm probably not working hard enough." Paul says, "For this I also labor [or `toil to the point of exhaustion']...." I know a little about what it means to be weary in well-doing, to be dead tired. I know what it is to work, but I also know what it is to not work. And I'll tell you one thing, I would rather be like David Brainerd and Henry Martyn, who burned their lives out for the Lord, than to have paced myself without accomplishing what God wanted me to accomplish. The ministry is work!

I was playing golf one time when a lady said to me, "You're a smart young man. You ought to go into the ministry." I said, "Oh really, why is that?" She said, "It's a great job. You don't have to do a thing, and you can make a lot of money." "It's interesting you should say that," I said. "I am in the ministry. Let me tell you a few things about it." Unfortunately, that's not an uncommon perspective...even among those in the ministry. But that certainly wasn't Paul's perspective of the ministry.

When Paul said that he worked hard in the ministry, he wasn't kidding! Read 2 Corinthians 11:23-28. He talks about being stoned, beaten with rods, shipwrecked, imprisoned, put in stocks, and a multitude of other perils. In other passages we find that he had to fight against fornication among the Thessalonians; he had to fight against contention, fornication, fanaticism, and litigations among the Corinthians; he had to fight against vice and heresy among the Colossians; and he had to fight against legalism among the Galatians. He also said, "But I keep under [lit. `buffet' or `beat'] my body and bring it into subjection" (1 Cor. 9:27a). And he worked his fingers to the bone to earn his own living and the living of everybody who traveled with him (Ac. 20:34).

The ministry isn't easy, folks. If you think that you can accomplish any ministry for God without working at it, you're wrong. It takes work, it takes toil, and it takes effort. You have to push yourself if you're ever going to do anything. Paul pushed himself. He taught daily for two years in the school of Tyrannus (in Ephesus) from one o'clock to five o'clock, and then went back to work in the evening when it was cool (Ac. 19:9-10). And in Acts 20:31 Paul said to the Ephesian elders, "...remember, that for the space of three years I ceased not to warn everyone night and day with tears." When Henry Martyn went to India, he said, "Now let me burn out for God."

2. Maximum Effort

The word "striving" in verse 29 is the Greek word agonizo from which we get our English word agony. You can be a lazy Christian, or a lazy pastor, or a lazy missionary, or a lazy Sunday school teacher, or a lazy helper in the church, but you'll never fulfill the Word of God in your life. And you'll never maximize your ministry. To fulfill the Word of God in your life takes maximum effort for your entire life. So Paul says, "For this I also labor, striving...."

You say, "All that sounds too self-generated and humanistic." Well, let's look at the rest of the verse.

B. The Power (v. 29b)

"...according to His working, which worketh in me mightily."

We're not alone in our ministry. Sure, we have to work hard. But the only way we can work hard is in His energy and power. In 2 Corinthians 4:16 Paul said that "the inward man is renewed day by day." I find that Christ's power through His Spirit is at work in my life day by day, giving me an almost supernatural energy. There are times when I don't feel that I can continue on...and yet I do. And when it's done, I know that the resource came from outside of myself. God gives us the power to minister. From the human viewpoint I work hard, but all of it would be nothing more than ashes if it wasn't the energy of God that was energizing me. So when I accomplish anything, it isn't because I worked hard, it's because God did it--He energized, He gave the power, He gave the resource.

Summing all of this up, Paul states his credentials as a minister, and calls the Colossians to hear, believe, and obey what he says. Then he gives us a tremendous look at the ministry. The only thing left to say is this: Now that you've heard it, I trust you'll apply it.

Focusing on the Facts

1. There is never an effective presentation of divine truth without a ________. 

2. What were the elements of the struggle Paul was going through when he wrote the book of Colossians? 

3. What is the theme of the first two chapters of Colossians? The last two chapters? 

4. Why did Paul feel that it was necessary for him to discuss his credentials with the Colossian Christians? 

5. According to Colossians 1:24-25, what is the source of the ministry? The spirit of the ministry? The suffering of the ministry? The scope of the ministry? 

6. Why is a sense of unworthiness, inadequacy, and undeservedness at the very heart of joy in the ministry? 

7. What are the three categories of God's pattern for revealing His secrets? Which one of these three is referred to as "the mysteries"? 

8. What is the definition of a New Testament mystery? List at least four of these mysteries. 

9. In Colossians 1:27, Paul mentions the mystery of the __________ Christ. 

10. List two verses which refer to the riches that we have in Christ. 

11. Most Christians live like _______, even though they have ___ residing within them. 

12. According to Colossians 1:26-27, what is the subject of the ministry? 

13. What is the literal meaning of the word "preach" in verse 28? 

14. Besides living a godly and exemplary life, what responsibility do we have to the world around us? 

15. What two components of proclamation does Paul mention in verse 28? 

16. Every Christian has the responsibility to admonish other Christians. What does this mean and how is it done? 

17. If the negative side of proclaiming is warning (or admonishing), what is the positive side? What is the basis of this aspect of proclaiming? 

18. According to Colossians 1:28, who is to be the object of our warning and teaching? 

19. What is the sum (or goal) of the ministry (Col. 1:28b)?

20. What does it mean to "present every man perfect in Christ Jesus" (Col. 1:28b)? 

21. What verse tells us how we are to mature as Christians? 

22. The potential for __________ is possible in Jesus Christ for every man, in every age, in every society. 

23. What perspective must we have if we are to fulfill the ministry that God has for us? 

24. What is implied by Paul's use of the words "labor" and "striving" in verse 29 in referring to his ministry? 

25. What was characteristic of the ministries of David Brainerd and Henry Martyn? 

26. Why would Paul say that the ministry is hard work? 

27. What English word is derived from the Greek word translated "striving" in verse 29? 

28. Even though we have to work hard to accomplish the ministry God gives to us, where does the strength to fulfill it come from? 

Pondering the Principles

1. On a scale of one to ten, how would you rate the amount of joy that you had in your ministry when you first began being used by God in that particular area? How would you rate your joy now? Do you currently have more or less joy? If you've lost your joy, is it because you feel that you deserve better? If so, consider the fact that what you deserve is the judgment of hell, but the grace of God has given you all that you have. If the joy of your ministry has been maintained or has increased, ask God to help you maintain the perspective that you are totally unworthy to receive anything from Him.

2. Are you living like a pauper or like someone who has the living God residing within him? To help you be reminded of the riches you have in Christ, memorize the following: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ" (Eph. 1:3).

3. In Colossians 1:28, Paul said that one element of his ministry was to warn (or admonish) and teach every man. But in 3:16 we discover that this is a responsibility of every Christian: "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another...." Are you fulfilling that responsibility? If you're to be warning others of sin that is in their lives, what must you be doing about the sin that is in your own life (Mt. 7:3-5)? What, then, is the overall effect in the body of Christ if we are all involved in admonishing one another? Ask God to make you more committed to your own purity so that you can be more sensitive to sin in the lives of others in the body. Then ask God to give you His passion for the purity of His church.

4. Read 1 Peter 2:2 and 2 Timothy 3:16-17. What is the key element in the growth and maturity of a believer? How would you instruct a brand-new believer to grow in Christ? Are you growing? What more could you do to allow the Holy Spirit to mature you and conform you into the image of Christ?

5. We live in a society that is preoccupied with leisure. Unfortunately, this perspective has had an effect on Christians and their commitment to the hard work that is required to fulfill one's ministry. In Colossians 1:29 and 1 Corinthians 15:58, Paul uses the word "labor" to refer to the ministry. The literal meaning of that word is "to work to the point of exhaustion and perspiration," "to work so hard that you are wearied." Further, in 1 Corinthians 15:58, Paul says that we are to be "always abounding in the work of the Lord." The Greek word for "abounding" means "to overdo it." In Philippians 2:25-27 Paul describes a man by the name of Epaphroditus who "was sick near unto death" (v. 27). Why? Verse 30 says, "Because, for the work of Christ, he was near unto death...." Are you committed to work to the point of exhaustion-- to overdo it--in the work of the Lord? Memorize 1 Corinthians 15:58.