Colossians Ch1v21-27 - Servants of the Gospel

And for the rest of us, if we turn in our Bibles to Colossians chapter 1.

Colossians 1 · chapter mention

So we're looking together at this very short letter.

And I've got copies of the letter to the Colossians.

If any of you want to get a big overall picture of what Colossians is all about.

Some of the key themes, key ideas, practical applications.

Then come and ask me. I have a few copies left.

It's a good way of just reading every so often.

Just to kind of get the big idea of what's going on.

It'll help you in your studies.

And of course we're going through the same letter in our home groups.

So I encourage you to get involved in that.

If you're not, it's a great way to meet with others and be encouraged.

So we're going to read this morning from Colossians chapter 1, verse 21 to verse 27.

Colossians 1:21

So let's hear God's word to us.

Colossians 1, starting at verse 21.

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behaviour.

But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you wholly in his sight,

without blemish and free from accusation,

if you continue in your faith established and firm and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel.

This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven

and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

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.

Well, let's pray and we'll ask for God's help to us.

Father, you give us so much.

You have given us health and strength to be here.

We've eaten, we've had a good rest.

We are blessed.

But yet we are completely and utterly dependent on you.

And so we pray and ask

for the work and the help of your Holy Spirit

to be at work in us and in us together as your people,

so that the words we hear and the things we look at together

would lead to a transformation of our life

and a new outlook for our life

that will all be built

around the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ.

So help us today

and encourage us.

In Jesus' name we pray this.

Amen.

Well, Colossians is all about a new church,

a brand new church.

They had heard the true message of the gospel.

A guy we met at the beginning of the book called Epaphras

had come to the town of Colossae

and had shared the good news of Jesus

and many people in that town

had trusted in Jesus.

However, they're under pressure.

They're under pressure to turn away from Jesus

because just as they had started,

other people were coming in

and were questioning their faith.

They were bringing other messages,

other philosophies, new teachings

that said, well, you know, Jesus is good

but let me show you something better than that.

So they were under pressure.

So Paul the Apostle writes them a letter of encouragement

and his whole message to this church

can be summarised for us in chapter 2, verse 6.

So just have a look ahead there at chapter 2, verse 6.

This is his big message to the church.

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord,

continue to live your lives in him.

You received Christ,

now continue in Christ.

You started with Christ,

now finish with Christ.

Don't move on from the gospel.

Always go back to the gospel.

Go back to Christ.

Now, what that church faced is no different to

Carigalline Baptist Church, is it?

Because we face pressure all the time

to move on from the gospel.

You know, maybe following Jesus is not that great after all.

Perhaps what others are saying is true

and I've got it wrong.

So to help us and encourage us

to keep going in the faith,

we need to go back to the gospel.

So look at verse 23, the middle of verse 23.

He reminds the church.

He says,

This is the gospel that you heard

and that has been proclaimed

to every creature under heaven

and of which I, Paul,

have become a servant.

So we're going to look at two big ideas

from what we read just a moment again.

First, we're going to look at what the gospel is.

Knowing the gospel.

And then second, serving the gospel.

So know the gospel

and serve the gospel.

First, know the gospel.

Gospel simply means good news.

And in this context,

it's the good news

of what God has done for us.

So four words,

four ideas that summarize for us really well

what the gospel is all about.

First, we are alienated from God.

Look at verse 21.

Once you were,

so before you followed Jesus,

once you were alienated from God.

Now you know what that is, don't you?

I'm sure you've experienced it

to be alienated,

where you're left on the outside,

where you don't belong.

You're shut out.

Well, that's how our relationship with God was.

We were excluded,

separated,

alienated.

But why?

Why were we shut out?

Well, not because of what God did,

but because of how we lived.

Look carefully at the structure of verse 21.

Look how it reads.

Once you were alienated from God

and were enemies in your minds

because of your evil behaviour.

Our behaviour,

the way we conduct our lives,

makes us enemies of God,

which in turn leaves us alienated from God.

Our choosing to use people selfishly

for our gain and our pleasure,

our desire to lie and gossip and,

well, take revenge and not forgive.

Our behaviour makes us enemies of God in our minds.

That is, we resist God's authority over us

and his ownership of us.

It's like we've all built a huge wall,

a reinforced concrete wall

that says,

God, keep out.

You're not getting in here.

So rather than enjoying friendship

with the God who made us

and rather than being at peace

with the God who is Lord over my life

and Lord over my death,

well, we're separated

from the God who loves us.

We're alienated.

So that's the first word.

Alienated.

Second,

we are reconciled to God.

Look at verse 22.

But now,

so something wonderful has happened.

Something has been done

about our exclusion.

But now,

God has reconciled you

by Christ's physical body

through death.

God has wonderfully made it possible

for us to be brought back

into relationship with God.

Rather than his enemies,

we can be his friends

instead of being shut out.

We're now welcomed in.

No longer excluded,

but reconciled.

And how does all that happen?

Well, look at verse 22.

He tells us,

by Christ's physical body

through death.

Yes, it's true.

Jesus actually did die.

Through the physical,

real death of Jesus Christ,

we were reconciled to God.

God came to us in Christ

and became our substitute,

taking our place,

taking my sin

so that I might receive

Christ's status.

He was excluded

so that I could be included.

He was alienated from God

so that I could be reconciled

to God.

God,

from the outside,

smashes down

that reinforced concrete wall

that says,

God,

keep out.

And now he reaches out across

with a handshake

of friendship.

He throws his arms around us

in an embrace

of acceptance.

He opens up the door wide

and he prepares

a meal of welcome.

We are reconciled.

But there's more

to this wonderful news.

We are transformed

by God.

Let's read all of verse 22.

But now he has reconciled you

by Christ's physical body

through death

to present you

holy in his sight,

without blemish,

and free from accusation.

You see,

God not only reconciles,

he radically

transforms us.

Rather than treating us

as rebellious sinners,

he now treats us

as his treasured son.

Look at how God

now sees us.

We are holy

in his sight.

Holy is to be

set apart

for God.

It means we now

belong to God.

We're

his treasured possession.

We live as

his special people.

We're now,

secondly,

without blemish.

Our evil behaviour

was one big blemish

across our life

that alienated us

from God.

But that blemish

is now dealt with.

It's been

covered over,

if you like,

with Christ's

purity.

We've been made

clean.

And third,

we have been

freed

from accusation.

The guilt

that was ours

has been

taken by Christ

so that we are

now set free.

We're no longer

living under

God's judgement.

We are

declared

innocent.

This

is our

new status.

This is our

new identity.

We are a

transformed

people.

So we're

alienated,

we're

reconciled,

we're

transformed,

and we are

dependent

on God.

Look at

verse 23.

We're

alienated,

but we've

been reconciled,

we've been

transformed.

This is all

true,

verse 23,

if

you continue

in your

faith,

established

and firm,

and do

not move

from the hope

held out

in the

gospel.

Well,

don't you

feel

deflated?

Having

been

encouraged

by all

that God

has done,

that he's

reconciled

me,

he's

transformed

me,

now it

seems like

it's all

back on

me again,

it's all

up to

miserable

me.

If I

continue

in the

faith,

the problem

is my

faith is

so weak.

I don't

have a

strong

faith.

In fact,

I fail

all the

time.

I might

as well

give up.

I haven't

got the

ability

to keep

going.

Well,

it's not

about me

and it's

not about

you.

It's not

the quality

of our

faith,

or the

amount

of our

faith,

or the

strength

of our

faith,

but what

our faith

is in.

Who am

I,

or what

am I

depending

on?

We are

dependent

on the

gospel of

God.

We throw

ourselves

on him.

That little

phrase in

verse 23,

established

and firm,

is helpful.

It's creating

a picture

in our

minds.

It's telling

us that the

gospel about

Jesus is

our foundation.

It's

established

and it's

firm.

It's

immovable

and

unbreakable.

It's

utterly

and completely

dependable.

The

gospel is

what saves

us and

it's the

gospel that's

going to

keep us.

So we

are

encouraged,

verse 23,

to do

not move

from the

hope held

out from

the gospel.

You see,

if the

gospel of

Jesus Christ

is our

foundation,

if it

saves us

and it

keeps us,

why would

we move

on from

the gospel?

In our

weakness,

we literally

fall over

in dependence

on the

gospel of

God.

We haven't

got the

strength to

stand up

and keep

going.

We fall

over in our

weakness and

our helplessness

and we fall

on him.

We are

dependent

on God.

Well,

maybe you're

here and

you're

thinking,

you know

what,

Johnny,

I've had

an awful

week.

I've heard

what you've

said about

the gospel,

but I've

messed up

so much.

And somehow

we feel,

whether we're

a Christian

or not a

Christian,

somehow we

feel that

we've moved

from being

reconciled,

that somehow

my messy

week and

my brokenness

has brought

me back

into a

position of

being alienated

from God.

Well,

know the

gospel.

Learn to

apply the

gospel to

your life.

Remember,

it's not

about our

ability,

but our

dependence on

God.

God declares

you to be,

through Christ,

holy in

his sight,

without

blemish,

and free

from accusation.

This is

our new

status.

This is

our new

identity.

When God

looks at

you, if

you are

falling

in dependence

upon him,

God looks

at you,

and when

he looks

at you,

he sees

the perfection

of his

son,

Jesus.

Can you

get anything

better than

that?

In your

mess,

and in

your failure,

sin,

God looks

at me,

and he

sees the

perfection

of his

son.

So let's

together

encourage one

another to

continue in

the faith,

not move

from the

hope held

out in the

gospel.

It's not

just information

to be received

for our

heads.

The gospel

is to be

applied to

our hearts

every

single

day.

Second,

let's know

the gospel.

Second,

we serve

the gospel.

You see,

once we

know the

gospel,

once it's

taken effect

and taken

root in

our life

and transforms

us and

changes us,

it leads

us on to

people who

now serve

the gospel.

That's what

Paul tells

us.

Look at

the end

of verse

23.

He says,

this is the

gospel that

you heard.

You were

alienated,

you were

reconciled,

you were

transformed,

you were

dependent on

him.

This is the

gospel that

you've heard

and that is

being proclaimed

to every

creature,

every person,

of which I,

Paul,

have become

a servant.

Now,

while this

is specific

to the

apostle Paul,

I think

there are

principles

here that

help us

see what

it means to

serve the

gospel for

all of us.

So,

three things

that help

us see what

serving the

gospel looks

like.

Here's the

first one.

Suffer with

joy.

Well,

I'm sure you

don't feel like

that, do you?

Suffer with

joy.

Look at

verse 24.

Now, I

rejoice in

what I'm

suffering for

you.

Well, that

can't be

right.

How can

you be

joyful in

suffering?

Suffering, we

know, is

hard and

painful.

Nobody likes

to suffer.

Nobody chooses

suffering.

Well, we

don't rejoice

in the

suffering

itself,

but we

rejoice in

what the

suffering

leads to.

There's a

difference.

We're not

rejoicing in

the suffering,

we're rejoicing

in what the

suffering ultimately

leads to.

Now, this is a

very difficult

verse, and

it's hard to

get our heads

around it.

So, let me

read it again,

the full verse,

verse 24,

and we'll see

what we can

take from it.

Now, I

rejoice in

what I'm

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.

So, something

is lacking

here, isn't

there?

That's clear.

Something is

lacking, and

we need to

work out

what is

lacking.

So, two

things.

First, this

is what it

is not

saying,

okay?

This can't

be what it

means.

Look at

verse 23

again.

He says

at verse

24,

I fill

up in

my flesh

what is

still lacking

in regard

to Christ's

afflictions.

It sounds

that Christ's

death on the

cross was

somehow

lacking.

It seems

Paul is

saying,

you know

what, when

Jesus died

on the

cross, it

wasn't

enough.

I need

to add

to Christ's

suffering so

that the

work on

the cross

becomes

effective.

Well, that

can't be

right, can

it?

We've already

seen that

Christ's

death on

the cross

is enough.

We saw

that in

verse 22,

that by

Christ's

physical

body, he

presents us

as holy in

his sight,

without

blemish and

free from

accusation.

The

afflictions,

the suffering

that Christ

endured for

our sin, is

sufficient.

There's

nothing to

add to

it.

It's not

lacking in

any way at

all.

It's

complete, it's

finished, it's

final.

So it

can't be

saying that.

So what is

it saying?

Well, let

me read

verse 24

again.

He says,

I rejoice

in what I

am suffering

for you,

and I

fill up in

my flesh,

I'm

gladly, I

willingly will

take on

more suffering

what is

still lacking

in regards

to Christ's

afflictions.

And here's

what I think

it is saying.

That is,

the reach

of Christ's

death is

still lacking.

In other

words, there

are loads

of people

all over

the world

who do

not yet

know about

Christ who

died on

the cross,

and the

reconciliation

and the

transformation

that we

can have

when we

trust him.

And for

that good

news of

Christ's

death to

be made

known is

going to

involve

suffering.

You see,

the gospel

requires

servants who

will be

prepared to

suffer for

the gospel.

This is

what the

risen Lord

Jesus said

to Paul.

You can

follow it on

screen.

When he

became a

Christian,

this is

what Jesus

said.

This man

is my

chosen

instrument

to proclaim

my name

to the

Gentiles

and their

kings

and to

the people

of Israel

and I

will show

him how

much he

must

suffer

for my

name.

You see,

that's what's

lacking.

It's the

reach of

Christ's

death.

He has

died.

His work

is sufficient

to save

people,

but it

must be

made known.

And for

it to be

made known,

it will

take

suffering.

That's

what's

happening

to our

mission

partner

in Kashmir.

The note

that I

sent round

on the

WhatsApp

this week.

Mickey

and his

wife,

Kenneth,

and children

are facing

rejection

and hostility

today.

Their

daughter

is being

ostracized

by her

classmates.

Nobody

wants to

sit with

her because

she's a

Christian.

There's

tension

when he

makes it

known that

he's a

Christian.

He's

suffering

for the

gospel.

But yet

at the

same time,

they can

rejoice in

their

suffering

because

through

their

suffering,

the

gospel

is being

made

known.

You

see,

to serve

the

gospel

is not

a comfortable

life.

It will

be difficult

for you

and for

me.

We're

not always

going to

be liked

or welcomed.

It could

cost you

friendship

and it

could even

cost you

your job.

Serving

the gospel

will mean

suffering.

But when

we suffer,

we are

expanding

the reach

of Christ's

work.

God is

at work

in you

and through

you.

So let

us take

heart.

Don't

resist

suffering,

but rejoice

in your

suffering

because God

is at

work.

So,

how do we

serve the

gospel?

First,

we suffer

with joy.

Second,

proclaim to

all.

it's a

follow-on.

So,

verse 25.

He says,

I have

become

its servant.

I have

become a

servant of

the gospel

by the

commission

God gave

me to

present to

you the

word of

God in

its fullness.

Well,

what's that?

What's the

fullness of

the word?

What's he

been preaching

and what's

he been

telling the

church?

Well,

the answer

is in

verse 26.

The mystery

that has

been kept

hidden for

ages and

generations

but is

now

disclosed

to the

Lord's

people.

Well,

that's another

strange one,

isn't it?

What's this

secret that

he's been

keeping from

the church?

What's this

mystery that's

kind of,

you know,

it's all very

suspicious,

isn't it?

Well,

the mystery

is not

something

mysterious that

we don't

know what

it is.

no,

the mystery

is God's

plan that

his gospel

would go to

all people

and all

nations.

Look at

verse 26.

It has

been kept

hidden for

ages and

generations

but is

now disclosed

to the

Lord's

people.

Well,

what could

that be?

Well,

let's go

back in

our Bibles

all the

way back

to Abraham.

Do you

remember what

God said

to Abraham

in Genesis?

Here it

is on

the screen.

He said,

I will make

you into

a great

nation.

I will

bless you

and all

nations

will be

blessed

through you.

That was

God's

plan.

That was

his promise.

When is

that promise

going to be

fulfilled?

When is

it that

all the

nations

of the

world

are going

to be

blessed?

Well,

again,

look at

verse 26.

Over

the ages

and

generations,

over

progressively,

over time,

it all

began to

unfold.

It all

began to

be revealed

as we

go through

scripture

that Christ

would be

the one

who would

bring the

blessing of

reconciliation

and because

of Christ's

coming,

that now

would be

made known

to all

people.

God

isn't

hiding

the

blessing.

No,

it is

through

the

gospel

that

the

promise

of

blessing

goes

to

all

people.

Verse 27,

to them,

God

has chosen

to make

known among

the Gentiles

the glorious

riches.

Gentiles,

we know,

is a term

used to

describe

all the

nations of

the world.

God's.

So as a

servant of

the gospel,

Paul now

is saying,

I am

proclaiming

the gospel

to all

people.

And that's

God's plan

that he

has revealed

to his

church,

to his

people,

that this

gospel message

is to go

out to

everybody.

That's the

mystery that

has been

revealed to

us.

God's.

And that's

the role

of the

church today.

That's

our

purpose.

Did you

know that?

That we

have been

given a

responsibility

to serve

the gospel

and by

doing that

we do

everything

we possibly

can to

see that

the good

news

spreads

out and

goes

global.

That's

why we

as a

church

are

financially

committed

to support

Kinsale.

Leticia

in Marseille

in the

south of

France.

Christian

Unions

Ireland,

the work

amongst

the

students.

Asia

Link,

people

serving

across

that

great

area.

Mickey

and his

colleagues

in

Kashmir.

You

know,

this is

why we've

taken it

upon

ourselves

to

support

Amy

in

Sheffield

reaching

the

Miripuri

women

for

Jesus.

How is

any of

that

going to

happen

without

that

financial

support

and

commitment?

Because

we've

taken

on

board

God's

plan,

we get

it and

say,

yes,

this is

our

responsibility,

this is

what we're

about,

seeing

the

gospel

go to

all

people

so that

they too

can be

reconciled

and

transformed

and

brought

to

God.

This

is

God's

plan

and

purpose

for

his

people

the

church.

This

is

why

we've

been

reconciled

so that

together

we might

serve

the

gospel.

So,

how do we

serve

the gospel?

We suffer

with joy,

we proclaim

to all

and we

reveal

the riches.

riches.

We reveal

the riches.

Look at

verse 27.

To

then God

has chosen

to make

known among

the Gentiles

to all

peoples and

all nations

the glorious

riches of

this mystery,

which is

Christ in

you,

the hope

of glory.

As we

serve the

gospel,

we make

known the

glorious

riches.

there's

two of

them,

two

glistening

diamonds.

Here's the

first one,

Christ in

you.

Remember what

we saw of

Christ back

in verse 19.

Look at

verse 19

with me.

What does

it say

there?

For God

was pleased

to have

all his

fullness

dwell in

him.

That's

Christ.

All of

God

is in

Christ.

In other

words,

Jesus Christ

is God.

So when

we say

Christ

is in

you,

God

in all

his

fullness

is in

you.

He doesn't

keep a

little bit

out.

No,

all of

God

in all

his

fullness

is in

you.

Christ

makes

God

a

reality

in

our

life.

The

God

who

created

us

and

reconciled

us

has

taken

up

residence

in

our

life.

You

see,

God

isn't

remote

and

distant

and

uncaring

and

unkind.

No,

he loves

us

immensely

and

he's

made

his

home

in

our

life

by

the

person

of

Jesus

Christ.

You

see,

Christ

in

you

means

intimacy.

He is

close to

you.

He will

never

leave

you.

He will

sustain

you and

provide

for you.

What a

glorious

diamond

we have.

First,

Christ is

in you.

And then

look at

the second

diamond

that we

have.

The hope

of glory.

Remember

what God

has done

for us?

Look at

verse 12.

Back to

verse 12.

Give

joyful

thanks to

the

Father

who's

qualified

you to

share in

the

inheritance

of his

holy

people.

God's

qualified

us to

share in

his

inheritance

the new

creation.

Well,

how can

we be

sure

we're

going to

get

there?

Because

we have

the hope

of glory.

our hopes,

our dreams,

our desires.

We say

things,

I hope

I'm going

to win

the lottery.

I hope

it's going

to get

better.

Our hopes

are never

guaranteed,

but gospel

hope is

the opposite.

Gospel

hope is

being

completely

confident

and

absolutely

assured

of glory

to come.

Not

because I

think it

or say

it,

but because

Christ has

guaranteed it

for us.

Look at

chapter 3

verse 4.

Look at

this with

me.

Chapter 3

verse 4.

Here's

one to

Mark.

When

Christ,

chapter 3

verse 4,

when Christ

who is

your life

appears,

that is

when he

comes

again,

what?

Then

you also

will

appear

with him

in glory.

Isn't

that

tremendous?

The hope

of glory

means

security.

What God

has promised

to you

will be

fulfilled

and nothing

and no

one can

ever take

that from

you.

It is

secure

forever.

These

are the

glorious

riches

we have.

When a

woman gets

engaged,

she's

given a

ring.

Hopefully,

a big

glistening

diamond

ring.

And it's

symbolic,

isn't it,

of two

things,

of intimacy

and security.

The future

husband is

saying,

I am with

you forever

and I

will keep

you forever.

And every

time she

looks at

that glistening

jewel in

her ring,

she will

be reminded

that she

is loved.

Well,

we need to

take time

and look at

the glorious

riches of

the gospel

and as we

do,

we are

reminded of

intimacy

and security.

Christ in

you,

the hope

of glory.

This is

a message

that we

can know

and experience

and it is

one that we

can serve

with our

whole life.

Let's

pray.

Father God,

we thank

you so

much for

the gospel,

the good

news of

Jesus Christ.

to think

that we

were

alienated

but now

reconciled

and transformed

as in

our weakness

and hopelessness

we fall

in dependence

upon God.

Thank you

for changing

us and

please encourage

us to go

on serving

this gospel,

serving our

friends,

our neighbours,

our families,

being willing

to suffer

with joy,

proclaiming

it to

all and

revealing

the wonderful

riches of

Christ in

you, the

hope of

glory.

Thank you

God.

In Jesus'

name,

Amen.

Amen.