Colossians 1:21-29
December 30, 2006
Paul’s Goal in Ministry
1:21 And you were at one time strangers and enemies in your minds as expressed through your evil deeds, 1:22 but now he has reconciled you by his physical body through death to present you holy, without blemish, and blameless before him – 1:23 if indeed you remain in the faith, established and firm, without shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard. This gospel has also been preached in all creation under heaven, and I, Paul, have become its servant.
1:24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I fill up in my physical body – for the sake of his body, the church – what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ. 1:25 I became a servant of the church according to the stewardship from God – given to me for you – in order to complete the word of God, 1:26 that is, the mystery that has been kept hidden from ages and generations, but has now been revealed to his saints. 1:27 God wanted to make known to them the glorious riches of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 1:28 We proclaim him by instructing and teaching all people with all wisdom so that we may present every person mature in Christ. 1:29 Toward this goal I also labor, struggling according to his power that powerfully works in me.
In the previous passage, Paul talked about reconciliation between a holy God and sinful man. Before they knew the Christ, the Colossian Christians were enemies of God in their minds as witnessed by their actions. This revolt against God is the natural condition of every human born since the Garden of Eden. Only faith in Jesus Christ can turn this emnity into love for God and man. This is the heart of the gospel. The apostle Paul chose a life of suffering to proclaim it.
Until I understand my need to be reconciled with God, I cannot understand what Jesus did for me on the cross. Paul calls this a mystery that was unlocked by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Paul poured his life into helping the Colossians (and me) understand how yielding to Christ’s call allows us to be reborn and become “mature in Christ.” -sdg-
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