Colossians 1:24-29
Statement to ponder: I am suffering to accomplish for you what Jesus’ suffering on the cross did not accomplish.
If I or anyone else was to say this to you, what would your immediate response and thoughts be? Heretic! Prideful! Blasphemy! Thank You? You’re Nuts! You’re an idiot!
However, That is exactly what it seems Paul says.
What it can’t mean: Jesus’ suffering on the cross was in some way insufficient to completely pay the penalty of our sins and to make us right with God.
Jesus’ suffering on the cross was completely sufficient to pay for all of our sins and to make us right with God.
Colossians 1:19-22
“He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.” (Hebrews 9:12, ESV)
“For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” (Hebrews 9:24–26, ESV)
“For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:14, ESV)
The reason and only reason you can have a right relationship with God is because Jesus suffered and died on the cross to sufficiently and completely pay for your sin.
What does it mean?
The Example of Epaphroditus
“I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need, for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men, for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me.” (Philippians 2:25–30, ESV)
The church of Philippi had a deep love for Paul. It was at Philippi that a woman named Lydia was led to faith in Jesus by Paul, a slave girl was delivered from an evil spirit, and a guard in prison gave his life to Jesus minutes just after contemplating suicide. The church wanted to help Paul while he was in prison in Rome. The sacrificially collected a love offering for Paul. Their sacrifice was great and would be a great provision for Paul while in Prison. Still, one thing was lacking after the sacrifice was made. Obviously, US Mail, UPS, Fed Ex, nor Western Union were in business yet. The sacrifice would have to be personally delivered to Paul. Epaphroditus would make the approximately 600 mile journey, including 50 miles across the Mediterranean Sea in order to complete the one thing that was lacking in the Philippians gift to Paul, it personal delivery. Along the long hard journey, Epaphroditus would greatly suffering including becoming so sick that he almost died.
This is what Paul means when he tells the Colossians, “I am suffering to accomplish for you what Jesus’ suffering on the cross did not accomplish.” Jesus suffering on the cross completely accomplished the forgiveness of sins for those who would embrace him. But what was missing was that not every knew of Jesus and what He accomplished on the cross. Paul and other Christians would have to personally take the message of Jesus and the cross to the world even if it meant personal suffering.
He makes this clear in verse 25: “to make the Word of God fully known.”
Jesus suffered for the propitiation of sin, others suffer for the propagation of the message. Jesus suffered to save us from our sins. Others suffer to share the good news of Jesus.
Christian suffering is necessary to fully share the good news of Jesus.
You may suffer ridicule as you live righteously for Jesus and share the gospel with others. You may sacrifice material possessions you could purchase for your family as you faithfully give your tithes and offerings for the sake of building God’s kingdom. Those who answer God’s call to missions may sacrifice the modern comforts we so cherish here in America. Many even today live in places where sharing Christ is illegal and may result in imprisonment and even death. Here in America there are times when living radically for Jesus may cost one his or her job. All of this suffering meant to accomplish the one thing that remains for people to be saved – they need to hear about Jesus and what he did on the cross.
But I want us to see that not only may Christian suffering result from sharing Jesus, it may be the means by which we are able to share Jesus. In other words, yes, personal suffering may result when we share Jesus, but it’s also true that when we suffer we have an opportunity to share Jesus in a way that we may not otherwise have.
Illustration: Beautiful Feet
J Oswald Chambers told the story of an indigenous missionary who walked barefoot from village to village preaching the gospel in India. His hardships were many. After a long day of many miles and much discouragement he came to a certain village and tried to speak the gospel but was driven out of town and rejected. So he went to the edge of the village dejected and lay down under a tree and slept from exhaustion.
When he awoke, people were hovering over him, and the whole town was gathered around to hear him speak. The head man of the village explained that they came to look him over while he was sleeping. When they saw his blistered feet, they concluded that he must be a holy man, and that they had been evil to reject him. They were sorry and wanted to hear the message that he was willing to suffer so much to bring them.
So the evangelist filled up the afflictions of Jesus with his beautiful blistered feet.
Not only did this man suffer as a result of sharing Jesus it was the means by which he was able to share Jesus. People believed Him and were willing to listen when they saw His suffering.
We must change how we view suffering. It may be that any suffering we experience as a result of sharing Jesus is minimal if it exists at all. But we will suffer in life as all people do. We will have financial crisis, the death of a loved one, disease, injury, loss of a job. It may very well be that our faith in Jesus will speak louder during these times of suffering than it would during times of comfort.
Suffering is a megaphone for the gospel. When we share Jesus while life is good, we whisper to the world that Jesus is the way. When we share Jesus when life is hard, we shout to the world that Jesus is the way.
We must change how we pray in regards to suffering.
It seems to me that our natural tendency is to pray: Use us to share Jesus, but protect us from all danger. It seems to me that the Biblical writers and the ancient Christians use to pray just a little differently: Deliver us from danger and imprisonment if it be thy will, but if the gospel will spread more fully through us being in prison or experiencing death, then so be it. It’s never wrong to pray that God would deliver us from suffering and we should never seek suffering but our greatest desire should be to make Jesus known not escape suffering. We need to pray, God if the way to make Jesus more fully known is through my suffering, then bring on the suffering!
A letter from John Calvin to five young Frenchmen about to be martyred in 1553 for carrying the gospel into France:
We who are here shall do our duty in praying that He would glorify Himself more and more by your constancy, and that He may, by the comfort of His Spirit, sweeten and endear all that is bitter to the flesh, and so absorb your spirits in Himself, that in contemplating that heavenly crown, you may be ready without regret to leave all that belongs to this world.
Now, at this present hour, necessity itself exhorts you more than ever to turn your whole mind heavenward. As yet, we know not what will be the event. But, since it appears as though God would use your blood to seal His truth, there is nothing better for you than to prepare yourselves for that end, beseeching Him so to subdue you to His good pleasure, that nothing may hinder you from following whithersoever He shall call. . . . Since it pleases Him to employ you to the death in maintaining His quarrel, He will strengthen your hands in the fight and will not suffer a single drop of your blood to be shed in vain.
Your humble brother, John Calvin
Certainly, other Christians were praying for the safety and release of these men. We should! But the safety and protection of these men were not the greatest desire of those praying. The greatest desire was that Jesus would be more fully known through these men.
God, deliver me from this cancer but if Jesus will be more fully known through my having cancer, then give me the grace to keep trusting you in the midst of the treatment of the cancer.
Lord, protect my children with a good job and great family nearby. Or, Lord, use my children to make Jesus known more fully whether that means them staying near or taking them to the other side of the planet to live, serve you and raise my grandkids.
God, bless me financially or God, make your name more fully known through me whether that means blessing me with greater finances that I honor you with or brining poverty whereby all I have is to trust in you.
There is nothing wrong in praying for deliverance from suffering, but instead of first praying for deliverance from suffering, let’s first pray that God uses that season of pain as a way to make Jesus known.
Suffering is a source of joy when it makes Jesus known.
· “I rejoice in my sufferings”
I am not challenging us to suffer for Jesus. I am challenging us to make our greatest joy making Jesus known whether or not in involves suffering.
Dear Lord, Change my heart so that my greatest joy is making Jesus known whether or not that involves suffering. In Jesus Name, Amen.
