This past Thursday morning I went to my favorite café in Frelighsburg, QC, to work on today’s sermon. I was sitting there quietly with my books spread all over the table, sipping on a cup of coffee while I was deep in thought about Paul’s work of ministry and his letter to the Colossians. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed an elderly gentleman at the next table watching me. For some reason, what I was doing was more interesting to him than the newspaper that he was pretending to read.
After a little while he got up from his chair, walked over to me, and inquired, “Are you a professor?” I replied, “No, I’m a pastor.” Immediately, his demeanor changed from warm hospitality to cold hostility. A little wry smile crossed his face and he said, “A pastor, huh,” and he quickly turned around, sat down, faced the other direction, and never spoke another word. All of the sudden his newspaper was more interesting than what I was doing. Even though he didn’t say it, I knew what he was thinking, “A pastor, what a waste!”
Isn’t that fascinating? The work of a professor was considered worthwhile, but the work of a minister was regarded as worthless. That interaction reminded me of a similar conversation I had with one of our youth group members a few years ago. The young man was excited when he told me, “When I grow up, I want to be a pastor.” I said, “Really, why do you want to be a pastor?” He said, “Because I only have to work one day a week!” That is when I realized that the whole conversation was a set-up.
There does seem to be a lot of confusion about what is actually involved in the work of ministry. Not only for professional clergy like me, but for all of us who are followers and servants of Jesus Christ. Well, Paul clears up the confusion for us in today’s text. As he tells the Colossians what was involved in his own ministry, he describes what should be involved in our ministry today. Let’s see what it is!
1.) The work of ministry involves suffering for Christ. (1:24; 2:1)
Anyone who has ever dared to do the work of ministry has experienced suffering. Paul knew this better than most people. He had been falsely accused, beaten, persecuted, and imprisoned for his commitment to the ministry of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He wrote this letter to the Colossians while he was imprisoned in Rome. He wasn’t there because prison was a great place to overcome writer’s block. He wasn’t there because he found it such a pleasant place. (Anders 285) He was there because he was being persecuted for his faith and ministry.
Even though Paul suffered greatly, he was able to rejoice. This sounds absurd! How can anyone rejoice in their sufferings? He gives two reasons. First, he could rejoice in his sufferings because he was doing it for others. In verse 24, when he says, “I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s affliction, he is not inferring that Jesus’ suffering on the cross was somehow insufficient; rather, he is saying that he is suffering on behalf of Christ and his church. When Jesus was in the world, the world hated him. Now that Jesus was gone, the world made Jesus’ followers suffer. Paul suffered so that the Word of God could be presented to the Colossians and the church universal.
This idea of suffering for the benefit of others makes me think about my trip to the dentist this past week. I am embarrassed to admit that my appointment was long overdue. So, when the hygienist took that little metal instrument and started scraping away the plaque from under my gums, I felt the pain. But my gums were willing to suffer for the benefit of my teeth; for that reason I could rejoice. Paul could rejoice in his sufferings because he knew that the church would benefit.
Second, Paul could rejoice in his sufferings because they helped him identify with the sufferings of Christ. Paul’s attitude was “Jesus took the blows meant for me; I’ll take the blows meant for him.” (Anders 285) When he suffered it reminded him of Jesus’ suffering. When he was falsely accused, it reminded him that Jesus was falsely accused. When he was unjustly beaten, he was reminded that Jesus was unjustly beaten. When he could not walk, he was reminded that Jesus could not walk and bear his own cross. He could rejoice in his suffering because it helped him identify with the suffering of Christ.
Menno Simons was a man who rejoiced in his sufferings. How many of you have ever heard of Menno Simons? How many of you have ever heard of Britney Spears? That’s what I thought. That just goes to show that we need to watch less TV and read more history.
Menno Simons was born in 1496 in Holland. As a young man he began studying for the priesthood. What is interesting about this is that during all his years of preparation, he was never allowed to read the Bible. He could read any of the church fathers or great philosophical works, but the church officials forbid their priests from reading the Bible so that it wouldn’t “corrupt their views of the church.”
After Simons became a priest, he acquired a Bible and read it for himself. Sure enough, he discovered that many of the church’s practices were inconsistent with biblical teaching. Among other things, he observed that there was not a single example of infant baptism in the Bible. He eventually broke off from the Roman Catholic Church and joined the growing Anabaptist movement that was sweeping across Europe in the mid-fifteen-hundreds. They were called Anabaptists, or “re-baptizers”, because they insisted that baptism should follow repentance and a public profession of faith in Jesus Christ.
For the next 25 years, Menno Simons, along with his wife and three children, ran from the religious authorities who sought to take their lives. Many Anabaptists were persecuted and martyred. Ironically, most of them were drowned. The authorities said, “So, you want to be immersed; we will immerse you!”
Simons avoided martyrdom but suffered greatly. The last few years of his life he was crippled. He suffered with so much joy that many among the Anabaptist movement took on his name. You may not have heard the name Menno Simons before, but you have probably heard of the Mennonites, a branch of the Christian church that is still flourishing today. Menno Simons penned these powerful words: “If the head had to suffer such torture, anguish, misery, and pain, how shall his servants, children, and members expect peace and freedom as to our flesh?”
As modern Americans it sounds strange to rejoice in our sufferings. We don’t even think we should have to suffer! When we are diagnosed with a disease, incur a financial shortfall, experience marital conflict, or lose a loved one, many people actually get mad at God. We ask selfish questions like, “Why me, God?” or “Where were you?” Our sense of entitlement runs so deep that we believe that we deserve freedom and the pursuit of happiness without any obstacles.
Paul reminds us that we are Christians! He reminds us that it is a privilege to suffer for Christ and his church! He reminds us that our suffering helps us to identify with the suffering of our Lord! He reminds us that we can rejoice in our sufferings.
How are you suffering today? How is it helping you identify with Christ’s suffering for you? Are you rejoicing?
2.) The work of ministry involves proclaiming Christ. (25-28a)
Well, the work of ministry certainly involves suffering, but what else does it involve? In verses 25-29 he reveals that the work of ministry involves the message of Christ. Paul became a servant of the church when God called him into the ministry. Do you remember the story of Paul being blinded by the light on the road to Damascus? God turned the persecutor of Christ into a preacher of Christ. From that day forward, Paul’s ministry included presenting the Word of God in its fullness. This meant that he would proclaim the mystery of God that had been kept hidden for ages and ages, but now is disclosed to the saints.
What is the mystery revealed? In verse 27 he tells us: it is Christ in us, the hope of glory.
In past ages, God’s plan to redeem humanity from its sins was only revealed to the Jews, but now the message of forgiveness through Christ would be revealed to everyone. By trusting Christ as our Lord and Savior, salvation is available for everyone. This was especially good news for the Colossians, who were mostly Gentiles. Christ was in them and their hope of eternal life forever. This is why, in verse 28, Paul says, “We proclaim him…”
Like Paul, our ministry today should include the work of proclaiming Jesus Christ. This sounds so simple. It should be a “no-brainer”, but you would be surprised by how many churches abandon the gospel of Christ for the competing messages of the day. For instance, some churches and ministries have become so politically motivated that the message of Christ has taken a backseat. I deeply appreciate the ministry of “Focus on the Family” radio, but I wonder if their push for political activism in recent years has sidetracked them from the gospel of Jesus Christ? Yes, Jesus wants us to vote according to our Christian values, but our primary message should be the death and resurrection of Christ.
Other churches and ministries become so consumed with the message of morality that they forget that it is Jesus’ blood that cleanses us from sin. Don’t get me wrong; I’m all for living moral and godly lives, but this should never take precedence over the message of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
Still, other churches and ministries sacrifice the message of Christ in their pursuit of social justice. Now, as Christians we certainly have a responsibility to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, house the homeless, help the poor, and liberate the oppressed, but our primary message should be the glorious riches of the mystery of Christ. It is good to have food for the body; it is better to have food for the soul! It is good to have a house to live in here; it is better to have a home in heaven! It is good to be liberated from oppression; it is better to be liberated from bondage to sin! Our ministry should always proclaim the message of Christ.
3.) The work of ministry involves helping people become spiritually mature. (1:28b; 2:2-4)
Paul reveals the ultimate goal of his ministry in the purpose clauses of verses 1:28 and 2:2. In verse 28 he says that the reason he proclaims, admonishes, and teaches is to present everyone perfect in Christ. Our modern understanding of the word “perfect” has tainted what Paul meant by it. Today, we typically think of “perfect” as something without flaw, but for the Hebrew, something was “perfect” if it fulfilled its purpose. (Garland 124) It was Paul’s goal to help believers fulfill their purpose in Christ. This means spiritual maturity.
In verse 2:2, Paul says that his immediate purpose is for Christians to “be encouraged in heart and united in love, to fulfill the intermediate purpose of providing “the full riches of complete understanding, to fulfill the ultimate purpose of revealing the “mystery of God”. This verse is like a stairway to spiritual maturity.
In verse 4, Paul reveals the reason why the ultimate goal of his ministry was to present all believers mature in Christ: “so that they would not be deceived by fine-sounding arguments.” This was particularly important for the Colossian church which was being confused by a group of false teachers. Even though Paul could not be with them in body, he was with them in spirit and desired them to hold firm to their faith in Christ.
Just as Paul’s goal in ministry was to present the Colossians and everyone else mature in Christ, it should be the goal of our ministry to help others mature in Christ. How do we do this? Just like Paul did! He “proclaimed, admonished, taught, and encouraged.” We do the same thing when we bring people to church, teach Sunday School, meet with our discipleship groups, attend youth group, and counsel and encourage other Christians through difficult times.
How are you maturing in your relationship with Christ? How are you helping others grow in their relationship with Christ?
Our ministry today involves suffering, proclaiming Christ, and helping other grow toward spiritual maturity. Now that you know what it involves, will you do it!