This passage from Colossians discusses Paul's ministry and message to the church. Paul rejoices in his sufferings for the church, which fills up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions. He was appointed by God to preach the mystery of Christ being formed in believers. Paul's message includes proclaiming Christ, teaching wisdom to present believers as complete or perfect in Him. He works hard through God's power to strengthen believers so that no one deceives them from the full and true knowledge of God revealed in Christ.

2. Colossians 1:24–2:5
24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake,
and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His
body, which is the church, in filling up what is
lacking in Christ’s afflictions. 25 Of this church I
was made a minister according to the
stewardship from God bestowed on me for
your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the
preaching of the word of God, 26 that is, the
mystery which has been hidden from the past
ages and generations, but has now been

3. manifested to His saints, 27 to whom God
willed to make known what is the riches of the
glory of this mystery among the Gentiles,
which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 We
proclaim Him, admonishing every man and
teaching every man with all wisdom, so that
we may present every man complete in Christ.
29 For this purpose also I labor, striving
according to His power, which mightily works
within me. 1 For I want you to know how great
a struggle I have on your behalf and for those
who are at Laodicea, and for all those who
have not personally seen my face,

4. 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, having
been knit together in love, and attaining to all
the wealth that comes from the full assurance
of understanding, resulting in a true
knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ
Himself, 3 in whom are hidden all the
treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I say
this so that no one will delude you with
persuasive argument. 5 For even though I am
absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in
spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and
the stability of your faith in Christ.

6. Forgotten part of the Gospel
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake,
and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His
body, which is the church, in filling up what is
lacking in Christ’s afflictions.
Personal suffering
Corporate suffering

7. Yeah suffering!
1. Believers share Christ’s sufferings by doing
the Father’s will. Gal. 2:20; Phil 3:10
2. Christ suffers with believers Acts 9:4–5; 2
Cor. 1:5
3. Suffering is needed for maturity Heb. 5:8
4. We must fulfill the “birth pains” for the new
age. Mark 13:8

8. Yeah suffering!
1.Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who
live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by
faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
Philippians 3:10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and
the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death;
2.Acts 9:4–5 and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul,
Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” 5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?”
And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting,
2 Corinthians 1:5 For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so
also our comfort is abundant through Christ.
3.Hebrews 5:8 Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things
which He suffered.
4.Mark 13:8 “For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against
kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will also be
famines. These things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.

9. This church?
Of this church I was made a minister according
to the stewardship from God bestowed on me
for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out
the preaching of the word of God,
The suffering church

10. A look at the leaders
Ministers accountable to God for His message
1. Servant
2. Slave
3. Steward
Benefits the congregation

11. Stewardship is contagious
As each one has received a special gift, employ
it in serving one another as good stewards of
the manifold grace of God. Whoever speaks, is
to do so as one who is speaking the utterances
of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who
is serving by the strength which God supplies;
so that in all things God may be glorified
through Jesus Christ…
1 Peter 4:10–11a

12. Preach a message
Mystery, glory, riches
Proclaim and admonish
Christ in you gives hope
Teaching with wisdom to make
complete/perfect

13. Important part of that message
to whom God willed to make known what is
the riches of the glory of this mystery among
the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope
of glory.
Colossians 1:27

14. Christ in you
All three persons of the trinity indwell you!
Jesus- John 14:20, 23; 2 Cor. 13:5
Spirit- John 14:16–17; 1 Cor. 3:16
Father- John 14:23; 2 Cor. 6:16

15. Christ in you
Jesus
John 14:20 “In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. John 14:23
Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love
him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.
2 Corinthians 13:5 Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not
recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test?
Holy Spirit
John 14:16–17 “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you
forever; 17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him
or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.
1 Corinthians Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
Father
John 14:23 (NASB95)
23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love
him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.
2 Corinthians 6:16 Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the
living God; just as God said, “I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND
THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.

16. 2nd part of the message
Encouragement-Hearing the message/unity
Knit together in love-bring together as one unit
Wealth in understanding Christ
Hidden treasure
Knowledge-experiential
Wisdom-application of truth

17. Called to work
For this purpose also I labor, striving according
to His power, which mightily works within me.
Engage in hard work
To do something with great intensity & effort
According to His power

18. Called to work 2
Struggle for believers
Physical- suffering for believers
Spiritual- prayer
Rejoicing in maturity

19. Why?
I say this so that no one will delude you with
persuasive argument. For even though I am
absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in
spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and
the stability of your faith in Christ.
Completing the package

20. The believers response
No one is lead astray
Discipline
Stability