Add correct line breaks, correct capitalisation, correct punctuation, correct Australian English spelling, and correct KJV Bible verse quotations and references to my paragraphs where applicable. But do NOT — I repeat — do NOT alter or change ANY words from my paragraphs under ALL circumstances.
Sermon Outline: Are We Willing To Suffer For Christ? (Colossians 1:23b-24) I. The Calling II. The Rejoicing III. The Filling Up
Our text for today's message is taken from the last part of Colossians 1:23–24: "Whereof I Paul am made a minister; Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church."
In the 1800s, there was a girl named Francis Havergal. One day she visited a museum in Germany, and she saw a painting titled Behold the Man. It was a picture of a man on the cross, with a crown on his head, with his hands stretched out, with nails driven into his hands and feet. It was a picture of great pain and agony. At the bottom of the painting, there was a small inscription which said: "I did this for thee; what hast thou done for Me?" She knew that painting reflected what Jesus had done for her on the cross of Calvary. She was moved to tears, and later she was inspired to write a hymn: I Gave My Life for Thee, What Hast Thou Done for Me? — a beautiful hymn that many of us are familiar with.
Dear friend, if we truly believe that Jesus died on the cross and shed His precious blood to save us from our sins, we will be moved to live our lives to serve Him. And as we serve Him, it is inevitable that there will be trials, tribulations, and troubles. The question is: Are we willing to suffer for Christ? This is the title of our message.
I. The Calling
Paul began by saying, "Whereof I Paul am made a minister." The word whereof connects this phrase to what he was speaking in the preceding verse. Remember, he was speaking about the gospel, where he urged the Colossians to continue in the faith: "Grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven." (Colossians 1:23)
This phrase "Whereof I am made a minister" was repeated in verse 25. The word minister is from where we get the English word for deacons. Deacons are called to serve tables. In other words, Paul was saying, "I was made to serve as a minister of the gospel." Paul never volunteered to be a minister of the gospel. It was not part of his plan. And it was not a matter of personal choice. In fact, he was actually going the opposite direction. He was a persecutor of the gospel.
Saul’s Prosecution Of Churches
In his earlier days, Paul was called Saul, and he was a fierce opponent of Christianity and the gospel. He was a Pharisee, and he was zealous for the traditions of his forefathers. This led him to participate in the martyrdom of Stephen, the first Christian martyr. He arrested and persecuted many of the early Christians.
Having done what he could in Jerusalem, he obtained letters to the leaders in the synagogues in Damascus, because he wanted to go there to arrest the Christians and bring them back to Jerusalem to be prosecuted and face possible execution. But on the way to Damascus, Jesus stopped him. There was a bright light from heaven. When Saul fell to the ground, blinded by the light, he heard a voice saying, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" "Who art thou, Lord?" he asked. "I am Jesus whom thou persecutest."
At that point, he was horrified, for he realised that he had been terribly mistaken. He had done great harm. He had even participated in the killing of Stephen. When he knew that it was Jesus of Nazareth speaking to him, and he had persecuted His disciples, he thought Jesus had come to judge him. Most certainly he deserved to be struck dead.
Instead, Jesus sent him to Damascus, where he was told what he should do. The Lord Jesus said, "He is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel." (Acts 9:15) To bear my name simply means to preach the gospel. So it was the Lord Jesus who had saved him, transformed him, and called him to be a minister of the gospel.
God Made Us!
Here Paul used a very interesting word: made, as in "I was made a minister." The original Greek word for made is ginomai, which means to become, to come into existence — something that was not there initially, and then it was brought into existence. For example, John 1:3 says, "All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." The same word ginomai was used. That was a reference to the creation. In the beginning, there was nothing. The earth was without form and void. And God created everything out of nothing.
In other words, Paul was saying: It was never my plan, my choice, or my intention. I was an enemy of the gospel. It was God who made me — from someone whom I was before to someone whom I am today — from a persecutor of the gospel to a preacher of the gospel.
This same truth can be applied to each and every one of our lives. It was God who made us in our mother's womb, whether a boy or a girl, gave us parents, placed us into a family, blessed us with education, jobs and opportunities, marriages, children, houses, etc. But most importantly, we were born sinners. We were enemies of God, and yet He made us to be His children, transported us out of darkness and into His marvellous light, put us into a church where we can worship and serve Him in the different ministries and fellowship groups.
All these things were not there initially. They were not by chance or coincidence. It was God who brought them into reality. From the moment we are created in our mother's womb, to our childhood, our adulthood, until the day we die — it is God who made us who we are and who we will be and where we will be for all eternity. If it is God who made us, then it is His call. He called us at a particular time, at a particular place, and for a particular purpose. And it is always for His glory.
Dear friend, you and I must see our lives in the light of His calling. Whether we are a preacher, a student, an accountant, a doctor, a single person or a married person, a husband or a wife — this is what God has made us. This is what God has called us to do. And we need to ask ourselves: How am I going to fulfil my calling? How am I going to serve and glorify my God who has made me?
Paul understood that very clearly and he said: "I Paul am made by God. I am called by God to be a minister. This is what I’m called to be and to do. And this is what I’m going to do. I’m going to serve and glorify my God in fulfilling my calling." I pray that all of us will have the same desire in our hearts: Lord, you have made me. And if this is where you have placed me, and if this is what you have given to me, then I will serve and glorify you with all my strength, with all my entire being.
II. The Rejoicing
Our second point is the rejoicing. Look at the first part of verse 24: "Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you." (Colossians 1:24a) It was not easy for Paul to be a minister of the gospel. Consider the things he had to face and endure in 2 Corinthians 11:23–28.
Maybe you can turn with me to this passage: "Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more — He was rebuking the false teachers who were boasting about their credentials and qualifications. And he was saying, "Let me tell you what are true spiritual credentials and qualifications. I may appear to be boasting. I may look like a fool, but I will speak as a fool because it is necessary — in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils of the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches." (2 Corinthians 11:23–28)
In other words, beside all these physical struggles and dangers, there was this daily spiritual worries he had for all the churches. That is a huge burden to carry as a minister of the gospel. Even at this point in time as he wrote to the Colossians, he was imprisoned for preaching the gospel. Colossians was known to be a prison epistle. That was why he said: "I rejoice in my sufferings for you." (Colossians 1:24a)
Rejoice In Sufferings
Throughout the Bible, we see many wonderful testimonies of people serving with joy in times of suffering. Beginning with the ultimate example — our Lord Jesus Christ: "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2)
The Apostle Peter said to the suffering believers: "Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations." (1 Peter 1:6 KJV) When Paul and Silas were beaten and imprisoned in Philippi, what did they do? They sang hymns of praise to God. Even when he was faced with the possibility of martyrdom, Paul said: "Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all." (Philippians 2:17)
The second century apologist Aristides wrote about the Christians in the early church. This is what he wrote: When any believer passed away, the Christians would rejoice and give thanks to God. When a child was born to a Christian family, they would praise God. When a child died in infancy, the parents would thank God even more. You may be asking why? How could that be? Because the child had passed through the world without having to encounter all those wicked sins. That was how the early Christians served God with joy in all circumstances.
But there were bad testimonies as well of people not serving with joy. Remember Jonah, who was angry, bitter, and resentful when he was called to preach to the Ninevites. Elijah even asked God to take away his life. And he said: "It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers." (1 Kings 19:4)
The Difference In Response To Suffering
Let us ask ourselves this question: Why were some of the believers able to rejoice while others were angry, bitter, and resentful? What was the difference between them? The difference was not in the bad circumstances because they were all suffering. The difference was in their communion with God.
Perhaps you have said in your heart, “Because of the adverse circumstances, the difficult people I face, and all the troubles, I have lost the joy of serving God.” No doubt the circumstances, people, and troubles can steal away the joy of the ministry. But the real problem is our communion with God. Because it is our communion with God that will keep us rejoicing even in difficult times.
The believer's joy is internal. It is a fruit of the Spirit. It is not something we can pretend. It comes from the Spirit himself. When the believer is walking and trusting God in times of suffering, the Holy Spirit will grant to him or her the joy that goes beyond the bad circumstances. When the believer has a right understanding of suffering, then he will be able to rejoice.
Right Understanding Of Suffering
Allow me to give you several examples. This is not exhaustive. Suffering brings the believer closer to Christ. The more the believer is tried, the more he is tested, the more he runs to Christ — just like a child would run to his parents when he is hurt, and the parents would embrace and comfort him.
Suffering assures the believer that he belongs to Christ. Jesus said: "If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you." (John 15:20) Suffering brings a future reward: "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." (Romans 8:18)
Suffering can also result in the salvation of others. Church history tells us that many came to Christ after they witnessed how the believers endured sufferings. I'm not saying that our suffering for Christ can save anyone. No, we can't. Only faith in the salvific work of Jesus Christ saves. But how we respond to suffering — how we endure suffering — can make the gospel believable.
Can you imagine? Paul was in prison writing this letter to the Colossians, and yet he said: "I rejoice in my sufferings for you." (Colossians 1:24a) How could the Colossians not be encouraged? They would be encouraged to be bold to live for Jesus Christ. That is how our testimonies can affect one another. Dear friend, if we respond to the trials and sufferings that we face as we serve the Lord in the right way, it will truly encourage the people around us.
Think for a moment as parents, when we lie on our death beds and our children are surrounding us crying, and we say to them, “Don't worry about me. Do not cry. I am trusting my God. You have to trust my God too. If I live, I rejoice. If I die, I rejoice even more, because I will be with the Lord.” "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." (Philippians 1:21) “In the sweet by and by, we shall meet again on that beautiful shore.” Surely our children will be encouraged to lead their lives for Christ. Don’t you think?
III. The Filling Up
Let us move on to the second part of verse 24. This is the difficult part: "And fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church." (Colossians 1:24b) Our final point is the filling up. Allow me to explain what I mean by filling up. This verse has caused much debates and controversies. To fill up that which is behind means to fill up that which is lacking.
This phrase has been misused by the Roman Catholics to support their doctrine of purgatory. They teach that Christ's death, Christ suffering was not enough to purge us completely from our sins. So Christians must make up for that lack in Christ suffering by their own sufferings in purgatory. But nothing is further from the truth.
Paul had just explained to the Colossians in verse 20 to 23 that Jesus Christ alone was sufficient to reconcile us to God through His death and His precious blood that was shed on Calvary cross. When Jesus died, He said: "It is finished." (John 19:30) The work of salvation is truly finished, accomplished. Nothing needs to be added to it.
Persecution Intended For Christ
The best explanation as to what Paul meant here was that he was receiving the persecution that was intended for Christ. You see, Jesus brought the gospel, the good news, that He was the Saviour of the world. For that, He was persecuted and He suffered death on the cross. His enemies had inflicted horrendous pain and injury to Him. He died. He was buried. But on the third day, He rose again from the dead and He ascended to heaven.
However, His enemies were not finished with Him yet. They were not done with Him yet. They wanted to inflict more injury to Him, but He was beyond their reach. So, they turned their hatred on those who preach the gospel. It was in this sense that Paul said, "I am a minister of the gospel and I am filling up that which was lacking in the afflictions of Christ." In other words, when they persecuted him, they were persecuting Christ. When he suffered, he was suffering for what was directed at Christ.
Paul knew this truth very well because when Jesus said to him on the road to Damascus: "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" (Acts 9:4) When did Saul persecute Jesus? Well, when he persecuted the Christians, he was persecuting Christ Himself. Notice Paul said the physical suffering he endured at the hands of the persecutors was not because of his personality or his character or they did not like him, but because of his ministry to the body of Christ, which is the church. They persecuted him for being a minister of the gospel. And through the gospel, the church was built and it flourished. They hated it. For that he was persecuted.
Paul was not the only one who suffered for the gospel and the church. All the apostles, minus Judas Iscariot, were martyred for the gospel and the church. And later on, thousands and thousands of faithful believers also suffered, and many were killed. Even till today, churches all over the world are still facing persecutions. In some countries, Christians may be killed simply for preaching the gospel, simply for giving out a gospel tract.
But in the vast majority of the other countries like ours, though we may not be killed, we do face hostilities, rejections, persecutions, animosities, oppositions of all sorts. When we suffer, we are suffering for the sake of Christ. But we must make sure that we are not suffering for the consequences of our own sins that we deserve, but we are suffering for righteousness' sake.
Jesus said: "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you." (John 15:18) The question is, are we willing to fill up that which is lacking in the afflictions of Christ? Meaning to say, are we willing to suffer for Him?
Serving The Lord
Dear friend, as true believers, you and I will serve the Lord. Not maybe, but surely. As we serve the Lord, we understand that it is the Lord who made us and called us to be who we are and to do what He has called us to do. We must be faithful. As we serve the Lord, we rejoice not only in good circumstances but even in bad circumstances. Not because we are capable, but because of our communion with God. It is our communion with God that keeps us rejoicing in all circumstances.
As we serve the Lord and we suffer, whether we are being persecuted or mocked or ostracised, we understand that we are filling up that which is lacking in the afflictions of Christ. It is as if Jesus will say to us, "Those are not your sufferings. They are my sufferings. They are directed at me. And you are faithful to suffer for that which is intended for me." That is what it means to be willing to suffer for Christ.
The day will come when we stand before the Lord. He knows we have filled up that which is lacking in His afflictions — that which were intended for Him, that which were directed at Him — and we took it all. What will He say to us? "Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." (Matthew 25:21) I pray that all of us will be such believers willing to suffer for Christ.
Let us pray. Our Father in heaven, indeed, though it be a short two verses, but there are so many wonderful lessons we can learn from Thy beloved servant the Apostle Paul about his calling, as he said, "I Paul am made a minister." This reminds us that Thou art the one who made us. We are what we are, not because of our own doing, but because of Thee. Everything we have, and everything we will be, and where we will be for all eternity is because of Thee. Help us to be mindful of this.
We know that there are believers who are not able to rejoice. Yet there are believers who are able to rejoice in times of suffering. It is not because of the bad circumstances, because we may all be suffering. It is because of our communion with God. If we drift away from Thee and our eyes are not fixed on our Lord Jesus, who is the author and the finisher of our faith, surely we would be just like Jonah — angry, bitter, and resentful in times of suffering. We will just be like Elijah, who will ask Thee, "Take away my life."
But we want to be like those good examples recorded for us in the Scriptures — especially our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who for the joy that was set before Him, He endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2) O Lord, we need Thee. Otherwise, how can we rejoice?
But if we are in Thee, walking in step with Thee every day of our lives — come what may — we will be rejoicing whether the circumstances be good or bad. And we are willing to fill up that which is lacking in the affliction of Christ. This has nothing to do with Thy salvation. This has to do with us receiving the persecutions, the sufferings that were directed at Christ, that were intended for Him.
When we preach the gospel, when we are rejected, it is not they rejecting us per se, but they are rejecting our Lord Jesus. When they mock at us when we preach the word, they are not mocking at us per se. They are mocking at the Christ we preach. We are willing to fill up that which is lacking. We are willing to suffer for the sake of Jesus Christ.
O Lord, help us to live such a life through the wonder-working of Thy Spirit, looking forward to the day that Thou wilt say to us: "Well done, thou good and faithful servant: enter thou into the joy of the Lord." (Matthew 25:21) In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.