1. God’s Ministry—The Christ-Like Ministry—Col 1:24
a. A ministry of Joy— “… I now rejoice…”
(1) Xairw, joy, which the New Testament uses over 120 times, and which Paul uses continually, usually in the context of rejoicing over some aspect of spiritual fruit or progress in the people to whom he is ministering.
(2) NIDNTT says, “…The Pauline Epistles testify to the paradox that Christian joy is to be found only in the midst of sadness, affliction and care. Indeed, this is precisely where it gives proof of its power….This joy has its source beyond mere earlthly , human, joy. It is joy en kyrio, in the Lord, and therefore outside ourselves…”
(3) Joy is not an attitude or an experience, it is not a positive reaction to good circumstances, Joy is an act of the will. If we say in the midst of trials, even tragedy, “What have I got to rejoice about?”, we reveal that we don’t understand what rejoicing is.
(4) Phil 3:1 "Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe."
(5) Phil 4:4 "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!"
(6) Paul often contrasts Joy and trials—2 Cor 6:10 "as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things."
(7) Phil 2:17-18 "Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 18 For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me."
b. Joy in suffering— “… I now rejoice in my sufferings for you,…”
(1) We should not see suffering as something unusual for the believer—2 Tim 3:12 "Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution."
(2) There is joy in suffering if we understand that suffering and glory are both evidence of the reality of our sonship—
(a) Rom 8: 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."
(b) 1 Pet 4:13-15
c. Taking the shots aimed at Christ—“…and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ…”
(1) Acts 9: 5 And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" Then the Lord said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.""
(2) Gal 6:17 "From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus." (cf 2 Cor 11)—
(3) Now, this is not talking about the Catholic superstition of the stigmata—Paul is not claiming to have marks which mimic the scars of the Lord on Calvary. Rather, Paul refers to his own scars, won in the service of his Lord, as abundantly described in 2 Cor 11
d. The purpose—the church—“…for the sake of His body, which is the church…”
(1) Christ’s sufferings were redemptive for His people, for His church—1 Pet 2:24
(2) Ours are not redemptive, but they are for the sake of the same body—2 Tim 2:10 The scars of Christ wrought our salvation, our sufferings are part of our service. It is about completing the mission, whatever it takes.
2. The God-Called Man—23 “…of which I, Paul, became a minister….25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God…”
a. God’s Call—23 “…of which I, Paul, became a minister….25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God…”
(1) God’s plan for Paul’s life—Gal 1:13-15
(2) God’s call—Acts 9, 26:9-18, Rom 15:15-16, 2 Cor 5:18, 1 Tim 2:5-7
(3) God’s Gift—Eph 4:11
b. God’s Ministry—“…to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you…”
(1) Steward—a house manager
(2) 1 Cor 9:16-17, Titus 1:7
(3) “…According to the dispensation of God… ‘According to the economy of God.’ An old word …to be a house steward…as in Luke 16:2-4; 1 Corinthians 9:17; Ephesians 1:9; 3:9. It was by God’s stewardship that Paul was made a minister of Christ…” (ATR)
c. God’s Word for God’s People—“…to fulfill the word of God…” The NASB says, “…fully carry out the preaching of God’s Word…,” which is implied, but not specifically mentioned in the Greek.
(1) Acts 20:24-27, 2 Tim 4:1-4
(2) To fulfil the word of God (pleôroôsai ton logon tou theou). First aorist active infinitive of purpose (pleôrooô), a fine phrase for a God-called preacher, to fill full or to give full scope to the Word of God. The preacher is an expert on the word of God by profession. See Paul’s ideal about preaching in 2 Thessalonians 3:1 (ATR)
(3) We must challenge the de-emphasis on preaching.
3. The God-Revealed Mystery—26-27
a. The Hidden Mystery—26
(1) First of all, a mystery is not something which is part of some inner, hidden knowledge that is not revealed, a mystery is Truth formerly not revealed which has been revealed or is being revealed.
(2) Language—“which has been hidden” is a perfect passive participle—it speaks of something which is an accomplished fact in past time.
(3) What is the mystery? Not just salvation, which was promised in all of the types, shadows, and prophecies about Christ and His work, but that salvation would be for all men! Eph 3:1-11—We Gentiles, with few exceptions, were cut off (Eph 2:11-20), but now we have hope.
b. The Revealed Mystery—“…but now has been revealed to His saints. 27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles…”
(1) The verbs and the infinitive (to be) are aorist—a sudden shift from eternally concealed to finally, fully, and definitively revealed.
(2) This does not allow for any other testaments or new prophets, such as Mohammed or Joseph Smith and the Mormons. There is a note of finality—Rom 16:26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
c. The Riches of His Glory—“…the riches of the glory—God does not only save us—He has arranged all of this to bring us into a share of Glory—1 Cor 2:7 "But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:"
4. The Heart of the Message: the Person and Work of Christ—“… which is Christ in you…”
a. His Person
(1) God—John 1:1-3
(2) Man—Gal 4:4-6, 1 Tim 2:5
b. His Work—1 Cor 15:1-4
(1) Substitutionary Death, literal burial
(2) Literal, Bodily, resurrection
(3) Bodily ascension
(4) Personal Intercession
(5) Soon Return
c. Another Mystery not previously revealed—The Indwelling Christ
(1) John 14:16-17, 20, 23
(2) John 17:23
(3) Rom 8:10
(4) Gal 2:20
(5) 1 Jn 3:24
d. He is in us corporately, but according to ATR, this language is speaking of individual indwelling.—Eph 2:20-22, 1 Pet 2:5.
5. The Bottom Line— “…the hope of glory…”
a. Hope—What is Hope?
(1) The World’s Definition of Hope
(2) The Bible Definition—to anticipate, usually with pleasure; confidence
(3) Hope is a thing of the mind—1 Pet 1:13 "Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;"
(4) Hope is a product of the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our lives— Rom 15:13 "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost."
(5) Hope comes from the actions of God—1 Pet 1:3 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,"
(6) Hope is a product of understanding the Scriptures— Rom 15:4 "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope."
(7) Hope is certain knowledge based on knowing the character of God, and based on believing in the Person and Work of Christ, and based on a personal relationship with Christ—
(a) Titus 1:2 "In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;"
(b) Heb 6:18-19 "That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: 19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;"
(8) Hope is an important base for our Christian character. 1 John 3:3 "And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure."
(9) Hope is an important basis for our witness for Christ—1 Pet 3:15 "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:"
(10) Those without Christ have NO HOPE—1 Th 4:13 "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope."
b. Hope of Glory—John 17
(1) What is the Glory of God? It is the outward expression of the inward reality of Who God Is.
(2) Glory is the sum of all of God’s moral, spiritual, and tangible attributes, abilities, and graces.
(3) Glory consists of the purest physical light, which is a reflection of the purest moral and spiritual light, which we find in the face of God.
d. What is His Glory?
a. The Reason That God Made Everything is for His Own Glory—we will see more of that tonight when we talk about His Name.
(1) WE are saved “…(Eph 1:6) "to the praise of the glory of His grace…."
(2) He created us for His Glory—(Isa 43:7) "Everyone who is called by My name, Whom I have created for My glory…"
(3) He brought Israel out of slavery (Psa 106:8) "Nevertheless He saved them for His name's sake, That He might make His mighty power known."
(4) He promised to end the exile (Isa 48:9-11) ""For My name's sake I will defer My anger, And for My praise I will restrain it from you, So that I do not cut you off. 10 Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. 11 For My own sake, for My own sake, I will do it; For how should My name be profaned? And I will not give My glory to another."
(5) Christ came so that “… the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy…” Rom 15:9
(6) Our entire life is to be dedicated to His Glory (1 Cor 10:31) "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."
(7) (2 Th 1:11-12) "Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, 12 that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ."
(John 1:14) "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."
(John 2:11) "This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him."
(John 12:41) "These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him."
(Rom 3:7) "For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner?"
(Rom 9:23) "and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory,"
(Eph 1:12) "that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory."
(Eph 1:14) "who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory."
(Eph 3:16) "that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,"
(Heb 1:3) "who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,"
(1 Pet 4:13) "but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy."
(Jude 1:24) "Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,"
c. What is the source of this glory to be?
(1) The church—Eph 3
(2) Christ Himself
(3) The Holy Spirit
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