Colossians 1(24)–2(05)

Introduction

Paul is writing to the believers in Colosse, whom he had not met in person, but he’d heard about them from Epaphras, who brought the gospel to Colosse and planted the church in that place.

And we’ve seen how Paul wrote in his letter that he always gave thanks to God for their faith in Christ and for their love for one another and for the hope they have received of eternal life in the presence of God. And we’ve also seen how Paul wrote that he always prayed for them that God will fill them with the knowledge of God’s will, so that they will live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way. And that means bearing fruit in every good work; and growing in their knowledge of God; and being strengthened to endure suffering; and giving thanks to God the Father, who has qualified them to inherit eternal life. God has rescued them from the dominion of darkness and he’s brought them into the kingdom of his Son, in whom we have redemption, which means we’re delivered from our sin and misery and from the tyranny of the Devil, and we receive the assurance of sins forgiven and the hope of everlasting life.

And then in the passage we studied last week, Paul wrote about the supremacy of Christ. He’s the firstborn over all creation; and he’s the firstborn from the dead. And the word ‘firstborn’ means he has a special and unique and supreme place. He’s firstborn over all creation because all things were made by him and they were made for him. And he’s firstborn from the dead because he was the first to be raised from the dead. That is to say, he was the first of all those who will be raised from the dead and who will be part of God’s new creation in the new and better world to come. And so, he’s supreme over creation and he’s supreme over the new creation.

And, of course, he is God. Paul made that clear in at least two ways. Firstly, by telling us that Christ is the image of the invisible God. In other words, he’s the exact representation or imprint of God. And he’s the exact representation or imprint of God because he is God. And Paul made clear that Christ is God by telling us, secondly, that God the Father was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him. And so, as well as being full human, Christ is also fully divine. And God the Father sent him into the world as one of us in order to reconcile God and sinners by making peace through his blood shed on the cross. And if we continue in the faith, if we continue to trust in Christ, then one day we’ll be presented before God holy in his sight and without blemish and blameless.

And do remember that the reason Paul was writing to the Colossians and reminding them of these things and reminding them especially of the supremacy of Christ is because of the false teachers in Colosse who were leading people astray by teaching a kind of Jewish mysticism. It was an amalgamation of different ideas drawn from Judaism and from paganism. In chapter 2 Paul will refer to their hollow and deceptive philosophy. And he’ll say it depends on human tradition and on the basic principles, or the elemental spiritual forces, of this world. And he’ll refer to their holy days and special diets and to circumcision. And he’ll mention how they worshipped angels. And he’ll refer to their visions. And he’ll say about them that what they believe does not depend on Christ; and that they have lost connection with the Head. That is, they have lost connection with the Lord Jesus Christ.

I mentioned last week that at least one commentator (Arnold) suggests that the false teachers were advocating these things in order to ward off evil. They believed that much of the misery in life is caused by evil spirits. And so, here’s a way to protect yourself from those evil spirits. Another commentator (Beale) suggests that the false teachers were promoting these things as a way for people to gain access to God’s heavenly temple. So, they were teaching a kind of higher life. Do you want communion with God in heaven? Do you want to gain access to the heavenly temple? Well, follow our directions in order to reach a higher life.

And in order to protect the believers from being contaminated with this kind of unhealthy teaching, Paul wrote to remind them of the supremacy of Christ and how they should not be taken in by what the false teachers were saying, because the way to know God in this life and the next is by believing in Christ and in him alone.

And Paul’s words are addressed to us as well. We need to remember and believe that Christ is supreme over all and the only Saviour of the world. We need to remember and believe these things so that we won’t be taken in by other religions and philosophies and by unbelief. There is no greater or better Saviour, because he is the only one who is fully human and fully divine and who gave up his life to reconcile us to God the Father by making peace between us through his blood shed on the cross.

Outline

Today’s passage can be divided into two parts: verses 24 to 29 of chapter 1 and verses 1 to 5 of chapter 2. But both parts are arranged in a way that put the idea of God’s mystery at the centre of each part.

If you’ve got your Bible open, look at how verses 24 to 29 are arranged. Paul begins and ends this part by referring to his suffering. Do you see that? ‘Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you’ (v. 24) and ‘To this end I labour, struggling…’ (v. 29).

And he also refers to the commission he has received from the Lord. So, ‘I have become [the church’s] servant by the commission God gave me’ (v. 25) and ‘We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone…’ (v.28). The commission he received from God was to proclaim the message of Christ.

And then, right at the centre of this part, in verses 27 and 27, he refers to God’s mystery which has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but has now been disclosed to the saints.

So, at the heart of the first part of today’s passage is God’s mystery. And it’s the same in the second part. This time it begins and ends with Paul’s concern for his readers. So, in verse 1 he wants them to know how much he’s struggling for them; and in verse 5 he says that he is with them in spirit. We might say that they are in his thoughts and prayers. So, he cares about them: he’s prepared to struggle for them and he’s always thinking about them.

And then he refers to his purpose in verses 2 and 4. He says in verse 2: ‘My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart’ and so on. And then he says in verse 4: ‘I tell you this so that no-one may deceive you…’ In other words, the purpose he has in telling them these things is so that no-one will deceive them.

And then, right at the centre of this part, at the end of verse 2 and into verse 3, he refers to God’s mystery: ‘in order that they may know the mystery of God….’

So, today’s passage can be divided into two parts; and at the centre of both parts is God’s mystery. That’s what we should be focussing on.

God’s mystery

What does Paul say about this mystery? According to verse 26 this mystery has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but it has now been disclosed or revealed to the saints. That is, to Christians. And then in verse 27 he goes on to say that God has chosen to make known to the saints the glorious riches of this mystery among the Gentiles. And he then describes the mystery as ‘Christ in you, the hope of glory.’ And then at the end of verse 2 he describes the mystery as Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. So, the mystery was hidden for ages and generations, but now it has been revealed. And it’s about Christ.

To help us understand what Paul means by this mystery, let’s think for a moment about a wrapped present under a Christmas tree. So, a few weeks before Christmas, you put up your tree with its light and decorations. And a few days later, a wrapped present appears under the tree. You can see it there, but, of course, you’ve no idea what’s under the wrapping paper. Perhaps you pick it up and you feel its weight and you give it a shake and you turn it around and around in your hands and you try to figure out what it might be. But really you have no idea. It’s a mystery. And if someone comes to your house before Christmas, they too will see the wrapped present and they might pick it up and give it a shake and turn it over in their hands to try to guess what it might be. But they don’t know either. It’s a mystery to them as well. And it’s going to remain a mystery for the next week or two until Christmas Day arrives. But when Christmas Day arrives, you’re allowed to take off the wrapping and see what’s inside. And then, the mystery has been revealed.

And it turns out to be both a surprise and not a surprise. It’s a surprise, because you had no idea that this is what it was. Though you tried to guess what it was, your guesses were completely off. And so, it’s a surprise in that sense. But, in another sense, it’s not a surprise, because it’s something you always needed and wanted. It’s a wonderful gift, the best gift you have ever received.

That’s a picture of God’s mystery. We now know that the mystery is Christ, who is the Saviour of the whole world. He’s Saviour for the Jews and he’s Saviour for the Gentiles. He’s the Saviour of all who trust in him and it makes no difference whether someone is a Jew or a Gentile, male or female, young or old, rich or poor, educated or uneducated. It makes no difference, because what counts is faith in Christ, who is God’s mystery, once hidden, now revealed.

We know this now, but it was hidden from God’s people in the past, in the days of the Old Testament. Or we might say it was hidden in plain sight, because it was right there in front of them, just as the Christmas present is right there under the tree in front of you. The good news of the gospel was right there, in front of God’s people in Old Testament times, because every king pointed to Christ, because he’s our Great King who was coming into the world; and every priest pointed to Christ, because he’s our Great Priest who was coming into the world; and every prophet pointed to Christ, because he’s our great prophet who was coming into the world. And every sacrifice which the people offered in the tabernacle and temple pointed to Christ, because when he came he offered himself as the perfect sacrifice for sins. As our church’s Confession of Faith says, the gospel was administered under the time of the law by promises and by prophecies and by sacrifices and by circumcision and by the Passover Lamb and by other types and ordinances given to the Jewish people, all of which foreshadowed Christ to come.

So, the people in Old Testament times had the gospel, but it was wrapped up under these types and shadows. It was right there in front of them, but they couldn’t see it clearly. And, as Peter says in his first letter, even the angels longed to look into these things. They were trying to figure out the mystery for themselves, but it was hidden even from them.

But then Christmas Day arrived and the wrapping was taken away and the mystery was revealed. The types and shadows were taken away just as wrapping paper is taken away. And Christ was underneath. He’s the mystery who is now revealed, because it was now revealed that salvation is found in no one else, because there is no other name under heaven given to us by which we must be saved.

Yes, the people in Old Testament times were taught to look forward to the coming of the Saviour, who was sometimes depicted as a mighty, conquering king; and who was sometimes depicted as a suffering servant. But it wasn’t clear that he would save his people by taking the blame for them and by giving up his life as the ransom to pay for their sins. And it wasn’t clear either that this salvation was not only for the Jews, but it was also for the Gentiles. Jews and Gentiles are saved in the same way, which is through faith in Christ, the only Saviour of the world.

That’s the mystery which was kept hidden for ages and generations. But it has now been disclosed to the saints. And Paul tells us in verse 27 that God has chosen to make known the glorious riches of this mystery among the Gentiles. He’s saying that this mystery is for the Gentiles as well as for the Jews. And the content of the mystery is Christ.

In fact, it’s more than that, isn’t it? It’s Christ in you. Christ dwells in the believers in Colosse by his Spirit. And because Christ now dwells in them by his Spirit, they have received the hope of glory: the hope of eternal life in the glory to come in the presence of God.

And it’s not just Christ in them, the believers in Colosse; because it’s also Christ in you, the members of Immanuel; and it’s Christ in everyone who believes in him for salvation. Because of Adam’s fall in the beginning, all of us were by nature in a state of sin and misery. It’s a state of sin because we’re sinners by nature and we sin against God continually. And it’s a state of misery, because we were cut off from God who is the source of all that is good; and we were liable to his wrath and curse in this life and in the next. But whoever believes in Christ is pardoned and accepted by God; and Christ comes and dwells in us by his Spirit so that instead of being cut off from God, God now lives in us by his Spirit. And instead of expecting trouble from the Lord, we can expect good things from him.

The mystery which was hidden for ages and generations has now been disclosed. And it’s Christ, who is the Saviour of everyone who believes. And he comes by his Spirit and lives in us and he gives us the hope of life and peace and happiness in the presence of God forever.

And, as Paul says in verse 3, in him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and understanding. So, in him we receive the wisdom and understanding we need to know God’s will concerning our salvation and concerning how to please God in every way. And so, why would we ever turn away from Christ and look elsewhere for wisdom and understanding, as the false teachers were suggesting to the believers in Colosse? And when people come to us who claim to know how to have a higher and better life, why would we listen to them when we have all we need in Christ for this life and for the next?

Paul’s commission and suffering

And so, the centre of today’s passage is God’s mystery which was once hidden, but which has now been revealed. And the mystery is Christ.

And Paul tells us in this passage that he has become the servant of the church by the commission of God. That’s in verse 25. The word translated ‘commission’ is actually a Greek word which is normally translated ‘stewardship’. In biblical times, a steward was a servant who was appointed by the master of the house to oversee the household. Think of how Joseph in the Old Testament who was appointed by Potiphar to look after his household. And so, Paul is saying that he has been appointed by God to oversee God’s household, which is the church. And his main responsibility, according to verse 25, was to present the word of God in its fullness. And Paul goes on to explain that presenting the word of God in its fullness means making known the mystery, which is Christ. And he explain in verse 28 what that means. And it means proclaiming Christ: ‘Him we proclaim.’

I have a book at home on preaching and the title of the book is Him We Proclaim. That’s what Paul did. That’s what the other apostles did. And it’s what every preacher must do, which is why that book on preaching was given that as its title. Whenever a preacher stands to preach, he’s to preach Christ. Whether he’s preaching from the Old Testament or the New Testament, he’s to preach Christ. If he’s preaching about Adam or about the patriarchs or about any of the judges and kings and about any of the prophets, if he’s preaching about the temple and its sacrifices, or if he’s preaching about the walls of Jerusalem or on the psalms or proverbs or the gospels or the New Testament letters, the preacher is to preach Christ, because the whole of the Scriptures is about him. He’s hidden in the Old Testament; and he’s revealed in the New Testament. And so, it’s all about him.

And as preachers proclaim him, they’re to do it by admonishing and teaching everyone, which means they’re to teach people the truth about Christ and they’re to admonish or warn people to believe in him. And the reason preachers are to proclaim Christ is in order to make everyone perfect. Do you see that at the end of verse 28? The reason I proclaim Christ to you in every sermon in every service is to make you perfect. This is the God-appointed way to make you perfect, which means it’s the God-appointed way to make you like God. It’s the God-appointed way to renew you in God’s image. Being made perfect doesn’t happen all at once, because it takes time: week by week and month by month and year by year. But whenever you sit under the preaching of God’s word about Christ, God is at work in you to renew you a little more and a little more and a litte more in his image. He does it bit by bit, week by week, to make you perfect. And, of course, the task will never be completed in this life. Perfection will only come in the life to come, when we will see the Lord Jesus and will become like him. But every week, God is at work through the preaching of his word about Christ to make his people perfect.

Well-meaning believers sometimes want preachers to preach on other things: practical topics about everyday life or relationships or work or how to evangelise. In other words, they want preachers to preach the law: all the things we’re to do. But — perhaps counter-intuitively — the God-appointed way to make us perfect is for preachers to proclaim Christ and what he has done for us on our behalf. And as preachers do that, and as the people receive God’s word about Christ with faith and humility, God works in us to renew us and to transform our lives.

And this work is so important and so vital that Paul was prepared to put up with suffering for the sake of the gospel. And so, he says in verse 24 that he rejoiced in what he suffered for them. And in verse 29 he refers to how he laboured and struggled. When Paul says in verse 24 that he was filling up in his flesh what was lacking in Christ’s afflictions, he doesn’t mean that Christ’s death on the cross was in any way insufficient for our salvation. It’s not that Christ death wasn’t enough to save us; and Paul had to add to what Christ has done for us. He doesn’t mean that. Instead we should remember that after the Lord Jesus called Paul to be his apostle, he told Ananias that he would show Paul how much he had to suffer for Christ’s name. And so, when Christ called Paul to be an apostle, he also called him to suffer for the gospel. And his suffering was not yet over.

And if you read through 2 Corinthians in particular, you’re read about all the ways Paul suffered, because he was imprisoned and he was often flogged and beaten and stoned and shipwrecked and he was constantly in danger and he faced all kinds of enemies and there were all kinds of other pressures on him. And when he wrote this letter to the Colossians, he was under house-arrest in Rome. So, he suffered in many and various ways. And yet he rejoiced in his suffering. He rejoiced in it, because through his suffering, people were hearing about Christ and they were being made perfect. And every preacher of the gospel who suffers for the gospel — and who has to put up with angry people and angry phone calls and angry emails — endures it all, because when Sunday comes, they have the chance to stand before the people and proclaim Christ so that sinners will be made perfect.

And as Paul says in verse 29, they keep going because of Christ’s energy. So, Christ upholds his suffering preachers so that they’re able to keep standing and to keep preaching the good news of Christ.

Caring and purpose

And then, in the second part of today’s passage — and I’ll be brief now — Paul makes clear how he cares for the members of Christ’s church. We know he cares for them, because he says in verse 1 that he’s struggling for them. And we know he cares for them, because he says in verse 5 that he’s present with them in spirit. We might say, they are in his thoughts and prayers. And when he says he struggles for them, perhaps he means he was struggling for them in prayer, wrestling for them before the throne of grace, asking God to sustain them. And perhaps he means he was struggling for them by writing this letter to them, struggling to find the right words to say to them.

And in a similar way, every gospel preacher cares for the people to whom he’s called to preach. And so, he struggles to find the right words to say to the people each week, so that he can preach Christ to them. And the preacher struggles in prayer, asking God to use the reading and preaching of his word about Christ to make the people perfect.

And then there’s Paul’s purpose in verse 2 and in verse 4. He wants the people to be encouraged in heart and united in love and to have a complete understanding of God’s mystery, which is Christ. And he wants to warn them so that no-one will deceive them by finding sounding arguments. In other words, he doesn’t want them to be taken in by what the false teachers were saying.

And in a similar way, preachers throughout the world proclaim Christ to their people, because they don’t want anyone to be deceived by fine-sounding arguments. But it happens all the time, doesn’t it? Someone comes along and seems to offer the people something better than Christ: a better way to the higher life; a better way to deal with the trials of life; a better way to make sense of the world; a way of life that is less demanding than Christianity; a way of life that doesn’t challenge us to give up our sins, but which lets us hold on to our favourite sins. I was reading a letter in a newspaper recently in which a gay man was saying how pleased he was to have found a church where he and his husband were accepted as members. So, he’d found a religion that did not challenge him or expect him to change in any way. But true preachers like Paul proclaim Christ the Saviour, the mystery once hidden, but now revealed. Him they proclaim, admonishing and teaching the people, so that in the end the people will be made perfect in God’s sight and will live with him forever.