“Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I fill up in my physical body—for the sake of his body, the church—what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ. I became a servant of the church according to the stewardship from God—given to me for you—in order to complete the word of God, that is, the mystery that has been kept hidden from ages and generations, but has now been revealed to his saints.”
(Colossians 1.24-26)
Written from prison, there is a very clear example of Paul rejoicing in [his] sufferings for the church. How was he able to rejoice whilst being detained? Paul is continuing where Jesus left off in ministry: being treated poorly for the sakes of others. Interestingly, where we read sufferings, Paul’s choice of language carries the meaning of pressure, struggles, and affliction. A.T. Robertson wrote that
“Paul attaches no atoning value whatever to his own sufferings for the church.”
Simply then, Paul is emulating his Lord and Saviour by being mistreated on behalf of the Good News. It’s here that he rejoices (cf. 1 Peter 4.16).
Although there is much more going on in this passage, for now let’s dwell on this truth: we are able, just as Paul was, to emulate the sufferings of Christ. This might sound extreme, but aren’t we all called to do this each and every day (cf. Matthew 16.24-26)? No, we cannot give our lives as a ransom for many but we can be entirely others-focused (v.24), a servant of God and His people (v.25), and someone who reveals the person and work of Jesus to others (v.26).
James Travis 