“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. God wanted to make known to them the glorious riches of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. We proclaim him by instructing and teaching all people with all wisdom so that we may present every person mature in Christ. Toward this goal I also labor, struggling according to his power that powerfully works in me.”
(Colossians 1.24-29)
In addition to the very applicable point we talked about yesterday, here in the wider passage Paul shares one of his main ministry goals. Did you catch it?
“We proclaim him by instructing and teaching all people with all wisdom so that we may present every person mature in Christ. Toward this goal I also labor, struggling according to his power that powerfully works in me.”
Paul says that he labours and struggles according to his power that powerfully works in [him] so that he can proclaim and teach all people to have them be mature in Christ. His main ministry goal, here it would seem, is to teach everybody about Jesus (v.26).
Much is not clear to us in the Old Testament. There are many questions of why, where, who, and how. Paul says that yes, there was an element of mystery to God’s redemptive and salvific plan but now, in Christ, it has been revealed to his saints. There is mercy, grace, forgiveness, and salvation to be found among the gentiles through Jesus. It is this that Paul teaches and preaches according to his power that powerfully works in [him].
David Guzik writes:
“Paul’s work was empowered by God’s mighty strength. But God’s strength in Paul’s life didn’t mean that he did nothing. He worked hard according to His working.”
(Enduring Word)
Many times in Scripture we see a call to partner with God, a call for us to use His power at work in our lives. I would encourage you today to seek the Lord’s will as to where that might be. It might be for the benefit of a church (as for Paul here), for a person, or for reasons that are not clear just yet (v.26). For sure, though, God wants to work in and through you to make known…the glorious riches of His love. Today, pray, pause, and ponder where and how this might look.
Further Reading
James Travis 