Is it Worth It?
Text: Colossians 1:24–2:5 ESV
Is It Worth It? (Introduction)
Good morning, Table Rock. My name is Ryan and I am one of the pastor's here at Table Rock. And I want to ask you a simple question—is it worth it? I’m sure you have either asked yourself that question or had someone else ask you it at several points in your life. And undoubtedly, it was often after a decision that was…questionable. It is often someone’s way of letting us know they would like us to reevaluate a decision. This happens often between parents and children. The child touches the hot object, runs on the slippery floor, eats the whole box of candy, and we want to ask them, “Was it worth it?”
But it doesn’t just stop at childhood. Imagine you are floating down the river with your family. You see a concrete platform next to the river—it looks perfect for jumping off of. However, there is a big “NO JUMPING” sign on it. Well, there has to be a reason. So, you swim over, probe the river bottom in that area. Are there big rocks just under the water? No. Is the surface excessively slippery? No. Is the river too fast or have an undertow in that area? No. You decide, this makes no sense, it would be so much fun to jump off of that into the river. Someone has to test it to see what could be wrong. Was it worth it? Yes!
We get conflicting answers sometimes to that question and often our emotions cloud our ability to see the answer clearly. Should you practice that hard to be on the sports team? It sure takes a lot of effort and you might never make it far, but it is also fun to play! Should you take the long road to being a doctor—whether MD or PhD? It takes a long time, but what if you love the job? The same can be said for getting married, having kids, going to the mission field.
And that is where we start to see the cross-over into our faith. Are we willing to be ridiculed by the world and our family for following Jesus? Will we give up sins—sins that admittedly have pleasure but it is only momentary—to pursue a life that draws us closer to our God? Is following Jesus worth the cost?
And Paul is all but shouting at us in Colossians—Yes! Yes it is! As we saw last week, we have a hope laid up for us in heaven (Colossians 1:5) that makes this all worth it. Jesus Christ is supreme, and we have a chance to come back into relationship with our God because of Jesus’s life, death and resurrection. In our passage this morning, Paul is looking at a specific aspect of our life as Christians—the part where we make disciples—and asking, “is it worth it?” And again, the answer is “Yes!”
Colossians 1:24–2:5 Overview
As we ended our passage last week, Paul says that regarding the gospel:
“and of which [the gospel] I, Paul, became a minister.” (Colossians 1:23 ESV)
We switch here from a we to an “I.” It seems as though Paul is taking the forefront in the letter at this point, and in our passage he explains that for him, being “a minister of the gospel” is entirely worth it! And Paul starts and highlights how it is worth it even in suffering:
“Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake,” (Colossians 1:24a ESV)
We talked last week about this amazing heart Paul has, because of his joy in and love of the supremacy of Christ, that he can be excited about areas we may not. We saw last week that he could rejoice in the success and growth of others. Here, we see that he finds joy even in the midst of suffering—and specifically suffering in the ministry of the gospel.
This isn’t abnormal for Paul. Look what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 7:4:
“I am acting with great boldness toward you; I have great pride in you; I am filled with comfort. In all our affliction, I am overflowing with joy.” (2 Corinthians 7:4 ESV)
One of the questions we have to ask ourselves when we come to any passage of Scripture is whether Paul is simply describing his experience, or if he is calling us to something ourselves. And in this section I think the answer is Yes and Yes.
Now, perhaps you were studying this a little bit more, and you said, what does Paul mean by suffering? I’m not sure he is talking to me if he is mentioning suffering…
So, let’s find some related comments by Paul.
“Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.” (2 Timothy 2:10 ESV)
Everything…interesting.
And then you find 2 Corinthians 11:23–28. Paul is making a sarcastic point to those who think they can override him and his message because they have labored for the cause. He says (again, very sarcastically):
“Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.” (2 Corinthians 11:23–28 ESV)
Yeah – wow—did I sign up for that?
As we get into our passage this morning we have to admit there is uniqueness in the Apostles, but that we are called to much of the same. Whether Paul meant to or not, even his structure here helps us to see this pattern. Paul does a particular type of repetition here: a chiasm.
Rejoice
Suffering
For who
Why?
Intended Outcome
Suffering
For who
Why?
Intended Outcome
Rejoice
What is important about that is Paul seems to circle back on his discussion, not only for emphasis, but to take it from being a discussion about his broad calling to his particular hope for the Colossians. And I think this points to how we are called to rejoicing in the suffering we experience for the sake of discipleship, just like Paul.
Colossians 1:24–29 — Paul’s broad calling and suffering
In the first section, Colossians 1:24–29, Paul seems to be talking largely about his experience and calling as an apostle. Look at how he talks here:
“and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, [I became a minister] to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.” (Colossians 1:24b–29 ESV)
You may not remember it offhand, but when Paul was called on the road to Damascus the Lord had said an important statement to Ananias, the one who was to go and heal Paul:
“But the Lord said to him [Ananias], “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”” (Acts 9:15–16 ESV)
Paul was chosen by Jesus for a particular ministry, with a very specific type of suffering. And It appears here that Paul is aware of that. He says regarding the suffering:
Suffering
“and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions” (Colossians 1:24 ESV)
Not that Christ’s life and death lacked anything as a sacrifice to God. Not that he needs anything added to it that he might be the justifier of all his people. But rather, Paul sees his actions as filling a logistical hole—a specific ministry that Jesus didn’t do because his life was limited on this earth. Largely, it is who Paul is ministering to that he sees as part of this unique filling of Christ’s mission and his necessary afflictions.
Who?
“for the sake of his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you” (Colossians 1:24b–25 ESV)
Paul, like the other Apostles, has a unique ministry that is to the entire body of Christ. Paul’s calling is establishing the gospel of Jesus Christ in a new and unique way in history, for the sake of the entire church. That is why his work and teaching is part of our canon. God chose to use him for this work. Paul views it as a “stewardship” from God. I think he is thinking of his call on the road to Damascus here. And it is for “you.” Likely not just the Colossians, but here the Colossians as they are part of that “body–the church.”
Why?
It helps us even more as Paul describes his ministry more clearly here in verse 26:
[I became a minister] to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. (Colossians 1:26–27 ESV)
During his time on earth, Christ’s ministry stayed largely within the confines of Israel and the Jewish people. We see glimpses as he talks to the Samaritan woman and others from outside, but he started with the Jews. Yet that wasn’t the full picture. Even though the plan was “hidden for ages,” as Paul says, the gospel was intended to go out to the Gentiles. The “mystery” is not something that we can’t know or isn’t explained clearly in Scripture. Paul uses this term when he wants to tell us what has now been revealed in Jesus.
This is another way we can see that this first section is largely about Paul’s ministry. I venture to say if you have shared your faith with anyone, it has likely been a Gentile—a non-Jewish person. For Paul’s time this was scandalous. That you didn’t have to come and become a Jew to receive God’s blessings was unheard of. That through Jesus the gospel came to you—that you could receive “Christ, in you, the hope of glory”— that is mercy and grace from God! We take this for granted today.
And Paul’s goal is to warn and teach everyone all wisdom. We see the first glimpse here that all things might not be well at Colossae. Why does Paul have to warn people? Is there a problem with the Christian communities? We will examine this more as we go through the letter. Yet, the warnings and teachings are for a specific outcome:
Outcome
“that we may present everyone mature in Christ.” (Colossians 1:28 ESV)
Bridge
Praise God for Paul’s ministry! I am so thankful that he raises up saints for particular roles, and that God used Paul to bring to us—Gentiles—the amazing news of Jesus Christ and his love for us.
I think Paul knows he has just largely described his broad calling, and he doesn’t want the Colossians to think they are only caught up in that larger work. So, he loops back around to this particular letter and this particular people. And I think it is here that we can identify with so much of what Paul says. Of course, any of Paul’s sufferings and call may be fair game for our life. Look at what he says to the Corinthians in 2 Corinthians 1:5–7:
“For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer.” (2 Corinthians 1:5–7 ESV)
Yet our calling is usually to a particular people, in a particular place, just like the Colossians. And here we can see some encouragement and some help in what that part of our “ministry of the gospel” may look like.
Colossians 1:29–2:5 — Paul’s specific calling to the Colossians
“For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.
For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.” (Colossians 1:29–2:5 ESV)
See again how Paul works through the same categories he used to describe his broad call, and applies it to the Colossians.
Suffering
“For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.” (Colossians 1:29 ESV)
In his suffering Paul reminds the Colossians that it is not in his power, but in God’s. It is that juxtaposition again, where we work, and toil, but affirm that the power only comes from God. Paul says it another way in 1 Corinthians 15:10
“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.” (1 Corinthians 15:10 ESV)
Application #1 – Get out and work!
If you and I are going to take our place in this great work of discipleship—whether it is for the first time (what we usually call evangelism) or for the hundredth time, it will take effort. We have to get up off the couch. These are reminders and a push back against a particular kind of theology that says, “If God is supreme and in control, then I don’t really have to do anything. He will make it happen without me.” In reality, that is not the case. God has chosen to use his saints, you and me, to do the work of the ministry. So get up off the couch and thank God he is giving you the strength to do that!
Who?
“For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face,” (Colossians 2:1 ESV)
Paul acknowledges that he has a ministry to those in Colossae and Laodicea—and many others who have not seen him face to face. We know that the majority of those we have been called to disciple are people we know, but I will give a second application point here:
Application #2 – Think broad! It may help motivate you.
Most of us struggle to think beyond our own life, let alone to witness and share with others. But have you ever thought beyond that? Paul was thinking not just of those who were in his immediate sphere, but of all those who would be impacted by the message he was sharing.
Do you realize that those you disciple may go on and disciple others? That there may be whole families changed because of the salvation of one person? Many of us are here this morning because someone, somewhere, chose to share with our great-great-grandparent about the joy of knowing Jesus, and ever since our families have been walking with him. That is amazing!
Why?
It is when we come to Paul’s section here on why he is caring for the Colossians that we see a variety of ways we can apply this to our life of discipleship.
“that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Colossians 2:2–3 ESV)
Application #3 – Be encouraged and spread encouragement!
You are made in the image of God and worth being pursued. Have you not loved that God pursued you and sent his saints to pursue you as well? Just like Paul wants the Colossians to be encouraged by his suffering and pursuit of them, you should do the same. Let others find encouragement as you pursue them that they are worth the pursuit!
“being knit together in love” (Colossians 2:2 ESV)
This is the same idea as the body being “knit together” in Ephesians 4:16. It is one body, held together, and united. I like that way of talking about it—being united in love. In Ephesians, Paul uses the concept of being united because we have:
“one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” (Ephesians 4:5–6 ESV)
We are all one in the gospel of Jesus Christ, so here is a fourth application point:
Application #4 — Be united in the gospel of Jesus!
We should love, treasure, and be thankful for those who are working—like us—that the gospel of Jesus Christ would go forth. Just like Paul’s thankfulness for Epaphras, we too want to thank God for those around us ministering to share the good news with others. Praise God for all the wonderful churches here in Boise. Faith Community Bible Church, Rev22, Central Valley Baptist, Rock Harbor, just to name a couple. There are so many who are out there ministering, that others might know and love Jesus. And we want to be united with them. Yes, God will give preferences and distinctions in some areas, but we need to love the unity that we have in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
“to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Colossians 2:2–3 ESV)
Remember—Jesus Christ is Supreme! In him we find all that we need. I love these two reminders from Isaiah and 1 Corinthians:
“And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.” (Isaiah 11:2 ESV)
“And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,” (1 Corinthians 1:30 ESV)
All wisdom and knowledge, everything we need, is found in Jesus Christ!
This is what we want for ourselves, and for all those we disciple. We want them to see and know the mystery of the gospel of Jesus Christ and to see the amazing breadth of salvation that God has given to all people through Jesus. We want to be mature, and we want to see others be mature. And that looks like at least three points:
-
Encouraged
-
United
-
Finding all wisdom and understanding in Jesus!
Outcome
“I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments.” (Colossians 2:4 ESV)
Again, here at the outcome, we see the realization that something is amiss. There is some sort of argument that is being based not in the wisdom of Jesus. This explains in even greater detail Paul’s desire for everyone to mature, and here in Colossae the problem is they are being deluded. And as we have said before, Paul is setting the stage that the only answer and hope is found in Jesus Christ. I love this quote by Doug Moo:
“Paul is again piling up words in order to hammer home the truth that Christ, and Christ alone, is the source of every conceivable bit of spiritual knowledge worth having.”
(Douglas J. Moo, The Letters to the Colossians and to Philemon (The Pillar New Testament Commentary; Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., 2008), 167.)
Conclusion
That leaves us with Paul’s last statement of rejoicing:
Rejoice
“For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.” (Colossians 2:5 ESV)
That brings us back to the question—is it worth it? And we have to answer the question about the suffering that may happen when, or because of our discipling. So as a conclusion, let me give you one last application question. Is it possible (I think it is), that many of our afflictions are actually gospel opportunities that we miss? Paul seems to see them going together. He presumes that suffering is just part of the joy-creating moment for someone else. Remember what we read at the beginning, from 2 Corinthians 1:5–7.
“For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer.” (2 Corinthians 1:5–7 ESV)
Table Rock, would be willing to suffer the same ways as Paul, the same ways as our Lord—if necessary—that others would have a chance to know and love Jesus. That is one of the reasons why we take communion—to remind ourselves of the cost.
Benediction
Table Rock, receive this benediction from our passage this morning. May your hearts be encouraged, may you be knit together in love through the gospel, and may you reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.