Paul and his ministry Part 1
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Start the night with praises
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1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
2 To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father.
3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, 7 just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf 8 and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.
9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.
24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, 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, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 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. 28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.
Col 1:
Let’s Pray
What was the source or cause of Paul’s ministry?
The source or the cause of the Apostle Paul’s ministry was GOD.
Paul didn’t raise his hand and say pick me. He didn’t stand in front of some Elder Board and become ordained by men. He did not take an oath like most of us did at some point in our life when we joined the military. Terrified by Christ majesty and blinded when his Lord appeared to him suddenly at about noontime on a Roman road. He asked Jesus, “What shall I do Lord?”
Paul spells it out for us pretty clear here in verses 23 and 25. Verse 23 “and of which I, Paul, became a minister” …. Repeating it in verse 25, “of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known.”
Saul of Tarsus was on a different path and had grandiose plans for himself to please the men of his nation and religious sect he had embraced. Additionally he believed with all his heart, mind and strength that he was serving God.
We often in Paul’s letters and the account of Luke in the book of Acts read about the Apostle’s credentials.
lays these out very well
5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
Let’s spend a little time here dissecting those character references for Paul.
5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
Let’s spend a little time here dissecting those character references for Paul.
Circumcised on the 8th day of the people of Israel.
This was important for the Jewish nation and the religious leaders in Jesus time look back to Genesis chapter 17 verses 12-13
12 He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised. Every male throughout your generations, whether born in your house or bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring, 13 both he who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money, shall surely be circumcised. So shall my covenant be in your flesh an everlasting covenant.
This was also important for Jesus. Luke’s gospel tells us that as was custom Mary and Joseph took Jesus to the temple
He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised. Every male throughout your generations, whether born in your house or bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring, both he who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money, shall surely be circumcised. So shall my covenant be in your flesh an everlasting covenant.
21 And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
A Benjamite - A Hebrew of Hebrews
This was also important for Jesus. Luke’s gospel tells us that as was custom Mary and Joseph took Jesus to the temple “and at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus.”
“and at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus.”
A Benjamite - A Hebrew of Hebrews
Paul was born to Jewish mother and father who lived outside of the boarders of the Jewish nation in Tarsus. The capital city of the Roman province of Cilicia that was able to maintain it Jewish heritage.
He could trace his Jewish lineage to the tribe of Benjamin, was given the name of Saul the name of Israel’s first king who was also a Benjamite as were Mordecai and Ehud the left-handed Benjamite from Judges chapter 3.
The tribe of Benjamin comes from Jacobs’s youngest son Benjamin. He was the only son of 12 born in the Promised Land and his mother was Rachel. They were a fierce tribe and protective of the clan. In judges 20 and 21 we learn a lot about this small tribe and how; when they were engaged in war their small 26,000-man army took 38,000 men from the 400,000 mustered by the eleven other tribes of Israel.
Paul could speak and read Hebrew or Aramaic, the ancestral Jewish languages, as well as the government mandated language of the first-century Roman Empire, Greek. We know he could write in Greek and we can assume he could also write in the other two as well.
As to the Law - A Pharisee
Paul was a member of the legalistic Jewish sect or Pharisee meaning separated one. He was taught by Gamaliel ( “educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers.”) Gamaliel was one of only seven men recorded as being a teacher of teachers or rabban. These rabban shaped and molded the legalistic views adopted and put into place during the inter-testament period.
Paul was also following in his father’s footsteps tells us he was the “son of a Pharisee.”
A Zealot and Persecutor of the Church
There is nothing wrong with being passionate or enthusiastic about ones faith or the work they are called to do for God’s purposes. It is probably boring when I stand up here and drone on about the Apostle Paul. But it would also have a reverse effect if I were screaming at the top of my lungs about some other subject and telling you how you should use my new product to help your beard grow or your car look better.
On the other hand, even more damaging if I were telling you your religion or denomination was blasphemy or heretical and you were all going to hell or I am going to throw you into the dungeon if you don’t see things my way.
We know Paul approved and oversaw the stoning of Stephen in and those doing the stoning “laid their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul.”
1 And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. 3 But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.
Zeal for the Lord is one thing but to take God’s wrath into our own hands is forbidden in scripture. We are also warned that our anger is a slipper slope:
19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. 3 But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.
Jam
Someone might say well Jesus got angry and drove the tax collectors and merchants from the temple outer courts and this is true. But, Jesus was not just a man, he was God and man and he was sinless. His is the only anger is righteous.
Zeal for the Lord is one thing but to take God’s wrath into our own hands is forbidden in scripture. We are also warned that our anger is a slipper slope: “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”
“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”
Someone might say well Jesus got angry and drove the tax collectors and merchants from the temple out courts and this is true. But, Jesus was not just a man, he was God and man and he was sinless. His is the only anger that was righteous.
Can you be angry and not sin?
We can be angry about things but unless you can control your sin it is advisable to channel that feeling toward something good.
26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil.
We know that God converted Saul on the road to Damascus and commissioned him to Apostleship for the Gentiles but Paul never again use violence and persecution. He certainly didn’t use it to spread the Gospel.
Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.”
We know that God converted Saul on the road to Damascus and commissioned him to Apostleship for the Gentiles but Paul never again use violence and persecution. He certainly didn’t use it to spread the Gospel.
The Lord used Paul’s zeal for two purposes; to explode the persecution in Jerusalem, the fuse was lite the day Christ was crucified. The action at Stephen’s stoning disbursed believers and evangelists to spread the gospel to the gentiles who make up the vast majority of the church.
It also to provided a highly educated speaker able to reason from the word of God to men and women appealing to them so that God would open their eyes and ears to see and hear what God’s purpose is and allowed God to convert them each and every one. This same man was a writer, capable of documenting God’s word. From this documentation and the rest of the New Testament, God establish clear and relevant doctrine for the individual believer and the church.
Found blameless when it came to righteousness in law.
We shy away from using this word blameless today from the pulpit or in the bible study. However, for Paul to claim this was well within his right. He was a serious Pharisee. He paid attention to the smallest details of the Law of Mosses. Not one of his peers could charge him with failure to keep it. But as one commentator buts it,
“a distinction needs to be drawn between external conformity to the law in areas where men can judge and inflict legal penalties, and the perfect spiritual conformity to it that God alone can truly assess, and by which “no man can be justified” Homer Kent
Paul clearly understood this and in
16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
Never the less his claim to blamelessness in view of the law and man was correct and a justifiable statement.
wrote “yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.”
Never the less his claim to blamelessness in view of the law and man was correct and a justifiable statement.
I want to talk a little about the phrase Paul uses “to the stewardship from God”
The Greek for stewardship is a compound word oikos (“house”) and nemō (“manage”). Oikonomia He was under a compulsion to manage what God had placed into his care. In ancient times a steward had control of everything that the master had possession of and was fully trusted to manage the assets, money, servants, lands, etc… as he saw fit. This left the owner to pursue other interest.
This was no small tasking and Paul did it for no glory of his own.
16 For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship.
The other aspect of stewardship is an individual responsibility. We all are responsible to God for the things we are given; time, money, resources, and our physical being, intellect, health, skills, talents, etc…
For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship.
The other aspect of stewardship is an individual responsibility. We all are responsible to God for the things we are given; time, money, resources, and our physical being, intellect, health, skills, talents, etc…
This is a reflective or application question, so unless you want to share no one needs to answer. What area of personal stewardship have you fallen short in this week?
What was the driving force of the apostle’s ministry?
Look at verse 24, “Now I rejoice”
Joy!
Our ministry as Paul’s cannot be an unbearable or arduous task. Paul’s joy was what he did for the Lord and it should be for all Christians as we minister, serve and worship our Lord.
It is sad that many people in the church including pastors find their calling to be a burden. The author of Hebrews reminds us;
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
Heb 12:1
Paul had sorrow and despair in his life, beaten, whipped, stoned presumably to death. He also had a great concern for his countrymen;
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 12:2-4”
1 I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit—
1 I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit— 2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.
Ro 9
Paul has sorrow and despair in his life, beaten, whipped, stoned presumably to death. He also had a great concern for his countrymen;
One commentator writes
; “I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit— that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. V1
One commentator writes
“Joy is generated by humility. People lose their joy when they become self-centered, thinking they deserve better circumstances or treatment than they are getting. That was never a problem for Paul. … he was conscious of his unworthiness.”
While Paul was in a Roman prison he wrote to the Philippians, concerning others who were preacher the gospel some out of love for Christ and others out of self-centeredness but what did Paul think?
He was not concerned.
“18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.” ().
In Mark chapter 9 the disciple John tells Jesus about people who were casting out demons in the name of Jesus and that he and the others had tried to stop them. “Because they are not with us.”
Does any one recall from the gospel what Jesus said?
39 But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. 40 For the one who is not against us is for us.
“Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. For the one who is not against us is for us. V 39-40
Jesus wanted us to have joy; he spoke of it to the 11 disciples and prayed the night before the Jews put him to death.
Jesus wanted us to have joy; he spoke of it to the 11 disciples and prayed the night before the Jews put him to death.
11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
“Circumstances, people, and worry are the thieves that are eager to steal the joy of the ministry. Humility, devotion to Christ, and trust in God protect the joy that is Christ’s legacy to every Christian.” John MacArthur
These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
“Circumstances, people, and worry are the thieves that are eager to steal the joy of the ministry. Humility, devotion to Christ, and trust in God protect the joy that is Christ’s legacy to every Christian.” John MacArthur
Paul would not let the sufferings, self-centeredness or anything deter him from the stewardship God had placed on him and the weaken the joy of Christ for the gentiles and the church.
The next part of “in my sufferings for your sake,
Why was there suffering in Paul’s Ministry and/or why is there suffering in a real Christian ministry?
5 points up on the screen
First, suffering brings believers closer to Christ
“that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,”
Second, suffering assures the believer that he belongs to Christ
“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.”
Paul warned Timothy “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted”
Peter tells the faithful “If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you”
Third, suffering brings a future reward
For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,
Fourth, suffering can result in the salvation of others
Fourth, suffering can result in the salvation of others
We have evidenced by countless martyrs in church history:
Ignatius of Antioch earliest known post New Testament martyr and was an early bishop of the church in Antioch. “He was probably arrested on the charge of “atheism”—denial of the Roman gods—and was taken from Antioch”
Polycarp the bishop of Smyrna (modern Turkey) was in his 80s at the time of his death but was a believer from a very young age, he was know for fighting Gnosticism and converting many from its evil affect on their faith.
Jan Hus was an early reformer and his writings greatly influence Martin Luther. He wanted to rely more on the bible for teaching versus tradition, expand church councils and reduce the power of the Pope.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a German Theologian and Nazi resistor. Imprisoned for more than 2 years he continued ministering to other prisoners and anyone else he could. One month before the Nazis surrendered Bonhoeffer was hanged.
“To be a Christian does not mean to be religious in a particular way, to make something of oneself (a sinner, a penitent, or a saint) on the basis of some method or other, but to be a man—not a type of man, but the man that Christ creates in us. It is not the religious act that makes the Christian, but participation in the sufferings of God in the secular life.” Detrick Bonhoeffer.
Fifth, suffering frustrates Satan
Why would our suffering frustrate Satan?
Because God can and will make good out of our suffering.
Remember Job, he lost everything and suffered but he never cursed God. This provided a great example to us scripture and to those who knew and observed Job. Satan wanted harm to come to Job when he caused the loss of all he possessed and finally his health so that he would deny or reject God. But in his perseverance, God restored him and increased what he had.
I want to clarify verse 24
24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, 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,
This Is a highly debated statement made by Paul.
Roman Catholics have made this a reference to the suffering one must endure in purgatory. They maintain, Christ sufferings were insufficient to atone for our sins completely. That a Christian must suffer more to repay what was missing from Christ’s suffering after the believer’s death.
But this makes for a poor argument since in the previous versus 20-23
20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. 21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.
Col 1:20
We learned last time from Jeff that Christ was all sufficient to reconcile us to God. Paul would be contradicting himself in just one sentence.
If we read this in the NASB it makes clearer
20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. 21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, (ESV)
21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, (ESV)
24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions.
We learned last time from Jeff that Christ was all sufficient to reconcile us to God. Paul would be contradicting himself in just one sentence.
Paul was suffering for Christ and the church. The ones who were persecuting him were no longer able to reach the one they hated, Christ Jesus. So they turn their hatred on those who were preaching the Gospel.
If we read this in the NASB it makes clearer what Paul was saying, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions.
what Paul was saying, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions.
Paul was suffering for Christ and the church. The ones who were persecuting him were no longer able to reach the one they hated, Christ Jesus. So they turn their hatred on those who were preaching the Gospel.
“Those who wish to represent Christ and serve His church must be willing to suffer for His Name.” John MacArthur
I have tried desperately to formulate the words within my capability and understanding to adequately make this statement of Paul’s clear you and for myself. Sadly I have fallen short and find it best to lean on Scotsman who spent his life “making the best biblical scholarship available to the average reader"
“PAUL begins this passage with a daring thought. He thinks of the sufferings through which he is enduring as completing the sufferings of Jesus Christ himself. Jesus died to save his Church; but the Church must be increased and extended; it must be kept strong and pure and true; therefore, anyone who serves the Church by widening its borders, establishing its faith, saving it from errors, is doing the work of Christ. And if such service involves suffering and sacrifice, that affliction is filling up and sharing the very suffering of Christ. To suffer in the service of Christ is not a penalty but a privilege, for it is sharing in his work.”
William Barclay
We can endure and rejoice in our sufferings when we know they are for His kingdom.
What was the theme of the evangels ministry?
To make the word fully know - to uncover the mystery that was hidden.
“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 (for who? The Church), to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints (for who? The Church God’s people His possession). 27 To them (for who? The Church) 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.”
Paul is making it known to Jews and Gentiles that those who abide in Christ, see and understand the mystery of Christ incarnate and Christ in them. They would see Him in Glory.
Paul was writing to the Colossians because of strange philosophies, some people, possibly confused Jews were trying to “delude” them with reasonable arguments.
What Paul and Epapharus were teach was not something secretly revealed to special people, through some special religious ceremony, self-deniable, self punishment or initiation into a club but truth revealed to all believers of the New Testament.
Christ is all sufficient and we need nothing else.
The Incarnate God, Jesus, was not revealed to those in the Old Testament some of the prophets saw Christ, the Messiah but they did not understand He was God in the flesh.
The other thing that was never revealed before the coming of Jesus and the New Testament was the fact the God will live in His Church mostly consisting of gentiles. Paul wrote to the Corinthians referring back to the old testament in Ezekiel, Jeremiah and Exodus
16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said,
“I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
What is Paul’s ministry style?
16 For we are the temple of the living God; as God said,
“I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people. (ESV)
What is Paul’s ministry style?
Proclaiming the word!
Who is the Word?
Jesus the Christ
28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.
Colk 1:28
Notice the WE. Never forget Timothy, Epaphras and the others taught by Paul preached and proclaimed the same message, the Good News of Jesus Christ.
28 Him we proclaim,
Notice the WE. Never forget Timothy, Epaphras and the others taught by Paul preached and proclaimed the same message, the Good News of Jesus Christ.
The word for proclaim katangello carries a distinct meaning in Greek it was to declare the complete truth or happening. This should be done on all occasions not just in formal teaching or preaching.
There were two aspects of the proclaiming that Paul and every minister, elder or mentor should seek to include when they care for others in their ministry.
“warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom,
Warning or admonishing is to provide clear encouraging counsel to others believers with sin and the coming punishment in view.
If your friends are talking about what to watch on TV or what movie to go see and they what to go see I don’t know pick one that has lots of sex, poor language or demonic themes, do you go? How do you admonish your friends who are considering something like this
If someone comes to you who is struggling in his or her marriage and asks you about divorce, how do you handle that?
When friends are gossiping or talking poorly about someone do you admonish them to look for good qualities or praise that person for their good things? Do you laugh or join the crowd?
These are moments for admonishing each other.
Admonishment should not take a negative connotation
What I am doing here is a form of admonishment
Paul is admonishing the readers of Colossians
Paul also includes teaching where we impart the truth to others. So that the word will live in them. This leads to the word being imparted to other so that they can live and walk in what is true in the scriptures and not be easily lead astray.
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
The Colossians were being lead astray and we will get into that more in the weeks ahead and Paul was encouraging them from that deception.
Teaching and admonishing lastly must be done with WISDOM.
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Matt 28
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. (ESV)
Teaching and admonishing lastly must be done with WISDOM.
Teaching and admonishing lastly must be done with WISDOM.
Teaching and admonishing lastly must be done with WISDOM.
This wisdom means that we do it with discernment. Which means we never forget that we are representing the Lord and the Church and we must conduct ourselves in a holy and loving manner.
What was the goal of the apostle’s ministry?
that we may present everyone mature in Christ.” (ESV)
This should be the goal of every pastor, minister or believer of Christ. We want to see everyone mature in Christ. It is no good if we just get them to say I believe and pray a prayer. It takes every one of us to help bring along every Christian in the church.
I make mistakes, I openly sin. And I pray that the Lord points this out to me. Either in my daily prayers, reading of scripture or that he points someone toward me to admonish me.
The Colossians had a member of their own local church who did this.
12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.
12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. (ESV)
Where did Paul’s power for his ministry come from?
Mature trees and vines bear fruit. Without maturity fruit in a Christian’s life is lacking and glorifies God in no way at all.
The Apostles were focused on maturing believers so that they could pass along the knowledge, bring up their children and be prepared to present themselves as good and faithful servants.
A church that just converts people and teaches nothing more than Jesus loves me this I know, or your best life now, cannot sustain Christ and will not glorify the CREATOR of heaven and earth.
Where did Paul’s power for his ministry come from?
The power of Christ in him
29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me. (ESV)
29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.
This word toil or labor in Greek meant to work to exhaustion.
This word toil or labor in Greek meant to work to exhaustion.
It was not a half hearted get it done quick job.
Those who minister either paid or unpaid labor for Christ because of the Holy Spirit and a love for Christ that dwells within.
Ministry is not a vocation that is easy. You don’t get paid a lot for labor.
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One pastor said “No one can successfully serve Christ with out working hard. I know I work hard but compared to Paul I am lazy.”
And Paul knew full well that he himself and no one who serves Christ can do it without relying on the power of Christ to power him and those who where to carry on. It must come from within.
Those who minister either paid or unpaid labor for Christ because of the Holy Spirit and a love for Christ that dwells within.
We must guard ourselves and our ministers and pastors from becoming discouraged and seeing their labor for the Lord as a burden. Satan rejoices in this and uses it to discourage the church.
Even the converted, repentant and born again believer, can experience a ministry or service that will seem empty and unfruitful. If that is the case your joy will not be complete.
In your service you must abide in Christ and Christ must abide in you so that you can abide in the father.
Then your joy will be complete
11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
My hope and prayer is that you have learned more about the Apostle Paul, what made him tick. Why he was the most unlikely minister of Christ for the gentiles. What he did was made so perfect by the Lord that what he contributed to the church both while he was here on earth and for the many generations that have followed will serve to guide and shape our ministry.
I also hope you have gained some appreciation for those that minister to us is an official capacity and that you have learned how you can better understand your ministry and service to those around you.
Look to the person on your left; now look to the person on your right. If you didn’t have some one on your left or right look around the room and focus on some one. How can you minister to those 2 people? Call them, encourage them, disciple them? Pour out the love your faith produces in you so that you hope for His glory will grow and grow.