Sermon Tone Analysis

*Sermon:     MH:Shoreline July 2, 2006      Mature in Jesus*

Sermon Text:    *Colossians 1:24-29*

Steve Tompkins

*Sermon Text:  *

* *

*Colossians 1:24-29 (ESV) \\ */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/.

\\ \\

*Interesting text (read text)*

 

Paul begins with theme of suffering,

then connects it with calling For Others (in particular our ability to reveal Jesus—Mystical—the riches of the glory of Jesus IN YOU),

Then Paul ends by connecting it all to growth in Spiritual Maturity!!

 

Lets remember that the great issue at Colossae is True Spiritual Maturity

--Connection w~/ Head, Transforming Power, Gospel vs. Religion

 

Right up front – Bottom line

 

* We will not fulfill God’s purposes in our lives and through our lives for others apart from suffering, afflictions, hardship, Trials, difficulties, Frustrations and Troubles.

* HERE IN LEAST CHURCHED part of the nation, this means the effectiveness of our mission depends on learning the lessons of this text.

* Why?

Because the Strength, Power, Glory, Truth of Jesus is revealed through our weakness – brokenness – suffering and trials

 

 

 

* Issue is Suffering – Its not as though Suffering Automatically produces good!!!

* ISSUE IS HOW WE WALK THROUGH SUFFERING – OUR HEART – OUR RESPONSE

* Can produce MATURITY AND FRUITFULLNESS, or Bitterness and anger, isolation and Victim Mentality

* Depending on whether we focus on Self, Pain, Affliction OR on God, His Purposes, His Presence

 

 

 

 

Paul is writing from prison in Rome.

*Colossians 1:24 (ESV) \\ **/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, \\ \\

 

 

 – He actually REJOICES in his suffering!!! 

 

I don’t know if you have thought about that – or just read quickly.

But that is utterly and radically foreign to our culture – in every way!

I can’t imagine anyone I know making a statement like that, MYSELF INCLUDED

 

            I can hear the letter I would write!!!!!

 

 

In our culture we WORSHIP Comfort, Ease, Leisure and Convenience

            Darrin - *We want Low Maintenance, Hassle-Free Designer Lives*

 

Our culture (Historical first) – due to our technical advances – expects life to be good—American Dream, almost become an entitlement.

What we call suffering is usually minor inconvenience!!!

What we call hardship is merely discomfort

            And

Real suffering we equate with Evil itself!

Its hard to imagine anything that is more unquestioningly equated with evil in our culture than human suffering.

ILLUSTRATION: Tim Quiring’s friend losing Hospital Chaplaincy privileges because he questioned the use of pain-killers.

Also, Nurse Dale Brock

 

 

This idolatry is so deeply ingrained in our culture that whole branches of Christianity have developed THEOLOGICAL systems which tell you that you should become a Christian because God’s will for you is SUCCESS AND PROSPERITY:

 

/The mission of Christian Faith Center is to make successful Christians of all people.

Our/

/commitment is to pastor the Northwest, teach the nation, and inspire the world./

/The goal of every ministry provided by Christian Faith Center is to cause people to be/

/successful:/

/• //Spiritually/

/• //Intellectually/

/• //Emotionally/

/• //Physically/

/• //Financially/

/• //Socially/

 

Honestly though, Success~/Prosperity theology is really just a symptom of our deeply ingrained cultural attitude toward suffering – Very DIFFERENT FROM NT:

 

*/First/*, Jesus and NT writers said – Expect persecution, hatred, opposition from satan and powers of this age.

Expect suffering as NORMAL

 

*John 15:18-21 (ESV) \\ */18/“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.

/19/If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

/20/Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’

If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.

If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.

/21/But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.

\\ \\

*1 Peter 4:12-14 (ESV) \\ */12/Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.

/13/But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.

/14/If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.

*2 Timothy 3:12 (ESV) \\ */12/Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, \\ \\

\\ \\ We KNOW THAT, BUT DON’T EXPERIENCE MUCH OF IT IN NA.

 

ILLUSTRATION: George Burch and Turkish and Iranian arrested in Turkey last week

 

We have lived with 350 years of cultural dominance as Christians in North America,

 

 

*/Second/*, *suffering in general*, various kinds of trials, hardships and afflictions are a consequence of living in a fallen world under God’s curse because of sin.

And are NORMAL AND INDEED EXPECTED.

*John 16:33 (ESV) \\ */33/I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace.

In the world you will have tribulation.

But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

\\ \\

θλῖψις = Tribulation, Persecution, Affliction, Trouble, Suffering, Trials, Sorrows, Distress, Difficulties, Aguish

 

 

*Matthew 7:14 (ESV) – Same Greek Root \\ */14/For the gate is narrow and the *way is hard* that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

\\ \\

*Acts 14:22 (ESV) \\ */22/strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.

\\ \\

 

 

REALITY IS: Try as we might to avoid it, we do experience suffering.

It comes into our lives – all of us.

To one degree or another.

At some time or another.

Some more and some less.

·         Various means: *Sickness, disease, accident, trauma, death, Crime, Abuse  RELATIONAL, Betrayal, Family problems, Marital difficulties, Loneliness*

* *

I DON’T WANT TO MINIMIZE THAT AT ALL.

 

 

*Because we don’t see it as normal, We find ourselves asking:  Is there purpose~/meaning in my suffering?*

NT answer is YES.

Dozen’s of passages we could examine.

BUT I want to stick primarily to our text, but keeping in mind the full range of types of suffering the NT speaks about.

(Persecution and sinful fallen world, not our true home)

 

*Colossians 1:24 (ESV) \\ */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*, \\ \\

Paul hits on question of purpose here.

But what does it mean?

Not Vicarious atonement.

Word “thlipsis” never used for that – “pascho”

 

1.

What is lacking in Christ’s afflictions?

Debated.

Not clear.

Fulfillment.

*Revelation 6:10-11 (ESV) \\ */10/They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” /11/Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.

\\ \\

 

Sovereign God – in control

 

Amount of martyrs, Sin, Suffering, Prayer, Bowls of Wrath