8. Your Testimony – Partakers of Christ’s Afflictions

Hymns: RHC 106 Christ Liveth in Me 567 Follow Me 221 When We See Christ

Colossians 1:23-29

²³ If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister; ²⁴ Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church: ²⁵ Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; ²⁶ Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: ²⁷ To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: ²⁸ Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: ²⁹ Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily. (Col. 1:23-29 KJV)

Partakers of Christ’s Afflictions

OUTLINE

• The Joy of Gospel Work (v23-25)
• The Riches of Christ Manifested (v26-27)
• The Power of God Working Mightily (v28-29)

INTRODUCTION

The Apostle Paul testified that the establishing of the church, the marks of a truth church, attest to the Person of the Cruficied Christ living in the hearts of His people. It enables him to go forth to preach the gospel to every creature. This is said with the understanding of the suffering that the Apostle Paul endured for Christ’s glory. He testified how he rejoiced even amidst much suffering for Christ’s body, the church’s sake.

The analogy may be of a parent bringing up children from the womb to the arms, from the toddler to the teen, from the teen to the adult. Then there is coming of offspirings out of the it, the family multiplying. Here he speaks of the eternal family of God being established and built up.

He shared of the joy, the riches of life with Christ and the power of God working mightily in obedience to the gospel call and mandate.

• The Joy of Gospel Work (v23-25)
• The Riches of Christ Manifested (v26-27)
• The Power of God Working Mightily (v28-29)

• The Joy of Gospel Work (v23-26)

²³ If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister; ²⁴ Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church: ²⁵ Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; 

The word “minister” literally from the verb “to run on errands”, he is a waiter (at table or in other menial duties), it means a servant. He described the work of the ministry as such one who renders help service, the word means “deacon or deaconess”.

He speaks of his suffering which cannot be compared with the afflictions of Christ. Sufferings that came in the fulfilling of the gospel mandate. He speaks of persecutions for Christ’s sake. 

Jesus testified in John 7:7 (KJV) The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.

He further clarified to His disciples in John 15:18 (KJV) If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

The Apostle John too testified that the disciples of Christ must not be surprised that the gospel work is resisted or even hated in 1 John 3:13 (KJV) Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.

The word “dispensation” means “stewardship”, the stewardship of the gospel that was entrusted to him in which he is to obey by the preaching the gospel boldly and courageous despite opposition.

The Apostle Paul shared concerning afflictions in gospel work when he testified – 2 Corinthians 11:23-28 (KJV) Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

The Apostle Paul shared that he was as much a true blue Israelite as those that seek to undermine the faith of the Corinthians. What distinguished him was that he suffered for the sake of the gospel. He paid the price. He was authenticating his ministry by recounting his labours and sufferings for the gospel’s sake. The infiltrators to the church cannot say the same. They came with an agenda to seek gain for themselves. But for the Apostle Paul, he recounted his losses. These losses accounted for his genuine calling and service. It was a sacrificial work in which he willingly suffered it.

He speaks of working very hard for the gospel’s sake. The effort takes a toll on the body. Yet he willingly laboured. He speaks of being whipped for preaching the gospel. He had to endure great pain. Such whipping often inflicts permanent injury on the body. The scars of the suffering and memory of them cannot be easily erased because they were often excruciating. His life was often in danger. It was a precarious work. Why would one risk his life? He testifies of his suffering to bring a contrast to the ministry of those who preached another gospel. He distinguished his apostleship by his suffering! Those others cannot say the same.

It was for a cause that he was willing to lay down his life. He testified in Philippians 1:21-22 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not.

The conditions in which prisoners were typically held would be considered inhumane by modern standards. Locked away in over-crowded, lice-infested, unsanitary, and lightless hovels, prisoners routinely contracted disease through incarceration and sometimes died as a result of a prolonged stay in a Roman jail. Heavy iron manacles were bound around wrists, feet, and often the neck, which grated through the flesh and caused all manner of pain and infection. Paul’s frequent mention of his “chains,” should conjure up images too distressful to contemplate.¹

One such prison experience was in Philippi described by Luke in Acts 16:16-31 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour. And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the market place unto the rulers, And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans. And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed. And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

The steward of the jail together with his family was gloriously saved! God authenticated his servant with an earthquake that shook off his chains. He could have escaped but he did not. He had a higher mission that enabled him to endure the pain of imprisonment. Such is the man!

Make me a witness like You, dear Lord,

Showing the love of the cross,

Sharing Your Word till all have heard,

Serving whatever the cost.

Give me Lord, a servant’s heart.

Here’s my life;

Take every part.

Give me Lord, a servant’s heart.

Help me draw so close to You that your love comes shining through.

Give me, Lord, a servant’s heart,

Give me, Lord, a servamt’s heart.

Amen.

For the Apostle Paul, Jesus could have consumed him on that road to Damascus. He was blinded. He could have remained blind. He is the pot in the hands of the potter. He knew the heart of God is of love, it cannot do him bad but will only do him good if he will only continue to trust and continue to follow Jesus in obedience. The evangelist DL Moody realized this truth when he gave his life to Christ full time, “it is not what Moody can do for Christ but what Christ can do to make a more sanctified Moody.” As the Apostle Paul goes through all these afflictions for the sake of the gospel, Jesus was purifying and moulding him to be conformed to His image. And this is the sole purpose of man’s existence. We are made in the image of God to reflect Him.

This is the Apostle Paul’s testimony nearing the end of his life. 1 Timothy 1:12-16 “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.”

We are to follow after the Apostle Paul as did Timothy. It was by the sheer mercy of God that he can serve the living and true God. He called himself a chief of sinners. If one is a chief sinner then he is most unworthy. Yet God pardoned such a one and died for such a one to save and entrust him with His Word. It was out of a heart of gratitude that the Apostle Paul served. And he said that God’s grace was exceeding abundant with faith (in trusting God whatever the external circumstance may be) and love (the power that drives his sacrifice).

Deuteronomy 25:2-3 prescribes flogging as a means of punishment, up to a maximum of forty strokes. Receiving one less than forty may have been to ensure that the Mosaic stipulations were not exceeded through miscount. The later Mishnaic rabbis offered detailed instruction on what crimes were punishable by flogging, which included moral, cultic, and civil infractions.¹

Deuteronomy 25:1-3 If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked. And it shall be, if the wicked man be worthy to be beaten, that the judge shall cause him to lie down, and to be beaten before his face, according to his fault, by a certain number. Forty stripes he may give him, and not exceed: lest, if he should exceed, and beat him above these with many stripes, then thy brother should seem vile unto thee.

Our everyday life is the litmus test of our Christianity. By the way we live we can either give glory to God or tarnish and diminish His name. May the Lord help us to be willing to live and suffer for Him.

• The Riches of Christ Manifested (v26-27)

²⁶ Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: ²⁷ To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

The mystery of godliness is revealed in Christ – 1 Timothy 3:16 (KJV) And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

Hebrews 1:1-2a (KJV) God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son … 

The life of God through Christ living in and through us. The power to mortify sin by the power of the indwelling Spirit, the power to love unconditionally and sacrificially so as to impact others for eternity. 

1 John 3:2 (KJV) Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

The glorified state of the believer at the coming of Christ is most glorious, like Christ at the transfiguration. The word “glory” speaks of a most glorious condition, most exalted state, of that condition with God the Father in heaven to which Christ was raised after He had achieved His work on earth, and the glorious condition of blessedness into which is appointed and promised that true Christians shall enter after their Saviour’s return from heaven. It attests also to the kingly majesty of the Messiah, the absolutely perfect inward or personal excellency of Christ [Strong’s]

This salvation is not kept a closed secret to the Jews but is in the benevolent mind of God that it be given also to the Gentiles, the non-Jews, which is the bulk of the world at large.

• The Power of God Working Mightily (v28-29)

²⁸ Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: ²⁹ Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

For the Apostle Paul, his preaching and teaching by warning and by patient teaching is to impart the wisdom of God in Christ so that the believers can speed along the path of being more and more like their Master.

The Christian’s Call to Perfection, to present every man perfect in Christ, is not advocating living a perfect life on this earth. Nonetheless, we must confess that we have a perfect Saviour, a perfect Book and a perfect sanctifying Spirit of God so the Scripture can rightly command us to be throughly furnished unto all good works, to go on toward spiritual maturity. We should press toward perfection for we must continue to struggle. 

We cannot give up for Jesus Himself said, “Be ye also perfect even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” Let us see what Scripture says concerning how we should strive toward the perfection that God wants from us. 

The Christian’s call to perfection is the call to Christian sanctification. This is the call to living a holy life, a life of godliness, characterized by good works. How are you progressing spiritually speaking, are you able to put away sin in your life and live victoriously for the Lord as a good testimony of His saving grace or are you trudging along succumbing to sin all the time? 

The battle is real, the battle is fierce. But our Lord Jesus has won the victory for us on the cross. And He has left us His blueprint for battle in His Word. May we appropriate it daily for our spiritual nourishment!

The word “perfect” means complete, of one able to meet all demands, qualified, fully ready, perfectly fit, mature. That the man of God, the man that is called a Christian, might be throughly furnished. It speaks of thorough spiritual and moral preparedness to be equipped completely, made adequate to show forth a godly life by all the good works that he does to bless the people around him. We should press toward perfection. There is a future sense to the verb that tells us we must work at it. We must continue to struggle against sin in our lives. 

For our encouragement, Scripture gave to us in the book of Job, the earliest recorded writing of Scripture such a man of God – Job 1:1 “There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed (hate) evil.” The word “perfect” does not mean sinless perfection but holiness. He was a man who walked with God, who made right with God by that close communion with God. He made right with God and he interceded for his children daily. God Himself pronounced him “perfect.”

For the Apostle Paul, that means a patient disposition to teach those who oppose themselves, oftentimes hated him.

CONCLUSION

This is the call for Christian maturity and to be partakers of the affliction of Christ for His Name’s sake in the sharing of the gospel to the utter parts of the earth. Amen.