Why Suffering and God’s Purpose Coexist (Colossians 1:24-29).Thursday October 15, 2026
Main idea: Because God’s love determines to conform you and the world to the beautiful image of His Son, He will do what it takes, and change in fallen man comes only by painful processes.
Intro:
Joy is in filling a grand purpose. Of the great joys in life, this is one of the top ones.
Amish barn raisings are a classic form of “frolic” linked to the German fröhlich (happy/cheerful) and is a community work event that deliberately joins hard, purposeful labor with social pleasure.
Col 1:24-25 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. 25 Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God,
Paul uses the verb “to fill” twice. First in reference to Christ’s afflictions (sufferings) and then “to fill (complete) the word of God” (“the preaching of” is not in the original).
The Text: A purpose fulfilled that demanded suffering.
“Now” Paul is not yet referring to his imprisonment, though they and we know that he is there (Col 4:18). He is referring to his ministry in general.
“I rejoice (chairo - joy of gift?) in the sufferings for you.” Plural: sufferings that befall and must be accepted.
Joh 15:11 “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.”
The sufferings he rejoices in are “for you.” (for your sake, vs. 24) Which leads us to ponder how this could be true when he had never been in Colossae.
The next primary verb [after I rejoice] is “I fill up” and it pertains to an object that has stumped many and led to a lot of ink: that which is lacking in the sufferings of Christ.
Concerning the church, he was made a minister. Common word for servant.
He was also a steward, which word speaks of the uniqueness of his ministry: also refers to God’s administration of salvation in this age.
Both the capacity to be a servant of the Lord and the office of steward (think of your spiritual gift) are “given by God” (“bestowed” in NASU) for the benefit of others (“for your benefit”)
“Fulfill the word of God” - complete his ministry.
Paul’s Sufferings: All for the Ministry.
When Paul was knocked off his horse by Christ, He asked him, “Why are you persecuting Me?”
For the church to be established, for it to grow through the world, for the conversion and maturity of all the saints in history, and even the Tribulation to complete the age leading up to the second coming of Christ - a lot of suffering would have to happen.
Mat 23:34-35 “Therefore, behold, I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes; some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city, 35 so that upon you may fall the guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth.”
Act 5:41 So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name.
The suffering was “in my flesh” referring to Paul’s physical sufferings.
Gal 6:17 From now on let no one cause trouble for me, for I bear on my body the brand-marks of Jesus.
Elsewhere Paul refers to suffering as integral to his apostolic ministry (1Co 4:9-13; 2Co 11:23-33; 2Co 12:9-10; 2Co 13:4; Gal 6:17) and as such it was tied in with the clear proclamation of the gospel (2Co 4:4-6, 2Co 4:7-18; 2Co 5:18-21; 2Co 6:1-11; 1Th 1:5-6; 1Th 3:3-4; Act 14:22).
For Paul, the conjunction of the suffering with his apostolic ministry of the gospel was no new thing; he had been forewarned by Christ at the very beginning when he was called to preach Him to the Gentiles, Act 9:16.
Act 9:16 “I will show him how much he must suffer for My name's sake.”
He was also given a thorn in the flesh - this was not the Jews but God allowing Satan to send a "messenger" to hurt Paul’s flesh so that he would put off his pride.
Why is suffering and God’s purpose the same?
Christ’s love for us is so pure that He desired to present us without one spot or wrinkle. He patiently gives to us whatever it takes for our transformation and that includes pain.
To experience the love of God in a true, and not an illusory form, is to experience it as our surrender to His demand, our conformity to His desire.
Joh 15:14 “You are My friends if you do what I command you.”
The purpose and the suffering go hand in hand: the growth of the servant and the teaching to the resistant people.
Rom 15:19 I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.
The idea is not finishing an assignment, but rather executing a task to its fullness. 2Ti 4:16-18 At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them. 17 But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was rescued out of the lion's mouth. 18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Conclusion: Learn to rejoice in your sufferings.
The religious mind sees God’s ministry as a task to be completed so that the heart can then get to itself. The Christ mind sees God’s ministry as life, and it is, for God made us to serve others in love.
Love finds its deepest happiness in the happiness of another. The hope of the gospel, heaven’s inheritance, is a selfless heart in which the flow of love is without hindrance.
To build the church multiple people must come together and serve one another in love.
But if we didn’t need this, God wouldn’t have given it.
There is fear in putting off the old self. We protect it with our fig leaves.
God covered us with animal skins. Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
Suffering is necessary for our own maturity. It is necessary to experience love’s strength and to show it to others. |