COLOSSIANS 1:24-2:5--Paul's Ministry to the Church

Paul's Ministry to the Church​
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.

2 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, 2 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, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. 5 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.

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I have to admit that it's hard for me to grasp in verse 24 what Paul is talking about that is "lacking" in Christ's afflictions, but nonetheless, Paul is saying that he is suffering for the good of the Church in the same kind of way that Christ suffered for the Church by giving His body as a sacrifice for them.  Paul's sacrifice is very different as it is not penal substitutionary atonement, but I think Paul is saying that in becoming like Christ, the world hates him in the same way that they would hate Christ Himself and that they are doing the things to Paul that they would do if Christ were still physically here--instead they are doing those things to the members of His Body, the Church.

We've seen much of the same language of this passage before--Paul is a minister of the gospel and is a steward of the people that God has entrusted to him (like an under-shepherd to watch over the flock of God).  Paul's job is to make the Word of God known and to preach it in season and out of season, and to make the mystery of the gospel known among the Gentiles (an apostle to the Gentiles) so that God's plan from before the beginning might be revealed and God might be glorified.

Another part of that ministry that was given to Paul (and to us today) is teaching, exhortation and correction as we desire to see all those we lead and disciple become spiritually mature and become more and more like Christ.  Paul says this is hard work and he can only do it because of the energy that comes from Christ working in him and through Him to accomplish His good purposes that He set out to do.

Paul then specifically relates a struggle he has with wishing to visit the churches in Colossae and Laodicea face-to-face.  We heard this before with the epistle to the Ephesians how Paul desired to see the believers in these churches so that they might be encouraged during the time that they were so worried about him, but he is concerned for them like a parent for his children.  He wants them to have full assurance of the gospel and full understanding of who Christ is and what He did and what He is doing and what He will do so that they will be complete and mature and lacking nothing.  Paul also desires for them to be knit together so that the many may become one Body and that they might receive every spiritual blessing through Christ.  Paul also desires for them to have the fullness of the wisdom and knowledge that comes from God so that they will not be led astray by false teachers and false gospels.  The devil and those that belong to him are still at work telling lies to try to steal, kill and destroy and to try to disqualify the elect of God, if possible (a theme that is coming up soon in this letter).

Paul ends this section by reminding them that even though he can't be with them physically that there is a stronger connection here that binds them and he still has unity and communion with them, even from such a great distance.  We can rejoice with those who are rejoicing and weep with those who are weeping from afar because we are one Body in Christ.  When one part is in pain, the whole body feels it, but also when one part is glad the whole body feels that as well.  Paul is happy to see them growing in their faith in Christ, becoming more spiritually mature and holding fast tot he things they have been taught and not wavering from the true gospel.