September 22,
2019 NOTES NOT EDITED
The Gain of Pain
Colossians 1:24-29
SIS: Jesus
is sovereign over the suffering in our lives and God does not waste even the
slightest pain in our lives but infuses it with meaning and purpose.
One of the great
theologians of the 20th Century (though I don't agree with everything he
taught) was a man by the name of William Barclay. He is the author of one of the finest
commentaries on the New Testament I have read, "Daily Study Bible Series." Barclay said this about suffering: "To
be chosen by God so often means at one and the same time a crown of joy and
cross of sorrow."
Another important
theologian, who lived as a boy through the horrors of the Nazi death camps,
says this: "For just as the death of Christ embraces the various forms of
suffering in our lives, so the resurrection of Christ must be the ground of our
hope" (J.C. Beker).
Indeed, these two
themes of suffering and hope seem to be the bookends that define our lives in
Christ. In Christ, our deepest suffering
is as important as our highest joys. The
two cannot be separated or our suffering is meaningless and any hope we have is
a false hope. Suffering and hope,
joy and sorrow, the cross and the crown must be
taken together in order to understand what I call, "The Gain of Pain." Others
call this redemptive suffering, or "suffering hope."
Without Christ
suffering is just pain without purpose—misery without meaning. Suffering without Christ is something that
must simply be endured. But, suffering
as a believer is a whole other matter. Just as Jesus is sovereign over sin in our
salvation, Jesus is sovereign over the suffering in our lives.
Paul uses the word,
"suffering" no less than 45 times in his writings. This does not include the multitude of times
suffering is mentioned in 1Peter, or the fact that the entire theme of
Revelation is the overcoming of suffering and the coming of the painless
Kingdom of Heaven. Dealing with
suffering is a fundamental -- some scholars say, the fundamental -- issue in
Paul's writings.
Dealing with evil and
suffering IS the fundamental basis for all world religions. My hope today is that we will all leave here
this morning with a clear understanding that Jesus is sovereign
over the suffering in our lives and God does not waste even the slightest pain
in our lives but infuses it with meaning and purpose.
Let's read what the
Holy Spirit led Paul to deliver to the Colossian church in regard to suffering:
24 Now I rejoice in my
sufferings for you, and I am completing in my flesh what is lacking in Christ’s
afflictions for His body, that is, the church. 25 I have become
its servant, according to God’s administration that was given to me for you, to
make God’s message fully known, 26 the mystery hidden for ages
and generations but now revealed to His saints. 27 God wanted
to make known among the Gentiles the glorious wealth of this mystery, which is
Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 We proclaim Him, warning
and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature
in Christ. 29 I labor for this, striving with His strength that
works powerfully in me.
This passage breaks
down to three important truths, or benefits, in regard to the suffering in the
life of a believer. First, suffering
1. allows us fuller PARTICIPATION in the life of Christ (v. 24)
24 Now
I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and
I am completing in my flesh what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for His
body, that is, the church.
This is one of the most puzzling verses in the Bible for many people. It
is puzzling because of the paradox set up by using the word,
"rejoice," in connection with the word, "suffer." Most Christians understand readily what it
means to suffer “for” Jesus, as in the case of persecution and martyrdom. Paul, and the N.T. in general, takes that idea
a step further to express a sense of suffering “with” Jesus. Various terms are used such as “sharing
in His sufferings; participating in His sufferings; or the fellowship of His
sufferings” (Phil. 3:10, various translations). When we suffer “for” Jesus by
participating in His Kingdom’s work, we are also “suffering with Jesus”
in understanding more clearly exactly what Jesus did for us on the
cross—though we will never understand it fully.
Suffering is the deepest level of emotion we will ever feel. It is not “deeper THAN” love, but in fact deepens our love. Anyone who has walked through the suffering with a loved one knows how sharing suffering welds two hearts together like nothing else.
Suffering is the deepest level of emotion we will ever feel. It is not “deeper THAN” love, but in fact deepens our love. Anyone who has walked through the suffering with a loved one knows how sharing suffering welds two hearts together like nothing else.
I've already mentioned how redemptive suffering, or suffering
hope is fundamental to understanding the full gospel -- from cross to
crown, death to victory, suffering to joy.
Paul's juxtaposition of "rejoicing" with "suffering"
is key to understanding our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, many (in fact most) popular
preachers seem to indicate that the very essence of salvation in Christ is to
be "completely free from suffering."
Such health and wealth, prosperity preachers often quote from Isaiah
53:5:
"by His wounds
(stripes) we are healed."
I absolutely believe this truth and I resolutely hold to this
promise: salvation ultimately will lead
to the total abolition of human suffering for those who become believers. However,
prosperity preachers confuse the end with the means to the end. Paul clearly teaches (as does the whole of
the NT) that the means through which we have complete and total victory over
suffering is by "participation" in the
suffering of Christ, not isolation from suffering in this
world.
First of all this verse puzzles some because it juxtaposes --
places together -- the idea of "rejoicing" with
"suffering." Normally, these
two ideas are mutually exclusive -- you can't have one with the other. It is
not so puzzling if one understands that the word, “rejoicing, or
expressing joy” is of the same semantic family as “grace.” Grace and joy are siblings in the Providence of
God. Chairo (rejoicing), is
a verb form related the Greek noun, chara, meaning “joy.” Both these words are also related to the
word, charis, meaning grace. This
is not simply an incidental relationship based upon common letters (char--, car), but it represents an experiential bond between
the idea of joy and the presence of grace.
Joy does not exist apart from grace, and true grace always provides for
the expression of joy, even in suffering.
This is what God meant when He addressed Paul’s personal suffering in 2Cor.
12:9. God said,
“My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.”
The joy Paul says he feels in the midst of suffering is not some naïve wish or shallow dismissal of a physically painful situation. Paul genuinely feels joy because he has genuinely been touched by the grace of God, and knows God will bring purpose out of His pain, and ultimately take the pain away. Paul is simply appropriating the gift of joy (chara, cara) which comes in the package of grace (charis, cariV). Rejoicing (chairō, cairw) is the expression of joy, which is based upon grace and independent of one’s present circumstances.
“My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.”
The joy Paul says he feels in the midst of suffering is not some naïve wish or shallow dismissal of a physically painful situation. Paul genuinely feels joy because he has genuinely been touched by the grace of God, and knows God will bring purpose out of His pain, and ultimately take the pain away. Paul is simply appropriating the gift of joy (chara, cara) which comes in the package of grace (charis, cariV). Rejoicing (chairō, cairw) is the expression of joy, which is based upon grace and independent of one’s present circumstances.
Second, this verse is puzzling because of the words,
" I fill up in my flesh what is
still lacking." We know of
course that the redemption and sacrifice of Christ was in no way lacking. The sacrifice of Christ was complete, as
Hebrews teaches us, "once for all." The sacrifice of the Eternal Son became
eternal payment for all our sins.
So, what was Paul "filling up?" What was "lacking?" This phrase
must be taken together to refer to the fact that our lives are a continuation
of the life of Christ on earth. We, the
church or followers of Christ, are literally the "body of Christ
continuing to live out the sacrificial mission of Christ." This is made clear by Paul in Galatians:
(2:20)
" 20 I have been crucified
with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in
the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for
me."
Paul often refers to believers as the "body of
Christ." For example Romans
12:5 so in Christ we who are many form one body or 1Cor. 12:13: So it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized
by one Spirit into one body.
Paul is claiming that when we suffer in our lives in a Christian manner
before the world, we are continuing the ministry in our body, the church, that
He began in His body on the cross. Our
salvation was secured in, through, and by the suffering of Jesus, and our
ministry in the name of Jesus is also accomplished through our suffering with
hope before an unbelieving world. Also,
when we willing suffer by sacrificing our time, talents, and
treasures to extend the Kingdom of God on earth, we are
extending, “or filling up,” the ministry Jesus started on this earth. I’ll expand on this aspect of suffering
in just a minute. I want us to
be clear on what “completing what is lacking means.”
This is what Jesus meant when He told the disciples, greater works than these will [you] do, because I am going to the Father (Jn. 14:12).
This is what Jesus meant when He told the disciples, greater works than these will [you] do, because I am going to the Father (Jn. 14:12).
Jesus did not mean greater in quality, but greater in quantity. It’s hard to top “raising the dead” in
quality of miracle-working. Through
suffering and sacrifice for the sake of the Church, Jesus finishes building the
Church He started while on earth. The
word for "lacking,"alos means
"later, after, or second." When we suffer we are continuing in the
Spirit and power of Christ. We are never
closer to Jesus on our mission than when we suffer in hope. I believe this is the great mystery of the
three dark hours after Jesus died (Mk. 15:33)
At the sixth hour darkness came over the
whole land until the ninth hour.
At the height of Our Lord's Suffering, when the midday sun was
scorching His battered flesh and evaporating every drop of life from His body
-- God turned the lights out! This is a
marvelous part of the story that is, I believe, very misunderstood. As Jesus was embracing the world through His
suffering, God was embracing the Son.
This moment is too intimate for the world to watch and too deep for the
world to understand -- so God did it in private.
My point is simply this: when you
are in deep, soul-crunching suffering, you have the opportunity to participate
in a more direct, intimate fashion with Jesus Christ and understand His sacrifice
more fully than at any other time. Do
not despise suffering because you are despising an opportunity to participate
with Christ -- and fill up His suffering to the full -- in a way that can come
in no other fashion.
Paul said, "I rejoice in
suffering" in verse 24 because in it I share in
the glory of Our Lord and Savior. Let me
expand a bit further in how a deeper participation “IN” the ministry of Jesus
leads to a more fruitful proclamation “Of” the gospel of Jesus.
2. Another great truth may be unpacked from this
passage in regard to suffering and hope:
Suffering provides more fruitful
results in the PROCLAMATION of the gospel of Jesus Christ (vv. 25-26;
28-29)
There are two very important words I want to highlight from verse 24
before I go on to the following verses, "for you." Paul’s
suffering had a “servant” quality (see verse 25).
Our suffering not only has deep meaning for us personally because it
gives us a fuller participation with and understanding of the suffering of Our
Savior, but our suffering also has meaning for others, when we place our hope
and full confidence in The Lord. Paul
rejoiced because he realized that our suffering can speak to people in
a way that our words alone cannot.
Let me repeat that: Our
suffering can speak to people in ways that our words alone cannot.
Suffering not only has to do with our PARTICIPATION with Christ but
also our PROCLAMATION of Christ. Let us
continue reading in verse 25 and following:
25 I have
become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of
God in its fullness.
Then verses 28-29: We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect [full] in Christ. 29 To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.
Then verses 28-29: We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect [full] in Christ. 29 To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.
These verses talk about "fulness, energy, and power" that
come when hold fast our testimony even in the midst of great suffering. Suffering waters our words like the
rain waters the dry ground causing it to sprout into fruitfulness for the
Kingdom of God.
Hebrews 11 is oft referred to as the
"Roll Call of Faith."
Throughout that chapter the exploits and accomplishments of a litany of
representative saints is given from Abraham to "still others
unnamed." The remarkable fact is
that the fabric of the testimony of every one of these saints had a common
thread: suffering!
Some of the suffering was as severe as "death." Of Abel the Scriptures say, "And by
faith he still speaks even though he is dead" (Heb. 11:4).
The remarkable truth is that suffering does not diminish one's
testimony to the sovereignty and power of God -- suffering enhances that testimony. Suffering provides more fruitful results
in the PROCLAMATION of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Suffering with
hope speaks more about Jesus Christ than our words alone could ever say.
We should never surrender to suffering, but we
should embrace it as a tool God uses to weed the worldliness out of our lives
and to plant the good seed of the gospel in the lives of others. Notice the connections being made in verse 29:
29 To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.
On one side of the ledger (accounting sheet) of our lives we have what
appear to be debits: "labor,
struggling," but on the other side of the ledger of our lives are
written these credits: "energy
and power." The energy and
power of hope well outweighs the discomfort and disappointment of suffering --
if you are a Christian.
Suffering is the way God removes the weeds of our lives
so that the seed of our message can become fruitful in the lives of
others. When you are flat on your back,
or pressed against a wall by trial and tribulation, all you have
left is your faith in Almighty God. Suffering
works a little bit like Windex.
It cleans off the windows of our lives so that the light of Jesus can
shine through with crystal like clarity.
Never despise suffering. Embrace
it. Suffering with hope will add "energy
and power" to your testimony.
It will have an affect on others that is supernatural. The word for "struggling" in
verse 29 comes from the
root word, āgōn. This word refers
to an "intense struggle." We
get the word, "agony," from this word. In verse 24 the word for
suffering (fr pathos) speaks more of the “emotional” side of
suffering.
The word in verse 29 for energy comes
from the Greek word, "energēō" and means to "be
effective, or useful." Paul
says in vs. 29: "in
our agony we gain energy or effectiveness in sharing our testimony." Remember
God said, “power is perfected in weakness through
grace” (2Cor. 12:9).
Though suffering may drain us physically and emotionally—and most
certainly does—suffering submersed in grace energizes and empowers us
spiritually, especially for evangelism.
Paul makes it clear that one of the benefits that arises out of the
suffering of a saint is a deeper understanding or participation in what Jesus
experienced for us on the cross. Another
benefit is that suffering supercharges a person's
message and gives it greater effectiveness and fruitfulness.
3.
The third truth arising out of this text on suffering is this: "suffering creates a deeper
appreciation for the promise of heaven."
v. 27.
27 God wanted to make known among the Gentiles the glorious wealth of
this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope
of glory.
Particularly I want to focus on the last part of this verse: “the hope of glory." Suffering without hope leads to
despair. The reality of the matter is
this: you are going to suffer in this
life and you are going to one day die. WHAT
THEN?
For the non-believer the answer to that question, "What
then?" is a big fat QUESTION MARK (?).
Most non-believers simply want to avoid that question. They have no answer, and they have NO HOPE.
What purpose is there for our suffering if this world is all there
is? The answer is haunting: NO PURPOSE AT ALL. We are back to Shakespeare's solliloquy in regard to life spoken through MacBeth:
Life is but a tale told by and
idiot//
Full of sound and fury//Signifying nothing.
Full of sound and fury//Signifying nothing.
Paul agreed with Shakespeare's dim appraisal of life if there is no
hope beyond the grave -- if there is no ultimate meaning for our, sometimes
unimaginable, suffering. Paul said, and
I'll paraphrase for empasis: "If Christ was not raised and there is no hope beyond
this life, we Christians are the most miserable people on earth because we have
lived according to a meaningless lie." (1Cor. 15:17).
Friend, I'm here to tell you today that there is hope in spite of
whatever suffering you are enduring or may endure. Cling to this promise. God will come through every time. God will heal you. God will deliver you. God will preserve you. God will reward you.
When suffering has so battered our life that we barely
even have any life left, this is when the promise of heaven -- the "hope
of glory" -- becomes even sweeter for the believer. When you
are about to lose everything this life has to offer -- including life itself --
it becomes even easier to cling to that wonderful promise of heaven --
"Christ in you, the hope of glory."
Only a deluded and
deranged person would seek out suffering.
With all the suffering in the world we cannot avoid, it seems only sane
to avoid all the suffering we can. But,
we cannot avoid ALL suffering. And, if
we truly live a sacrificial life of service to Jesus Christ, we will have MORE suffering
NOT LESS. What we must know, and what we
must cling to is the knowledge that, through grace, there is GAIN IN OUR PAIN.