23… of which I, Paul, became a minister. 24Now 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, 25of 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, 26the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27To 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. 28Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me. (Col. 1:23-29 ESV)
After a brief introduction of the beloved Son and the gospel, Paul began to introduce himself. Though he and the Colossians had known each other well, they had not met in face yet (Col. 2:1). Paul first introduced himself as a minister of the gospel, he once called himself a minister of Christ (1 Co. 4:1), and later he addressed himself as a minister of the church. All these titles are one and the same. The church is the body of Christ, ministering to the church is equivalent to ministering to Christ. Minister here does not refer to a specific church office, but anyone who is serving. All who serve the church, are ministers of the church. With this understanding, Paul not only introduced himself, but introduced all servants of Christ and His gospel. For whomever is aspiring to become a servant of Christ, this passage serves as a mirror for self-inspection.
Paul wrote this letter from prison. Yet he rejoiced in his sufferings. This apparent contradiction begs a little explanation. There are all sorts of sufferings in life, and most of them bring no joy to sufferers. This suffering for the church, however, is a new kind of suffering brought in by Christ Himself. For He came to this world for the sole purpose of suffering for the church, as prophesied by the Prophet Isaiah, Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. (Isa. 53:11 ESV) When someone has truly known Christ the righteous servant of God, he would want to share His sufferings, become like Him in His death. (Phi. 3:10) They share sufferings both in the purpose, that is for the church; and in the occasions, as the Spirit of Christ continues to suffer inside Paul’s flesh. It is as if Paul emptied his flesh for Jesus to move in. Jesus had many sufferings in His flesh, yet He had not suffered in prison. But now through the flesh of Paul, Christ was filling up the affliction of prison in His afflictions. The Christ living in us continues to suffer for His church, until the church becomes fully grown, then the afflictions of Christ would become complete and without lacking. For all who have become one with Christ, though they suffer outside, yet they rejoice inside.
From human perspective, it is Paul who through his genius idea plus tireless labor and sacrificial spirit had established churches among the Gentile. Yet Paul knew that the causal relation works the other way around. There was first the need of the church, then God raised him up to be a minister for the church. From start to finish, the church is a work of God. Now that the origin is from above, Paul knew he was tasked to make the Word of God fully known. This message can neither worn out nor evolve with time. Two thousand years later, we are still studying his writings word for word for it is the Word of God. It is all about a mystery that is hidden for ages and generations in the Old Testament. Now through the apostles, especially Paul, God has revealed to his saints. As a mystery revealer set apart by God, Paul was grateful and honored, (1 Co. 15:10) and he toiled without ceasing.
This mystery is not simply a hidden idea, which upon exposed, is mystery no more. This mystery of God is more like a door suddenly revealed in a tall and forbidden wall. The moment this door opens, the mystery is revealed. Yet this revelation marks not the end of the mystery, rather an invitation to enter it. As ministers of the mystery, it is far from enough by pushing the door open. We must lead people who live in the darkness outside the wall through this door beaming with glorious light and into the riches of the glory of God. We are able to lead the way because we are struggling with all His energy that He powerfully works within us. This analogy of wall can be reversed to describe our hardened hearts. When we open a door to let Christ in, He becomes in us, the hope of glory. This hope is alive and growing, until we are mature in Christ. As ministers of Christ, we grow alongside with everyone else, with all wisdom warning everyone, because there is the danger of growing awry; and teaching everyone, because there is also the temptation of laziness and fruitless. As ministers of this mystery, it is for this we toil for life.
Prayer: O Lord! Thank you for becoming in us the hope of glory and for giving us stewardship of becoming a minister of the gospel of mystery!
No comments:
Post a Comment