So the reading today is Colossians 1, 24, and we'll be reading through 2, 2, verse 5.
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, for 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, the mystery hidden for ages and generations, but now revealed
to his saints.
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.
Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present
everyone mature in Christ.
For this I toil, struggling with all his energy, that he powerfully works within me.
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, 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, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom
and knowledge.
I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments.
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.
Well, it's a massive understatement to say that our world is changing rapidly.
We get climate change, political change, geopolitical change, moral, social change, and so the list
of changes could go on.
It's a bit overwhelming, isn't it?
A bit confusing, a bit scary.
Yet at the same time as one author years ago said, it's a case of the more things change,
the more they remain the same.
And the reality of life is that, and it continues through every generation, is that every single
person continues to ask, what is it to be a full?
What is it to be a full or complete?
That is F-U-L-L.
What is it to be a full or complete or authentic person?
What is it to be true to myself?
Or, make it a little bit more modern, what is it to be a masculine man and a feminine woman?
It's very common to hear people say today, look, I want to be the best version of myself
possible.
That's a very modern way of putting things.
I want to be the best version of myself that's possible.
And that statement has buried in it a search for meaning and purpose.
But all too often, that meaning and purpose is found in my own desires, my own feelings.
And there, what we see is the key to freedom and happiness.
So, the best version of my own self possible is allowing my feelings and desires to come
to the surface in happiness.
And what that means then is that if I'm going to be the best version of myself, then I'm going
to be self-approving, self-promoting, self-governing, self-loving.
Now, formally, this is called therapeutic expressive individualism.
I think it's actually a useful term for you to be familiar with.
Many of you won't even recognize the term, but you'll certainly recognize the symptoms
of it.
Because it's everywhere around us.
It's part of the cultural air we breathe.
And so, the best version of self, as our culture states it and thinks it, will be actually,
when you boil it down, totally selfish.
Self-consuming.
And I would even suggest self-destructing.
Why?
Because if I'm going to find my happiness in my feelings and desires, then I must make
my feelings and desires dominate others around me where that's necessary.
Or manipulate others around me to maintain my, another modern expression, my self-esteem,
my self-worth.
My self-perception.
And then that takes another step.
I'll only be willing to express love and commitment to those around me in as much as they contribute
to my happiness and my freedom.
Now, we can see that really easily when we look out there, as it were, into our society,
into our world.
The question I want to ask now is, and it's a big question for you and me as believers, as Christians.
Are we still shaped by therapeutic expressive individualism?
Or perhaps a more accurate question is, how much are we shaped by therapeutic expressive individualism?
How much is there in our quest to be the best version of ourselves?
Because I think I don't have any trouble saying that's what I would like to be in life.
Or are we shaped by who we are in Jesus as we live out what it is to be a full, complete, or authentic person?
A masculine man or a feminine woman?
We'll be shaped by one or other.
We'll be predominantly shaped by one or other of those two options.
So let's ask the question that we've been asking each week in this series in Colossian.
What fullness or completeness is ours in Jesus?
And we jump into the text now, chapter 1, verse 24.
Something we easily forget as Christians is that the gospel is essentially a relationship,
not a theological construct.
Now, of course, we can helpfully describe the gospel in terms of interconnected theological truths.
But in essence, the gospel is not a body of theological truth.
In essence, the gospel is a relationship.
And Paul has been really keen to make that clear over and over and over again
as he writes this letter to the Christians at Colossae.
He's repeatedly emphasized that.
And he says it again in verse 27.
Have a read of it.
The mystery hidden for ages and generations,
but now revealed to a sense,
to whom God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles
are the riches of the glory of this mystery.
What is this mystery?
What is God's secret that is now revealed?
Christ in you.
The hope of glory.
Now, that's relational language.
That's intimate relationship language.
Christ in you.
The hope of glory.
Him we proclaim.
So, for Paul, he's got this concept,
if you're following the outline,
you'll see that Christ in you.
It's a statement of union with Christ.
We're united with Christ as Christians.
Which is a statement of real salvation
based on a real person
bringing us into real relationship with him.
And repeatedly through this letter,
Paul has emphasized
that the identity of the Christians in Colossae
is grounded and shaped by being in Christ.
Or in him.
We've seen that over three weeks.
Together as a church family unit,
Paul sees them as a case study
of being in Christ.
Relational language.
If you look back at verse 2,
the very first chapter, verse 2,
Paul starts by saying,
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus
by the will of God.
To the saints and faithful brothers
in Christ.
And if you keep on reading them,
in Christ, in him.
Repeated, repeated, repeated.
Verse 12, 13, 14,
I looked at last week.
The same idea.
To be in Christ
is to be a completely new,
reformatted version of themselves.
That's what Paul's saying to these.
You want to be the best version of yourself?
You already are a new version of yourself,
reformatted
by nature of being in Christ.
United with him.
In him, as I said last week,
they've been transferred
from rebellion,
from hostility,
from condemnation,
from the denial of darkness.
From, too,
to Christ's kingdom
with new and full relationship with God.
Guaranteed
to share in Christ's inheritance
as brothers and sisters.
Then last week again,
verse 21 through to 23.
Not only have they been transferred,
but they've been transformed,
renewed from the inside out,
qualified for heaven,
restored to being true image bearers,
perfectly acceptable to God
in fullness of life.
Now, Paul,
as he moves into these verses,
Paul also sees himself
as a case study of identity
being sourced
and shaped in Christ.
Look at the very last phrase,
verse 23,
and of which he's speaking about the gospel.
There only is one gospel.
You've benefited from it.
You've been renewed,
transferred,
transformed by it,
says Paul,
and I have too.
And of which I, Paul,
became a minister.
The word minister is servant.
Relational language again.
What's Paul's response
to Jesus making him
a much better version of himself,
something he couldn't ever make himself?
Well, it's to express
that deep relationship
and identity
single-mindedly
as a servant of Jesus.
So for Paul,
to be authentic
as a person
is to recognize
that he already is
a new and better version
of himself
and to serve Jesus
in the light of that.
And verse 5,
it even goes more.
Paul makes a further connection
with that word servant.
If you look at verse 25,
and he talks about
how he's been suffering
for the sake of his body,
that is the church,
of which I became a minister.
That's the same word,
a servant.
For Paul,
a new and better version
of himself
is something that Jesus
has done for him.
Response to which
he becomes
a servant of Jesus,
which automatically
then makes him
a servant
of the body of Jesus,
the church.
So for Paul
to be authentic,
for Paul to be
true to himself,
it's to serve Jesus
and to serve
all Christ's
renewed people,
helping them
understand as clearly
and fully
as possible
their identity,
their relationship
and their fullness
in Christ.
But then Paul
takes this beautiful
diamond,
which he calls
a mystery.
A mystery is not
something that's
elusive and unable
to be discovered.
It's something that
God has kept
in the past
and now brought
into full relief.
So it's now
viewed and viewable
and real.
So Paul takes
this mystery
of the gospel
and he just
turns it a little
bit to sparkle
in the light
and this is what
comes out of it.
The mystery
hidden for ages
and generations
but now revealed
to his saints
to them God
chose to make known
how great
among the Gentiles
are the riches
of the glory
of this mystery.
The riches
of the glory
of this mystery
which is
Christ in you.
Even more amazing
than being
in Christ
which is what
Paul has been
saying right
through the letter
so far.
Even more amazing
than being in Christ
is Christ
being in you.
Is realizing
that as a believer
Christ is in you.
the relationship
or identity
language
could not be
any clearer
could not be
any more intimate.
As a believer
I am united
with Christ
both by virtue
of experiencing
what Christ
has done for me
through his
sacrificial death
on the cross
and also
by taking up
residence
in me
through the
Holy Spirit
who continues
to work in me
to make me
like Jesus
and guarantees
to keep me
safe to heaven.
I am in Christ
and Christ
is in me
by his Holy Spirit.
That is amazing
language.
If you look
back to
verses
18 and 19
Paul
takes us
into sort of
different metaphors
different picture
words to help us
understand that.
Look back to
verses 18 and 19
of chapter 1
where Paul says
talking about Christ
the preeminence
of Christ
is he is the
head of the body
the church
and then
verse 19
for in him
all the fullness
of God
was pleased
to dwell.
If you want
to talk about
being an
authentic person
and the
illustration
breaks down
here a little
bit but
just come
with me
because
to be an
authentic person
you need to
be an
integrated person
you need to
have your
head attached
to your
body.
Paul's
saying
just that
language
in verses
18 and 19
and it works
like this
it's a
since then
argument
since
the fullness
of God
is in
Jesus
and since
he is the
head of the
body
his church
then
every believer
organically
united to
Jesus
enjoys
fullness
or true
personhood
it's not
too much
to say
that in
Christ
with Christ
in me
by the
Holy Spirit
I have
the fullness
of God
that is an
amazing
statement
isn't it
that is an
amazing
identity
I have
that is an
amazing
version of
myself
the best
possible
version of
myself
something I
could never
create
under my
own steam
or through
my own
desires
and yet
that's what
I am
do I feel
like that
some days
no
especially when
for the
thousands of
time that
day I've
said yes
to sin
and no
to righteousness
instead of
being the
other way
around
but that's
who I am
in Christ
that's who I
am because
Christ is in
me by
his spirit
but there's
even more
to grasp
even more
to grasp
and even
more to
enjoy
because
Jesus in
you means
keep on
going
that phrase
and that's
really all
I'm going
to be doing
this morning
Jesus in
you means
the hope
of glory
now glory
is something
a word
that typically
describes heaven
it's that
final state
that time
when we'll be
at home
with Christ
and like
Christ
in heaven
forever
and that's
full salvation
so in
Christ
here and
now
we have
real salvation
but we
don't
and can't
appreciate
what it
is
to be
in Christ
until we
get to
heaven
then free
from sin
with completely
renewed
minds
we will
for the
first time
be able
to understand
what Jesus
has done
for us
and in us
so at the
minute I
think
it's going
to be
this good
getting to
heaven
to praise
and honour
and recognise
what the
Lord has
done for me
given my
sinfulness
but the
truth of the
matter is
when I
get to
heaven
it's going
to be
this big
because I
don't fully
appreciate
my sin
now
yes I
try to
but I
don't fully
appreciate
either the
nature of
it or
the extent
of it
but I
will then
not in a
sense of
being guilty
but in a
sense of
thinking
wow
that's what
Jesus
dealt with
in making
me the
best version
of myself
that's
possible to
be
a version
that's
now
qualified
to be
here in
heaven
with him
forever
and be
like him
so relationship
and identity
with Jesus
is the
connection
is the
relationship
connection
that connects
our everyday
world experiences
with heaven
and eternity
so I
live in
grace
now
knowing
that I
will enjoy
glory
then
and the
two are
inseparable
because they're
part of
God's one
movement
one salvation
movement
one salvation
purpose
we are not
yet perfectly
like Christ
but Christ
in you
is God's
promise
that in
the future
we will
be
now isn't
that a
wonderful
promise
in the
day to
day struggle
with our
sin and
failings
and everything
else that
life throws
at us
that is
the best
version of
myself
that I
love for
and Jesus
says yes
I've created
it and I
will make
it happen
so the
best version
of ourselves
fullness of
life
true personhood
the relationship
what actually
defines
masculine
men
and feminine
women
is
in Christ
and Christ
in you
we start
our life
reformatted
life
we start
it with
Christ
we live
it in
Christ
on a
day by
day basis
and that
relationship
will continue
into
eternity
where we'll
be with
Christ
and be
like him
perfectly
like him
comfortably
at home
with him
forever
now it
seems like
why is Paul
emphasizing that
well it
seems like
there are
those in
the background
in the church
or on the
periphery of the
church in
Colossae
who are
suggesting
a different
pathway
in life
for them
as Christians
they're
suggesting
perhaps
that yes
it's terrific
to start
with Jesus
in fact
that's the
only place
you can
start
with Jesus
but then
you need
to move
on to
some other
sort of
super
spiritual
experience
some other
reality
that's above
or in
addition to
Jesus
not so
says Paul
everything
God wants
his people
to know
everything
God wants
his people
to experience
everything
God wants
his people
to be
is summed
up
by
Christ
in you
the hope
of glory
that's why
Paul says
in verse
28
immediately
after that
he says
him
we proclaim
now
he goes on
then in
verse 28
follow through
as I'll
read it
again
him
we proclaim
warning
everyone
and teaching
everyone
all wisdom
that we
may present
everyone
mature
in Christ
and then
go down
to chapter
2
verse 2
he talks
about his
struggle
for them
for people
he hasn't
even met
who might
never ever
meet him
who certainly
don't know
him
but he's
been
struggling
for them
why
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
that's it
that's all
God wants
us to know
about it
that's all
we need
to know
about it
that's the
experience
we need
to have
Christ
Paul
Paul only
has
one
message
that
message
shapes
defines
motivates
him
every
single
day
in
the
language
we use
that's
what gets
him out
of bed
in the
morning
and for
Paul to
get out
in the
bed
in the
morning
is
walking
into a
storm
of
struggling
Christ
in you
the hope
of glory
all his
efforts of
teaching
of persuading
of arguing
of challenging
and encouraging
are for
what end
well
we just
read it
designed
to develop
maturity
in those
he serves
what is it
to have
Christian
maturity
you start
with Christ
what is it
to be
mature
in Christ
well
very
simple
not
complicated
at all
for Paul
to be
mature
in Christ
is to
be so
focused
on him
as to
grow to
a better
understanding
a better
appreciation
of the
fullness
of life
we have
in him
the full
personhood
we have
in him
the life
of true
freedom
we have
in him
the happiness
and satisfaction
which is ours
in Christ
and Christ
in you
there is no
starting with
Jesus
and then
some other
like
pathway
that is
for the
select few
or for those
with deeper
insight
no
you start
with Christ
as you are
created into
a new
and much
better version
of yourself
you live
every day
of life
trying to
develop
your appreciation
of that
which you
will fully
appreciate
when you
get to
heaven
Christ
in the
past
Christ
now
Christ
in the
future
what is it
to be the
best version
of myself
possible
well it's
looking back
in thankfulness
that Jesus
has taken
hold of me
and reformatted
me into a
new
complete life
united with
the one
true person
who has
ever lived
in this
world
who has
pleased God
in every
respect
knowing then
great thankfulness
that I have
become
in him
and him
in me
I have
become a
true person
pleasing to
God in
every respect
and it's
looking forward
to the
time when I
will experience
fullness of
life in
well all
its fullness
at home in
heaven with
Jesus
perfectly like
him
a perfect
person
perfectly
worshipping
the perfect
Lord Jesus
and in
between those
two
extremities
of life
in the
meanwhile
struggling to
reflect who
I am in
Christ
at every
point in
life
and chapter
two verse
two that
might be
when I'm
struggling to
express deep
unity with
my brothers and
sisters in
Christ in this
local church
or it
might be
suffering like
Paul
suffering
experiencing
suffering
in an
attitude of
joy and
passion and
endurance
you see
each context
demonstrates
union with
Christ
even though
they're vastly
different
circumstances
each is a
distinct pathway
that Jesus
walked
suffering
and in
glory
all the
while loving
deeply
those who
were in
turn deeply
offensive and
hostile to
him
that's the
pathway and
the model of
Jesus
costly
suffering
costly
love
each is
hard
but each
is possible
verse 29
if you look
at that
excuse me
for this I
toil
hear that word
toil
that's a
hard work
that's a
roll your
sleeves up
get dirty
and sweaty
this is a
consistent
application
type word
for this I
toil
day after
day
struggling
with all
his energy
that he
powerfully
works within
me
why is it
possible
when's it
possible
it's possible
because of the
Holy Spirit
within us
and it's
possible when
we utilize
the vast
reserve
of power
that God
has placed
in us for
that very
end
to live
as we
are
to live
the very
best version
of ourselves
before the
world
where there's
hostility
and among
the brothers
where there's
constant
expressions of
sinfulness to
annoy one
another
Paul says he
rejoices in
suffering
now that
phrase in
verse 24 is
a very very
difficult phrase
I've wrestled
with it for
hours this
week and I'm
still not even
sure I
understand it
it's easy to
say what it
doesn't mean
Paul's not
saying that
somehow or
other there
was something
wrong with
Christ's death
and he had
to make up
for it
he's not
saying that
I don't
think he's
saying he's
doing penance
for his
past wrongs
as if God
does tit for
tat type
stuff so
it's easy to
say what it's
not it's a
lot more hard
to say what
it is I
think but
I'm just
going to
take the
courage way
out and
just gloss
over the
surface of
it because
I don't
want us to
get stuck
on it
Paul says
he rejoices
in suffering
now that's
an amazing
statement
itself
isn't it
when you
think of
our natural
reaction to
suffering
it's generally
to run
from it
isn't it
we don't
like it
I know
that I'm
deeply committed
to a hassle
free life
suffering doesn't
fit into my
longings for a
hassle free life
Paul remember
was in prison
unjustly accused
unfairly attacked
and quite
possibly waiting
for a sentence
of death
waiting to be
executed
and in that
sort of
situation
it's even
worse for us
we tend to
become really
bitter
it's not
fair
we become a
bit vengeful
don't we
we want to
strike back
we want to
validate
ourselves
be self
validating
or the
other extreme
we despair
well if we're
suffering that
must mean God's
against us
that must mean
I've been
abandoned
that must mean
God's punishing
me for some
wrongdoing or
some failure
and it seems
again like
some in the
background in
Colossi were
exploiting that
sort of thinking
perhaps suggesting
even that if
Christians are
suffering then
they can't be in
a healthy
spiritual state
they can't be
where God
wants them to
be
they can't
be mature
if they're
suffering
or something
like that
or maybe
the way to
approach
suffering is
to seek
some new
experience
and I think
if you look
back through
the history
of the church
where people
offer new
experiences
it's always
offering a new
experience in
the context of
this is nice
it's not usually
a new experience
of suffering
they offer you
it's normally
something that's
easy
get out of jail
free type
approach
and suddenly
you can just
think well
okay
yeah this is
a pathway
that's much
more preferable
to me than
suffering
and goodness
only knows
I've prayed
that prayer
myself a number
of times
far too many
times over the
years
Lord I know
that you need
to bring me
to maturity
in bracket
but I'm sure
we can work
out a pathway
that's not
going to cost
me too much
it's not going
to be unpleasant
to me
I don't think
the Lord's
heard that
bit very well
or certainly
hasn't paid
attention to it
and for my
own good
he hasn't
so there's
Paul rejoicing
and suffering
what's the point
here Paul's
saying
well
I'm united
with Christ
and so
my perspective
on my
suffering
is that
I am
standing
in line
with
the pathway
that Jesus
himself
walked
the pathway
that Jesus
said his
followers
would walk
on the
way to
glory
he's not
adding to
Christ's
suffering
in any
way
but
extending
them
in a
sense
extending
them to
Jesus
people
as though
Jesus
himself
was present
there with
them
in the
church
so Paul
sees himself
in prison
closely
identified
with Jesus
if Jesus
was still
on earth
this is
the sort
of suffering
he would
take up
and walk
into
for the
sake
of his
people
Paul
heavily
accepts
the chance
to suffer
to carry
his
share
for the
sake
of
Jesus
and his
brothers
and sisters
in Christ
flipping to the
other extreme
very different
but just as
hard
is the
struggle
for believers
within a
church
to be of
one mind
and one
heart
in what it
is to be
in Christ
and mature
in Christ
and servants
of Christ
we know
only too
well
how hard
it is
to struggle
to speak
the truth
in love
on a
constant
consistent
basis
we speak
but so
often
at the
wrong time
and to
the wrong
person
speaking
the truth
in love
is a
confronting
challenging
model
we must
take up
why
because
that's
exactly
what
Christ
modeled
that was
his pathway
it's even
more difficult
to live
the life
of love
before one
another
and towards
one another
but we
must
because that
is the
natural
outworking
or the
natural
overflow
of
Christ
in you
the hope
of glory
let's go
back to my
opening question
we're not
far from
being done
let's go
back to the
opening
question
what is it
to be
full
complete
or authentic
as a
person
well
I already
said that
the world
says
it's about
self-seeking
but the
gospel says
the opposite
the gospel
says
to be an
authentic
person
is realizing
you are the
best version
of yourself
in Christ
and from
there
you will
be
self
sacrificing
since
Christ
in you
the hope
of glory
defines
gives
identity
to
gives
fullness
of life
to
and is
the best
and complete
version
of yourself
then
every believer
ought to
overflow
in the
natural
expression
of our
union
with Christ
and the
hope of
being home
with Christ
and being
like him
in the future
our true
and real
self
my friends
expressed
will be
self-sacrificing
because
it is just
to be
a self-expression
of who I am
in Christ
so I said
at the start
the world
is about
self-expression
we too
as Christians
are about
self-expression
except our
self has been
reformatted
and is a
model of
Christ
as we
express
the new
reality
the controlling
power of the
spirit
within us
overflowing
through our
lips
and through
our words
finally then
to the
second
repeat
question
of our
series
what
prevents
us
individually
and as
a church
from
experiencing
full personhood
well this
one is really
easy
I could spend
a lot of
time on it
but it's
just really
easy to
stay
put
simply
it is
to take
our eyes
off
Jesus
forgetting
the essence
of who
we are
thinking
as we
look ahead
to heaven
that there
are spiritual
treasures to
be discovered
other than
Christ
or better
than Christ
in some new
experience
or a more
immediate
than Christ
who is
in me
by spirit
chasing
after a
form of
Christian
maturity
measured
by new
exciting
experiences
rather than
a greater
understanding
of who we
already are
in Christ
my friends
keep looking
at Jesus
keep your
eyes on
him
turn your
eyes upon
Jesus
look full
in his
wonderful
things
yep
and the
things of
earth
will grow
strangely
dim
in the
light
of his
glory
and
grace
I had
forgotten
the second
two
lines
I just
thought
I'll try
and elicit
that out of
somebody
so thank
you for
rescuing me
Margaret
I hadn't
really
forgotten
if we're
to be the
man and
woman
Christ
wants us
to be
then start
by understanding
what Christ
has done
for you
in the
past
he's
made you
a better
version
of yourself
he has
brought you
into him
in Christ
and he
himself is
coming to
you
Christ
in you
so look
back to
that
look around
for better
understanding
appreciation
and enjoyment
of the beauty
of Christ
and the
security
of Christ
and the
fullness
of Christ
and look
forward
to a time
when you'll
actually see
all that
so clearly
about all
the hindrances
and distractions
of our world
Paul uses
a military
strategy
in chapter
2 verse
5
it's not
immediately
obvious
in our
translation
but Paul's
very thankful
notwithstanding
all he says
to the
Colossian
Christians
he's very
thankful
because he
rejoices
to see
your good
order
and the
firmness
of your
faith
in Christ
well
that good
order
and firmness
two military
words
is simply
standing
firm
with unbroken
ranks
as a
single
minded
unit
with your
eyes focused
on your
commander
looking to
the colours
and ready
for battle
convinced
that your
king
is worth
dying
for
and
the king
is certainly
worth fighting
for
pray with me
please
Lord
these
verses
like so
many
in Paul's
letters
are just
chock-a-block
full of
good things
and
many of them
haven't even
come to the
service this
morning
I pray
Lord
that what
has been
said
might
really
take a
hold
of us
that we
might
understand
the
richness
of the
glory
of that
mystery
which is
Christ
in you
the hope
of glory
and may
we then
Lord
follow on
as Paul
has done
as servants
of that
great Lord
Jesus
to say
him
we
proclaim
both
in words
where we
have the
opportunity
explaining
challenging
arguing
trying to
build one
another up
in our
understanding
both in
words
and in
actions
of our
daily life
as we
model
what it
is to
be in
Christ
and for
Christ
to be
in us
help us
to that
end
with that
power
that's
reservoired
within us
for your
glory
Amen
God
因
how
you
are
going
to
us
even
let's
how
do
..."
allen
others
nah
pakai