And for the rest of us, if we turn in our Bibles to Colossians chapter 1.
So we're looking together at this very short letter.
And I've got copies of the letter to the Colossians.
If any of you want to get a big overall picture of what Colossians is all about.
Some of the key themes, key ideas, practical applications.
Then come and ask me. I have a few copies left.
It's a good way of just reading every so often.
Just to kind of get the big idea of what's going on.
It'll help you in your studies.
And of course we're going through the same letter in our home groups.
So I encourage you to get involved in that.
If you're not, it's a great way to meet with others and be encouraged.
So we're going to read this morning from Colossians chapter 1, verse 21 to verse 27.
So let's hear God's word to us.
Colossians 1, starting at verse 21.
Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behaviour.
But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you wholly in his sight,
without blemish and free from accusation,
if you continue in your faith established and firm and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel.
This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven
and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.
Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you,
and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions
for the sake of his body, which is the church.
I have become its servant by the commission God gave me
to present to you the word of God in its fullness,
the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations,
but is now disclosed to the Lord's people.
To them, God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles
the glorious riches of this mystery,
which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Well, let's pray and we'll ask for God's help to us.
Father, you give us so much.
You have given us health and strength to be here.
We've eaten, we've had a good rest.
We are blessed.
But yet we are completely and utterly dependent on you.
And so we pray and ask
for the work and the help of your Holy Spirit
to be at work in us and in us together as your people,
so that the words we hear and the things we look at together
would lead to a transformation of our life
and a new outlook for our life
that will all be built
around the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ.
So help us today
and encourage us.
In Jesus' name we pray this.
Amen.
Well, Colossians is all about a new church,
a brand new church.
They had heard the true message of the gospel.
A guy we met at the beginning of the book called Epaphras
had come to the town of Colossae
and had shared the good news of Jesus
and many people in that town
had trusted in Jesus.
However, they're under pressure.
They're under pressure to turn away from Jesus
because just as they had started,
other people were coming in
and were questioning their faith.
They were bringing other messages,
other philosophies, new teachings
that said, well, you know, Jesus is good
but let me show you something better than that.
So they were under pressure.
So Paul the Apostle writes them a letter of encouragement
and his whole message to this church
can be summarised for us in chapter 2, verse 6.
So just have a look ahead there at chapter 2, verse 6.
This is his big message to the church.
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord,
continue to live your lives in him.
You received Christ,
now continue in Christ.
You started with Christ,
now finish with Christ.
Don't move on from the gospel.
Always go back to the gospel.
Go back to Christ.
Now, what that church faced is no different to
Carigalline Baptist Church, is it?
Because we face pressure all the time
to move on from the gospel.
You know, maybe following Jesus is not that great after all.
Perhaps what others are saying is true
and I've got it wrong.
So to help us and encourage us
to keep going in the faith,
we need to go back to the gospel.
So look at verse 23, the middle of verse 23.
He reminds the church.
He says,
This is the gospel that you heard
and that has been proclaimed
to every creature under heaven
and of which I, Paul,
have become a servant.
So we're going to look at two big ideas
from what we read just a moment again.
First, we're going to look at what the gospel is.
Knowing the gospel.
And then second, serving the gospel.
So know the gospel
and serve the gospel.
First, know the gospel.
Gospel simply means good news.
And in this context,
it's the good news
of what God has done for us.
So four words,
four ideas that summarize for us really well
what the gospel is all about.
First, we are alienated from God.
Look at verse 21.
Once you were,
so before you followed Jesus,
once you were alienated from God.
Now you know what that is, don't you?
I'm sure you've experienced it
to be alienated,
where you're left on the outside,
where you don't belong.
You're shut out.
Well, that's how our relationship with God was.
We were excluded,
separated,
alienated.
But why?
Why were we shut out?
Well, not because of what God did,
but because of how we lived.
Look carefully at the structure of verse 21.
Look how it reads.
Once you were alienated from God
and were enemies in your minds
because of your evil behaviour.
Our behaviour,
the way we conduct our lives,
makes us enemies of God,
which in turn leaves us alienated from God.
Our choosing to use people selfishly
for our gain and our pleasure,
our desire to lie and gossip and,
well, take revenge and not forgive.
Our behaviour makes us enemies of God in our minds.
That is, we resist God's authority over us
and his ownership of us.
It's like we've all built a huge wall,
a reinforced concrete wall
that says,
God, keep out.
You're not getting in here.
So rather than enjoying friendship
with the God who made us
and rather than being at peace
with the God who is Lord over my life
and Lord over my death,
well, we're separated
from the God who loves us.
We're alienated.
So that's the first word.
Alienated.
Second,
we are reconciled to God.
Look at verse 22.
But now,
so something wonderful has happened.
Something has been done
about our exclusion.
But now,
God has reconciled you
by Christ's physical body
through death.
God has wonderfully made it possible
for us to be brought back
into relationship with God.
Rather than his enemies,
we can be his friends
instead of being shut out.
We're now welcomed in.
No longer excluded,
but reconciled.
And how does all that happen?
Well, look at verse 22.
He tells us,
by Christ's physical body
through death.
Yes, it's true.
Jesus actually did die.
Through the physical,
real death of Jesus Christ,
we were reconciled to God.
God came to us in Christ
and became our substitute,
taking our place,
taking my sin
so that I might receive
Christ's status.
He was excluded
so that I could be included.
He was alienated from God
so that I could be reconciled
to God.
God,
from the outside,
smashes down
that reinforced concrete wall
that says,
God,
keep out.
And now he reaches out across
with a handshake
of friendship.
He throws his arms around us
in an embrace
of acceptance.
He opens up the door wide
and he prepares
a meal of welcome.
We are reconciled.
But there's more
to this wonderful news.
We are transformed
by God.
Let's read all of verse 22.
But now he has reconciled you
by Christ's physical body
through death
to present you
holy in his sight,
without blemish,
and free from accusation.
You see,
God not only reconciles,
he radically
transforms us.
Rather than treating us
as rebellious sinners,
he now treats us
as his treasured son.
Look at how God
now sees us.
We are holy
in his sight.
Holy is to be
set apart
for God.
It means we now
belong to God.
We're
his treasured possession.
We live as
his special people.
We're now,
secondly,
without blemish.
Our evil behaviour
was one big blemish
across our life
that alienated us
from God.
But that blemish
is now dealt with.
It's been
covered over,
if you like,
with Christ's
purity.
We've been made
clean.
And third,
we have been
freed
from accusation.
The guilt
that was ours
has been
taken by Christ
so that we are
now set free.
We're no longer
living under
God's judgement.
We are
declared
innocent.
This
is our
new status.
This is our
new identity.
We are a
transformed
people.
So we're
alienated,
we're
reconciled,
we're
transformed,
and we are
dependent
on God.
Look at
verse 23.
We're
alienated,
but we've
been reconciled,
we've been
transformed.
This is all
true,
verse 23,
if
you continue
in your
faith,
established
and firm,
and do
not move
from the hope
held out
in the
gospel.
Well,
don't you
feel
deflated?
Having
been
encouraged
by all
that God
has done,
that he's
reconciled
me,
he's
transformed
me,
now it
seems like
it's all
back on
me again,
it's all
up to
miserable
me.
If I
continue
in the
faith,
the problem
is my
faith is
so weak.
I don't
have a
strong
faith.
In fact,
I fail
all the
time.
I might
as well
give up.
I haven't
got the
ability
to keep
going.
Well,
it's not
about me
and it's
not about
you.
It's not
the quality
of our
faith,
or the
amount
of our
faith,
or the
strength
of our
faith,
but what
our faith
is in.
Who am
I,
or what
am I
depending
on?
We are
dependent
on the
gospel of
God.
We throw
ourselves
on him.
That little
phrase in
verse 23,
established
and firm,
is helpful.
It's creating
a picture
in our
minds.
It's telling
us that the
gospel about
Jesus is
our foundation.
It's
established
and it's
firm.
It's
immovable
and
unbreakable.
It's
utterly
and completely
dependable.
The
gospel is
what saves
us and
it's the
gospel that's
going to
keep us.
So we
are
encouraged,
verse 23,
to do
not move
from the
hope held
out from
the gospel.
You see,
if the
gospel of
Jesus Christ
is our
foundation,
if it
saves us
and it
keeps us,
why would
we move
on from
the gospel?
In our
weakness,
we literally
fall over
in dependence
on the
gospel of
God.
We haven't
got the
strength to
stand up
and keep
going.
We fall
over in our
weakness and
our helplessness
and we fall
on him.
We are
dependent
on God.
Well,
maybe you're
here and
you're
thinking,
you know
what,
Johnny,
I've had
an awful
week.
I've heard
what you've
said about
the gospel,
but I've
messed up
so much.
And somehow
we feel,
whether we're
a Christian
or not a
Christian,
somehow we
feel that
we've moved
from being
reconciled,
that somehow
my messy
week and
my brokenness
has brought
me back
into a
position of
being alienated
from God.
Well,
know the
gospel.
Learn to
apply the
gospel to
your life.
Remember,
it's not
about our
ability,
but our
dependence on
God.
God declares
you to be,
through Christ,
holy in
his sight,
without
blemish,
and free
from accusation.
This is
our new
status.
This is
our new
identity.
When God
looks at
you, if
you are
falling
in dependence
upon him,
God looks
at you,
and when
he looks
at you,
he sees
the perfection
of his
son,
Jesus.
Can you
get anything
better than
that?
In your
mess,
and in
your failure,
sin,
God looks
at me,
and he
sees the
perfection
of his
son.
So let's
together
encourage one
another to
continue in
the faith,
not move
from the
hope held
out in the
gospel.
It's not
just information
to be received
for our
heads.
The gospel
is to be
applied to
our hearts
every
single
day.
Second,
let's know
the gospel.
Second,
we serve
the gospel.
You see,
once we
know the
gospel,
once it's
taken effect
and taken
root in
our life
and transforms
us and
changes us,
it leads
us on to
people who
now serve
the gospel.
That's what
Paul tells
us.
Look at
the end
of verse
23.
He says,
this is the
gospel that
you heard.
You were
alienated,
you were
reconciled,
you were
transformed,
you were
dependent on
him.
This is the
gospel that
you've heard
and that is
being proclaimed
to every
creature,
every person,
of which I,
Paul,
have become
a servant.
Now,
while this
is specific
to the
apostle Paul,
I think
there are
principles
here that
help us
see what
it means to
serve the
gospel for
all of us.
So,
three things
that help
us see what
serving the
gospel looks
like.
Here's the
first one.
Suffer with
joy.
Well,
I'm sure you
don't feel like
that, do you?
Suffer with
joy.
Look at
verse 24.
Now, I
rejoice in
what I'm
suffering for
you.
Well, that
can't be
right.
How can
you be
joyful in
suffering?
Suffering, we
know, is
hard and
painful.
Nobody likes
to suffer.
Nobody chooses
suffering.
Well, we
don't rejoice
in the
suffering
itself,
but we
rejoice in
what the
suffering
leads to.
There's a
difference.
We're not
rejoicing in
the suffering,
we're rejoicing
in what the
suffering ultimately
leads to.
Now, this is a
very difficult
verse, and
it's hard to
get our heads
around it.
So, let me
read it again,
the full verse,
verse 24,
and we'll see
what we can
take from it.
Now, I
rejoice in
what I'm
suffering for
you, and
I fill up in
my flesh,
what is
still lacking
in regard
to Christ's
afflictions for
the sake of
his body,
which is the
church.
So, something
is lacking
here, isn't
there?
That's clear.
Something is
lacking, and
we need to
work out
what is
lacking.
So, two
things.
First, this
is what it
is not
saying,
okay?
This can't
be what it
means.
Look at
verse 23
again.
He says
at verse
24,
I fill
up in
my flesh
what is
still lacking
in regard
to Christ's
afflictions.
It sounds
that Christ's
death on the
cross was
somehow
lacking.
It seems
Paul is
saying,
you know
what, when
Jesus died
on the
cross, it
wasn't
enough.
I need
to add
to Christ's
suffering so
that the
work on
the cross
becomes
effective.
Well, that
can't be
right, can
it?
We've already
seen that
Christ's
death on
the cross
is enough.
We saw
that in
verse 22,
that by
Christ's
physical
body, he
presents us
as holy in
his sight,
without
blemish and
free from
accusation.
The
afflictions,
the suffering
that Christ
endured for
our sin, is
sufficient.
There's
nothing to
add to
it.
It's not
lacking in
any way at
all.
It's
complete, it's
finished, it's
final.
So it
can't be
saying that.
So what is
it saying?
Well, let
me read
verse 24
again.
He says,
I rejoice
in what I
am suffering
for you,
and I
fill up in
my flesh,
I'm
gladly, I
willingly will
take on
more suffering
what is
still lacking
in regards
to Christ's
afflictions.
And here's
what I think
it is saying.
That is,
the reach
of Christ's
death is
still lacking.
In other
words, there
are loads
of people
all over
the world
who do
not yet
know about
Christ who
died on
the cross,
and the
reconciliation
and the
transformation
that we
can have
when we
trust him.
And for
that good
news of
Christ's
death to
be made
known is
going to
involve
suffering.
You see,
the gospel
requires
servants who
will be
prepared to
suffer for
the gospel.
This is
what the
risen Lord
Jesus said
to Paul.
You can
follow it on
screen.
When he
became a
Christian,
this is
what Jesus
said.
This man
is my
chosen
instrument
to proclaim
my name
to the
Gentiles
and their
kings
and to
the people
of Israel
and I
will show
him how
much he
must
suffer
for my
name.
You see,
that's what's
lacking.
It's the
reach of
Christ's
death.
He has
died.
His work
is sufficient
to save
people,
but it
must be
made known.
And for
it to be
made known,
it will
take
suffering.
That's
what's
happening
to our
mission
partner
in Kashmir.
The note
that I
sent round
on the
WhatsApp
this week.
Mickey
and his
wife,
Kenneth,
and children
are facing
rejection
and hostility
today.
Their
daughter
is being
ostracized
by her
classmates.
Nobody
wants to
sit with
her because
she's a
Christian.
There's
tension
when he
makes it
known that
he's a
Christian.
He's
suffering
for the
gospel.
But yet
at the
same time,
they can
rejoice in
their
suffering
because
through
their
suffering,
the
gospel
is being
made
known.
You
see,
to serve
the
gospel
is not
a comfortable
life.
It will
be difficult
for you
and for
me.
We're
not always
going to
be liked
or welcomed.
It could
cost you
friendship
and it
could even
cost you
your job.
Serving
the gospel
will mean
suffering.
But when
we suffer,
we are
expanding
the reach
of Christ's
work.
God is
at work
in you
and through
you.
So let
us take
heart.
Don't
resist
suffering,
but rejoice
in your
suffering
because God
is at
work.
So,
how do we
serve the
gospel?
First,
we suffer
with joy.
Second,
proclaim to
all.
it's a
follow-on.
So,
verse 25.
He says,
I have
become
its servant.
I have
become a
servant of
the gospel
by the
commission
God gave
me to
present to
you the
word of
God in
its fullness.
Well,
what's that?
What's the
fullness of
the word?
What's he
been preaching
and what's
he been
telling the
church?
Well,
the answer
is in
verse 26.
The mystery
that has
been kept
hidden for
ages and
generations
but is
now
disclosed
to the
Lord's
people.
Well,
that's another
strange one,
isn't it?
What's this
secret that
he's been
keeping from
the church?
What's this
mystery that's
kind of,
you know,
it's all very
suspicious,
isn't it?
Well,
the mystery
is not
something
mysterious that
we don't
know what
it is.
no,
the mystery
is God's
plan that
his gospel
would go to
all people
and all
nations.
Look at
verse 26.
It has
been kept
hidden for
ages and
generations
but is
now disclosed
to the
Lord's
people.
Well,
what could
that be?
Well,
let's go
back in
our Bibles
all the
way back
to Abraham.
Do you
remember what
God said
to Abraham
in Genesis?
Here it
is on
the screen.
He said,
I will make
you into
a great
nation.
I will
bless you
and all
nations
will be
blessed
through you.
That was
God's
plan.
That was
his promise.
When is
that promise
going to be
fulfilled?
When is
it that
all the
nations
of the
world
are going
to be
blessed?
Well,
again,
look at
verse 26.
Over
the ages
and
generations,
over
progressively,
over time,
it all
began to
unfold.
It all
began to
be revealed
as we
go through
scripture
that Christ
would be
the one
who would
bring the
blessing of
reconciliation
and because
of Christ's
coming,
that now
would be
made known
to all
people.
God
isn't
hiding
the
blessing.
No,
it is
through
the
gospel
that
the
promise
of
blessing
goes
to
all
people.
Verse 27,
to them,
God
has chosen
to make
known among
the Gentiles
the glorious
riches.
Gentiles,
we know,
is a term
used to
describe
all the
nations of
the world.
God's.
So as a
servant of
the gospel,
Paul now
is saying,
I am
proclaiming
the gospel
to all
people.
And that's
God's plan
that he
has revealed
to his
church,
to his
people,
that this
gospel message
is to go
out to
everybody.
That's the
mystery that
has been
revealed to
us.
God's.
And that's
the role
of the
church today.
That's
our
purpose.
Did you
know that?
That we
have been
given a
responsibility
to serve
the gospel
and by
doing that
we do
everything
we possibly
can to
see that
the good
news
spreads
out and
goes
global.
That's
why we
as a
church
are
financially
committed
to support
Kinsale.
Leticia
in Marseille
in the
south of
France.
Christian
Unions
Ireland,
the work
amongst
the
students.
Asia
Link,
people
serving
across
that
great
area.
Mickey
and his
colleagues
in
Kashmir.
You
know,
this is
why we've
taken it
upon
ourselves
to
support
Amy
in
Sheffield
reaching
the
Miripuri
women
for
Jesus.
How is
any of
that
going to
happen
without
that
financial
support
and
commitment?
Because
we've
taken
on
board
God's
plan,
we get
it and
say,
yes,
this is
our
responsibility,
this is
what we're
about,
seeing
the
gospel
go to
all
people
so that
they too
can be
reconciled
and
transformed
and
brought
to
God.
This
is
God's
plan
and
purpose
for
his
people
the
church.
This
is
why
we've
been
reconciled
so that
together
we might
serve
the
gospel.
So,
how do we
serve
the gospel?
We suffer
with joy,
we proclaim
to all
and we
reveal
the riches.
riches.
We reveal
the riches.
Look at
verse 27.
To
then God
has chosen
to make
known among
the Gentiles
to all
peoples and
all nations
the glorious
riches of
this mystery,
which is
Christ in
you,
the hope
of glory.
As we
serve the
gospel,
we make
known the
glorious
riches.
there's
two of
them,
two
glistening
diamonds.
Here's the
first one,
Christ in
you.
Remember what
we saw of
Christ back
in verse 19.
Look at
verse 19
with me.
What does
it say
there?
For God
was pleased
to have
all his
fullness
dwell in
him.
That's
Christ.
All of
God
is in
Christ.
In other
words,
Jesus Christ
is God.
So when
we say
Christ
is in
you,
God
in all
his
fullness
is in
you.
He doesn't
keep a
little bit
out.
No,
all of
God
in all
his
fullness
is in
you.
Christ
makes
God
a
reality
in
our
life.
The
God
who
created
us
and
reconciled
us
has
taken
up
residence
in
our
life.
You
see,
God
isn't
remote
and
distant
and
uncaring
and
unkind.
No,
he loves
us
immensely
and
he's
made
his
home
in
our
life
by
the
person
of
Jesus
Christ.
You
see,
Christ
in
you
means
intimacy.
He is
close to
you.
He will
never
leave
you.
He will
sustain
you and
provide
for you.
What a
glorious
diamond
we have.
First,
Christ is
in you.
And then
look at
the second
diamond
that we
have.
The hope
of glory.
Remember
what God
has done
for us?
Look at
verse 12.
Back to
verse 12.
Give
joyful
thanks to
the
Father
who's
qualified
you to
share in
the
inheritance
of his
holy
people.
God's
qualified
us to
share in
his
inheritance
the new
creation.
Well,
how can
we be
sure
we're
going to
get
there?
Because
we have
the hope
of glory.
our hopes,
our dreams,
our desires.
We say
things,
I hope
I'm going
to win
the lottery.
I hope
it's going
to get
better.
Our hopes
are never
guaranteed,
but gospel
hope is
the opposite.
Gospel
hope is
being
completely
confident
and
absolutely
assured
of glory
to come.
Not
because I
think it
or say
it,
but because
Christ has
guaranteed it
for us.
Look at
chapter 3
verse 4.
Look at
this with
me.
Chapter 3
verse 4.
Here's
one to
Mark.
When
Christ,
chapter 3
verse 4,
when Christ
who is
your life
appears,
that is
when he
comes
again,
what?
Then
you also
will
appear
with him
in glory.
Isn't
that
tremendous?
The hope
of glory
means
security.
What God
has promised
to you
will be
fulfilled
and nothing
and no
one can
ever take
that from
you.
It is
secure
forever.
These
are the
glorious
riches
we have.
When a
woman gets
engaged,
she's
given a
ring.
Hopefully,
a big
glistening
diamond
ring.
And it's
symbolic,
isn't it,
of two
things,
of intimacy
and security.
The future
husband is
saying,
I am with
you forever
and I
will keep
you forever.
And every
time she
looks at
that glistening
jewel in
her ring,
she will
be reminded
that she
is loved.
Well,
we need to
take time
and look at
the glorious
riches of
the gospel
and as we
do,
we are
reminded of
intimacy
and security.
Christ in
you,
the hope
of glory.
This is
a message
that we
can know
and experience
and it is
one that we
can serve
with our
whole life.
Let's
pray.
Father God,
we thank
you so
much for
the gospel,
the good
news of
Jesus Christ.
to think
that we
were
alienated
but now
reconciled
and transformed
as in
our weakness
and hopelessness
we fall
in dependence
upon God.
Thank you
for changing
us and
please encourage
us to go
on serving
this gospel,
serving our
friends,
our neighbours,
our families,
being willing
to suffer
with joy,
proclaiming
it to
all and
revealing
the wonderful
riches of
Christ in
you, the
hope of
glory.
Thank you
God.
In Jesus'
name,
Amen.