Thursday, August 26, 2010
Colossians 1:24 Now I rejoice in what was suffered 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.
COMPLETING THE PUZZLE
Paul is not saying that what Christ suffered on the cross was insufficient. Just a few verses earlier (1:14) Paul declared that in Christ Jesus we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Paul says that the Colossian Christians have been qualified to share in the inheritance that comes from God, heaven, because of Christ (1:12). He calls the Colossian Christians "saints", which means "holy ones" because of what Jesus suffered in their place. In no way is Paul saying that Christ's sacrifice was "not enough" to pay the price for our redemption.
When Paul says that he is completing what Christ didn't suffer, he's talking about the suffering and struggle that come along with battling Christ's message into the world. And that WAS a battle for Paul.
Paul had Pharisees following him and inciting riots as he preached from town to town. At one point there was a group of people who took an oath not to eat until Paul was dead. But instead of being discouraged by the beating that his opposition dished out, Paul rejoiced. He viewed his own suffering as a great honor given him by Christ. Christ had suffered on the cross to redeem the church, now Paul would suffer on the mission road to deliver that message of freedom to others.
Christ has honored us with part of His work too. Not the work of the cross, through which our sins stand forgiven, but the work of carrying that message with us as we live. The work of distributing peace and forgiveness to people who are missing that piece of life's puzzle.
