This week we continue our series in Colossians by looking at Paul's Mission. Paul's mission became the mission of the early church, and I believe, it should be our mission as well. This message is based on Colossians 1:17-29. To read it now, click here.
I’m involved in a Together in Ministry group, which is a group of area American Baptist pastors who get together for fellowship and sharing, and study time, and we’ve been studying vision over the last year or so. Our church has a mission statement, here it is, it’s kind of long, and sometime, perhaps in the fall, we can take a look at it and see if it needs to be updated, but it’s good. A vision statement is much simpler, our is: Making Disciples in the Twin Tiers and the World. That’s a simple statement, we know what we’re about when we hear it. And that’s why we have a statement like this that we can use a guide. A vision statement is a simple statement that is purposely broad, but contains the purpose or the overall vision of the church. The mission statement is much more detailed, adding definition to the vision, telling how we’re going to accomplish the vision. This morning’s message came out of some of my thinking and studying, both from the books I’m reading, and the TIM group study and conversation about mission in the church. We’ll be looking at Paul’s mission for his ministry. In our reading this morning, especially verses 25-29, Paul gives us his mission, as it was given to him by God. I think that Paul’s mission is essentially the mission for the early church, and I believe that every church that professed to follow Christ as Paul did, should have a similar mission. So let’s get into the basics of Paul’s vision of ministry First, to make the word of God fully known. How can the church do this? There are a few ways that we can do this that are brought up in the first chapter of Colossians. We can make the word of God known by exalting Christ. Verses 18-19 tell us that “He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him.” This is one of the more descriptive statements in the bible concerning who Christ was before his incarnation, before his birth to Mary. Jesus was one with the Father before anything was made. And after everything was made, he became the one who holds everything together, “in him, all things hold together.” So this is our springboard. This is the way we make the word of God fully known, by exalting Christ. Who He really is, He has been around since the beginning, He will be around forever. He is truly the Lord of Lords, and King of Kings. Another way we make the word of God fully known is by recognizing that we are co-laborers with God in the ministry of reconciliation. Verse 20 tells us “and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” The mission of Jesus included reconciling all things with God. When Adam & Eve sinned, they were separated from God. Our sin today keeps us separated from God. Jesus came and died to provide for reconciliation. In 2 Corinthians 5:18, Paul writes, “And all this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” Paul is telling us that this is a part of our ministry as well. We are to help Christ in bringing sinners to Christ, reconciling them with God. Another way we proclaim the word of God in all its fullness is seen in verse 23, “if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel.” We are to be established and firm in our faith, but we are also to help others be established and firm in their faith. There is an element of personal growth, of discipleship. We need to make sure that we are all growing, and we need to help others grow also. Our Sunday School classes are a huge step in that direction – three adult classes, so there’s something for every learning style, and it’s important that you be in a class, so that you can continue growing. The bible study is another way of both putting yourself in a place where you can grow, and discussing these spiritual things so others can grow. Next week is VBS; another great way to help others grow, by teaching children, so they will grow to be established and firm in their faith. The next part of Paul’s mission involved proclaiming the mystery of Christ. Verse 26 reads, “the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints.” The saints are the believers. We think of saints today as the top of the believers, the hall of fame of the church. But that’s not the biblical definition. When you come across the word saints in the bible it refers to believers. You are all saints according to the biblical definition. This mystery of Christ wasn’t very clear in the Old Testament. The prophets gave Israel the prophecy of His coming. Many of the symbols and sacrifices pointed to Christ. God used the prophets and the symbols and the sacrifices to prepare His people for the coming of Christ, the day when He would come to them and live with them in the person of Jesus. In verse 27, Paul writes, “God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” This mystery is Christ in us. We can say with all joy and assurance that the mystery is now an open revelation and invitation to those who will receive it. Philip says that is has become clear as daylight. John 1:14 - “The word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” The mystery has been revealed, and one of the roles of the church is to proclaim it! The third part of Paul’s mission is to preach a universal gospel. We say it’s a universal gospel because it’s available to everyone. In verse 28 he writes, “we proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.” This gospel that Paul preached was not just for a select few, or some elite group. It wasn’t preached just to his friends or to the people he liked. He preached it to everyone. Even after being dragged out of the city and being stoned, he got up and dragged himself back in and preached some more. In Acts 17:30, Paul is preaching in Athens, and he says, “in the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands people everywhere to repent.” This call to repentance is issued to everybody, it’s a universal call. The gospel is universal, given freely to all people. It’s also a warning. The word that was translated admonishing also means warning. It’s a warning about the danger of losing one’s soul. We tell the gospel, the good news, but it comes with a warning. Failing to receive this good news means eternal death, eternal separation from God. It means loosing the place that God is preparing for us in heaven. “Teaching everyone with all wisdom.” This is very close to the great commission, that we are to go out and make disciples of all nations. We are to warn unbelievers of the danger of continuing in their sin, in love, not in judgment, and when we have convinced them of that, and pointed them in the direction of Christ, we are to teach them or disciple them. Showing them how to find release from sin and guilt and find peace through God. So the mission that God gave Paul then was to make the word of God fully known by exalting the lord Jesus Christ, fulfilling our role as co-laborers with God in the ministry of reconciliation, and encouraging growth and a firmness in the faith. He was to proclaim the mystery of the indwelling Christ and preach a universal gospel – warning and teaching all people that God, in his grace and mercy and inconceivable compassion, can save from sin and give the assurance of eternal salvation. That should be our mission as well.
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