Workers of the Church with a Mission (3)

[Colossians 1:24-29] 

Second, the workers of the church with a mission diligently proclaim God's word to the saints.

Colossians 1:25 says, "I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness."  Pastor Han-Heum Ok stated in the book ‘From Pastor to Pastor,’ ‘Without the thrill of salvation, there cannot be a thrill for the duty’ (Ok).  Reflecting on this statement, two questions arise: (1) Do I have a thrill for my duty?  (2) If there is no thrill for my duty, is it because I lack a thrill for salvation?  Our assigned duties are not given to us because we are deserving but are gifts of grace from God (Num. 18:7).  God has provided us with various duties to equip the saints for service, to build up the body of Christ, the church (Eph. 4:11-12).  To ensure that our duties are not criticized, we must strive not to be an obstacle to anyone (2 Cor.6:3).

In Colossians 1:25, the Apostle Paul wrote the following letter to the faithful saints of the Colossian church: "I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness."  Here, the Apostle Paul referred to himself as a "servant" or "steward" of the church.  Previously, in verse 23, he had referred to himself as a "minister" or "worker" of the gospel to the Colossians.  Now, in verse 25, he elaborates that he has become a steward or servant of the church, and this role is in accordance with the divine commission God has given him for the benefit of the faithful saints in Colossae.  In ancient times, a steward was a slave responsible for managing the master's house, overseeing other servants, distributing resources, and handling business and financial matters.  Paul, seeing his ministry as a stewardship, considered himself entrusted with the responsibility of caring for the household of God.  The church is regarded as God's house (1 Tim. 3:16), and Paul viewed his role as a steward in the sense of caring for the church, providing spiritual nourishment, and guiding its members. God had entrusted Paul with the responsibility of overseeing these tasks (Heb. 13:17).

All believers have the responsibility to manage the abilities and resources God has given us (MacArthur).  In 1 Peter 4:10, it states, "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms."  As stewards of God's various graces, we are called to use them in service to one another with a good conscience, even if it means enduring suffering according to God's will (1 Pet. 3:16-17; 4:10).  Paul, as the faithful steward of the Colossian church, emphasized the responsibility or commission given to him by God in Colossians 1:25, which was to fully carry out the preaching of the word of God (Col. 1:25).  What does the term "word of God" mean in this context?  In today's passage, Colossians 1:27, Paul speaks of "this mystery."  This mystery refers to the truth revealed for the first time to the "saints" (v. 26), hidden until the New Testament, and it pertains to the richness of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles.  It signifies the coming of the prophesied Messiah (Christ) mentioned in the Old Testament and the inclusion of the Gentiles in salvation when the Messiah comes (MacArthur).  In Colossians 1:27, Paul says, "...this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."  Here, Paul refers to "Christ" as the "hope of glory."  In verse 23, he had already mentioned the "hope laid up for you in heaven," indicating a future hope that faithful saints have in the gospel truth they received earlier (Eph. 1:13).  This hope, described in modern terms as "the hope of the heavenly kingdom," aligns with the concept of the "heavenly blessings stored up" in Colossians 1:27.  Apostle Peter similarly describes this hope in 1 Peter 1:3-5: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.”  Examining this passage, the "hope laid up in heaven" or the "hope of the heavenly kingdom" is described as the salvation prepared by God's mercy for us, who have been regenerated, to be revealed in the last days as a "blessing stored up in heaven."  In 2 Timothy 4:8, it states, "Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing."  This "crown of righteousness" symbolizes the reward for those who, like Paul, have eagerly awaited the Lord's return.  Therefore, based on Colossians 1:23, where Paul exhorts the Colossian saints not to be shaken in their faith in the "hope of glory" they heard in the "gospel's hope," it is clear that Paul encouraged them to stand firm in the faith.  In the end, Paul's message to them was to remain unshaken in their belief in the "hope of the heavenly kingdom" (v. 5), the "hope of the gospel" (v. 23), and the "hope of glory" (v. 27) in Jesus Christ (v. 28).  So, Apostle Paul, being single-minded in his devotion, did not hesitate to proclaim the "hope of glory," which is the "word of God" (v. 25) and is none other than "Christ" (v. 27), freely to the Colossian saints (v. 25).  He demonstrated a wholehearted dedication to fulfilling the mission entrusted to him by God, not shying away from declaring the "will of God" (Acts 20:27) and testifying to the "word of God" (Col. 1:25) and the "grace of God's gospel" (Acts 20:27).  The reason behind Apostle Paul's unwavering commitment was that, for him, fulfilling the mission of proclaiming the "will of God" (v. 27), the "word of God" (Col. 1:25), and the "grace of God's gospel" (Acts 20:27) was the divine assignment received from the Lord.  In Acts 20:24, he expressed this conviction, saying, "However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace" (Acts 20:24, Modern Korean Bible).

A long time ago, during a Praise Night in our church, a hymn sung by a former evangelist, who was once part of our church, came to mind.  The gospel song was about the "mission" he offered in praise to God: ‘I will follow the path You walked alone, even the path where You shed all your blood; the rough mountains are okay for me, even if it leads to the end of the sea, it's okay for me. For those dying, I hope to be forsaken for them, Father, send me, I will go. I won't spare my life; send me, I will run. Accept this small me who loves You, even if the world hates me, I will love. The cross that saved the world, I will follow. The One who loved me to the point of giving His life, accept me; I also love.’  We are all workers of the church who have received a mission from the Lord.  Our mission is to abundantly proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the hope of glory, without hesitation and with single-minded devotion.  May all of us silently and faithfully bear this mission given to us by the Lord until the end, and when the Lord calls us to stand before Him, may we receive the commendation, "Well done, good and faithful servant" (Mt. 25:21), and be granted the "crown of righteousness" (2 Tim. 4:8), earnestly praying in the name of Jesus.