Rev. David Holwick L Baptism service
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
April 14, 2002
Colossians 1:24-29
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I. What is lacking in your life?
In ancient Greece it was customary for peddlers who walked the
streets with their wares to cry out, "What do you lack?"
Their idea was to let people know they were in the vicinity,
but also to rouse the curiosity of people.
They would come out of their houses to see what the peddler
was selling.
It might be something they lacked and needed, or simply
something they desired.
"What do you lack?" might well be a question we should ask
ourselves.
We may have sight and hearing, but what do we lack?
Take an honest inventory of yourself.
Have you found contentment?
Are you close enough to God to receive his guidance and
strength?
Have you secured the peace of heart and mind that is an
invaluable asset in life?
Deciding what we lack is the first step in securing it.
Christ can fulfill our needs -- needs that are to some extent
physical, but, more so, the deepest needs of heart and mind
and soul.
#16674
II. There is a lack in Christ's afflictions. 1:24
A. Several interpretations of interesting phrase.
1) Christ's atonement is lacking something.
a) This is behind concept of purgatory.
b) Christ died for you, but you have to suffer some.
c) Against: Paul is clear that Christ's death is
all-sufficient. It is not lacking.
2) Paul is identifying himself with Jesus' suffering.
a) A mystical approach, as he says in Philippians:
"I want to know Christ and power of his resurrection"
b) Christians are part of the church, and the church
is the body of Christ.
c) When we suffer, Christ is in a sense suffering.
d) Atonement is not in view, but empathy.
3) "Afflictions" points to Tribulation, not Cross.
a) Jewish concept of "birthpangs of Messiah."
1> God has determined a set amount of suffering
in world.
(not necessarily Messiah's suffering)
2> When the limit is reached, the Messiah comes.
b) Paul would be saying his suffering brings the Second
Coming that much closer.
B. For Christians, suffering has meaning.
1) It doesn't mean we have bad luck.
a) Terrible things can serve a positive purpose.
b) In perspective, nothing can truly be terrible for us.
2) Paul has specific suffering in mind - for the church.
a) Undoubtedly refers to persecution.
III. There can be a lack in the word of God. 1:25
A. It must be presented in its fullness.
1) This implies it is possible to do otherwise.
2) Many half-gospels are popular right now.
a) Focus on "health & wealth."
b) Focus on "positive thinking."
c) Focus on vague spirituality with no content.
B. What the full Word of God is like.
1) Accepts popular teachings and hard ones.
a) Christian explanations of September 11.
1> "God had nothing to do with it."
2> "God couldn't stop it."
b) Hard truth - God could stop it, chose not to.
1> Why? I don't know. But it happens often.
2> God is still in charge.
Rev. Tom Ascol, Florida pastor:
What does faith look like in the midst of horrific
suffering and confusion?
It's not the happy-go-lucky, glib kind of superficial
expressions that we often see on the cover of glossy
magazines and [Christian] television.
Real faith is built on certainties.
And because of that, it is able to live with mysteries.
It rests confidently on what it knows and waits humbly
on God when confused by what it cannot understand.
It refuses to buy into cheap theology when there [are]
lots of reasons to attempt to salve your conscience
with such theology."
#22042
2) It is a revealed mystery, and understandable. 1:26
a) Hinted in Old Testament, filled out in New.
b) Worldwide salvation for Jews and Gentiles.
1> God's chosen people are now all people.
2> "Whosoever will."
C. Its goal is to put Christ in us. 1:27
1) Emphasis on spiritual relationship with God.
a) Not just Bible-story awareness.
2) The real gospel is about personal and global transformation.
D. Our hope of glory.
1) The Bible looks to the future.
2) Only good awaits us.
IV. There is definitely a lack in YOU. 1:28
A. We are not perfect yet.
1) Just ask your spouse.
Gist of email I recently received - when you get to know
someone sufficiently, you find they are weird.
There are no "normal" people out there.
Marriage is the easiest way to find this out, but just
getting to know someone works too.
There are no "Ozzie and Harriets" in the real world.
(Even their kids had drug and marriage problems.)
We are not perfect and we are in good company.
2) All Christians should be on the path to maturity.
B. What we need to do.
1) Proclaim Christ.
a) Don't just wait for people to ask.
b) Be bold and intentional about witnessing.
2) Admonish - warn.
a) Warnings about sin.
b) God has standards and we abuse them at our peril.
3) Teach everyone with all wisdom.
a) No one has "arrived."
b) However, perfection is our goal.
V. One thing we don't lack - Christ's power. 1:29
A. How much energy do you have?
1) Watching young kids race around church.
a) We get tired just looking at them.
2) Spiritual energy is more important.
a) The power to do what needs to be done.
b) Paul says "Christ in you" is not just a future concept.
c) It can be a present reality.
B. Paul overcame his challenges with Christ's energy.
1) He could feel the power working.
2) Can you?
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SOURCES FOR ILLUSTRATIONS USED IN THIS SERMON:
#16674 "What Do You Lack?" by Harold H. Lentz, from Rev. Brett Blair's
Illustrations By Email,www.sermonillustrations.com, September
10, 2000.
#22042 "Suffering, Tragedy Both Fall Within God's Will," by Jeff
Robinson, Baptist Press, Http://www.baptistpress.org/,
January 4, 2002.
These and 20,000 others are part of a database that can be downloaded,
absolutely free, at http://www.holwick.com/database.html
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Expositor's Commentary, Colossians, Curtis Vaughan
I. A ministry of suffering.
A. Three aspects of Paul's suffering:
1) It is for sake of other people.
2) It is identified with afflictions of Christ.
a) Can our suffering (saints) supplement atonement?
b) Lightfoot - not Christ's suffering on cross, but in his
ministry. Our sufferings are a continuation of this.
1> Related to our mystical union with Christ.
A> Paul wanted to become like him in his death.
2> When church suffers, Jesus suffers.
3> Jesus' sufferings are not deficient, but Jesus'
suffering in Paul is still lacking.
3) It is the sphere of Paul's joy.
a) Paul did not enjoy suffering for sake of suffering.
b) He suffered for them.
II. A ministry of preaching.
A. Four concepts:
1) Paul's appointment.
a) Commission is better translated "stewardship."
2) His message.
3) His method.
4) His ultimate aim.
B. Paul gave himself completely to the mission.
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