Daily Bible Reading 13th June 2025 // Colossians 1:24-2:5
24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.
2 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. 5 For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.
Paul moves on from the heart of his Gospel to explain the shape this Gospel gives to his ministry. He now focuses attention on his apostolic ministry. It's almost as if, in this section, the Colossians are invited to examine the shape and content of an authentic, apostolic ministry and to recognise the genuine signs of God at work through His chosen servant. Once again, it would seem that this apologia for authentic, God inspired and God directed ministry is Paul's response to the false teachers who are disturbing the fellowship at Colossae. It seems likely that these false and deceitful apostles were masquerading as apostles of Christ. They were charismatic leaders, persuasive speakers of great charm who could attract a favourable hearing and cause quite a stir by their personality and presence (2:4). It is, then, by way of contrast to this impressive but false ministry, to show it up for the empty and deceitful thing which it is, that Paul lays before the Colossian believers the pattern and content of an authentic, God inspired and God honouring ministry. It is important for the Colossians. It is important for us to have some standards by which to measure the claims that people make for themselves and by which genuine spiritual leadership and ministry may be known in the church. The timeless and permanent value of this passage before us is that it provides the Church of Jesus Christ, in every generation, with just such a standard. We would perhaps be saved from so much that passes for 'ministry' but which is ultimately empty and vain, if we took seriously Paul's identification here of genuine Gospel ministry. The true Minister of the Gospel today would also, perhaps, be spared much of the criticism that is prone to come his way, if we began to recognise the shape and content and the priorities of such an authentic ministry.