Ministry

Colossians 1:24-29 Now I’m happy to be suffering for you. I’m completing what is missing from Christ’s sufferings with my own body. I’m doing this for the sake of his body, which is the church. I became a servant of the church by God’s commission, which was given to me for you, in order to complete God’s word. I’m completing it with a secret plan that has been hidden for ages and generations but which has now been revealed to his holy people. God wanted to make the glorious riches of this secret plan known among the Gentiles, which is Christ living in you, the hope of glory. This is what we preach as we warn and teach every person with all wisdom so that we might present each one mature in Christ. I work hard and struggle for this goal with his energy, which works in me powerfully.

Working in the church is hard work. Being in mission and ministry with people is tough. It can often feel like we are the ones suffering. Even though we are the ones walking with those suffering, it can be real to us. We also may really be suffering physically, emotionally, mentally, relationally. However we view the work, one thing is certain: it truly is a joyful thing to be in the business of God and of people.

Not all of us may be pastors, but we are all ministers and missionaries. We are ministers because we can walk alongside people through life in any situation. We are missionaries because we are all ordained to take the message of Jesus Christ to all we encounter. We do not have to go out of town, out of state or even out of the country to talk with people about Jesus Christ. We can do that right in our own homes, neighborhoods and businesses. We may be harassed because of our faith or because of our views; but we should still be joyful in delivering the message of God’s grace through Jesus Christ to all we encounter, no matter how they react.

Sometimes it may seem to other people that we are carrying a “secret message” from God. The reason, I believe it is a secret is because heart may not be open to hearing and receiving the message. So what do we do? We pray for God to act. God acts. We work where God is working because God is working everywhere and we have prayed to have open eyes and hearts to see what God is doing where we are.

Ministry is hard work; but it is also very rewarding spiritually. We’ll end this post today with the last verse of this chapter: “I work hard and struggle for this goal (teaching and warning people) with his energy, which works powerfully in me.”

#ToTheGloryOfChrist