Old Testament Reading: Psalm 117

“Praise the LORD, all nations! Extol him, all peoples! For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD!” (Psalm 117:1–2, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Colossians 1:24-29

“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, 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, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 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. Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.” (Colossians 1:24–29, ESV)

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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church, but without the benefit of proofreading.

Introduction

I had intended to preach one sermon on Colossians 1:24-29, but it turned into three. There was just too much to say about the Apostle’s suffering and his stewardship! Also, I knew how precious this last portion of the text is, and I did not want to rush through it. 

Paul’s Struggle

Paul The Apostle Worked Very Hard 

Here in verses 26-29, Paul the Apostle describes his toil and his struggle. We are going to work through this text backwards. In verse 29, Paul says, “For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.” 

You can tell a lot about what a person values by observing what they devote their time and energy to. We are finite creatures. We are limited in many ways. We have limited resources, limited time, and limited amounts of energy. A man has to think about how he will spend his time and his energy, and the way he spends it will reveal a lot about where his treasure lies. 

Here in our text, Paul speaks of his toil. The Greek word translated as “toil” means to engage in hard work (Louw Nida 68.74). He describes his work as a struggle. The Greek word translated as “struggling” means to strive to do something with great intensity and effort (Louw Nida 68.74). 

Paul was clearly a very hard-working man. But notice where his strength came from. He said that he toiled, “struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.” The pronoun “his” refers back to Christ, who is mentioned at the end of verse 28. So then, Paul did not toil and struggle, drawing upon his own strength, but upon the strength that Christ provides. This means that Paul toiled and struggled in his work as an Apostle, and as a servant and steward of God, while abiding in Christ through prayer and living in continual dependence upon the Helper, the Holy Spirit of promise whom Christ sent forth from on high, while seeking to obey Christ’s word.

[[We are not far into this sermon, and there is already an opportunity to apply the text to our lives.

First, we see from Paul’s example that ministers of the word of God are to be hardworking. If a man has received a stewardship from God to serve the church as a minister of the word, he must toil and struggle in that work. I’m afraid that some view the Christian ministry as an opportunity to live a life of comfort and ease. Paul did not see it that way. He was a steward of the word, and he toiled in his work. 

When we think of those called to serve as elders in the church, I think it is important to recognize that, on the one hand, all are called to toil as stewards of God, and on the other hand, not every minister of the Word will toil in exactly the same way. I am especially thinking of the distinction between those elders whom the church sets apart to devote themselves fully to the ministry and those ministers who are not financially supported by the church. I do believe the Scriptures make this distinction between vocational elders and bi-vocational elders. Vocational elders are fully supported by the church so that they might be fully devoted to the work of ministry. Bi-vocational elders are elders who earn their living in some other way but also serve the church. Both are to toil and struggle, but in different ways. This distinction is found in 1 Timothy 5:17-18, which says, “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor [honor in the form of respect and compensation; see Second London Confession (2LCF) 26.10], especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, ‘You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,’ and, ‘The laborer deserves his wages.” (1 Timothy 5:17–18, ESV). So then, within the office of elder, there will be some who rule especially well who ought to be supported by the church, and it is especially or particularly true of the elder or elders whom the church set apart to labor in preaching and teaching—these ought to be supported so that they need not be entangled in secular affairs (see 2 Timothy 2:4; 2LCF 26.10). The word translated as “labor” in 1 Timothy 5:17 means to engage in hard work, implying difficulties and trouble. Again, those elders who are supported by the church financially so that they might devote themselves to the ministry of the word must work hard. But have you stopped to consider how hard the bi-vocational elders of the church work? They toil in their secular employment. They manage their families and affairs as we all do. And yet in addition to this, they serve Christ and his church as elders. They are not free to toil in the ministry of the word in the same way or to the same degree as those elders who are financially supported by the church are, and yet they toil nonetheless. We must not forget that Paul often toiled as a tentmaker as he ministered the word of God for the salvation of sinners and the sanctification of the saints (see Acts 18:1-4). 

Ministers of the word, be they vocational or bi-vocational, are called to toil in the work that Christ has called them to do. But we must not toil foolishly to the point of burnout, and neither shall we toil out of our own strength, but with the strength Christ provides. This means that we must abide in Christ. We must commune with God and Christ in prayer. We must abide in his word. It’s not uncommon for pastors and elders to burn out. Sometimes it is because they foolishly work too hard. They do not leave time for adequate rest; they do not take care of their own bodies and souls. But I’m afraid that pastors often burn out because they labor, not with the strength that Christ supplies, but in their own strength. Though they pray in public, they do not pray in private. Though they minister the word to others, they do not minister it to their own hearts. Though they point others to God and to Christ, they do not run to God through Christ themselves. And sadly, I have observed ministers who busy themselves with many things in the church and in the name of Christ, but the activities they engage in are not commanded by Christ in his word. They are the inventions of men. These ministers do toil, but they do not toil in Christ, and therefore they are left to toil in their own human strength, which will quickly fail. 

You say, Pastor, your preaching to yourself and to your co-elders. When are you going to preach to us?    It’s not difficult to take what has just been said about elders and to apply it to the members. 

First of all, I would encourage you to pray for your elders and to appreciate them, especially the ones who serve the church while supporting themselves and their families through secular employment. They do a lot as ministers of the word as they rule by the word and teach the word, often in private, and occasionally in public, not to mention the concerns they have for you and the prayers they offer up to God on your behalf.  It seems that Paul wished to stir up this kind of gratitude amongst the Colossians when, in Colossians 4:12, he said, “Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God” (Colossians 4:12, ESV). 

Secondly, though not every Christian is called to serve Christ and his church by holding the office of elder (or deacon), every Christian is called to serve Christ and his church with the gifts and graces God has given to them. I exhort you all, therefore, to follow Paul’s example and to toil in the service of Christ, no matter what Christ has called you to do. We must not be afraid of hard work, brothers and sisters. We must spend the time and energy God has entrusted to us well. Do not be a fool and overwork. And be sure to toil, not in your own strength, but with the strength God supplies. But do work heartily unto the Lord. Has the Lord called you to stay at home as a wife and mother, to manage the house, and to teach the children? Work heartily unto the Lord, sister. Has God called you to work as a mechanic as you lead your wife and children in Christ? Work heartily unto the Lord, brother. Are you retired now, or unable to work for some legitimate reason? Labor in prayer. Use whatever gifts and graces God has given to you for his glory and the good of others. In fact, Paul will make this very point in Colossians 3:23-24: “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:23–24, ESV). Let us all—elders, deacons, and members of Christ’s body—toil as servants of Christ Jesus and as stewards of God’s varied grace (see 1 Peter 4:10).]]

Back to the text. In verse 29, Paul says, “For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.” Question: What do the words “for this” at the beginning of verse 29 refer to? Answer: They refer back to the focus of Paul’s work stated in verse 28. Paul toiled and struggled. As a servant of Christ and his church, he worked very hard.  At what? What was his focus? Verse 28: “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ” (Colossians 1:28, ESV).

Paul Worked Hard At Proclaiming Christ

I love this verse. It really does hone in sharply on the task that God calls his ministers to perform. What is the central task of the minister of the word? What, exactly, were the Apostles called to do? And what are pastors and elders called to do? In brief, ministers of the word are called to proclaim Christ. 

“Him we proclaim…”, Paul says. To whom does the “him” at the beginning of verse 28 refer? It refers back to Christ, who is mentioned in verse 27.  What is the job of the pastor or elder? It is to proclaim Christ.

You know, I’ve heard some use this verse to argue for a method of preaching that never goes beyond the basics of the gospel of Jesus Christ. In other words, some will take the phrase, “him we proclaim,” to mean that ministers are to always preach about Jesus in a simple way and to avoid doctrine.  

Is this what Paul means when he says, “[Christ] we proclaim”? I think not. And I think not for three reasons. 

One, when I consider the rich doctrine that Paul presents here in his letter to the Colossians, and in his letters to the churches in Rome, Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi, Thessalonica, and to the Hebrews (assuming Paul wrote Hebrews), not to mention his letters to Timothy and Titus, I cannot agree that when Paul says, “him we proclaim”, he means that his approach, and the approach of his co-laborers, was to only speak of Jesus most simply and narrowly.

Two, what Paul says in the preceding verses leads me to believe that he and his co-laborers proclaimed Jesus Christ not in a minimal but maximal way. 

Return with me, briefly, to verse 25. There, Paul speaks of his stewardship, saying, “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…” (Colossians 1:25, ESV). 

Tell me, does Paul here admit to being an unfaithful steward? In verse 25, he says that the main job God gave him as a steward was to make the word of God fully known, but in verse 28, he says, “[Christ] we proclaim”. How are we to understand this? There are two possible interpretations. 

It could be that Paul understands the task of making the word of God fully known and proclaiming Christ to be two different tasks. And if that is what he thinks, then he does admit to being an unfaithful steward here. If this were his view, he would be saying, yes, God gave me this responsibility as his steward—to make the word of God fully known. But I knew that wouldn’t go well. God’s people aren’t smart enough to understand God’s word fully. They do not have the attention span, nor the appetite for it. I knew that if we had any chance at growing the church and furthering the kingdom of Christ, another approach would need to be taken. So, instead of making the word of God fully known (as God has said), I have decided on another approach. I will simply proclaim Christ. I will tell people that Jesus loves them and has a wonderful plan for their lives. So this is our motto: him we proclaim!

Is that what Paul meant? Of course not. Another possible interpretation is to see that Paul viewed the task of making the word of God fully known and proclaiming Christ as being one and the same. This is obviously the correct interpretation. What was the task God gave to Paul and his co-laborers? Make the word of God fully known! And what did they do? As faithful stewards, they proclaimed Christ.

So how can these two activities—making the word of God fully known, and proclaiming Christ—be one and the same? The first seems so broad, and the second seems so narrow. How can these two phrases possibly describe the same activity?

If you know who Christ truly is and what he has done, you will understand. 

Who is Christ? He is the eternally begotten Son or Word from the Father, “God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father…” (Nicene Creed). Tell me, friends, for a minister of the word to proclaim Christ faithfully, must he say this? Must he proclaim that Christ is the person of the eternally begotten Son or Word from the Father incarnate? I think so! Christ we proclaim.

And what has Christ done? To answer this question, we do not begin at his birth or at the cross—we do not go to Matthew 1:1 but to Genesis 1:1, and we say, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said… [there is the Word!] ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.” (Genesis 1:1–3, ESV). This is precisely where the Apostle John goes when he begins to tell us about Christ: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:1–3, ESV). For a minister of the word to proclaim Christ faithfully, must he say this? Must he proclaim that Christ is the Word through whom all things, seen and unseen, were made? I think so! Christ we proclaim.

And what about God’s plan of redemption? How has God determined to save sinners from their sin and misery, except through the Word of God incarnate and his death, burial, and resurrection? Christ we proclaim.  

And when was this plan of redemption first revealed? Again, I say, not when Jesus was born, but long before that. Indeed, God gave Adam and Eve his Word that he would save them from their sin and misery and bondage to the Evil through the Seed of the woman whose heel would be bruised as it descended upon the head of the Serpent to crush it. Christ we proclaim.

And you know that, to this first promise that was given to Adam and Eve, many other promises were added. With the passing of time, these promises grew in number and in clarity. They came in the form of prophesies, types, and shadows. And then, “when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons” (Galatians 4:4–5, ESV). Indeed, “all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory” (2 Corinthians 1:20, ESV). Christ we proclaim. 

And where are these prophesies, promises, types, and shadows which pointed forward to Jesus Christ found? In the Old Testament Scriptures. And who inspired the writing of those Scriptures? God the Father, through the person of his Word or Son, and by the agency of the Holy Spirit. Christ we proclaim. 

And finally, where is the record of the fulfillment of these ancient promises found? In the New Testament Scriptures, inspired by the same Triune God, Father, Word, and Spirit. Christ we proclaim. 

So you can see, then, that to proclaim Christ faithfully and fully is to make the word of God fully known, and to make the word of God fully known is to proclaim Christ, his person, and his works. It should be clear to all that when Paul proclaimed Christ, he did not do so in a minimal, but rather, in a maximal way. When he wrote to the Corinthians, saying, “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2, ESV), it does not mean that his approach was to talk about nothing other than Jesus’s death on the cross! No, brothers and sisters. There is so much more to know and to say about Christ beyond the truths surrounding his life, death, burrial and resurrection. Christ must be proclaimed, but to proclaim him truly, he must be presented as our Creator, Sustainer, Redeemer—indeed, he is our God (see John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:15-20; John 20:28; Titus 2:13; 2 Peter 1:1). 

That Paul sees proclaiming Christ and making the word of God fully as being essentially the same activity is seen in verse 26. After stating that his stewardship is to make the word of God fully known, he hones in on “the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints” (Colossians 1:26, ESV).

What is a mystery? The term is used in the New Testament, and especially by Paul, to describe something hidden or veiled. Here, Paul is talking about something that was hidden or veiled for ages and generations, that is to say, for a long, long time in the past. But this mystery, Paul says, has now been revealed to the saints. The saints, remember, are not super Christians, but all who have placed their faith in Christ. 

And what is it that was, for eons and generations, concealed but now has been revealed to the saints? Paul will mention this mystery two more times in his letter to the Colossians. In Colossians 2:2-3, he says that the mystery is Christ. There, Paul expresses his desire for those in Laodicea, “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, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:2–3, ESV). In Colossians 4:3, Paul speaks of the mystery as if it is the gospel of Jesus Christ. There he says, ​​“At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—” (Colossians 4:3, ESV). Here in Colossians 1:27, Paul says that the mystery is Christ in you. Also, he speaks of the Gentiles. Listen carefully to verse 27. It is very rich. “To them [that is, to the saints] 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” (Colossians 1:27, ESV).

So, what is the mystery that was concealed and hidden for generations? Paul speaks of it in different way, but they all agree. The mystery is Christ himself, the gospel or good news of Jesus Christ, and the glorious truth that Christ is in all who receive him, not only from amongst the Jews, but also the Gentiles. 

Here is a question? Were these truths about Christ and the salvation of people from every tongue, tribe, and nation on earth in him, completely unknown in the world before the birth, life, death, burial, and resurrection of Christ from the dead? Answer: No, these truths were not completely unknown, but they were known by very few, almost exclusively from amongst the Jews, and those who did know these truths knew them only in part and dimly. These truths were present before Christ was born. You can see them in the pages of the Old Testament. But did the Gentile nations have access to these truths? With a few exceptions, no (see Ephesians 2:11-22). And did the majority of the Jews see Christ clearly through the prophesies, promises, types, and shadows that were entrusted to them? Did many of them lay hold of the promised Messiah by faith? No. Read Romans 9 and the history of Israel contained in the Old Testament, and see that very few did. And so Paul refers to Christ, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the glorious truth that Christ is in all who receive him, not only from amongst the Jews, but also the Gentiles, as a mystery. Few were looking for his arrival. And even those who did acknowledge him to be the Messiah when he came had a difficult time understanding that he came to be the Savior, not of the Jews only, but of the world—of people from every tongue tribune and nation. Again, I say, it’s not as if God’s plan to save sinners from every tongue, tribe, and nation was unknown before Christ came. You can see it clearly stated in the Old Testament, especially the Psalms (see Genesis 12:1-3). But relatively few could see it and comprehend it. So Paul says, 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” (Colossians 1:27, ESV).

Notice who it is that chose to make this mystery known. God chose to make the mystery known. And when did God choose to make the mystery known? In eternity, before the creation of the world (see Ephesians 1:11; 1 Peter 1:20; Hebrews 4:3; Revelation 13:8; 17:8). 

And to whom did God choose to reveal this mystery? Not to all, but to the saints. “To them God chose to make known…” To be clear, the saints are not saints until they hear the mystery of the gospel of Jesus Christ, turn from their sins, and trust in him. Prior to repentance and faith, we are sinners, not saints. But Paul is here speaking of those who had already believed, and so he says, “To them [that is, to the saints] God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery…”

Notice the words “great”, “riches”, and “glory”.  Please hear this: if you have faith in Jesus Christ today, it is not only because the gospel of Jesus Christ came to your natural ears and impacted your natural mind in a factual way. No, you turned from your sins to trust in Jesus because God chose to make known to you the greatness of his plan of redemption. He chose to the riches of the glory of the mystery of the gospel of Jesus Christ to you. When a natural man hears the gospel of Jesus Christ, it does not seem like a great, rich, or glorious thing to him. In fact, it seems like folly. He may be indifferent to the gospel, or he may scoff. But when God calls a sinner to turn from his sins and to Christ. He not only reveals the mystery of the gospel of Jesus Christ to him naturally or externally, but also inwardly and spiritually. It is only by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit that a person hears the gospel of Jesus Christ proclaimed, and thinks, that is great, and rich, and glorious.  

[[Dear friends, if you are united to Christ by faith today, it is because God determined to make Christ known to you. God did not only decree that Christ would come to accomplish your redemption through the cross (see Acts 2:23), but that Christ would come to you through the preaching of the gospel and by the inward and effectual working of the Holy Spirit to regenerate you, giving you eyes to see, a mind to understand, a heart to receive, and a will to turn from your sins to Jesus as your Savior and Lord and to follow after him. If you are saved, it is because God has determined to save you in Christ Jesus.]] 

Indeed, this mystery that was once concealed but is now revealed concerning God’s plan of salvation for all nations is very great. What is man that God is even mindful of us? And to think that God would even be mindful of us after we have rebelled against him and fallen into sin and misery. But not only is God mindful of us, he has also determined to lavish us with his mercy, grace, and love by providing us with a great Savior and a great salvation in him. 

[[Let us therefore obey Psalm 117, which says, “Praise the LORD, all nations! Extol him, all peoples! For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD!” (Psalm 117:1–2, ESV).]]

Paul also calls this mystery rich. Think of how rich we are in Christ Jesus. In Christ, we have everything we need, including a beautiful and imperishable inheritance. I do not exaggerate when I say, if you had a billion dollars and had to choose between that fortune and Christ, you would be a fool to keep the fortune and forsake Christ (see Matthew 13:45-46; Matthew 16:26).    

[[“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1:3–9, ESV)]]

Finally, Paul describes this mystery as glorious. The mystery of Christ and the gospel, once concealed but now revealed, is glorious for at least two reasons. One, it is glorious because it glorifies God for his mercy, grace, and justice (see Romans 3:26; Ephesians 1:12, 14). Two, it is glorious because through this gospel, and through our union with Christ by faith, we obtain eternal life in glory. 

This is what the Apostle stresses at the end of verse 27. What is this mystery? It is “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27, ESV). 

How does Christ dwell in his people?

One, through his word, which we have received (see John 1:11-13). 

Two, through our faith-bound union with him (see Romans 8:1). 

Three, through the Holy Spirit that he has sent forth (see John 14:15-17:26).

Clearly, it is Jesus Christ himself who is our great, rich, and glorious reward. To have Christ is to have everything, for in Christ we have the sure hope of life in glory. 

Paul Worked Hard At Proclaiming Christ To Present Everone Mature In Christ

Can you see why Paul and his co-laborers proclaimed Christ? But what was their goal or objective in proclaiming him? Paul tells us at the end of verse 28: “[Christ] we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ” (Colossians 1:28, ESV).

Maturity in his hearers was Paul’s goal or objective. In other words, he proclaimed Christ, not merely to sinners saved, but to see them sanctified too. He proclaimed Christ, not only to see sinners be made holy and righteous before God by the washing away of their sins by the blood of the lamb and by the imputation of Christ’s righteousness, received by faith alone, but to see saints actually progress in holy living. Paul, as a minister of the gospel, wished to be used of the Lord, not only to see the Lord begin a work in the redeemed, but to see the Lord bring that work to completion as disciples of Jesus are conformed more and more into his image and likeness (see Philippians 1:6; 2 Corinthians 3:18). 

Given that Paul’s objective in proclaiming Christ was maturity in his hearers, it is no wonder that his proclamation of Christ included warnings. “Him we proclaim, warning everyone…” (Colossians 1:28, ESV). To warn “is to advise someone concerning the dangerous consequences of some action” (Louw Nida 33.424). Maturity in Christ Jesus does not only involve maturity in thought but also deed. Mature Christians will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord (see Colossians 1:10; 2:6; Ephesians 4:1).  Ministers of the gospel will need to warn their hearers as they proclaim Christ, therefore. This is one of the means that God will use to cultivate maturity in his people. 

And maturity in Christ also involves maturity in thinking. It is no wonder, then, that Paul’s proclamation of Christ involved teaching. “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ” (Colossians 1:28, ESV). To teach is to instruct. And we already know what Paul instructed his hearers in—the Word of God. The wisdom that he brought to them was not human wisdom, therefore, but God’s wisdom. And do not forget about the relationship between wisdom and Christ. “in [Christ] are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3, ESV). Christ we proclaim. 

Conclusion

I’ve applied this text along the way. I’ll conclude with one more point of application. And to get to it, I will ask you, how do you think this text applied to the Colossians, given what you know about the false teaching that was present in their midst? Remember, there were some in that church who were teaching that Christians would need to draw closer to God and to be perfected, not so much through Christ, but by some other way. They needed more knowledge—knowledge of another kind. They needed to walk in a particularly rigorous way, following their man-made rules and regulations. These false teachers were not proposing that Christ be abandoned, only that the believer advance and mature in some other way. Paul’s words in the passage we have considered today put an end to folly.

“Christ we proclaim”, he says, “warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ” (Colossians 1:28, ESV). What is needed for maturity is not something other than Christ, but more of him. Believers mature when they grow in their understanding of the Word of God and of Jesus Christ, his person and work. We mature as we contemplate the mystery of Christ hidden for ages and generations, but now revealed, and see it, more and more, as great, rich, and glorious. We mature as we heed the warnings found in Holy Scripture and walk worthily in a way that pleases the Lord. We mature as we receive sound teaching from God’s Word and the wisdom from above, which are hidden in Christ Jesus (see Colossians 2:3). 

What is needed for maturity is not something other than Christ, but more of him. Therefore, it is Christ we proclaim. Dear brothers and sisters, abide in Christ Jesus and in his word, for apart from him you can do nothing (see John 15:1-8).