2. Colossians: It's All About Jesus Jamie's Cryin'

3. Trials and hardships Expose our myopic perspective And self-centeredness

4. Cancer, heart attack Automobile accident

5. Rarely is God doing this to you Fallenness and Free Moral Agents Intervention is a rare miracle

6. I rejoice in my sufferings… - Paul

7. I rejoice in my sufferings… - Paul Theology of hardships and trials

8. …having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame

9. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil

10. Life involves hardship And God allows it Not fair, is it?

11. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God - 1 Peter 3:16-18

12. The most unfair thing in all history happened to Jesus And he took it, willingly For your sake

13. And your suffering has purpose …those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame

14. Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness

15. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing - James 1:2-4

16. Don't rejoice that times are hard Rejoice that God redeems Hard times for his purposes In your life (And ask for wisdom…)

17. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world

18. Suffering separates us Makes us feel isolated and alone God reminds us that we're not And sets our pain today against His redemption and eternity

19. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ…

20. …will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen - 1 Peter 5:9-11

21. Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you

22. Hardship is normative

23. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed - 1 Peter 4:12-13 Identified with, made into Image

24. I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” - John 16:33

25. Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted - 1 Tim. 3:12

26. Probably doesn't mean You can claim persecution When you act like obnoxious And people call you on it

27. Or try to fight culture wars that God never called you to fight And get significant pushback

28. Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted - 1 Tim. 3:12

29. Suffering and Trials are the norm For everyone God redeems ours for Something Greater

30. God sets suffering against Eternity and his work In our lives right now He promises to restore us As we trust him

31. We participate in Christ Through suffering And come out stronger And more complete in our Faith As we trust him through it

32. Not everything happens to us For a spiritual reason But everything that happens Can be redeemed for Christ's Purposes and our ultimate good

33. How to short-circuit it… Self-centeredness: Bitterness Complaining Blaming Refusing to trust God

34. Trying to run from it - Relationships and jobs - Refusing to repent Endure hardship as discipline - Heb. 12:7

35. Questions before We tackle Colossians?

36. Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake… "I hate this. But God is working through me as I suffer"

37. …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…

38. Rut roh!

39. But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel…

40. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name” - Acts 9:15-16

41. Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake…

42. When you know your suffering Has a purpose and meaning Beyond just you You can rejoice at God's work In the midst of pain

43. …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…

44. Lacking: still to come for Paul Purpose: the church of Jesus Perspective: I rejoice…for your sake

45. …of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you…

46. …to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints

47. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery…

48. …which is Christ in you, the hope of glory

49. Creator and Sustainer Head over the Church Provider of your Salvation Ruler in the Kingdom of Light …Christ in you, the hope of glory

50. Mystery: Not just for Jews Destroys the dividing wall Racially and Spiritually We are one in Christ

51. Mystery: Is not a "God up there" But a God living in you By his Spirit Changing you as you follow Him

52. "My suffering produces Opportunity for this message To spread"

53. Tooth Cancer Prison MLK, Jr: Equal Rights Movement

54. Greatest Message Ever …Christ in you, the hope of glory

55. Even better than… "The moment you give your financial pledge, your heart will be healed" - TV Preacher

56. Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom… If you can walk, you weren't

57. …that we may present everyone mature in Christ

58. "I just want to make it to heaven. That will be enough…" No it won't… Miss out on SO much Not all about you, either

59. What about the people around You who need to see the Reality of Christ living in you?

60. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me

61. Check it: When you're suffering And doing what God has Called you to anyway He'll empower you to do his will

62. 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…

63. … that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love

64. One of the purposes Of being part of Community is Encouragement, knitted in love Encourage one another… Spur one another on to love…

65. …to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery…

66. …which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge

67. The fullness of Christ in our lives Happens in Community

68. …until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood…

69. …speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ - Eph. 4

70. I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments

71. For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit…

72. …rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ - Col. 1:24-2:5

73. I'm glad that you're walking it But I'm concerned That you might be swayed Away from Jesus

74. "So I rejoice at the opportunity My pain gives me To sit and write So that you continue to grow in Jesus through Community"

75. The only pain God can't redeem Is that which is not Given to him

76. How am I responding to trials Right now? What needs to change?

77. How will I respond in the future? Do I trust that God can use this For greater than just me?

78. Has Jesus' pain been Effective in my life yet?

79. Questions, Comments Disagreements

80. Pray

81. 10:15 AM Men's Beach Trip

82. Next Week Bingo on Saturday