1. Complete in Christ “Christ Centred Ministry” Colossians 1:21-27

2. Complete in Christ Colossians 1:21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behaviour. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—

3. Complete in Christ Colossians 1:23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

4. Complete in Christ Paul the Preacher (Sharing) THEIR PAST SEPARATION (V21A) THEIR PRESENT RECONCILIATION (V21B – 22) THEIR PROSPECTIVE GLORIFICATION (V 23)

5. Complete in Christ 1 Peter 2:11 (The Message) Friends, this world is not your home, so don’t make yourselves cosy in it. Don’t indulge your ego at the expense of your soul.

6. Complete in Christ REFLECTION QUESTIONS… Who am I reaching out to because they are separated from God? Am I rejecting the attacks of Satan because I am ‘without blemish’ and ‘free from accusation’? Am I sustained by the hope of heaven?

7. Complete in Christ Colossians 1:24 Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. 25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness—

8. Complete in Christ Colossians 1:26 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. 27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

9. Complete in Christ Paul the PRISONER (Suffering) How could anyone rejoice in suffering?

10. Complete in Christ To begin with, Paul was suffering because of Jesus Christ. It was “the fellowship of His sufferings” Philippians 3:10. Paul had a second cause for rejoicing in his suffering: he was suffering because of the Gentiles. But there was a third cause for Paul’s rejoicing: he was suffering for the sake of Christ’s body, the church.

11. Complete in Christ Acts 9:4 (NIV) “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” 2 Corinthians 1:5 (NIV) For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.

12. Complete in Christ 2 Corinthians 3:2-3 (NIV) You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

13. Complete in Christ REFLECTION QUESTIONS Are you suffering for Christ and adding to the afflictions of Christ? Do you rejoice in your sufferings? Are you sharing the gospel fully? What sort of letter are you writing?

14. Complete in Christ