Colossians 1:24 - Joy AND suffering? Yes!

"Now I am rejoicing in the sufferings on behalf of you [all] and I am filling up the lackings of afflictions of Christ in my flesh on behalf of His body, which is the assembly..."  

-Paul is suffering, yet he is rejoicing.  Really, who does that?  Well, as it turns out, Jesus says WE should do that.  Those who follow Christ can and should be rejoicing in suffering, because the hatred and suffering and persecution He promises for those who follow Him (Matthew 10.22, John 15.18-20) are signs that one is truly saved, assurances of future glory (cf Matthew 5.10-11, Romans 8.17-18).  The early church actually considered it an honor when they were persecuted for following Jesus (Acts 5.41, Philippians 1.29).  The same should be true for the modern day church.

-And how can it be that the afflictions of Christ are somehow lacking?  With regard to what Jesus needed to suffer in order to accomplish our salvation, He clearly did say, ‘It is finished’, and yet Paul is talking about what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ.  Truth be told, the Body of Christ grows best and strongest through times of suffering.  It is carried on the backs of martyrs.  Jesus Himself said it, ‘You will be My martyrs to the ends of the earth’ (Acts 1.8).  The Good News is carried and the Church is built by those who daily die to self and pick up their cross, who are willing to do whatever Jesus asks them to do and whatever it takes for the sake of the Kingdom.  Following Christ, and more importantly helping others to follow Him, is rarely easy or convenient.  It almost always means going out of my way, out of my comfort zone, almost always inconvenient, unnatural, counter-culture, swimming against the current and at times into overt opposition.  It involves suffering - yes, inconvenience and possibly worse, even dying, most assuredly dying to self every day - for Jesus.  And to the extent that this suffering is what is necessary in order for the Body of Christ to grow and for the Gospel to advance among my neighbors and the nations, then it is fair to say that by extension Christ thru His Body is still suffering. Paul for his part did have a particular calling which specifically included suffering for the sake of Christ (Acts 9.16).  He is not only suffering for Christ, he is suffering for Christ’s people.  As it turns out, he is glad to experience affliction for the sake of the assembly of God’s people, as he explains in the following verses...