Refocus...Col 1:24-27

Colossians 1:24-27
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 servants by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— 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.

Some observations
- Paul is thankful to be suffering for the church. In fact he sees it as an extension of the suffering Christ endured. This is a crazy...and beautiful position.
- Paul sees himself as a servant of the church...this sounds like humility and humble service, or putting the churches needs ahead of his own. WOW, Ok, now I'm convicted. How often do I suffer for the church? How often do I place the needs of the church ahead of my own? This does not seem to always be the prevailing attitude of us younger pastors.
- finally, the focus of Pauls service to the church was the spreading of the Word of God. Is this our focus? In our new emergent theology, is this important. I need to chew on this for a bit. Too much Paul...