What does is it mean to be filled in him? What was Paul fighting against in the Colossian context? Human-generated spiritual experiences through works. But Paul wants us to resist this tendency and to be reminded of Christ.

We normally think of the Christian life as beginning with the gospel of Jesus Christ, NOW, tell me what to do, as if we can walk in Christ without grace. The Christian walk is all by grace through faith.

'All you need is love' is the cry of the culture. But how is the church to think of ministry expectations? Where is the place of conviction and truth?

What do we expect from a church's ministry? What is the end goal? Paul struggled so that the Colossians would be knit together ...

The minister struggles to encourage, to guard, and to rejoice.

The minister's toil is often not what people expect nor what people want. Many believe that they have 'graduated' from the message of the cross. But Paul said 'Him we proclaim ...' for the Christian life.

What is the minister's stewardship? Is it to proclaim the word of God? Yes. But how? And Who? ... All roads of Scripture lead to Christ and him crucified and the hope of glory to all nations.

What was the context of Paul's suffering? Did he rejoice in unjust suffering? Or did he rejoice in his Savior and how he was working in him and his ministry?

What does persevering or remaining in the faith mean? Perfection? Or is it a constant view of Christ and the cross?

Paul addresses the present condition of the believer as the believer is now, reconciled to God through what Jesus has done for him or her.