The Price of Proclaiming the Truth
Colossians 1:24-25
In our fast-paced, comfort-driven culture, it is easy to associate faith with ease. Many view salvation as a ticket to a smooth life, filled with blessings and free from hardship. Yet, the reality of following Christ is far different. The Apostle Paul’s words in Colossians 1:24-25 remind us that kingdom work is not about ease—it is about endurance, sacrifice, and joyful suffering for the sake of the gospel.
The Heart of Kingdom Work
Paul writes, “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions” (Col. 1:24, NASB 1995). This is a radical statement. How can suffering be a source of joy?
Paul understood that his trials were not meaningless. His suffering was not due to wrongdoing, but because of his faithful service to Christ. Acts 5:41 recounts how the early apostles rejoiced after being beaten for proclaiming Jesus, “considering it worthy to suffer shame for His name.”
This is the heart we are called to have in kingdom work. Our culture teaches us to ask, “What can I get out of this?” But Scripture teaches us to ask, “How much will God allow me to put into this?” True kingdom work is not about what we gain but about what we give.
Corrie Ten Boom’s life is a powerful example. A Dutch watchmaker and a committed believer, she and her family risked their lives to hide Jewish people during World War II. Eventually arrested and sent to a concentration camp, Corrie watched her sister Betsy die in the midst of brutal conditions. Yet, she continued to minister to others, even in the darkest moments of her life. After her release (a clerical error that saved her from execution), she spent decades traveling the world, sharing the message of God’s love and forgiveness. Her sister once said, “There is no pit so deep that God’s love is not deeper still.”
The call to follow Christ is not a call to comfort—it is a call to commitment. Jesus suffered for the church, and Paul reminds us that we, too, will suffer as we serve. But our suffering is not in vain. Like Paul, like the apostles, like Corrie Ten Boom, we can count it all joy because it is for the sake of Christ and His kingdom.
The Scope of Kingdom Work
Kingdom work does not end with personal salvation. Paul continues in Colossians 1:25, stating that he was made a minister “so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God.” The gospel is not a private treasure—it is a global calling.
Jesus did not call us to pick and choose parts of Scripture that are convenient or comfortable. He called us to proclaim the whole truth to all people at all times. Jonah resisted this calling at first, but ultimately, he obeyed and preached God’s message to Nineveh. The gospel is not selective; it is for everyone, everywhere.
Far too often, we treat God’s Word like a buffet—choosing the parts we like and ignoring the ones that challenge us. But kingdom work requires full surrender. It is a call to faithfulness, obedience, and service.
The Cost and the Reward
Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me” (Matt. 16:24). The salvation found in the gospel is free but living it out may cost you everything.
The question before us today is this: What is God calling you to do that may require suffering, change, or discomfort? Is there a sacrifice He is asking you to make? A risk He is calling you to take.
Paul, the apostles, and countless believers throughout history have faced suffering for the sake of Christ—and they counted it as joy. Will we?
The promise of Revelation 21:4-7 reminds us that the cost of kingdom work is temporary, but the reward is eternal. One day, all suffering will end. Every tear will be wiped away. Death, mourning, and pain will be no more. Until that day, let us press on, proclaiming the truth, no matter the cost.