In Colossians 1:28 the apostle Paul gives us a surprisingly exhaustive blueprint for preaching when he says, “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.”
In the short span of this one verse we find the center, means, and aim of faithful sermons.
THE CENTER OF OUR MESSAGE
In verse twenty-five we find Paul telling the Colossians that God gave him a stewardship in the church to make the word of God fully known, which Paul is going to define further on two different levels. First, in verse twenty-six we see him call the word of God the mystery. If Paul had a favorite word, μυστήριον might just be it. In Ephesians and Colossians alone he uses the word some twenty times. And its use is intended to communicate to us that the Word of God has been progressively unveiled throughout redemptive history. He has in mind that specific truth about God and His plan of salvation that had previously remained hidden, but has now been revealed. So the word of God is the mystery, and verse twenty-seven gives us the second level definition when it says to them God chose to make . . . the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim . . . The word of God is the mystery and the mystery is Christ. Christ Jesus is the center of our message.
I want to then ask a question here, “Why must Jesus be the center of the church’s message?” We should not blithely pass by this truth or take it for granted. Why must Christ be the center of our message?
The Word must be all about Christ because only Christ can reveal the Father unto us. The Father created us for His own glory, He created us to have an intimate relationship with Him, and of course that relationship is marred by sin. Sinful people seek there own glory, not the glory of God. Because of this we are subject to the righteous wrath of God. But in His love God sent His Son – the radiance of His glory – to remedy that broken relationship. Jesus is God Himself, and He comes, not only to share the love of the Father with us, but also to share His knowledge of the Father with us. He comes that we might grow to know the Father as He know the Father. Through His perfect life, death, and resurrection Jesus reveals the Father unto us so that, through faith, the relationship might be restored. Christ therefore must be the center of our message.
And what a glorious center it is, as Paul says, “how great are the riches of the glory of [Christ]!” To say that Christ is the center of the church’s messages is to say that our message centers on a treasure of unsearchable riches. We call people to come and drink from the fount of Christ for we know that He satisfies. We call people to place their faith in the blood of Christ because it can cover any sin. We call people to open up the Word of God and stand astonished and breathless at the majesty of God revealed to us. We say with John Owen, “On Christ’s glory I would fix all my thoughts and desires.”
THE MEANS OF OUR MESSAGE
“Proclaim” a general term not restricted solely to preaching, yet is summarily comprehends the entire preaching ministry. The message of the church is rooted in the preaching ministry. Paul tells us that his proclamation includes two aspects, one negative and one positive. The negative aspect is warning everyone; which speaks of encouraging counsel in view of sin and coming punishment. Faithful preaching and ministering of the Word always has an eye towards loving admonishment and warning of sin and its consequences.
Faithful ministering of the Word means that we care enough to lovingly warn and admonish our brothers and sisters from the inherent danger that comes from a perpetual practice of sin. The positive aspect of our proclamation is that we are also teaching everyone. Our message must also build up and instruct Christians in the truths of Scripture and the way of life found in Christ. Paul tells us that rightly proclaiming, warning, and teaching the message to the church requires that one do so with all wisdom. Proclamation saturated with wisdom means choosing the right times and likeliest means, the different circumstances and capacities to those who are listening, and instructing accordingly.
Christ is the center, proclamation is the means, and now we look at the aim of our message.
THE AIM OF OUR MESSAGE
Paul has clearly articulated the center and means of the church’s message and just in case someone might ask “why?” he says that we do this so that we may present everyone mature in Christ. The aim is maturity. This word maturity actually may not capture the fullest sense of what is happening in the Greek. The Greek word in view here is τέλειον, which more literally means “perfect.” The problem is that “perfect” is too strong and “mature” is too weak. The sense that I want you to grasp this morning is that the aim of our message is wholehearted devotion in mind, heart, and spirit to the Lord. The aim is wholehearted devotion. Preaching Christ is unto the end of conforming one to the image of Christ.
This then is the blueprint for faithful sermons: Christ is the center, proclamation is the means, and wholehearted devotion and conformity to Christ is the aim. Preach on!