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Call to worship: Isaiah 61:1-3

Text: Colossians 1:24-29

Sermon Outline:

1. Paul's suffering - and ours, 1:24
2. Paul's stewardship - and ours, 1:25-27
3. Paul's subject - and ours, 1:28a
4. Paul's strategy - and ours, 1:28b-c
5. Paul's struggle - and ours, 1:29

Prepare

Questions:

1. Read Colossians 1:24-2:3 throughout the rest of this week. As an encouragement to family worship and personal preparation, use the questions that follow:
2. Go back and look at the elder-proposed vision statement for TMC. This week, we'll be focusing on one of the three missional elements: treasuring Christ together. See how we prayerfully plan to do that, and pray we will.
3. In 1:24, what do you think Paul means when he says that his sufferings fill up Christ's afflictions? On whose account does Paul suffer them? What's the connection between treasuring Christ and suffering for Christ's body?
4. In 1:25-28, Paul spells out his stewardship from God and it's primary subject. What's the stewardship? Who's the subject? And what is Paul's strategy in this ministry? If we're to treasure Christ together, what would this section demand of us?
5. In 1:29, Paul says that he has a struggle. What's the struggle? How does he show us the proper way to struggle---with what does he struggle? From where does all our effectiveness and power in ministry come? Who should get all the glory then?