1. Colossians 1:24

"I (Paul) now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh, for His body’s sake, which is the church - (Col. 1:24). People suppose that Christ’s sufferings were only for and in making atonement. This is a great mistake. The atonement took place at Calvary; and, though the most awful part of His course, only occupied three hours.
In truth, He suffered not only the wrath of God due to my sins in His own body on the tree, but when He came into the world, He came to display God by His sufferings in humiliation; and all through His course He learned obedience by the things that He suffered; so that, in that He Himself hath suffered, being tempted, He is able to succor them that are tempted.
There are two kinds of suffering which the believer now, in his measure, enters into: 1. Directly God was manifest in the flesh, He became the open book in which God was revealed, and in which those who knew aright about God saw the object of their worship.
The babe born (Luke 2:7) to shepherd’s keeping watch over their flock by night… "lo, the angel of the Lord came," etc. (ver. 9-12) "and then suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men," (13, 14).
When He came to His public service, and stood in the water to be baptized of John - Father, Son, and Holy Ghost could be set forth together. The Son in the water, the Spirit descending on Him, and a voice proclaiming from on high: "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." When He came to the transfiguration, He is again greeted from on high:. "This is my beloved Son, hear ye him." And all this before atonement was commenced. But the glory that gave abroad its fragrance was the marvel of God manifest in the flesh. The Creator tabernacling in the flesh of the holy, harmless, undefiled seed of the woman. But this glory was not separable from the humiliation, from the incarnation.
Answering in its place to this, we get the truth of the church used of God while in the wilderness, “To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places, might be known by the Church, the manifold wisdom of God," (Eph. 3:10).
What a difference, when we take our sorrows, our trials, our afflictions, bereavements, needs, temptations, etc., merely as the sorrows of humanity in its present fallen state, and when we take them as parts of our testimony to principalities and powers in heavenly places. "Why should I linger here," said a saint, “I am of use to no one-whom can I serve, and what can I do?" The answer was: -" Angels and principalities have been eyeing with wonder, that such a thing as you seem to be should have so much of the attention of Christ, be so much thought about in heaven; they look at you and then confess that mercy and compassion, pity and grace, are very real, very substantial things in God. That the Christ ascended and glorified should bear such an one upon His heart and mind."
But 2ndly: The Son, who had been the object of worship and to whom all were subject, came into the world, and learned obedience by the things that He suffered. With this He blended that learning of sympathy as a sufferer. God stooped from governing all things to learn obedience.
Poor Paul had to learn obedience in another sense. Never at the head, but a rebel against the Head, he had to learn to set aside his bad will, and to be meek and lowly of heart. But the lessons which Paul had, not only bowed his own soul to the blessed Lord Jesus who was in very nature; as seed of the woman, meek and lowly of heart, but also his lessons were for the elect’s sake. God taught him, Paul, that he might be able to teach those who are members of the body of Christ. This, too, gives strength to the soul under trial of any kind, to be able to say, “Well, not only am I sure that I want discipline myself, but my gracious Lord is teaching me, both how He was the prince of sufferers, in order that we all might find an answer to our sufferings in Him, and is teaching it to me, too, for the sake of His body which is dear to Him, that I may be able to comfort others with that comfort wherewith I myself have been comforted of God."