Declaring the Hope Of Glory – Colossians 1.24-29

24 Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. 25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness—26 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. 27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 
28 He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. 29 To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me (Colossians 1.24-29).[1]

      Hope, we all hope in something the question is what is our hope really in? Is our hope in ourself, is it others, is it in stuff, like cars, money, homes, friends, a job, clothes, a certain phone, etc. How about hope in what people will do for us, or give us, or will not give us. See, our hope can be placed in a lot of things and a lot of people. The problem is hope placed there will always fail and disappoint us; leaving us wanting more, looking for something better, and desiring something we could never get.
      Paul is excited to be able to walk along the path God has laid out for him, even one which causes suffering for him. Why, because it is all for the glory of God and His church. We must remember why we were called into our place to serve. God knows what our skills and talents are, and He knows how to best use them for His glory and honor. So, we need to trust Him and we need to be like Paul and just be a servant of God commissioned to spread His gospel to everyone we meet.
      This gospel used to be hidden from us, from the world; it was a mystery. When we read the Old Testament, on its own, it is very hard, if not impossible, to understand and see the plan God has laid out for us, especially the plan of salvation. But now Christ has come, given His life, was buried, rose again, and sits at the right hand of the Father. The mystery is very clear, the Old Testament makes a lot of sense and we can begin to put all the pieces together. We, His children, can understand and know why He came, what He was doing and what He will do in the future. It is up to us to spread this great news to all the world, to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.
      This is the Hope of Glory, the Living Hope (I Peter 1.3), given to us through the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is this Hope that we are called to tell others about, it is this Hope we put our faith and trust in, it is this Hope we look to when we need help. It is this Hope where we find our salvation and life in the Father. This is the Hope of Glory we are to declare to the entire world.
      Why do we share this Hope? So, we can present everyone fully mature in Christ (vs. 28). We do this through proclaiming His gospel, teaching them the truth of the Word of God, and correcting them when they are not doing what they should be according to God’s Word. But we do this with wisdom from God, so we do not fall into the trap of a sinful proud heart thinking we are better than someone else. Remembering we only have God’s power to thank for all we are able to do each and every day.
  
Application

1. Where have you placed your hope and trust? Is it in worldly things, such as finances, work, school, grades, or something else? Or is it in spiritual things such as following after God’s ways, His Word, and desiring a personal relationship with Him? Please Explain.
2. When looking through the Old Testament, how do you see the mystery of the Gospel unfolding? What are some examples (scriptures); and explain how they describe the gospel.
3. How often do you find yourself sharing the gospel with others on a scale of 1-10; where 1 – less and 10 – most. Please explain your answer and why you think it is where it is. How could you improve on your answer?

 
Prayer
 
            Oh, wonderful, faithful and trustworthy God, You are my rock and my shield. May You provide me with comfort and rest as I look for ways to best serve You. Lord, help me to place all my Hope in You. To stay focused on You, and to be willing to share Your gospel with any and everyone I come into contact with. Lord, prepare the way for me, open the doors for me, and make the hearts ready for me to hear Your Word. Lord give me the words to say and the wisdom to say all things correctly. Help me not to be afraid and always trust in You. I thank You for Your mercy and grace, for saving my soul from the pit of hell and despair. I pray all this in the Name of Jesus Christ, Your Blessed Son, Amen.

[1] The New International Version. (2011). (Col 1:24–29). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.