Christ In You, The Hope Of Glory

Colossians 1:21-29

I love to quote on Mother’s Day Isaiah 66:13 “As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; And ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.”

This is a powerful truth! If you have been fortunate enough to have a mother that fulfilled this, you understand the power in this statement:

God is comparing the nurturing of a mother to His nurturing of His people!

This awesome statement tells us that God has designed a woman to be a powerful nurturer!

He uses the mother to declare His glory!

That is a powerful truth and powerful responsibility!

Fulfilling your design!

This leads me to the heart of today’s message......

Elisabeth Elliot once said: “The fact that I’m a woman doesn’t make me a different kind of Christian, but the fact that I’m a Christian does make me a different kind of woman.”

God has already made a woman, very special and with unique qualities designed to nurture and build up, but a woman that is a follower of Christ, strengthens that uniqueness to a high degree!

That leads me to our text, I read that quote a few weeks back and it sparked this understanding that I already knew!

There are some people that have great qualities, great gifts that have been given!

Great gifts or abilities are awesome as they are, but imagine the power if those abilities are powered by a supernatural indwelling, that puts those abilities to work for His Glory?

Listen to what Paul is telling the church at Colosse........Colossians 1:21-29.......he is speaking specifically about the mystery of the Gentiles partaking in salvation through Jesus Christ......that believers, both Jew and Gentile, now possess the surpassing riches of the indwelling Christ.

Our focus today is on one verse......27..........As wonderful as a mother is, for that matter, as many as you can think that have wonderful gifts and are good people, they are nothing unless Christ lives in them!

Back to the quote from Ms. Elliot........the fact that I am a woman doesn’t make a different kind of Christian......what does that statement say?

We bring nothing to this, it is the fact that Christ dwells in me that makes a difference!

Being a woman or mother doesn’t strengthen the life of faith, it is Christ!

Paul is revealing to the Jews the mystery that the Gentiles are partakers of Christ, too!

It is not to the Jews only but to the nasty ole Gentiles. The Jews are not special it is Christ that are special.....the Jews were the apple of God’s eye, because of their faith in Him....through Abraham, who believed God!

Yes, God can use our talents for His good, but He doesn’t need your talents, you need Him!

Without Jesus, were alienated from God, without hope!

Christ in you, the hope of glory! The only hope for the glory of God is in Christ Jesus, this not of yourselves!

In a world where everyone one seeks after trophies and recognition, it is hard to see the truth of this, where a denial of self is the only way we can come to Jesus! He is the difference maker!

I am not knocking on Mother’s day or any other day recognizing humans, God creator of all has blessed them all with all wonderful blessings and strengths, but that is all nothing if Christ is not in you!

I do not promote self-worth, I will always promote and declare the eternal value of Jesus Christ!

Christ in you, is the only hope of True Glory! True Glory abides only in God!

I heard a woman praying about her mother-in-law, thanking God for her! This is what she told God in her prayer: “Lord, I thank you for her, because she taught me about You and Your Son Jesus, she taught me about faith in You..........”

That might be the greatest thing that can ever be said about someone!

I can say that about my mom, I couldn’t stop crying when I heard that prayer!

Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3:14-21.............has a heart of wanting all to know the love of Christ and to continue believing, that Christ may dwell in our hearts!..........................

This is an earnest prayer for the church at Ephesus, as well as for us......

According to His riches of His Glory........The efforts of man are for so many things....

If I had this or I wish we could this.......If we could turn our hearts and minds toward the desire of the riches of God’s Glory!

Anyway, the prayer for all humanity is that Christ may dwell within our hearts by faith......believing in everything about Jesus and allowing Him to live and work within us......

Why? 1 John 4:4 “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”

Speaking of all the anti-christ spirits in the world today, we have overcome them because of Jesus Christ, because Jesus is greater than any power that is in the world!

And the power dwells within the believer!

To know the Love of Christ which passes all knowledge, that you may be filled up with all the fulness of God!

It seems the greatness and power of God that dominates all other powers, is God’s love!

The power, the greatness, the glory is based on His love......God is love!

There is no other agenda for God than to love! To reject His love, is to have no power!

The power that lives in the believer is Christ, through God’s Spirit, which comes on the believer immediately and the strength of the power is LOVE!