The Hope of Glory

Introduction

Last week we closed with verse 23. In our passage last week Paul talked about how the gospel message gives hope of reconciliation to God. And that gospel has been and is being proclaimed throughout the entire earth!

Today, we are going to pick up our study with the 24th verse of the first chapter of Colossians. So, if you have your Bibles, I want to encourage to turn with me to Colossians chapter 1 and verse 24.

Colossians 1:24 NIV

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.

In the previous verse, Paul has been talking about the reconciliation that we receive through Christ. Jews and Gentiles are placed into one body. Paul says this is a “mystery.”

Now Paul says he rejoices that he is able to rejoice that by being imprisoned, he is in some way suffering as part of God’s plan.

Paul understood that his imprisonment would benefit his readers in some way. If in no other way that by the letter we are now reading. Keep in mind, Paul had never visited the church at Colossae.

Even more, Paul considered suffering as a servant of Jesus Christ as a “normal” expectation, given the way the world treated Jesus when He was here on earth.

We should note that the Greek word, “thlipseon” translated here as “afflictions” is never used in the New Testament of the atoning sufferings.

This controversial passage has often been hard for people to grasp. I believe the best understanding is that Jesus continues to suffer now—that is when His followers suffer Christ also suffers because He lives in us!

When Saul (who was renamed by Jesus as Paul) met the Lord on the road to Damascus, in Acts 9, Jesus said to him (Acts 9:4,16; 2 Cor. 11:23-28).

Acts 9:4 NIV

He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

Colossians 1:25 NIV

I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness—

Paul tells us that God commissioned (Gk. oikonomia; management; arrangement; order; plan; training) or chose him to become a servant of God (v. 25a).

Paul’s commission was that he should present the word of God fully and complete (v. 25b).

Colossians 1:26 NIV

the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people.

Paul was to reveal the mystery of God’s Word that was hidden for ages and generations (v. 26a).

And Paul was chosen specifically to disclose these “mysteries” to the Lord’s people (i.e. believers) This mystery is also talked about in Romans 16:25 (v. 26b).

Romans 16:25 NIV

Now to him who is able to establish you in accordance with my gospel, the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past,

Colossians 1:27 NIV

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.

God chose to reveal His glorious riches that are found in this mystery to the Gentiles (v. 27a). This was no great secrete. He revealed this through the prophet Isaiah. Look at Isaiah 49:6.

Isaiah 49:6 NIV

he says: “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”

According to verse 27, here’s what God has made known (v. 27b).

The glorious riches of this mystery.

Paul lets us know that the glorious rich mystery is Christ living in us!

And Paul calls Christ “the hope of glory.” Jesus is our hope that when He appears, and we see Him face-to-face we will be like him (cf. 1 Jn. 3:2-3). Indeed, at the resurrection, Christ will transform these earthly bodies into glorious bodies that are just like his (Phil. 3:20-21).

It is important to realize that this idea of hope of glory has a now/not yet meaning.

Colossians 1:28 NIV

He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ.

Today, there is only One person that we proclaim (Gk. katangello, Eng. proclaim, announce, declare, report) and that is Jesus!

We are to admonish (Gk. noutheteo; Eng. admonish; put in mind; warn; rebuke; advise) everyone with the wisdom that comes from Jesus.

And we are to teach (Gk. didasko; Eng. teach; instruct; tell) everyone with the wisdom (Gk. sophia; Eng. wisdom; cleverness; still) that comes from Jesus.

The purpose of our proclaiming, admonishing, and teaching is so that we can present everyone as fully mature (Gk. teleios; Eng. fully mature; perfect; entire; without spot; without blemish) in Jesus!

Colossians 1:29 NIV

To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.

With this as Paul’s goal he will strenuously contend (Gk. kopiao; Eng. strenuously contend; labor; toil; grow weary; to be tired) with all the energy Christ powerfully equips him with—working in him.

So What?

This is a great passage from which to glean some great application.

For example, from verse 27, we need to ask our selves:

Are you and I experiencing the glorious riches of God—the mystery that Paul calls the hope of glory.

Do you and I have the hope of a future with Christ in Heaven as well as the abundant life here and now?

Or how about verse 28? There are a number of questions that if we apply them to our lives could change the way we live our lives. For example:

Are you proclaiming Jesus Christ to everyone you meet?

Do you admonish—or correct—misinformation, or incorrect theological understandings that the world around us holds?

How about teaching? Do you and I teach truth about God accurately presenting how God works in this world?

And are we using wisdom as we proclaim, admonish, and teach? Remember, this word “wisdom” can mean “cleverness.”

Are we representing the Lord well so that everyone around us—including us, may be fully mature, perfect, and complete in their relationship with Jesus?

And finally, are you strenuously contending, strenuously laboring to see people’s hearts and minds forever change?

My prayer for us today is that we will truly strive to do two things that I glean from this passage:

Are you and I helping people meet Jesus Christ for the first time? This is called evangelism.

If they already know Christ as their savior, are you and I helping them grow in their relationship with Jesus? This is called discipleship.