The Mystery: Christ in you the hope of Glory
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Today’s message is called ‘The Mystery: Christ in you the Hope of Glory’
Now to get right to it - The word Mystery in the Greek comes from the word Musterion which means: something that is difficult or impossible to understand or explain.
So, we must dig into the Word of God working with the Holy Spirit in order to understand this mystery, today. AMEN?
Q: Have you ever stopped to think of the great wealth that we have in Christ Jesus?
Q: Have you ever stopped to think there is more to this relationship that we have with God then just calling ourselves Christians, more then just coming to church?
To start our discovery of this glorious mystery - please turn to Col 1:27
God wanted to make known among the Gentiles the glorious wealth of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
The word Gentile literally means: one who is not a Jew. But to be more specific it means one who does not have God. So we could say it like this - ‘God wanted to make known among [those that do not have God] the glorious wealth of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.’
<Pray>
Now, the words Glorious and Wealth, here in Col 1:27 together speak of the wonderful blessings associates with this mystery. ‘In You’ refers tot he Holy Sprit, the spirit of Christ Jesus indwelling the believer.
The Holy Spirit entering the believer (making born again). We are No longer alone, no longer empty, no longer hopeless. Yet we must ‘Study to show ourselves approved’ (2 Tim 2:15a)
Q: For what?
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth.
THINK ABOUT IT ‘CHRIST IN YOU, THE HOPE OF GLORY’
Q: Isn’t it hope that every human being is looking for?
So many times, we look for that hope and peace in all the wrong places. But the truth is there is only one place and that is in Christ Jesus!
With that in mind… please turn one chapter forward to Col 2:2
I want their hearts to be encouraged and joined together in love, so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery —Christ.
Q: Did you hear that?
So that they (that’s us folks) may have all the riches of assured (that means confidence) understanding
In the knowledge of God’s mystery - Christ.
Q: Oh are you picking this up???
Listen it is God’s will that we dig deep to uncover the riches of this Mystery - Christ Jesus in you the hope of Glory and what His purpose is for this mystery being revealed.
Oh Glory - check this out turn to John 17:3
This is eternal life:
that they may know You, the only true God,
and the One You have sent —Jesus Christ.
Eternal life comes from knowing God through Jesus His sent Son. Know God is not confined to intellectual knowledge, it involves living in fellowship with Him. Knowing God is the ONLY God.
Say this with me - Jesus is Lord / My Lord / My joy / my peace / my Lord.
Turn to 2 Cor 4:6
For God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ.
Now the original creation of Light out of darkness provide the paradigm for God’s recreation of the spiritual light in the heart of a sinner. So the initiative lives in God to give the Light of Christ which calls the unsaved to come to the understanding that they need the savior - the Lord Jesus Christ
Mystery Revealed
So the mystery starting to become revealed? God is revealing His love and Hope, His Salvation to the World!
Turn to 2 Cor 3:18
We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.
The Apostle Paul here is including unbelievers - he said ‘We all, with unveiled faces’. This is means no masks, no filters are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.
Ya see as we look into the Glory of God we are transformed. Into what? the same image - Jesus Christ. Glory to glory, step by step.
Gal 2:20 says
and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
I no longer live (I’m a dead man) but it is Christ who lives in and through me.
Are you starting to see the Mystery revealed?
Please turn to 1 John 5:20
And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know the true One. We are in the true One—that is, in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
Here the Apostle John is reaffirming that Jesus is God -
and He, by His Spirit gives us understand of this Mystery: Christ in you the Hope of Glory’
Purpose
Now, this all leads up to the why - the purpose.
Yes, we have eternal live w/God our Father in His heaven - we will behold His Glory there in heaven and now!!
Let me show you - turn to John 17:24
Father,
I desire those You have given Me
to be with Me where I am.
Then they will see My glory,
which You have given Me
because You loved Me before the world’s foundation.
Jesus didn’t stop at praying for Himself - He prayed for His disciples that were with Him , yet His vision transcended His present day. Jesus was concerned for all of us who follow Jesus to be in unity and love with one another. So that we all will see His Glory and so we, the Body of Christ, will do what He did while He was walking this planet.
Turn to John 14:12-14
“I assure you: The one who believes in Me will also do the works that I do. And he will do even greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in My name, I will do it so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.
As disciples of Jesus Christ the greater works are made possible because Jesus was going to the Father after His work on the cross was finished. The works are greater because they are bless on the totality of Jesus’ work and will bear lasting fruit.
Praying in Jesus’ name expresses alignment of one’s desirers and purposes with God.
Growth
Part of this mystery is continually growing and bearing more fruit.
Jesus said in John 15:5
“I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without Me.
So we must remain in fellowship with Him and because of that relationship
We will bear Fruit for Him - What Fruit? The Fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23)
The Apostle Peter continues on with this narrative of spiritual grown in 2 Pet 3:18
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
Ya see, as we daily uncover the Mystery: Christ in us we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and then we must take Jesus to the Streets.
Jesus said in Matt 28:20
teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Q: How do we teach people who don’t know? We are the examples of Christ in you the Hope of Glory!
and as we do this we have no fear because of the promise the Lord Jesus gave us - ‘I am with you always, to the end of the age’
Conclusion
As I wrap this up - my prayer is that you now have understanding of the Mystery, of the hope that we have in Christ Jesus, the purpose and the desire for more - to grown in Christ.
After all it’s for His Glory!!
The Apostle Paul wring in Rom 16:27
to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ—to Him be the glory forever! Amen.
He is worth of our praise
Jesus is trustworthy, praiseworthy
Glory to His name!!
Lastly, please turn to Phil 3:8
More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of Him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them filth, so that I may gain Christ
Let me boil this down for you
if it isn’t Jesus - view it as a loss, as filth in your life
if the thought, the want, the desire doesn’t lead you to Jesus it’s not worth a spot on the top of your priority list.
Our focus must be on Christ Jesus 0 our Lord, Our savior, our King.
To know Him more and in so doing live out the Mystery: Christ in you the Hope of Glory