Christ in you, the Hope of Glory (Col. 1:24-29)

This sermon was preached on 2/1/2011

When an individual has a worthwhile goal he will endure most things in his path. Paul’s goal was to produce mature believers through the proclamation of Christ (v. 28). He also knew that God had called him to this role (v. 25), and this twofold awareness of a definite goal and a calling for life gave him a viewpoint on his current sufferings, probably imprisonment in Rome. He looked at these sufferings and assessed whether or not they hindered his goal or belied his calling and realised that they did not. Therefore he got on with fulfilling his calling and reaching his goal.

Perspective on sufferings

The sufferings that Paul has in mind here are not illnesses in general but sufferings that came his way because he was a Christian. Mainly these sufferings are connected to persecution, although such sufferings would have had effects on him physically as well. Paul describes his sufferings in two ways: first, they are for the benefit of the Colossians and, second, they are connected to Christ’s own sufferings.

It is not difficult to suggest ways by which the apostle’s sufferings were beneficial to the Colossians. Providentially, Paul was presently confined to a situation in which he could pray for the Colossian church, give advice to its leader Epaphras about various issues that concerned him, and write a letter to them under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

It is more problematic to work out in what way his sufferings are connected to the sufferings of Jesus. Certainly Paul does not mean that he had any contribution to make to the atoning sufferings of Jesus on Calvary. The work of the Saviour in paying the penalty for the sins of his people was fully completed there. So what did Paul have in mind? I would suggest three likely connections between Jesus and his persecuted people.

First, Paul’s sufferings are Christ’s sufferings because of the Saviour’s identification with his people (what is done to them is also done to him); Paul himself had been informed of this aspect when he was arrested by Jesus on the Damascus road and asked by him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ No doubt such an assessment strongly impacted Paul and would have contributed to his later understanding of the doctrine of union with Christ.

Second, these sufferings are Christ’s because he sympathises with his suffering people (he cares for them) and provides them with strength in their ordeals. He knows how much of his power is needed. For example, Paul refers in this passage to the strength that Jesus gives to him as he struggles in his ministry.

Third, the sufferings are Christ’s because they are a sign of the certainty of the coming glory; it is remarkable how often the New Testament writers connect suffering and glory (Matt. 24–24; Rom. 8:18; Phil. 3:10; 2 Tim. 2:12; 1 Pet. 1:3-9). The aspects mentioned in these verses inform as why Paul could actually rejoice in his difficulties and pain.

Paul reminds the Colossians of two crucial features of the message he proclaimed throughout the world. First, his message was a divine revelation that had been hidden in previous periods (v. 26) and, second, the theme of his message was full of great riches (v. 27). The revelation concerns Christ and the riches accompany Christ, whom Paul here describes as ‘Christ in you, the hope of glory’. I suppose a useful illustration would be an occasion when an unrecognised person comes to live in a house. Eventually the people staying there already discover that he is the heir to an important estate and possesses a fortune. Their joy would be increased if the lodger indicated he was willing to share all he has with them. When these people in Colosse became Christians, they did so by hearing the fuller revelation concerning Christ and experiencing the amazing riches of Christ.

Mystery

Before we think about having Christ within us, we should consider Paul’s use of the term ‘mystery’ in verse 27. This is not the only time he uses the word in Colossians (2:2; 4:3) and he also uses it in others of his letters. For example, he mentions the mystery of godliness when summarising the person of Christ (1 Tim. 3:16), the mystery of Israel’s blindness and future restoration (Rom. 11:25), and the mystery of the resurrection day (1 Cor. 15:51). We tend to use the word ‘mystery’ when speaking about something inscrutable and secret. Paul uses it to describe an aspect of the Christian faith that was previously hidden by God but which he has now revealed to his people through his supernatural guidance of the apostles and prophets (Eph. 3:5). This guidance included new insights into Old Testament passages and new information as the New Testament books were added to God’s Word.

As we think of the unfolding of God’s purpose, it is obvious that its details were revealed gradually (Moses received more than Abraham, David received additions to Moses, Christians have been given more than Old Testament believers). Of course, we should remember that in the future, after Jesus returns, many other secret features of God’s purpose will be revealed gradually throughout eternity.

Further, its details were revealed graciously. By this, I mean that God shared his secrets with the most surprising people. Abraham was an idolater, Moses was a failure in rescuing his people, David was on the run for many years, the apostles of Jesus were unimportant socially, and Paul was malicious against the gospel. What but grace would have done it in such a way!

Also, its details were revealed as guaranteed. Abraham was guaranteed a seed even although he and his wife were old and childless at the time; Moses was guaranteed deliverance from the power of Egypt even although he no personal influence or resources at that time; David was opposed by many, yet he was assured that the Messiah would be his descendant; the disciples of Jesus were assured that he would use them to take his gospel to the world.

Paul in writing to the Romans (15:25-27) includes a reference to God’s revealed secrets concerning the gospel age when he composes a wonderful doxology: ‘Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith – to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.’ We praise him for revealing truths about Jesus and for sharing his riches with us.

The mystery in Colossians 1:23 is the presence of the Messiah with his people. Of course, the Old Testament predicted that he would come, but inevitably it did so using Old Testament imageries that listeners would have been able to consider. So they realised that he would be a king who would rescue them and defend them, that he would take care of them. But it was a secret concerning how near he would come to them, how intimate the new relationship would be. After all, how could a ruler be simultaneously with all of his subjects? The answer is in the revealed secret, ‘Christ in you, the hope of glory.’

At the same time, this presence will be very extensive (among the Gentiles), in other words, throughout the world. This was even the case in Paul’s day, and it was to continue spreading. Further, this presence will be very exceptional (note that Paul draws attention to ‘how great’ it will be). Of course, it has extended down to us, but do we think how exceptional, how great it currently is? According to Peter, the Old Testament prophets wanted to discover the great blessings that were to come to us ( 1 Pet. 1:10ff.).

Christ in you

The pronoun ‘you’ here is plural, which has caused some expositors to ask whether ‘in’ is the appropriate English word to describe the nearness of the Messiah. They suggest that the word ‘among’ might be a more suitable rendering Even ‘among’ indicates nearness. Yet the preposition normally means ‘in’. It is sufficient to note that there is both a personal and congregational emphasis here.

It is possible that one will respond, ‘Since the Son of God is omnipresent, what is so surprising about Christ being in his people?’ Paul is not here referring to that omnipresence, which is real in all people wherever and whoever they are. Instead he is referring to the way that Jesus comes to his people by the Holy Spirit. This does not mean that they get a lesser Jesus. Instead the Spirit functions like a bridge or a ladder that spans the gap between Jesus in heaven and his people on earth and enables them to interact with Jesus.

So in what ways does Jesus reveal himself to his people? The illustration here, of Christ living within them as in a house, suggests several ideas. We should not forget the various ways that Paul has identified his Master in the previous verses – it is wonderful to have the Creator and Upholder of the universe in one’s heart.

First, he is with them as their Saviour. He came to them as the crucified Christ and showed them his sufferings on their behalf. He is always present in this manner and each of his people are delighted he is. They love to look on him whom they pierced and be reminded of the reality of their salvation. At the same time, recognising him in this manner leads them to repent of their sins as they continually behold the cost of their deliverance.

Second, he is with them as their elder brother who reminds them that he and they belong to the same family. They realise that he is the one who enables them to have fellowship with the heavenly Father and who gives to them the right to all the privileges of the sons of God, who comforts them with family provisions.

Third, Jesus is with them as the heir of all things. The future belongs to him, but he does not intend to have it merely for himself. The new heavens and new earth are the inheritance, but he will share it with his fellow heirs, his people. He delights to point out to them many promises in his Word that deal with this aspect of his presence.

Fourth, Jesus is with them as the yoke-sharer. He has many things to teach them, and many of his teachings concern obedience to his commandments. Not only does he provide information about his will, he also goes with them every inch of the way in order to help them obey his requirements.

Fifth, Jesus is in them as the fruit-provider. They become increasingly like him as they become conformed to his image. The spiritual life that he provides continually brings forth its rich characteristics in their life, and people recognise them as those with whom Jesus is at home and who are themselves at home with Jesus.

We could extend the number of ways by which Jesus is with his people. Paul tells us here that the effect of Jesus’ presence is that his people have the hope of glory. This hope is not a vague notion; instead it is a spiritual awareness that they will get to the perfect world. Such a confidence is not independent of Jesus. The various points listed above – Jesus present as the Saviour, the elder brother, the heir of all things, the yoke-sharer – all stress that his presence clarifies and produces the longing desire of his people to experience glory.

How is this outlook maintained? Paul tells the Colossians here that it is by listening to faithful proclamations about Christ (of course, there are as well other essential practices such as prayer and fellowship). The faithfulness is seen in wise warning and instructing by such a pastor, and Paul indicates that such is hard work requiring divinely-provided help (vv. 28-29).