‘Christ in You, the Hope of Glory’

“To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” –Colossians 1:27 (ESV).

‘Christ in you, the hope of glory.’  No doubt we have heard this phrase in both Bible teachings and sermons.  We know it is a deep biblical truth, one that perhaps we have a little knowledge about but which seems at the same time to have a truth that evades us.  Let us look at the context of the verse, which tells of Paul’s ministry to the church at Colossae and elsewhere.  In this context, he is speaking of “the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to His saints.” We need to understand that the “mystery” Paul speaks of is not some eerie, dark secret that is hard to decipher.  “Mystery” in Paul’s day referred to God’s unfolding plan for the world, and specifically His revelation of His plan of redemption through Christ Jesus the Lord, the Messiah.  Although the prophets of old had already made known some of the aspects of the mystery, still much of it was "hidden for ages and generations.”  Paul wants the Christians at Colossae to whom he had addressed his letter (and us) to know assuredly that the mystery has been revealed through the amazing new covenant which includes “Christ in you, the hope of glory!”  This is a concept almost too marvelous for us to grasp:  God Himself, in the person of Jesus Christ, is personally present in the lives of everyone who believes in Him.  Through the indwelling Holy Spirit of Christ, the believer is given full assurance of a present life to be lived abundantly in Him and a future life with Him when He returns.  And Christ Jesus opened up this “hope of glory” for both Jews and Gentiles who believe.

A word of explanation about the “old” and the “new” dispensation is in order.  Under the “old” dispensation, the Jews held the “mystery” or revelation of God in the law and prophets.  Anyone not born a Jew had to go through a ritual of becoming a Jew (submit to the laws of circumcision and other requirements) in order to partake of the blessings of the covenant.  But Christ broke down all the walls that divided the kingdom.  “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:2-30, ESV).  Thus was the “mystery” revealed, the “new dispensation” that all regardless of birth, nationality, or station in life, can come, believing, and become a part of the family of God.  In this truth is “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

Paul had a calling and commission to help people understand the great mystery of Christ’s inclusive sacrifice and love for humanity.  “For this I toil, struggling with all His energy that He powerfully works within me” (Colossians 1:29).  It is a holy calling Paul has to help people see that Christ is everyone’s ‘hope of glory.’  He wants everyone who hears and believes to grow into a strong, mature Christian.  He goes further in this letter to the Colossians to warn the people not to be deceived by “philosophy and empty deceit” (2:8) but that “as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving” (2:8).  In our day, as in Paul’s, we need to beware of ‘philosophy and empty deceit’ that would entice us to ways that are not of the Lord.  Let hope that is in us, Christ, the hope of glory,’  keep our focus on Him and on the things of the Spirit.

God Desires Obedience from His Children

“Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.” –I Samuel 5:22 (ESV). If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” –John 15: 10-11 (ESV).

The words of the hymn “Trust and Obey” written by John H. Sammis (1846-1919) have been going through my mind repeatedly for the last several hours, especially the chorus: “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way To be happy in Jesus, But to trust and obey.” We are very familiar with obedience. As children, we were taught to obey our parents or else suffer the consequences of disobedience. In the Christian life, obedience means to study and hear God’s Word, to act upon its precepts and to live by its guiding principles. In the Old Testament, as indicated by the verse cited from I Samuel 5:22, obedience is related to listening, to hearing. We first must hear and understand what is expected before we can perform the desired behavior. The Bible gives example after example of failure to hear and do God’s Word. “But My people did not listen to My voice, Israel would not submit to me...O that My people would listen to Me, that Israel would walk in my ways!" (Psalm 81: 11, 12 ESV). Jesus admonished, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” (Matthew 11:15 ESV).

Obedience affects the spiritual life in multiple ways. In the verse above from Samuel 5, we are told that the Lord delights far more in our obedience than our sacrifices. He had much rather we obey and follow His Word, than bring offerings into His treasury. The obedience, the wanting to follow Him, should be in place first; then we will want to bring offerings. Our salvation itself is dependent upon our obedience in faith. We believe—we have faith that Jesus is the Son of God and that believing, we have abundant life while on earth and eternal life hereafter. Salvation comes through our acting in faith on our belief and accepting—which is an act of obedience to the Holy Spirit’s leading. We listened; we obeyed. As the hymn writer so aptly expressed this obedience by faith: “Trust and obey, for there's no other way, To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.” Keeping the commandments of Christ—obeying Him—leads us to be filled with the love of God. Just as Jesus obeyed God in doing what He came to earth to do, so we who follow Him will want to be obedient servants of the Lord. And what great spiritual rewards are ours! The joy of Christ will dwell in us, and our joy will overflow! (John 15:10-11).

In my experience as a school teacher, I observed that those children who were obedient to the school’s general expectations and rules and those who practiced good behavior, were obedient and cooperative in class, were those who learned more readily and progressed in their studies. The same was true in rearing my own children; when obedience and cooperation were practiced, we all could function as a loving family. In our spiritual life we know that God has given us the scriptures for our benefit to guide us in the right way. Disobedience comes from a sinful heart, one that has not listened and trusted God. God yearns to bless us. Just as disobedient children in the classroom and in the home, judgment and discipline are necessary. These “asides” distract from the true purposes of school and of family. Likewise, when we depart from God’s Word and disobey Him, we are failing in His expectations for us and will miss the blessings He wants to shower upon us. In the words of hymn writer John Sammis: “But we never can prove The delights of His love Until all on the altar we lay; For the favor He shows And the joy He bestows Are for them who will trust and obey.” Prayer: Lord, we your children decide to obey or not. We pledge anew to trust and obey. Amen.

When Doubts Arise

“Will the Lord cast off forever? And will He be favorable no more? Has His mercy ceased forever? Has His promise failed forevermore? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has He in anger shut up His tender mercies? –Psalm 77:7-9 (NKJV). “But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.’ And Peter answered Him and said ‘Lord if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.’ So He said, ‘Come.’ And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!’ And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’”-Matthew 14:27-31 (NKJV).

When I talk to persons today, I sense an underlying pessimism, a near hopelessness, despondency, doubts bordering even on despair. I hear dissatisfaction about the state of our government and laments about the deep financial debts our country wavers under, the corruption in high places, the burdens of unemployment, loss of houses, high taxes. And these laments are based on truth: we live in “perilous times.” Just as the Psalmist stated in Psalm 77:2, “My soul refused to be comforted.” The Psalmist likewise remembered “the days of old, the years of ancient times,” (v. 5) as we are prone to do, remembering “better times,” when life was simpler and times (from our golden memories) were better. The Psalmist poses a series of questions in 77:7-9, much like our present laments about the conditions of our nation and the world. Where is God in all this trouble? I paired the questions of doubt from Psalms with the account of Peter trying to walk on the water. Symbolically, I think there is a striking parallel. Peter, confident, enthusiastic, unaware of his own weakness, started toward Jesus on the water. As long as he kept his eyes on Jesus, the water held no fears for him; amazingly, he was ‘walking on water’ (buoyant, unafraid). But then his attention shifted, and he became aware of the wind and the boisterous waves. When he took his eyes off Jesus, he began to sink. I thought how appropriately the questions of doubt posed by the Psalmist parallel our doubts, fears and loss of faith in our government and in the present social condition with all its ills. We should be aware of what is wrong, yes. But as Queen Esther of old was asked by her Uncle Mordecai: “Who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14). Just as God prepared Esther and placed her in a prominent position in King Ahasuerus’ court in Persia (about 485 B. C.), just like Peter’s attempt to walk on water and nearly sinking, until Jesus rescued him, we should think that we Christians live in these turbulent times to dispel our own doubts and fears and to encourage and mentor those who hold such dark views of the times. Not that we should see through rose-colored glasses; we do, indeed live in a time of turning away from God, of injustice, sinfulness, and loss of hope. But above the troubled seas of our times, Jesus says, “Come!” And He holds out life, and hope and a way. “Come unto me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

Since the sad event of 9/11/2001 when planes rammed into Twin Towers in New York in a terrible act of terrorism, America has been beset by fears and doubts. I am reminded of what President Franklin Delano Roosevelt told the American people after we faced the attack on Pearl
Harbor on December 7, 1941: “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” It takes a deliberate act of the will and much prayer to overcome the strong doubts and pessimism that rob us of peace of mind and prevent us from standing in the gap and acting upon our faith. Jesus still holds out His hand, as He did to Peter on the Sea of Galilee, and His invitation is still “Come!” I like the hymn we sometimes still sing in our churches: “Higher Ground.” Its words have a clarion call to us to move forward with the Lord. In this time of doubt, down-sliding and depression, the only way to look is up to Jesus, the “author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). Think on these words of “Higher Ground” by Johnson Oatman, Jr. (1856-1926): “My heart has no desire to stay/Where doubts arise and fears dismay; Though some may dwell where these abound/My prayer my aim is higher ground.” When doubts arise (and they will), leave them behind and soar on wings of faith!

Cultivate Humility

“The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life.” –Proverbs 22:4 (ESV) “Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.”-Philippians 2:3 (ESV). “Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, ‘He yearns jealously over the spirit that He has made to dwell in us?’ But He gives more grace. Therefore it says, ‘God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’” –James 4:5-6 (ESV).Humility is a personal characteristic that is often sadly lacking in modern day society. Sometimes, to define a word, we must state the opposite of what it means. Humility is seen in those who are not arrogant, not proud, not puffed up. Humility is meekness, not thinking of oneself as better than others.

Both the Old and New Testaments teach the value of humility. In Psalm 51:17 and Micah 6:8 we learn that God desires even more than sacrifices, that the worshiper have an humble spirit. We usually think of an humble person as lowly, not with riches or fame, yet Proverbs 22:4 states that “the reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life.” Kings were reminded to be humble so that God could exalt them. In Jesus Christ, we have the epitome of humility. Jesus invited all his followers to come to Him and, like Him, to follow humility: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is lightl." (Matthew 11:28-30).

Early in my husband’s ministry, I had a very good example of humility in action, in a lady in our church who was humility personified. Soon after we moved to that church Mrs. Pearl asked me to go with her on a mission to someone ill whom we needed to visit. Pearl had told me in advance that one of the women’s groups at the church was caring for a sick, needy lady, and my pre-assigned job for this mission was to make some homemade chicken soup. Pearl drove us to a run-down, shabby area of the neighborhood and stopped at a very poor house. When we went in, I was introduced to the patient, a very thin, emaciated lady lying on a not-too-comfortable looking bed. After introducing me, Pearl then went into action, directing me in a firm but gentle way of what needed to be done. She would bathe the patient and change her bed while I was to clean the two room house as best I could. (Yes, Pearl had brought all the cleaning equipment we needed which we had unloaded from her car, including rubber gloves for both of us while we did our work). After a while of very hard work, we had our patient clean, settled into a clean bed, in a straightened up and much cleaner house. I found out that Pearl did this mission of mercy every week, and had lined up other women to help care for the patient on a rotating basis, so that she would have fresh food and visits from someone every day of the week. A task? Yes. But leading the way by example was Pearl, one who presided well and with dignity over the Woman’s Missionary Union Associational meeting, and could hold her own in almost any discussion or meeting. But she had a servant heart, the humility and love to help one of the very lowliest and neediest persons in our community. I remember with gratitude the example Mrs. Pearl set for me. She was living out the scripture, “He gives more grace.” She wanted no praise for the good deeds she did for the poor, sick woman in our community who needed help so badly. There was a need and Mrs. Pearl was willing to lead out in fulfilling that need. Her acts of compassion drew no attention to herself. She saw and acted upon needs. She exemplified humility in action. What can you do for others in the spirit of humility?

Invitation to Rest

“Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” -Matthew 11:28-30 (KJV).

Yesterday’s devotional urged the importance of memorizing scriptures. For the next several days, I will share with you verses I memorized along the way in my Christian journey, and some of the meaningful highlights the verses hold for me.

I will give the Scripture in the King James Version of the Bible, since most of the verses I’ve memorized, even recently, are in that lofty and sacred text. By way of information, I checked Rev. Robert J. Morgan’s list of 100 Bible Verses Everyone Should Know by Heart and these from Matthew 11 he did not cite. But I like them, perhaps because of my having grown up on a farm. The work we had to do was very hard with little time to rest from labors. I was attracted to Christ’s invitation to rest and the metaphor of the yoke, which was a familiar method of linking our farm mules to plows, wagon, or even to the lever that turned my father’s sorghum syrup mill for six weeks of very hard labor in the fall when he made syrup from our crop of cane and that of many other farmers in our vicinity. What an invitation: to be yoked with Christ the Lord in whatever work lay ahead for me in my life. It was an awesome and striking thought…and remains so until this day.

“Come unto Me…I will give you rest”: An invitation and a promise. Jesus recognizes our need for rest, that we are sometimes burdened, heavy-laden, maybe even over-worked and overstressed. He invites us to a time apart with Him. And refreshment, renewal and revitalization are the results. On the farm we knew not to unequally yoke work animals together in a task. We did not yoke a strong, large horse with a smaller, weaker mule, nor a mule with an oxen.

But how, then, can one such as I, with human frailties and failures, be yoked with Christ the Lord? Is not that “unequal” yoking? Yes, as we evaluate and interpret His majesty and power in comparison to our own inadequacy and imperfection. But the secret lies in coming to Him first. He has the power to make us joint heirs of all the Father has in store for each of us. “My yoke is easy, my burden is light” Jesus promises. A scholarly explanation of the “easy yoke” Christ puts upon us as we work with Him can be translated “a well-fitting yoke”—one that never chafes nor irritates but that fits us for the task at hand. Our association with Christ has all the benefits of a genuine, cooperative, productive work relationship. He yearns for what is best for ours and others’ good. Someone has aptly stated that God does not fear the future, for He is already there. And our partnership, yoked up with Jesus, is sure to produce desired results that will please the Father and bring glory to Him. Added benefits to us are the serenity and rest of soul, the genuine pleasure of tasks well done, and then rest and restoration, so that together, with Christ, we can be ready for His next assignment.