Day 33: Revealing the Hope of Glory
Colossians 1:26–27
In his letter to the Colossians, Paul uses a particular word—“mystery”—to describe the gift of the Holy Spirit to all who would repent and believe. This mystery spoken of by Paul is “Christ in you”—the indwelling of His Holy Spirit. This gift of the Holy Spirit given to us today was a mystery to those of the Old Testament—but now, living after the Resurrection of Christ and in the light of the promise of His return, we have the Holy Spirit, who is for us constant companionship (see John 14:16–17), a seal for the day of redemption (see Eph. 4:30), the guarantee of our complete sanctification through Christ (see Phil. 1:6), and “glorious riches” according to Paul in these verses.
Not only is Christ in us a blessed mystery, but to have Him is to possess glorious riches. The gift, the seal, the promise of the Holy Spirit is of surpassing value, incomparable to the wealth, fortune, and luxury of this world. For to gain Christ—to obtain more and more and more of God—is our greatest good. Glory unto Him is the end goal of this indwelling of His Spirit because it instills in us ultimate hope. Because to have Him is to have the most glorious thing; to have His love is to know the most glorious love; to see Him is to see the most glorious beauty; to possess His Spirit is to know what it is to be gloriously rich.
Reflection Prayer
Glorious God, thank You for building Your home in us, Your living temple, and that by doing so, You also build in us the hope of glory. This glory does not only ascribe to You the praise and adoration You deserve, but it places us in goodness, gazing upon Your glorious beauty and power forever. Glorify Yourself in and through our lives, dear Lord, and fill us daily with a greater and greater desire and surrender to be given up to You as our only hope and joy. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Week 5: Christ and His Mission
Matthew 28:19-20
As we focus on the life of Christ, this week’s theme is Christ and His Mission. The primary mission of Jesus was to save humankind from sin and eternal condemnation by offering Himself as the atoning sacrifice. As part of His mission, He extended His sacrifice to include reconciliation, drawing people back to the Father, transforming them into the likeness of His Son and revealing the hope of glory. A significant aspect of His mission is that He invites His disciples and believers to partner with Him in carrying out His work in the world, providing opportunities for unreached individuals to hear the good news. Jesus, our King and Leader of His mission, sends people to mobilize, proclaim, and live out the gospel worldwide. We are grateful that God has given The Christian and Missionary Alliance the desire and passion to send workers across the globe to spread the gospel to many unreached people groups.
Reflection Questions
Do you actively share the gospel? How often do you feel the urge to share?
What is your biggest challenge in sharing the gospel?
How will you overcome the barriers to sharing the gospel?