“Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the Word of God; even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to His saints: to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:25-27).
Hidden in the Old Testament era is the mystery of the church age where Gentile and Jewish believers are in one in Christ. What a glorious position into which we believers are called. It reminds of me of what the “Prince of preachers” Charles Haddon Spurgeon said. Spurgeon (1834-1892) was one of the most influential Baptist preachers in England during his lifetime. In 1854, before he was twenty years old, he was called to the New Park Street Chapel, which is a Baptist church in London. God worked in incredible ways and so many conversions took place, the congregation kept outgrowing their buildings. Finally, the 6,000 seat Metropolitan Chapel was built. Spurgeon’s sermons were powerful and direct intermingled with a precious sense of humor. On December 9, 1877 he preached Sermon #1388 and included these words: “Christ IN us the hope of glory. Christ FOR us our full redemption. Christ WITH us our guide, and our solace; and Christ ABOVE us pleading and preparing our place in Heaven. Jesus Christ Himself is our Captain, our armour, our strength and our victory. We inscribe His name upon our banner, for it is hell’s terror, heaven’s delight, and earth hope. We bear this upon our hearts in the heat of the conflict, for this is our breastplate and coat of mail.”
For today: Whatever you are facing today, if you know Christ as your Savior, He is in you which is the confidence of His glorious presence.