from Gary Hamrick
... Senior Pastor of Cornerstone Chapel
for
Christ in You
... Christ within us is the sure foundation of our present strength and our future hope.
Colossians 1:27 (NIV) ⓘ ↗To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Devotion:
Today’s Scripture reveals a remarkable truth about the Christian life: Christ does not merely save us from a distance, He dwells within those who belong to Him.
Paul describes this truth as a mystery that had been hidden for generations but was now revealed. In Scripture, a mystery is not something impossible to understand. It is a truth once concealed in God’s purposes and later made known by His revelation. And the truth Paul announces is this: Christ in you, the hope of glory.
The Christian life is therefore more than adopting biblical principles or trying to imitate the example of Jesus through human determination. When a person trusts in Christ, the Holy Spirit takes up residence within that believer. We belong to Christ, and His presence changes the very foundation from which we live.
This also explains why Christian growth cannot be accomplished merely through willpower. Paul later speaks of laboring with the energy God powerfully worked within him (Colossians 1:29 ↗).
Paul worked diligently, but he understood the source of his strength. His ministry was not sustained by natural ability alone. God was at work within him.
The same principle applies to us. We are called to obey, serve, resist sin, pursue holiness, and remain faithful. Yet we do these things depending upon God’s power rather than trusting our own strength. Biblical dependence is not passivity. It is faithful obedience that recognizes our sufficiency comes from Christ.
And because Christ is in us, we have the hope of glory. Our hope is not based upon our ability to hold everything together. It rests upon the One who has saved us, indwells us, and will ultimately bring His people into His presence.
The Christian’s confidence is not found in the strength of self, but in the faithful presence of Christ within.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You for Your presence in my life through Your Spirit. Teach me to depend upon Your strength as I obey You, serve You, and pursue holiness. Amen.
Related Sermon:
Digging Deeper:
- Galatians 2:20 ↗ - Christ Lives in Me - Christ lives in the believer, transforming how we live.
- Colossians 1:29 ↗ - God supplies the power to accomplish the work He calls us to.
- John 14:16-17 ↗ - Jesus promises the Holy Spirit, who dwells with and within believers.
- Romans 8:9-11 ↗ - The Spirit of God dwells in believers and gives life through Christ.
- Philippians 4:13 ↗ - Christ provides the strength needed to live faithfully.
- 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 ↗ - God’s power is displayed most clearly when we recognize our weakness.
- Romans 8:18-23 ↗ - Present struggles point toward the future glory awaiting God’s people.