The Hope and The Calling

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. Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me. (Colossians 1:27-29)

The mystery once hidden but now revealed is this: Christ in us, the hope of glory. This reality should shake us to our core—not just comforting us, but transforming us. We are not just saved; we are co-heirs with Christ. And in that transformation, we don’t stay silent. We proclaim Him. We warn. We teach with all wisdom – not to boast in knowledge, but so that every person may be presented mature in Christ.

Discipleship flows from love, and it’s not optional. It’s a call that requires our surrender. It means giving up comfort, being willing to teach and be taught, to share what God has given and humbly receive from others. Jesus modeled this in His earthly ministry, and He commissioned us to follow in that way.

Paul said he toiled and struggled for this very reason—discipleship. But he didn’t do it in his own strength. He did it with the energy God powerfully worked in him. That’s what makes this holy striving different from striving in our flesh. It’s not about proving ourselves. It’s about obedience fueled by God’s Spirit, working in us to build up the body of Christ in love.

Discipleship is work, yes. But most importantly - discipleship is love in action. It’s the Church maturing together under the headship of Christ. And in every struggle to love, to teach, to grow, and to receive, we’re participating in the mystery: Christ in us, the hope of glory.