December 7th
Ninth Day of Advent
I became its servant according to God’s commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery that has been hidden throughout the ages and generations but has now been revealed to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope and glory.
Colossians 1:25-27
Paul continues to describe himself as a servant of the gospel, a disciple making disciples. He beautifully and uniquely describes his specific calling… to make the word of God fully known. Notice the word mystery appears two times in these passages.
The Word of God fully known, the mystery that has been hidden through the ages….
This mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope and glory.
These passages define the mystery as the Word of God and Christ in you. This language reaches back to the beginning of creation, echoing Colossians 1:15-20, the beautiful Christological poem describing our Creator, Sustainer, a Savior.
All things have been created through and for Him.
He is before all things.
In Him all things hold together.
He is the head of the body.
He is the beginning, the alpha.
He is the first born from the dead.
In Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell.
In Him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things.
These passages also remind us of the coming baby. The Word that became flesh and lived among us. The Word, Jesus Christ, the mystery, once hidden, but now fully revealed. And we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)
We wait to behold the humble glory to come. The glory willing to shed the heavens for a stable. We wait. We ponder. We linger on the sheer wonder. Grace and truth coming in the form of a baby. Our Creator, Sustainer, and Savior.
Paul beheld the glory of the Savior and his life was transformed. He became a disciple making disciples. What about us? Are we disciples making disciples? This humble glory transforms lives. Like Paul, let us allow Jesus to remake us, to make us disciples making disciples… to make the word of God fully known.
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