The Gospel Mystery

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Colossians 1:27

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 gospel is the grand secret. To the mass of mankind it was utterly unknown, and the chosen people only perceived dimly through the smoke of sacrifices anal the veil of types. It must ever have been a mystery out for revelation, and must be so still unless Christ comes to dwell within. Then all is clear.

I. THE ESSENCE OF THIS MYSTERY IS CHRIST. It is uncertain what is the antecedent to "which" — "mystery," "riches," or "glory." If it be mystery, then Christ is "the mystery of godliness"; if glory, Christ is the brightness of His Father's glory; if riches, there are "the unsearchable riches of Christ." The essence of this mystery is —

1. Christ Himself: God-Man, in which connection we must remember the glorious work He undertook and finished on our behalf; and (2) His offices, prophet, priest, king, friend, brother, head, dec. Whatever Christ is His people are in Him: crucified, dead, risen in Him; in Him we live eternally, and sit in heavenly places. This is the essence of the whole gospel, He who does not preach Christ preaches no gospel. There is no more possibility of a gospel without Christ than a day without the sun or a river without water.

2. Christ Himself and no other. Never be put off with books or conversations. Nothing short of reaching and touching Christ will serve your turn.

3. Christ Himself rather than anything which Christ gives. How different He is from all our other friends and helpers. They bring good things, but Jesus gives us Himself. He does not merely give us wisdom, righteousness, etc., He Himself is made of God all these things to us. When you are ill you are glad to see the doctor, but when you are well you want to get rid of him; but you can never do without Christ. When cured we want to see Jesus more than ever.

4. Christ alone is enough. Some hold a candle to the sun by preaching Christ and man's philosophy or priestcraft.

II. THE SWEETNESS OF THIS MYSTERY WHICH IS CHRIST IN YOU. This is a grand advance. Christ in heaven, Christ free to poor sinners is precious, but Christ in the heart is most precious of all. A loaf is a good thing, but if we could not get it within us we should die of starvation. A medicine may be a noble cure, but if kept in the phial would do us no good. Christ in you is —

1. Christ accepted by faith. It is a wonderful thing that Christ should enter a man, but still more wonderful that He should enter by so narrow an opening as our little faith. There is the sun, yet it can come through the narrowest chink; but we should pull up the blinds, and let him shine in in all his glory. Grow in faith, then, and take in Christ more fully.

2. Christ possessed. Nothing is so much a man's own as that which is within him. Men may question whether an acre or a house is yours, but not yesterday's meal.

3. Christ experienced. There may be a valuable medicine, but it is of no efficacy to a man until it is within him. When it commences to purify and strengthen, he knows it without the testimony of others. When Christ is in you curing your sin, and filling your soul with love to holiness, then will you know the Lord.

4. Christ reigning.

5. Christ filling.

6. Christ transfiguring. You thrust a bar of iron into the fire, and keep it there till the fire enters it, it is then like fire itself. "I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me."

III. THE OUTLOOK OF ALL THIS IS CHRIST IN YOU THE HOPE OF GLORY.

1. Glory. Surely that belongs to God only. Yes, but Christ says, "The glory Thou hast given Me I have given them."

2. How do we know that we are to have glory?

(1) Christ makes us glorious now by His coming, which is a pledge of future glory.

(2) Christ has entered into covenant with God to bring His people home to glory.

(3) The Christ who has come to live with us will never leave us till we are glorified.

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