The Hope Of Glory Series

Sermon by: Dr. Todd Morris

Text: Colossians 1:27

Title: The Hope of Glory

Date: August 4, 2002

Introduction: Paul throughout his writings deals over and over with what he describes as mysteries. In Romans 11 he talks about the mystery of the times of the Gentiles. In Romans 16 he talks about the mystery of the age of grace.

In I Corinthians 16 he talks about the mystery of the coming rapture.

Yet here perhaps we find the greatest mystery of all, a mystery hidden from the Old Testament saints. The mystery of Christ living within believers as the “hope of glory.”

I want us tonight to look at this idea of Christ as the hope of glory. There are three choices when it comes to hope. Every person will fall into one of these categories.

I THERE ARE THOSE WITH FALSE HOPE (1 COR. 15:19)

A. False hope ultimately makes one miserable.

B. Some hope in money.

C. Some hope in intellect or abilities

D. Some hope in religious ceremonies or rituals

E. Some hope in good works.

F. Some hope in intellectual knowledge of Christ.

G. All these are false hopes.

II

A. To live without Christ is to die with no hope.

1. Hope is tested at death.

2. There is no comfort at death except the sure hope of heaven.

B. Believers do not sorrow as those who have no hope (I Thess. 4:13).

C. Comfort at death is only for believers.

D. Imagine facing eternity with no hope.

E. No wonder the lost die a fearful death.

III THERE ARE THOSE WITH THE HOPE OF GLORY (1:27)

A. “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

B. Not hoping for glory.

C. The word “hope” here is a Greek word that means “confidence.”

D. Those of us who know Christ have confidence of glory because we have been cleansed by His blood.

E. We have confidence because of His resurrection.

F. We are confident in a better place.

Conclusion: Invite the living Christ into your life. Don’t live without hope or with no hope, but choose the hope of glory tonight.