"Until Christ Is Formed In You”: Multiplying Jesus In Us And Through Us

“Until Christ Is Formed in You”: Multiplying Jesus in Us and Through Us

Text: Galatians 4:19; Colossians 3:1–17

After all we’ve experienced so far on this retreat, I thought it would be good for us to reflect on the multiplication of Christ—both within our own lives and within His people, the church.

Paul says, “My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you.”(Gal 4:19)

That’s not sentiment; that’s scar tissue. It’s a pastor’s vow: I will labour again—whatever it costs—until Jesus is actually formed in you.

And here’s the turn: if Christ is to be formed in our people, he must be multiplying in us first. Not just our sermons, not just our systems—us.

2) The ache of spiritual parenting

One of the hardest seasons of my life was when our kids stepped into adulthood. They made beautiful choices...and some that broke my heart. My love didn’t shrink, but my control did. That helplessness gives me a window into Paul’s metaphor.

I’ve never given birth, but I watched my wife labour—once very nearly at the cost of her life and our son’s. Childbirth is long, painful, and overwhelming. Paul uses that image on purpose.

Early Church father John Chrysostom hears the anguish; St. Augustine hears the vigilance against seduction by false gospels. Both agree: this is costly love. Pastors, you know the feeling—when a congregant you’ve poured into drifts, when bad teaching seduces a good heart, when weariness sets in.

Paul isn’t dramatic; he’s describing the cost of forming Christ in real people in a real world.

3) What’s being formed in me? Let’s turn the question on ourselves. If Christ is not being formed in me,

something else is. Our minds don’t idle in neutral.

Think about your thoughts this past week, then zoom out to the past month. What’s occupied your mental energy when the tasks fall quiet?

For some, it’s logistics—meals, budgets, the calendar. For others, it’s a low, believable hum of self-reproach: the replay reel of old mistakes, the inner critic with a good memory and a bad heart.

Paul’s antidote isn’t “think positive.” It’s reality: “Since you have been raised with Christ… set your hearts on things above… For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” (Col 3:1–3) You died.

Your truest life is tucked into Christ. Hidden doesn’t mean fragile; it means secure. So when condemnation narrates your week, you can say, “That’s not the truest story about me".

4) Shrinking souls vs. enlarged souls

Here’s the danger: without Christ filling the centre, our souls shrink to fit lesser treasures—approval, control, lust, comfort, platform. Little souls cling to little gods. But when Christ fills the centre, our souls expand—capacity for love, courage, forgiveness grows. “Christ in you, the hope of glory” isn’t decorative language; it’s how humans

actually flourish. [breathe]

5) God’s prescription for holy multiplication - Read together:

Colossians 3 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ

is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died,

2and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.4 When Christ, who is your[a] life, appears, then you also will

appear with him in glory.

5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality,impurity, lust, evil

desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.[b] 7 You used to walk

in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these:

anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have

taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in

knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised,

barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness,

humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a

grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love,

which binds them all together in perfect unity.

15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And

be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another

with all wisdom through psalms,hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your