1) Back into the book of Colossians we go, starting at chapter one, verse 5, where Paul shares a formula that’s already been mentioned in First Corinthians 13, roughly about eight years earlier. You know it well. It has to do with faith, hope, and love. He just gives a little more specificity to how to use these three principles. It turns out that hope is the launching pad.

2) Theologically, Paul also makes it clear that our real hope lies in heaven. While there is a lot of talk about hope being connected to various stages of the Lord's return and understanding that when He does return, we will never be out of His presence again, the true biblical first-century hope is spending eternity with God in a new heavens and a new Earth.

3) He goes on to teach that the word of truth is the gospel itself, and that this gospel is bearing fruit all over the world as it spreads from one person to the next. However, Paul shows us through the Holy Spirit that it also continues to bear fruit in us. The gospel is not just received once; it is received and continually applied, thereby continually growing within us.

4) He closes this section by mentioning that there is a day in which we heard the gospel, or a moment in which we heard it, and that gospel proceeds to move in us step by step. But when we reach a more mature level is when we truly understand the grace of God that brought the gospel about. In simpler terms, we grow up in Christ when we truly understand grace. That is why we are supposed to “grow in Grace.” I fear for myself and others, that we lack understanding. God, please give us more insight into what Your grace is all about.