“Being Thankful For Spiritual Benefits”
CD No._____ also Album
Time: 5/ 26/ 2010 - Wed. N.
Text: Colossians 1: 12-14 -www.coolspringsbaptist.org
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Introduction: Paul says in V.12a – Giving thanks unto the father-
Paul’s heart was full of gladness and gratitude for everything God was to him and all his benefits, which he had received in Christ.
Thanksgiving will always manifest itself in “thanks-living.”
Nehemiah 8:10 - Last phrase- for the joy of the Lord is your strength.
Now, we must remember that Paul was still praying in these verses.
He was giving thanks in his prayer. He was thanking God for all the Lord’s spiritual benefits and he mentions them in verse 12 through verse 14.
Our prayers should include PRAISE as well as PETITON.
Later on in Colossians 4:2 Paul said- Continue in prayer, and watch the same with thanksgiving.
What Paul was telling these believers at Colosse was that they needed to devote their selves in prayer and keep alert with an attitude of thanksgiving.
Let us notice this thanksgiving prayer.
I. The Remembrance Of The Past
A. The Course Of The Dark Life
V.13 – Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness-
Paul talks about being delivered from the power of darkness.
Darkness is the metaphor for evil.
Before A Christian gets saved they are walking in darkness.
The unregenerate man lives in a kingdom of darkness, a kingdom of spiritual gloom, because he lives under the power of Satan and Satan operates in ‘works of darkness.”
2 Corinthians 4:4 – In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not,( REASON), lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image, should shine unto us.
Of Course, Paul is talking about spiritual darkness.
Question: Why would any one want to walk in darkness?
Answer: John 3:19 – And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
Sinners had rather walk in darkness being led by Satan than to be led by Jesus “who is light” because they want to live a sinner’s life and live in sin. They LOVE SIN more than the SAVIOUR.
So, Paul was thanking God that he had been delivered from darkness. 1 Thessalonians 5:5 – Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day; we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
The Course Of The Dark Life
B. The Control Of The Dark Life-
V.13 – who hath delivered us from the power of darkness-
Notice the word power. Whose power is Paul talking about? He is talking about Satan’s power.
No, Satan does not have as much power as God, but Satan does have power; enough power to control and destroy a sinner’s life.
Paul knew something about Satan’s deception and power. Paul at one time was deceived by Satan and was led by Satan’s destructive power. Paul persecuted Christians and arrested Christians, which resulted in their death.
Paul knew what it was to be controlled by the Devil.
The DEMONIAC who Jesus cast demons out of could tell you something about the power and control of the Devil.
The Remembrance Of The Past
II. The Reflection Of The Present
A. The Rescue—delivered us- saved us
V. 13 – Who delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.
We not only could use the word deliver, we could use the word SAVED.
We also find the word translated in V.13. This word really means transfer. Transfer has reference to being moved from one place to another. We were transferred from Satan’s kingdom to the kingdom of God.
When the Lord delivered us, he saved us from the power and grip of Satan.
We have been delivered and then transferred into the kingdom of his dear Son.
We CAN THANK GOD:
That We Have Been Rescued . . From Something
13a. “For hath delivered us from the power of darkness”
OR – for he rescued us from the domain of darkness”
WE CAN THANK GOD:
That We Have Been Rescued . . For Something
13b - …..and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.
OR- and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved son.”
True believers have been delivered and transferred from darkness to light, from slavery to freedom, from guilt to forgiveness, and from the power of Satan to the power of God.
Through Jesus Christ man is liberated from the grip of Satan and is able to become a citizen of the Kingdom of God, and God gives the sinner His power to live in that Kingdom.
Thank God that we have been RESCUED.
The Rescue – delivered us-saved us-
B. The Redemption—V.14 – to buy back
Redemption is a great blessing to the child of God, and Paul was grateful that he had been redeemed.
1. The Price----blood
V. 14 –In whom we have redemption through his blood-
Our redemption came about through the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. He gave His life as a ransom for sin.
Revelation 5:9 –And they sung a new song, saying, thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hath redeemed us to God by thy blood-
Mark 10:45 – For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
1 Peter 1:18 – Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 –But with the precious blood of Christ, as a lamb without blemish and without spot.
2. The Pardon---forgiveness
Forgiveness is a great blessing and Paul was glad that he had been forgiven and his guilt was gone and his burden had been lifted. Paul tells us how he was forgiven.
V.14 – In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
Hebrews 9:22b – and without the shedding of blood is no remission.( forgiveness)
Thank God our sins were forgiven by the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The word FORGIVENESS means “removal” or “sending away.”
When our sins were forgiven they were removed. Ps. 118:12 –As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions.
Micah 7: 19 – 2nd phrase- and thou will cast their sins into the depth of the sea.
Hebrews 10: 17 – And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
Paul was thankful for God removing and sending his sins away because Paul had many sins in his life; now that God removed them he felt clean on the inside.
The Remembrance Of The Past
The Reflection Of The Present
III. The Result Of The Partaking
Now Paul tells us that he was grateful for being a partaker
of the inheritance in Jesus Christ. So should we!!!
A. Paul Mentions The Result Of The Partaking---our inheritance
V. 12 – Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.
Notice the particular words, “INHERITANCE” and the inheritance of the saints in,” LIGHT.”
Now, we know that Jesus is light and His word is light, but this is talking about the future, which is referring to heaven.
HEAVEN is a place of LIGHT. In Revelation 21 we learn that there is no need of sun or stars there- the Lamb is the light of the city. The radiance of Him will furnish the light of the city where the saints will live for eternity.
Other Reference Verses: Romans 8: 17 – And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ-
Acts 26:18 - To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me-
1 Peter 1: 3 – Blessed be the God and Father of or Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 4 – To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you.
Praise the Lord, this is something to thank God for and be grateful.
I want to mention three things about being partakers of our inheritance in heaven.
1. Out Inheritance Is A Place That Will Not Deteriorate
Peter says- To an inheritance incorruptible
2. Our Inheritance Is A Place That Will Not Be Defiled
Peter says- To an inheritance incorruptible & undefiled-
A true born again Christian does not feel comfortable in this sin cursed world.
Revelation 21: 7a & 8 – He that overcometh shall inherit all things…..but the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone.
3. Our Inheritance Is A Place That Will Not Disappear
Peter says- To an inheritance, incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away.
Friend, you won’t have to worry about your inheritance vanishing, or disappearing.
Illustration: etc. on man who inherited a beautiful home in another state only to find it laying in ashes from where it had burned between the transition period of having the will and deed transferred over into his name.
Christian friend, we don’t have to worry about that!
Paul Mentions The Result From The Partaking……of our inheritance
B. Paul Mentions The Reason For The Partaking
V.12 – Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers-
The word meet means fit or qualified.
You see, in order to have an inheritance with the saints, one must be meet or qualified.
How does a sinner become qualified to receive the inheritance of the saints?
The Fitness (qualifying) Of the Saints Inheritance
Comes About From
The Forgiveness of The Sinners Iniquity.
The sinner is forgiven when they trust in Jesus Christ who shed His blood in order to redeem man back to God.
Conclusion:
“ Being Thankful For Spiritual Benefits”
Summary: Paul lists 5 benefits God gives all believers through Christ.
1. He made us qualified to share in his inheritance.
2. He rescued us from Satan’s dominion of darkness and made us his children.
3. He brought us into his eternal kingdom
4. He redeemed us-bought our freedom from sin and judgment by His shed blood.
5. He forgave us for all our sins.
We ought to thank God for what we have received in Jesus Christ.
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