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We can turn in your Bibles to 
the book of Colossians, Colossians chapter 1. Colossians 1 for our meditation 
prior to participating in the supper. Our focus will be on 
verses 12 to 20, but I do want to begin reading in verse 9. 
Colossians 1, beginning in verse 9, For this reason we also, since 
the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that 
you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and 
spiritual understanding, that you may walk worthy of the Lord, 
fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing 
in the knowledge of God. strengthened with all might according 
to His glorious power, for all patience and long-suffering with 
joy, giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers 
of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered 
us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom 
of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His 
blood, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible 
God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created 
that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, 
whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. 
All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before 
all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of 
the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn 
from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. 
For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should 
dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, 
whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace 
through the blood of His cross. And you, who once were alienated, 
enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 
in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and 
blameless and above reproach in His sight, if indeed you continue 
in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the 
hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to 
every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister. Amen. Well, let us pray. Father, 
thank you very much for the Word of God. Thank you for these epistles 
of the Apostle Paul to the churches, and thank you for their lasting 
benefit for the churches today. We know, God, it's not simply 
the work of the Apostle, but it's from the Holy Spirit, and 
we give praise to you for your Word. We give praise for its 
authority. We give praise, Lord God, for 
its beauty and its instruction. And God, help us now by Your 
Holy Spirit to receive it. Help us to act upon it. Help 
us, Lord God, to glorify You in our Christian lives. For we 
know that You've done great things for us. We know that You have 
blessed us richly. We know that You have conveyed 
all these things upon us. And God, help us to respond in 
kind as a people that are thankful, as a people that are worshipful, 
as a people that bring glory and honor unto You. And we ask 
this through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. Well, here specifically 
in verses 9 to 14, the Apostle Paul indicates how he prays for 
the church in Colossae. He gives them sort of a view 
into his closet on their behalf. I just want to give us the structure 
of his prayer. I don't think it's necessary 
for us to pray in a structured sort of a way. But this word 
has been given by the Holy Spirit. It is indeed the prayer life 
of the Apostle Paul. And there is a particular structure 
that we ought to notice because our focus is going to be on something. 
Our focus is specifically on verses 12 and following. But 
in terms of the occasion of his prayer, notice in verse 9, he 
says, for this reason, we also, since the day we heard it, do 
not cease to pray for you. And that is what he has already 
said in verse 7. He says in verse 7, as you also 
learned from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful 
minister of Christ on your behalf, who also declared to us your 
love in the Spirit. So when Paul hears that the people 
of Colossae love the Apostle Paul and love the men of God, 
and they do so in the Spirit, as Paul hears that there is fruit 
in Colossae, he starts this prayer for them. He always prays. That's the constancy involved. 
He says, we do not cease to pray for you. And then notice the 
specific petition for the people in the church in Colossae. Verse 
9, he says, we do not cease to pray for you. And then at the 
end he says, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge 
of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. So the 
Apostle certainly knows that there are problems in the people 
or in the churches of the people of God. There are physical trials 
and physical challenges and afflictions, and there's nothing to suggest 
we shouldn't pray for that. But the Apostle Paul indicates 
that spiritual things, those internal things, those eternal 
verities are what occupies him at the throne of grace. We ask 
that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all 
wisdom and spiritual understanding. That is crucial for the people 
of God. to know the will of God so that 
they may indeed conduct themselves therein. He then highlights what 
the purpose for this is. Notice in verse 10, he says, 
we pray this so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully 
pleasing Him. So Paul, at the throne of grace, 
wants the people in Colossae to walk worthy of the Lord, fully 
pleasing Him. This would be a great prayer 
for all of us to pray for the people of God in this local church, 
that we would know the will of God, that we may walk worthy 
of the Lord, fully pleasing Him in all things. Yes, we pray for 
the physical challenges. Yes, we pray for job loss. Yes, 
we pray for calamity. But we also pray for the spiritual 
ends that the people of God with whom we commune are walking worthy 
of the Lord, fully pleasing God. Now, the apostle fleshes out 
for us in four particular statements that are grammatically called 
participles what this worthy walk looks like. In other words, 
he doesn't leave us to guess, he doesn't leave us to wonder, 
he doesn't leave us to try and figure out what a worthy walk 
before God is. He sketches it out with reference 
to these verses. Notice, he says that you may 
walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, and now he describes 
this worthy walk using four participles. In the first place, that they 
would be fruitful in every good work. being fruitful in every 
good work. In other words, the people of 
God are supposed to be zealous for good works. We're not saved 
by good works, but we're saved unto good works. He calls us 
out of darkness into marvelous light. He gives us grace of the 
graces of faith and repentance so that we can close with Jesus 
Christ. And then he calls us to live in a way that is pleasing 
in his sight. We are to bear good fruit. The 
Lord Christ highlights this in John 15. We are to bear good 
fruit. That ought to be the purpose 
of the people of God in this worthy walk. Notice, secondly, 
he says that they would increase in the knowledge of God. So they're 
being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge 
of God. Again, this isn't esoteric. This 
isn't by osmosis. This is by Bible study. This 
is by attending the means of grace. This is by being where 
preaching is. This means listening to sermon 
audio, listening to your Bible read, listening to yourself read 
scripture. We are to be increasing in the 
knowledge of God. That's not a suggestion, that's 
part of a worthy walk, fully pleasing Him. Jesus prayed in 
John 17, "'Sanctify them by thy truth, thy word is truth.'" Jesus 
defined, He gave us the very essence of eternal life in John 
17 3. This is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only 
true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent. So if eternal 
life in the age to come is more knowledge of God, and we possess 
eternal life in the here and now, we ought to be increasing 
in the knowledge of God. Peter signs off his second epistle 
in this way, but grow in the grace and in the knowledge of 
our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. This isn't, again, a suggestion. Each and every person here should 
be increasing in the knowledge of God. Just like we're being 
fruitful in every good work, we ought to be increasing in 
the knowledge of God. John Calvin says here, he says, 
what is said, or what is here said to the Colossians, let all 
believers take as said to themselves and draw from this a common exhortation 
that we must always make progress in the doctrine of piety until 
death. Now, this ought not to be a chore. 
This ought not to be something that people go, oh no, I can't 
believe Pastor Butler says I ought to read my Bible. I ought to 
attend church. This is a means by which we flesh 
out the reality of a faithful walker, a walk worthy of the 
Lord fully pleasing him, bearing fruit and increasing in the knowledge 
of God. Notice thirdly, he says that 
they would be strengthened with all might according to his glorious 
power. He says in verse 11, "...strengthened 
with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience 
and longsuffering with joy." He gives a specific reason why 
He wants us to be strengthened with all might, according to 
God's glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with 
joy. In other words, there are difficulties 
in the Christian life. There are afflictions in the 
Christian life. There are hardships in the Christian 
life. And the Christian who faces those isn't supposed to fall 
apart. The Christian who faces those 
isn't supposed to come unglued. I mean, maybe for a time, maybe 
for a moment, maybe for a few minutes, you have that moment, 
but you get up, you brush yourself off, and then you seek by the 
grace of God to face the various things that God has for you to 
further conform you unto the image of His beloved Son. If 
God's plan for us is conformity to Jesus Christ, and if, with 
reference to Jesus Christ, He was a Son who learned obedience 
through suffering, then I think it's a necessary inference that 
we too will learn obedience through suffering. And so Paul wants 
the people of God in Colossae in terms of fleshing out this 
walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, that they would 
be strengthened with all might according to His glorious power 
for all patience and longsuffering with joy. And then notice, the 
fourth, and this is where we're going to camp for the rest of 
our sermon, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified 
us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints and the light. 
He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed 
us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have 
redemption through His blood. the forgiveness of sins. Hopefully, 
you see the structure. He prays for them. He prays constantly 
for them. And the specifics with reference 
to His prayer is that they may walk worthy of the Lord, fully 
pleasing Him. That walking worthy of the Lord, 
fully pleasing Him, looks like this. It means being fruitful 
in every good work. It means increasing in the knowledge 
of God. It means being strengthened with all might according to His 
glorious power. And it means giving thanks to God the Father. In other words, Christian people, 
the people who are blood-bought, the people who know their God 
redemptively through Jesus Christ are a people that are full of 
gratitude. They express that gratitude through 
psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. They express that gratitude 
in prayer. They express that gratitude toward 
their fellows. They express that gratitude in 
all of their lives because God has saved them and God is worthy. You know the structure of the 
Heidelberg Catechism. You have guilt, grace, gratitude. God shows us our guilt via the 
law. He delivers us via His gracious 
purposes in Jesus Christ. And once that occurs, we respond 
in gratitude to the living and the true God. So the apostle 
emphasizes that a worthy walk before the Lord is going to be 
a walk characterized by gratitude. Notice just that theme in the 
book of Colossians. Look at chapter one, verse three. We give thanks to the God and 
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you. We obviously have it here in 
verse 12, giving thanks to the Father. And then we see it in 
chapter two at verse seven. Chapter 2, verse 6, he says, 
As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk 
in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, 
as you have been taught, abounding in it with what? With thanksgiving. Notice in chapter 3, verse 15. Chapter 3, verse 15, And let 
the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were 
called in one body, and be thankful. You see a theme with the apostle. 
317, and whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of 
the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Notice in chapter 4, verse 2, 
continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving. This is a recurring and repetitive 
theme in the book of Colossians, and the idea is simple. Those 
saved by grace are going to be a people that express gratitude 
toward their God. And in this expression of gratitude, 
or when we give thanks to God, do you know what it does? It 
highlights God's grace. When we're thanking God, we're 
not congratulating ourselves. When we're thanking God, we're 
not patting ourselves on the back. When we're thanking God, 
we're acknowledging the origin and source of our so great a 
salvation. When we are expressing gratitude 
toward God, this is a recognition of the grace-based reality of 
salvation. It is boastful, it is pride, 
it is arrogant to not thank God, to somehow think that we did 
it on our own, to somehow think that I made a decision, I signed 
a card, I came forward, I raised my hand, I had the better option 
or the better choice with reference to my fellows. No, we are to 
express gratitude to God for what we have. If anybody muses 
for a millisecond upon how they are now currently in a state 
of God's favor, you have to result in gratitude toward God. You're 
not saved because of you. You're not saved because of your 
works. You're not saved because you're 
awesome. You're saved because God is awesome, 
and this expression of thankfulness and gratitude shines the spotlight 
on that reality. So grace is best seen through 
the lens of gratitude. Now, notice the apostle doesn't 
leave us there, Colossians chapter 1. He not only tells us to give 
thanks to the Father, but he gives us two particular reasons 
why we should give thanks to the Father. The first one is 
inheritance, and the second is deliverance. Now, he sort of 
amplifies or develops deliverance in a few particulars, but let's 
look first at this reality of inheritance. In other words, 
we're giving thanks to God the Father. Why? Because of an inheritance 
that God the Father has given to us. It's a blessed thing. 
Notice what Paul says there in verse 12. Giving thanks to the 
Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance 
of the saints in the light. Well, how does he qualify us? 
It's by grace. Notice that he qualifies us. We didn't qualify ourselves. 
We didn't put ourselves in a state of having received this inheritance. 
This comes as a result of God. You see it in Ephesians. Go back 
for just a moment to Ephesians chapter one. Ephesians chapter 
one, a very similar epistle to Colossians in terms of subject 
matter. And in Colossians, I'm sorry, 
Ephesians chapter one, notice in verse three, blessed be the 
God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with 
every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just 
as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, 
that we should be holy and without blame before him. in love, having 
predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, 
according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of 
the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. 
And then notice in verse 11, in Him also we have obtained 
an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him, 
who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that 
we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His 
glory. The idea is that it's God who has qualified us. It 
is God through sovereign grace. It is God in election. It is 
God in predestination. It is God having made us fit 
for these things. So back in Colossians 1, verse 
12, giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers 
of the inheritance of the saints in the light. This is something 
we ought to ponder and something we ought to express thankfulness 
to God for. You know, there's that children's 
song. It says, this train is bound 
for glory. And then if you're kind of a goofy parent, you do 
the, you know, choo-choo thing with your kid. That's reality. This train is bound for glory. 
The people of God have inherited every spiritual blessing in the 
heavenly places in Christ. Currently, presently, we own 
them. But it's not yet been revealed 
what is our portion. And brethren, we ought to realize 
that in one sense, Joel Osteen is right. Now, before everybody 
faints, let me qualify this. Joel Osteen says we want our 
best life. The problem with Joel Osteen 
is that he wants it now. Our best life isn't till then. 
Our best life isn't till the eschaton. Our best life isn't 
till the consummated glory. Our best life isn't until Jesus 
delivers up the kingdom to the Father and God is all in all. That's the inheritance emphasized 
by the Apostle Paul. Because quite frankly, in this 
present world, it's not always the case that we are enjoying 
the fullness of God's kingdom. We are possessors of it. We are 
citizens of it. But nevertheless, we still deal 
among foreign power. We still have truck with enemy 
power. And those enemies can make our 
lives somewhat miserable. And so, Osteen is right in terms 
of a best life, but he's wrong in terms of the timing of it. 
Your best life is in the future. Your best life is when the Lord 
Christ consummates the kingdom. Your best life is coming. And Paul says, we need to ponder 
that, we need to consider that, and as a result, we need to express 
gratitude and thanks to God. Now, that doesn't mean our present 
possession of the kingdom of God is miserable in this world. It doesn't mean that we can't 
enjoy the things of God, that when we sing praises to God in 
the corporate place, when we rally around the word of God 
and we pray to God, doesn't mean there isn't blessing and benefit 
and encouragement for the people of God. But the inheritance that 
God has for his people is ultimately in our future. And we need to 
ponder that. We need to meditate upon that. 
And as a result, we need to express thankfulness and gratitude toward 
God. Read the book of Revelation, 
specifically chapters 21 and 22, very often. You want encouragement 
about your future? I'm not talking about your future 
schooling, your future homeowning, your future job, whatever. Think 
about your future when you enter into Emmanuel's land. When you 
enter into that place where there's no more sin, there's no more 
sorrow, there's no more hunger, there's no more pain, there's 
no more death. You see, that is your best life. That is what you have in your 
future. And that is why you ought to 
express gratitude to the living and true God. So he says we are 
to give thanks for inheritance. And secondly, we are to give 
thanks for deliverance. And he amplifies that in verses 
13 and 14. Notice. After highlighting what 
we inherit, he says in verse 13, He has delivered us from 
the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son 
of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, 
the forgiveness of sins. So, three sort of sub-points 
here with reference to deliverance. There is first this deliverance 
from darkness. He has qualified us to be partakers 
of the inheritance of the saints in the light. And the way that 
He has qualified us to be partakers of the saints in the light is 
by having brought us out of the darkness, having brought us out 
of misery, having brought us out of sin. I think there are 
a few passages probably behind the apostle in this particular 
statement. Turn to Exodus chapter 6 for 
just a moment. Exodus chapter 6, at least conceptually, 
this is what would happen, or this is what did happen in terms 
of Israel's redemption from Egypt. Exodus chapter 6, verses 6 to 
8. So you see, Paul is saying we 
are to express gratitude or thanks to God. We do so because we have 
an inheritance laid up for us, and we do so because we've been 
delivered from spiritual darkness. This parallels what happens in 
Egypt. Notice in Exodus 6, 6, Therefore 
say to the children of Israel, I am Yahweh. I will bring you 
out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. I will rescue 
you from their bondage and I will redeem you with an outstretched 
arm and with great judgments. I will take you as my people 
and I will be your God. then you shall know that I am 
the Lord your God who brings you out from under the burdens 
of the Egyptians, and I will bring you into the land which 
I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and I will give it 
to you as a heritage. I am the Lord." You know how 
often the exodus comes up in the Psalter as a reason to express 
thankfulness and praise unto God. In other words, that great 
redemptive act wherein God brings them out of the spiritual darkness 
of Egypt serves as a reason for the people of God as they march 
to and participate in worship in Zion to praise Him. For what the Lord has accomplished, 
we will express our gratitude and our thankfulness to the living 
and true God. Turn over to Luke's Gospel, Luke 
chapter 22. Luke 22, just to see some New 
Testament illustration of what the apostle is highlighting in 
terms of this deliverance from darkness. Luke 22. Notice in verse 52, this is after 
the arrest in Gethsemane. Verse 52, then Jesus said to 
the chief priests, captains of the temple, and the elders who 
had come to him, have you come out as against a robber with 
swords and clubs? When I was with you daily in 
the temple, you did not try to seize me, but this is your hour 
and the power of darkness. Notice in Acts chapter 26. Acts 
chapter 26, this darkness, this spiritual darkness, it enveloped 
Christ with reference to the passion. As well, it envelops 
his people with reference to sin and Satan and the world itself. And notice specifically in Acts 
26, Paul recounting, rehearsing his conversion to Agrippa. And in 26.12, While thus occupied 
as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from 
the chief priests, at midday, O King, along the road I saw 
a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around 
me and those who journeyed with me. And when we all had fallen 
to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in 
the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It 
is hard for you to kick against the goats. So I said, Who are 
you, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom 
you are persecuting. But rise and stand on your feet, 
for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister 
and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the 
things which I will yet reveal to you. I will deliver you from 
the Jewish people as well as from the Gentiles to whom I now 
send you. to open their eyes in order to 
turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to 
God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among 
those who are sanctified by faith in me. And then one final passage, 
1 Peter 2. 1 Peter 2, this whole idea that 
God has delivered us from darkness. Why do we thank Him? Because 
we have an inheritance laid up for us. in the Eschaton. Why do we thank God? Because 
He's delivered us from darkness. He's qualified us for this inheritance 
of the saints and the light. And in order to bring us into 
that place of light, He had to have first delivered us from 
that place of darkness. Notice in 1 Peter 2 at verse 
9. But you are a chosen generation, 
a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people. that 
you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of 
darkness into His marvelous light, who once were not a people, but 
are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy, but now 
have obtained mercy." You see, Peter's emphasis is the same 
here. When God delivers you from the darkness, when God delivers 
you from that spiritual decay, the legitimate response is thankfulness. Do we ever just get on our knees 
and thank God that He's delivered us? That thank God we're no longer 
in the darkness? I mean, we're not what we ought 
to be. We're not what we're gonna be, 
but we're certainly not what we once were. Credit to John 
Newton on that. That's what he said. Do we ever 
muse on this? I mean, you know, I think all 
of us on our knees at the throne of grace can lament the reality 
that we're not what we ought to be. lament the reality that 
we don't live according to the light that we have. You know, 
when we sing 400, there's a particular reason why. We ought never to 
forget what that brother says. We are prone to wander and prone 
to leave the God that we love. But brethren, do we ever muse 
and think and stop and ponder what Newton says? I'm not what 
I was. I have been delivered. I have 
been moved from that state of darkness into his marvelous light. And notice what Peter says. He 
says, in order to praise or proclaim the praises of of Him who called 
you out of darkness into His marvelous light." In other words, 
thankfulness, gratitude, proclaim His praises, those are all concepts 
that are consistent with the deliverance of the people of 
God from that darkness and into His marvelous light. Well, as 
Paul continues to amplify, he says in verse 13, he has delivered 
us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom 
of the son of his love. There has been this transfer 
of kingdoms. We have gone from the kingdom 
of darkness into the kingdom of the son of his love. It's 
how we know that the kingdom is now. That it's not only then, 
but it is now. There is a kingdom of the Son 
of His love, and we are participants in it by His grace. In Revelation 
chapter 1, the Apostle John stresses or highlights or indicates one 
thing that will hopefully serve to comfort the readers in the 
rest of the book of Revelation. He calls Jesus the ruler over 
the kings of the earth. Now, when you read Revelation, 
it's about kingship, it's about his throne, it's about his dominion, 
it's about his victory. But on the earth, there are beastly 
characters. On the earth, there is persecution 
of the people of God. What a great way to sort of stabilize 
and provide security for their hearts in order to fortify them 
for the fight ahead, but by reminding them that Jesus Christ is the 
ruler over the kings of the earth. That is a great encouragement. I think in light of our modern 
political scene, I don't know how anybody can face what's happening 
without faith in the Savior. It would be a despairing life, 
wouldn't it, to think that these madmen are living according to 
their own prerogatives? I like to know that God is in 
control of the madman. I like to know that God has the 
madman on a leash. I like to know that God does 
have the heart of the king in his hand, vis-a-vis Solomon in 
the book of Proverbs, and he turns it like the rivers of water 
turn. The Lord Most High is sovereign. 
He has transferred us from this kingdom of darkness into the 
kingdom of the Son of His love, and this is what Paul is celebrating, 
highlighting, so that we will respond with thankfulness to 
our God. John Eady says, plainly that 
kingdom which has Christ for its head and founder, which is 
partially developed on earth and shall be finally perfected 
in heaven. He goes on to say, the word used 
here by Paul was often used to signify deportation of a body 
of men or the removal of them to form a colony. In other words, 
God deported us, God transferred us, God conveyed us from one 
kingdom into the kingdom of the Son of His love. Christ at the 
cross dealt the death blow to the devil, thus freeing his people 
from that bondage. Another commentator says the 
imagery of verses 12 and 13 suggests that believers have been rescued 
from the gloomy domain and tyrannical rule of Satan by being transplanted 
as free colonists into the kingdom and peaceable sovereignty of 
Christ to become citizens in the realm of light. See, these 
things are reasons why we thank God. We have an inheritance, 
currently enjoyed, but not fully as it will be one day. We have 
a deliverance out of spiritual darkness. We have this conveyance 
or this transference from the kingdom of darkness into the 
kingdom of the Son of His love. And then he highlights thirdly 
this redemption from bondage. This redemption from bondage 
in verse 14, he says, in whom we have redemption through His 
blood, the forgiveness of sins, the accomplishment of redemption. The presupposition behind redemption 
is slavery. The presupposition behind redemption 
is bondage. In other words, in order for 
us to have been redeemed, we must first have been in bondage. Just like you see there in Exodus, 
I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt. You see, this is the great redemptive 
act of God in the Old Testament, and this is the great redemptive 
act of God in the New Testament. This redemption from our bondage. Notice the means by which we 
have been redeemed. In whom we have redemption through 
His blood. I've told you many times, as 
we've looked at this particular word group in our studies, especially 
at the supper, that redemption isn't simply the exercise of 
God's power to free us from bondage. The meaning, a core meaning involved 
with this particular word group is redemption through the payment 
of a price. Not just the exercise of power. 
Not that God doesn't have the power to exercise. But intrinsic 
to this particular Greek word is the payment of a price. And 
the payment of the price is specified here, at least in the King James 
tradition, through His blood. It's certainly in Ephesians 1, 
7. in whom we have redemption through His blood. That's the 
means by which that has occurred. The redeeming work of the Lord 
Jesus Christ is fulfilled, is realized, is purchased by the 
shedding of His own blood. He lived in obedience to the 
law, he went to that cross on our behalf, he functioned as 
a substitute and a sacrifice, and he did so in order to pay 
this price, not to the devil, but to the Father, in order to 
redeem us from bondage. This idea that he paid the ransom 
price to the devil is heretical. He paid the ransom price to the 
Father. And therein we have redemption 
through His blood, is what the Apostle celebrates. Again, does 
this ever find its way into our prayer closets? Thank you, God, 
for the inheritance that you have given to us. Thank you, 
God, for the deliverance that you have given to us, that we 
were in darkness and now we're in light. We were in the kingdom 
of darkness, and now we are the kingdom of the devil himself, 
and now we've been transferred to the kingdom of the son of 
his love. We were in bondage, in slavery. Again, I don't think 
any of us, if asked honestly, thinks they are as far in their 
lives of sanctification as they ought to be. In other words, 
I'm always wary of the person that says, oh yeah, I'm doing 
great. I'm awesome. I mean, you see them all over 
Facebook and Twitter. They'll tell you. I'm just doing great. I witness, I evangelize, I fast, 
I pray. I wonder if we're standing next 
to that man in Luke 18. Thank you, God, that I'm not 
like these other Christians. Thank you, God, that I'm not 
like this other bit of rabble. That's not the typical response 
from the people of God who've been humbled by the grace of 
God. They say, you know what? I've got a lot of shortcomings. 
I've got a lot of issues. I've got a lot of sins. I need 
a lot of grace. But this one thing I am thankful 
for, I'm no longer in bondage. I may have remaining corruption, 
but this much I know, it's not reigning corruption. It may be 
there still, and I lament, and I struggle, and I cry out to 
the Lord God Most High. I sound like the Apostle. And 
if they actually said this, it would be a little proud, too. 
But you get the point. They cry out with the Apostle 
in Romans 7, O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from 
this body of death? This one thing I do know. I'm 
no longer in bondage. You all understand the difference 
between remaining and reigning corruption. Remaining corruption, 
I hate to break it to you, is going to be with you till the 
end. The devil might actually leave you alone sometimes. The 
world might actually leave you alone sometimes. But you know 
who will never leave you alone is you. It's a really unfortunate 
reality. You can't get away from you. 
You'll never be able to get away from you. And if you're the kind 
of person that's in their head a lot, these things are a bit 
paralyzing. But may I encourage you, may 
I exhort you to reflect upon what the apostle is saying in 
this passage. You've been called out of darkness 
into marvelous light. You've been transferred from 
the devil's kingdom into the kingdom of the son of his love. 
And you are no longer in bondage. You have the graces, you have 
the resources, you have the wherewithal, you have the Holy Spirit so that 
you can fight another day. Don't give up, don't concede, 
don't ever back down, but rather consider what you have in the 
person and in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ and fight like 
a man. Get up, go forward, rehearse 
these blessings and express your gratitude to God Almighty. Now, as we bring this to a conclusion, 
notice what Paul is doing. Again, one man says, with reference 
to verse 14, he says, prayer is giving way to theology. Grammatically, these verses are 
still connected to Paul's prayer, verses 15 to 20. But there is 
transition here from three of God's redemptive acts to the 
celebration of Christ's person and work. See, you need to appreciate 
that movement. We're not going to spend a lot 
of time in verses 15 to 20, but you need to see the connection. 
You are giving thanks to the Father for inheritance. You're 
giving thanks to the Father for deliverance with these three 
particular sub points in terms of deliverance. And now Paul 
shines the light upon the agent of our redemption. perhaps to 
draw our soul out into more thankfulness and more gratitude for the One, 
the Son of His love, who has effected salvation for us. I've always referred to 15 to 
20 as spiritual CPR. You know what CPR is in the physical 
realm? Cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Everybody should have at least 
some basic understanding of CPR. If their kid starts to choke 
or somebody stops breathing and there's some need for a bit of 
CPR, everybody should be skilled enough. I mean, don't look at 
Google on your phone while somebody's dying. You should have that already 
going on. There's a necessity to know your 
CPR. Well, with reference to spiritual 
things, with reference to Jesus Christ, we need to know our spiritual 
CPR. Christ is Creator. Christ is 
Sovereign in Providence. Christ is Redeemer. That's what 
Paul highlights here in verses 15 to 20. Notice the glory of 
the Redeemer in creation. Verses 15 and 16. He is the image 
of the invisible God. He's not a creature. He is the 
image of the invisible God. No creatureliness in terms of 
Jesus with reference to His essence. He shares the essence, or rather, 
He has the essence of divinity, deity. We see that in Colossians 
2.9. He is the very image of the invisible 
God, the firstborn over all creation. Jehovah's Witnesses are wrong. 
Firstborn there does not mean created. It means the one who 
is preeminent. You see that in the Old Testament. 
You see that in the New Testament. And probably he is highlighting 
that he is premier or firstborn in terms of the old creation, 
and he is firstborn with reference to the new creation. Notice in 
verse 16, for by him all things were created that are in heaven 
and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones 
or dominions or principalities or powers. One more dig at the 
Jehovah's Witnesses. Do not hold on to their Bible. They, in their devilish ingenuity, 
insert in brackets, all other things were created. All other 
things are created. What's their implication? He 
himself is created, but he's the agent by which all other 
things were created. The text does not teach that. 
That is a mistranslation. That reflects a theological agenda 
to deny the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ. That is not a scholarly 
production, the New World Translation. It is a sectarian production 
to serve the interests of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 
to deny the very deity of our Lord Jesus Christ. Do not, for 
a moment, think that somehow they've arrived and they understand 
the Greek and they have it all right down. No, they supply other 
there to try and indicate that Jesus is created and therein 
he is the agent of the creation of other things. But notice the 
glory of the Redeemer in Providence, verse 17. He says, and he is 
before all things and in him all things consist. All things 
consist in Jesus, not in the federal government. All things 
consist in Jesus, not you and me. There's something greater. 
There's something bigger. There's something more excellent, 
more majestic, and more awesome. The apostle highlights this in 
Hebrews 1. Go there for just a moment. Again, 
conceptually, there's a lot of overlap between Hebrews 1 and 
Colossians 1 and John 1. Notice in Hebrews chapter 1 verse 
1, God, who at various times and in various ways spoken time 
passed to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days 
spoken to us by his Son, whom he has appointed heir of all 
things, through whom also he made the world. You see that? 
the agent of creation, who being the brightness of His glory and 
the express image of His person." Now notice, "...and upholding 
all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself 
purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty 
on high, having become so much better than the angels, as He 
has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they." He 
upholds all things by the word of His power. And I think that 
ought to afford a great deal of comfort for the people of 
God in the 21st century. Nothing happens, nothing continues, 
nothing prevails apart from the sovereignty of King Jesus Christ. And then Paul highlights the 
glory of the Redeemer. in redemption, verses 18 to 20. 
Creation, providence, redemption. Your spiritual ABCs. Notice the 
glory of the Redeemer in redemption, Colossians 1, 18 to 20. He is 
the head of the body, which is the church. He is the head of 
the body, which is the church. If ever there is a text that 
should promote, produce, instigate, evoke a high view of the church, 
it's this one. Now there's a whole host of them 
to be sure, but look at what the apostle is saying. Christ 
is the head of the body, which is the church. In Ephesians 1, 
again, very similar and parallel in many ways to Colossians, the 
Apostle Paul tells us at the end, in Ephesians 1, 20 to 23, 
that Christ has a name above every name. He has dominion. 
He has power. He has absolute authority over all things to 
the church. In other words, Christ exercises 
this comprehensive sovereignty over prime ministers, over Congress, 
over presidents, over kings, over nations, over persons, over 
events. But he does this with a peculiar 
view to the church. See, I think that biblical churchmanship 
has seen better days than what it presently sees in the 21st 
century. We need to love the church. Why? Because Jesus loves the 
church. We need to love the church. Why? Because Jesus bled for the church. We need to love the church because 
we are the body of Jesus Christ Himself. I think that we, as 
the people of God, ought to love the church. Notice as well, He 
says that He is the firstborn from the dead who has preeminence. Verse 18, He is the head of the 
body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from 
the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. 
Again, He's firstborn, being preeminent one in the old creation, 
but he's also firstborn, preeminent one in the new creation. The church, the people of God, 
the kingdom of God, the inaugurated new covenant. Notice as well, 
the fullness of redemptive blessing is in Jesus. Verse 19, for it 
pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell. 
Look at chapter 2 at verse 9. Chapter 2 verse 9 says, for in 
Him, for in Jesus, dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. 
I think at times persons believe that 1.19 is saying the same 
thing. I don't think that's the point. I think the point is, 
is that everything necessary for our salvation is to be found 
in Jesus Christ. All the fullness is in Him. You 
need justification? Christ. You need sanctification? 
Christ. You need glorification? Christ. 
John Edie said, all fullness of grace or saving blessings 
dwell in Christ. Whatever is needed to save a 
fallen world and restore harmony to the universe is treasured 
up in Him, is in Him. Now, brethren, if that is the 
case and that is true, then we ought to be those who feed on 
Christ. Yes, when we come to Him, believing 
the gospel for that initial time, when we receive that justification. But if in Him all the fullness 
of everything that we need is available, then why don't we 
call upon Him? Why don't we cry to Him? Why 
don't we take our burdens to God Most High, asking Him for 
the aid, for the assistance, for the Spirit necessary, so 
that we may fight manfully onward? And then notice the reconciliation 
through His cross, verse 20. Verse 20, he says, and by him 
to reconcile all things to himself, by him, whether things on earth 
or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of his 
cross. Now, longtime attenders here will probably recognize 
the quote I'm about to quote. This is Gordon Clark. And I think 
this is a magnificent statement in terms of Colossians 1.20. 
Look at what Colossians 1.20 says. Let me read it again. And 
by him, to reconcile all things to himself by him, whether things 
on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the 
blood of his cross." Clark says, now, when we pause to consider, 
this is staggering. This is staggering. The preceding verses have described 
Christ in transcendent terms. Transcendent means removed from 
us. He's the creator. We're the creature. He's the one in whom all things 
consist. We have trouble getting out of 
bed each day. That's transcendence on the part 
of Christ. He is creator. He is governor. So he says, the preceding verses 
have described Christ in transcendent terms. He was the creator in 
whom all the fullness dwells, the heir of the universe for 
whom it was created. When now the creator of heaven 
and earth, the creator himself, voluntarily suffered on the cross 
for our sins, we can only stand in awe and worship that nails 
it, having made peace through the blood of His cross. Don't 
know that we usually ponder that. We don't associate peace and 
blood. I mean, in the Orwellian dystopian future, I guess, peace 
and blood go hand in hand. But for the most part, we associate 
blood with warfare. We associate blood with death. 
We associate blood with bad things. Typically, when you're shooting 
blood out of a vein, you're not rejoicing and thanking the Lord. It's always a bad thing to be 
emitting blood. You get that, right? But it's 
through blood that He made peace. It's through the cross that He 
makes peace. It's through His work as substitute 
and sacrifice that He brings peace to His people. It is the 
Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Brethren, I 
hope that you'll focus upon your inheritance, you'll focus upon 
your deliverance, and you will give thanks to God Almighty, 
because this is a necessary or essential ingredient in a worthy 
walk before the Lord, which is fully pleasing Him. Yes, you 
need to be fruitful in every good work. Yes, you need to increase 
in the knowledge of God. Yes, you need to be strengthened 
according to His power and might. But you also need to give thanks. 
Giving thanks, get your eyes off of yourself. Giving thanks, 
put your eyes where it ought to be, on the Lord Most High, 
who has given this inheritance and who has provided deliverance. 
Well, let us pray. Our Father, we thank You for 
Your Word. We thank You for the Apostles. Exhortation in Colossians 
chapter 1 is prayer that gives way to the glory of Jesus Christ. 
I pray that as we appreciate the structure, the flow, we would 
see the necessity in our own hearts, in our own prayer lives, 
as individuals, as families, as a church, to give thanks to 
you, our God, for the great things you have done in our lives. Thank 
you that you didn't leave us in darkness, you didn't leave 
us in the devil's kingdom, you didn't leave us in bondage, but 
you have delivered us through the power of the Lord Jesus Christ 
and His glorious gospel. We give praise to you in adoration, 
and we pray now in His most blessed name. Amen. Well, you can turn 
in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 26 as we transition