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welcome to everyone it's good to be back in the house of our God on this Sabbath evening you can turn with me in your Bibles to Psalm 145 for our call to worship Psalm 145 I'll begin reading in verse 1 a praise of David I will extol you my God o king and I will bless your name forever and ever every day I will bless you and I will praise your name for ever and ever great is the Lord and greatly to be praised and his greatness is unsearchable one generation shall pray sure works to another and shall declare your mighty acts I will meditate on the glorious splendor of your majesty and on your wondrous works men shall speak of the might of your awesome acts and I will declare your greatness they shall utter the memory of your great goodness and shall sing of Your righteousness the Lord is gracious and full of compassion slow to anger and great in mercy the Lord is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his works all your works shall praise you O Lord and your Saints shall bless you they shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and talk of your power to make known to the sons of men his mighty acts and the glorious majesty of his kingdom your kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and your Dominion endures throughout all generations the Lord upholds all who fall and raises up all who are bowed down the eyes of all look expectantly to you and you give them their food in due season and open your hand and satisfy open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing the Lord is righteous in all his ways gracious and all his works the Lord is near to all who call upon him to all who call upon him in truth he will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him he also will hear their cry and save them the Lord preserves all who love him but all the wicked he will destroy my mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord and all flesh shall bless His Holy Name forever and ever amen well please turn with me in your Trinity hymnal to number 173 hymn number 173 will stand as we sing together [Music] let us pray a blessed God it's a joy to gather in your house again on the Sabbath evening we come before you to acknowledge your glory your majesty and your excellence we thank you that you have provided this place for us to gather together to come in out come in from out of the world to meet with one another but more importantly to meet with the triune God of heaven and earth we thank you for the means that you've ordained for our growth we thank you for corporate worship for the means of prayer and the ordinances of Baptism and the supper we thank you as well for the ministry of the word and we pray that tonight as we avail ourselves of these things you would come in great power and in mercy and in your grace Lord God conformed us evermore unto the image of your son the Lord Jesus Christ we know that you predestined us in order to be conformed unto the image of your beloved son that you are working in us both to will and to do according to your good pleasure and God we acknowledge your handiwork in this redemptive task we praise you and we thank you that you have not left us to ourselves that you did not leave us and our our deadness and sin and transgression that you made us alive by the power of the gospel you've brought us 9 through the blood of Jesus Christ you've given us everything necessary for life here and life in the age to come and we rejoice in these good gifts Lord God and we express our gratitude and our thankfulness unto you for all the good things that you have done in our lives we pray that you would be enthroned upon our praises as we sing we pray Lord God that you would receive our worship that as we come to the Father through the son and the power of the Holy Spirit God would be all in all in this place we ask again that you would look with favor upon this congregation help us all to endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace and grant us grace to be the kinds of people that the New Testament calls us unto help us to enact the one in others and help us to love you and to love one another in this local context be with our brothers and our sisters that suffer with physical trials and challenges we thank you that there is improvement with some we Lord God that all of them would be able to testify to the goodness of God and bringing that that bringing them out of these waters of affliction we ask father that you would be merciful to bless the churches that we know and love the church and Surrey we thank you for Pastor Mike and for the Saints there we ask God that you would bless their meeting together tonight we pray that you would use that church and that community to set forth the glory of Jesus Christ and may they know and may they see the the power of God unto salvation working in their midst we pray for the work in Vernon thanking you Lord God that they've had consistent supply for the pulpit we do pray father that one of these men that visit would be called would be interested in laboring there in the word and in the dot and in doctrine for the long haul do provide for them Lord God the man of your own choosing we know the harvest is plentiful laborers are few so we pray to You Lord God to raise men up and put them in pulpits to preach and teach the word of the living and true God we ask that you would bless this time as we take the supper tonight we thank you Lord as we have this opportunity to remember in a special way with these tangible elements the death of our Savior we know Lord God that you made him who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in him we thank you for the gospel of our salvation we thank you that Christ came down for us men and for our salvation and as we eat tonight as we drink tonight may we do so and proclaim the glory of the Lord's death until he comes and even now our Father we pray that you would forgive us for our sins and our transgressions we know Lord God that we don't live in light of the Gospel as we ought we transgress that holy law that that Christ points us unto is a pattern for sanctification we do confess these sins and we confess our proneness to wander and the proneness that we have to leave the God that we love thank you for the blood of Jesus Christ your son thank you that there is forgiveness with you that you may be feared and we pray that even now we would experience that and that we would be cleansed and purified and fit for service in your in your kingdom we also pray for the ministry today at the hospital for those that that showed up the the elderly folk the sick there we do pray that the gospel would be ministered unto them by the power of the Holy Spirit that those who are in the 11th hour of their lives would come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior we know from that thief on the cross that you were able we know Lord God that there is hope while there is breath while there is life so we pray that good would come from that ministry we also pray our Father for the continual preaching of your word throughout the earth we know Most High that this is the means by which you were calling sinners out of darkness into marvelous light and we pray the Holy Spirit would attend the preaching of the word for the salvation of a great multitude that no man can number from every tribe and tongue and people and nation may you do this for your glory may you do this for the good of souls all over this earth and God be merciful to the suffering saints and other countries be merciful to those that we prayed for this morning we think of China and the great persecution that continues there their desire to rid China of all foreign Christians by 2020 we pray father for those that we know and love and support that you would just continue to protect them that you would continue to watch over them and help them God to be able to proclaim your truth while they are there we ask now that you would continue with us in our worship and we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well please turn with me again in your Trinity hymnals to 223 a hymn that celebrates the priestly office of our Lord Jesus Christ two two three we'll stand together [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] 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 chapter 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 not 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 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 in 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 will 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 its beauty and it's 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 but 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 focuses 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 apophis 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 and the people are 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 or walking worthy of the Lord fully pleasing God now the Apostle flashes 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 gas 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 towards the people of God are supposed to be zealous for good works were not saved by good works but were 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 that 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 their being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God again this is an 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 I do 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 has 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 is 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 walk or walk worthy of the Lord fully pleasing in 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 long-suffering with joy he gives a specific reason why he wants us to be strengthened with all power or with all might according to God's glorious power for all patience and long-suffering with joy it's 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 yet 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 glory power for all patience and long-suffering 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 the son 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 redemptive lis through Jesus Christ are a people that are full of gratitude they express that gratitude through songs 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 that 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 in 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 verse 4 chapter 1 verse 3 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 2 at verse 7 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 at verse 15 chapter 3 verse 15 and let the peace of God rule in your hearts to which also to which also you were called in one body and be thankful you see a theme with the Apostle 3:17 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 thanks giving 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 know 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 and a bit of 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 1 Ephesians chapter 1 a very similar epistle to Colossians in terms of subject matter and in Colossians Chapman sorry fusions chapter 1 notice in verse 3 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 the 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 in Christ should be to the praise of his glory the idea is 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 chapter 1 verse 12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in the light now 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 kids 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 poor shed 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 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 the things of God that when we sing praises to God in the corporate place when we rally around the Word of God 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 home owning your future job whatever think about your future when you enter into a Manuel'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're to give thanks for deliverance and he exemplifies 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 path 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 often the Exodus comes up in the Psalter as a reason to express thankfulness and praise unto God 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 and get in get cemani 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 in the world itself 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 goads 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 first Peter chapter 2 first Peter chapter 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 in 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 1st Peter chapter 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 see Peter's emphasis is the same here when God delivers you from the darkness when God delivers you from that 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 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 wants work 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 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 in light 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 thought and stop and ponder what 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 Les Paul continues to amplify he says in verse 13 he has delivered us from the power of darkness and convey 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 aren't 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 that 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 visa vie Solomon in the book of Proverbs and he turns in 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 Johnny D 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 Lords 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 deathblow 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 translated as or 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 out of spiritual darkness we have this conveyance or this transference from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom the son of his love and then he sent highlights thirdly this Redemption from bondage this Redemption from bondage and 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 of core meaning meaning into volved 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 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 went to that cross on our behalf he functioned as a substitute in the 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 been 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 we were in the kingdom of darkness and now we are 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 as are as far in their lives of sanctification as they ought to be others I'm always wary of the person that's all 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 Thanks 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 have 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 sense I need a lot of grace but there's 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 raining corruption it may be there still and I lament and I struggle and I cry out to the to the Lord God most I I sound like the Apostle and if they actually said this it would be love proud to but but you get the point that they cry out with the Apostle in Romans 7 o wretched man that I am who will deliver me from this body of death that this one thing I do know I'm no longer in bondage you all understand the difference between remaining and reign corruption remaining corruption I hate to break it to you is gonna 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 as 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 King on 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 that's wanting but there but there is transit transition here from three of God's redemptive acts to the celebration of Christ person and work so 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 and 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 had affected salvation for us boys referred to 15 to 20 as spiritual CPR you know what CPR is in the physical realm cardio pulmonary 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 and Providence Christ is Radhika 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 then in 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 tax does not each 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 they 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 on 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 and in Hebrews chapter 1 go there for just a moment again conceptually there's a lot of overlap between II bruised 1 and Colossians 1 and John chapter 1 but notice in Hebrews chapter 1 at verse 1 God who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the father's 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 up holds 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 eighteen to twenty creation Providence redemption your spiritual ABCs notice the glory of the Redeemer and redemption Colossians 1:18 2:20 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 1:22 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 or its Christ exercises this comprehensive sovereignty over prime ministers over Congress over 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 churchmen ship 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 the church who is the beginning the firstborn from the dead that in all things he may have the preeminence 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 turn a 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 believed that 119 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 any justification Christ he needs sanctification Christ you need glorification Christ Johnny and he 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 the 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 a long time 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 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 Clarke 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 were 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 and 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 omitting 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 and hair 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 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 and Colossians chapter one is prayer that gives way to the glory of Jesus Christ I pray that as we appreciate the structure of the flow we would see the necessity and our own hearts and our own prayer lives as 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 now into the supper Matthew chapter 26 just a couple of thoughts before we actually participate in the supper remember that we are not papists we do not believe in the doctrine of transubstantiation the bread remains bread the wine or juice remains wine or juice these things are symbols these things are emblems these things are given to us as creature to cause us to reflect upon our Creator to cause us to reflect especially on that Colossians 1:20 glory that he made peace through the blood of his cross so there's no change in terms of the subs in terms of the the elements they don't become something other secondly this is not a sacrifice we are not engaged in any atoning work here the sacrifice has been wrought out a rot out once for all it's an emphasis in the book of he I've often wondered how Roman Catholicism could even get around the book of Hebrews this is not a nun bloody sacrifice of atonement it's a time again for us to reflect upon the glory of Jesus Christ but as we discussed yesterday in theology class it is more than a memory it's not simply to remember what Christ has done but our confession recognizes this as a means of grace when we participate in this we are participating in communion with God Almighty 1st Corinthians 11 is oftentimes the go-to tax with reference to the supper but there is a wonderful block of teaching in 1st Corinthians 10 that indicates the means of grace Ness involved in the supper and so it's a time for us to be strengthened it's a time for us to be fortified it's a time for us to be even more and more conformed unto the image of Christ as well it's a time for us to reflect upon Jesus now it's quite common for us to remember our sins it's quite common for us to think about our sins but we have an advocate with the father even Jesus Christ the righteous confess your sins to God and take the Supper as he intended it's a means of grace for weary pilgrims it's foundational or fundamental in terms of the Arsenal God has provided for his people so that they may indeed fight their sin if we say no supper because I've sinned then we are shipping ourselves of a particular strengthening thing that God has given now if you are in sin and you aren't repentant you're in sin and you're not dealing with it you're in sin and you've become callous to it then by all means do not take but if you're a soul a saint saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ and you were striving to maintain short accounts with God Almighty the supper is for you it's not a reward for good behavior but rather it's a means for strengthening you for the battle to come this week and then real practically as we often say it's for believers it's not a converting ordinance it's not that you eat this bread drink this cup and you'll become a Christian no the way to become a Christian is by God's grace looking unto Jesus Christ in faith and having everlasting life so it's not for non-christians it is rather for Christians and then real practically in terms of the juice it's in the outer ring if you're inclined to take juice versus why the juice is in the outer ring well I'd like to call the brothers forward and ask them to pass out the bread we'll sing a hymn while they do that and then we'll read the section in Matthew 26 appropriate to participating in the supper so number 193 please remain seated while we sing number 193 [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] in Matthew 26 at verse 26 we read and as they were eating Jesus took bread blessed and broke it and gave it to the disciples and said take eat this is my body let us pray our blessed God and Holy Father we thank you that he made peace through the blood of his cross and Lord God while some may think this is an odd write in the Christian Church we know it is most blessed it is a time for us to reflect upon the greatest event that ever took place namely the substitutionary atonement we thank you that he went through this on our behalf we thank you that through his death we have everlasting life and we thank you that his death did not result ultimately in death but he was raised the third day God we pray that you would bless strengthen and encourage our hearts now and we ask in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ amen we'll take together well you can remain seated and please turn the number 696 9-0 again the juice is in the outer ring as the brothers passed that out will sing number 690 while they do so [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] well continuing in verse 27 then he took the cup and gave thanks and gave it to them saying drink from it all of you for this is my blood of the new covenant which is shed for many for the remission of sins but I say to you I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my father's Kingdom and when they had sung a hymn they went out to the Mount of Olives Amen well let us pray our God and Father thank you for the realization the full discovery of that New Covenant in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ that prophesied by Jeremiah that fulfilled by our Lord Jesus thank you that we have redemption through his blood thank you for that work at the cross thank you Lord God that you gave us life eternal through this blessed work of your son the Lord Jesus we ask now that you would strengthen bless and encourage us and we pray in the name of the Lord Jesus our our Savior amen we'll take together well we'll stand and sing that great compendium of gospel truth number 175 great way to end our Sabbath and this Lord's Supper service rehearsing the truths of God's gospel in the work of his son will stand and sing 175 [Music] now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead that great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting covenant make you complete and every good work to do his will working in you what is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever amen God go with us now may these things be true in our hearts and in our lives to that end we pray for the presence and the power of the Ministry of the Holy Spirit that we would indeed glorify you Most High God that we would shine as lights in this crooked and perverse generation and that we would hold forth that truth be with us and encourage us spiritually again father bless those with physical trials and suffering and Lord we just ask that you would do great and glorious things for your namesake in this local church we thank you for the Sabbath rest we thank you that it points us forward to that eternal Sabbath rest when we enter in to the presence of God Almighty may we indeed look forward to that and may we indeed express our gratitude and our thankfulness to you each and every day for that inheritance and for the deliverance that you have wrought we ask these things through Christ our Lord amen well please be seated for a brief time of meditation