A Walk That Pleases God – Part 3 – Colossians 1:12-14

Sixth lesson in a verse by verse exposition of the Epistle of Colossians. This lesson explores the 4th aspect of a worthy walk – Thanksgiving to God for salvation.

1. Brief review of theme, background & previous lesson
2. This section: Paul’s prayer for the Colossians spiritual advancement.
3. There are 4 marks/characteristics of a worthy walk in these verses: Fruit bearing, growth, power & thanksgiving.
4. There are 3 things we can thank God for in these verses.
   • All of them relate to our salvation.
   • All of them represent God’s work on our behalf.

Our Inheritance (Vs. 12)

The Preparation for the inheritance (12a)

1. Made worthy
   1. ‘meet’ = to make sufficient, render fit, qualify and authorize. The root word is translated elsewhere as ‘worthy’ (e.g. Matt 3:11).
   2. Note past tense – work already accomplished for the believer (security)
   3. Note: No amount of self-righteousness, self-effort or good works can make someone worthy of salvation.
2. Made partakers
   1. ‘partakers’ = part or portion
   2. Believers have been allocated a definite part of the eternal riches (Gromacki)
   3. ‘inheritance’ – “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” Romans 8:17
   4. Some of the inheritance: We will be like Christ, no more sin or suffering, mansions of glory, eternal life etc…
   5. ‘saints’ = only for believers

The Place of the inheritance (12b)

1. Heaven
   1. “For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven…” (1:6)
   2. “Blessed by the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,” 1 Peter 1:3-4
2. Light
   1. Light = one of the great distinctives of the Christian Gospel. Speaks of truth and purity.
   2. God the Father is light – “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” (1 John 1:5)
   3. Jesus Christ is the light – “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” (Jn 8:12); “The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.” (Matt 4:16)
   4. Believers are lights in a dark world – “Ye are the light of the world…” (Matt 5:14); “…among whom ye shine as lights in the world.” (Phil 2:15)
   5. Heaven is a place of light – “And there shall be no night there…” (Rev. 22:5)

Our Deliverance (Vs. 13)

Deliverance from (13a)

1. “power of darkness”
   1. ‘power’ = Means authority, rule & dominion. Same word used by Christ in Luke 22:53 “…but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.”
   2. ‘darkness’ = refers to moral, spiritual darkness. Note: It is interesting that dark acts of evil are often committed in places of physical darkness.
   3. Satan’s kingdom
      1. Satan is called the “god of this world” (2 Cor 4:4)
      2. Satan is called the “prince of the power of the air” (Eph 2:2)
      3. Satan and his demonic host are described as “the rulers of the darkness of this world” (Eph 6:12)
      4. Satan works in the children of disobedience (Eph 2:2)
      5. Satan takes unsaved men captive “at his will” (2 Tim. 2:26)
      6. Satan is active in seeking to prevent the work of the Gospel. He takes “away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.” (Luke 8:12). He blinds “the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” (2 Cor 4:4)
2. ‘delivered’
   1. Means to draw to oneself; to rescue, to set free
   2. “To open their eyes (the Gentiles), and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.” Acts 26:18
   3. “I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.” Psalm 40:1-3
   4. Titus 3:3-7 “For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish…”

Transference to (13b)

1. ‘translated’ = to remove from one place to another, to transfer (word used to describe deportation of a conquered people to another land).
2. ‘kingdom’
   1. A New Ruler – Christ, the Son of God, is the King
   2. A New Citizenship – Heaven
   3. A New Code of Conduct – God’s Word (the Bible)
   4. A New Future – Eternal Life
3. “dear Son”
   1. Literally, “the Son of His Love”
   2. Christ, the object of the Father’s love
   3. Love, another key distinctive of the Christian Gospel.
      1. We are loved by the Father: “…that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou has loved me.” (John 17:23)
      2. We are loved by the Son: “As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.” (John 15:9)

Our Redemption (Vs. 14)

The price of our redemption – the blood (14a)

1. ‘redemption’ = means complete release based on the payment of a price (e.g. the payment of a ransom). Was used to describe the freeing of slaves from bondage (i.e. emancipation).
   1. We are purchased by the blood (Acts 20:28)
   2. We are justified by the blood (Rom 5:9)
   3. We are forgiven by the blood (Eph 1:7, Col 1:14)
   4. We are cleansed by the blood (Rev. 1:5; 7:14)
   5. We have peace by the blood (Col 1:20)
   6. The Picture of the heavenly Christ: “And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.” (Rev. 19:13)

The result of our redemption – forgiveness (14b)

1. ‘forgive’ = means to send away
2. Illustration: The scape goat (goat of departure) in the O.T. Leviticus 16:21-22 “And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.”
3. “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:12

Conclusion

Have you experienced God’s saving power? When did you last really thank God for what He did for you in salvation?

Sermon 6 of 28 in Colossians Series

Sermon Audio Id: 79162223292