For a short time to a reading in Colossians chapter 1.
We're going to look at the end of the section that we read.
The reading from verse 11.
May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might,
for all endurance and patience, with joy, giving thanks to the Father,
who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.
He has delivered us from the domain of darkness
and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,
in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
As you go through this letter that Paul wrote to the church at Colossae,
and indeed as you go through many of Paul's writings,
and as you go through the scriptures in general,
you find that the writers, inspired by God,
they are able to put into words, just in so few words,
such a clear teaching.
It's a gift I sometimes envy in people,
being able to put into a few words,
something that you would struggle,
even in a few sentences or paragraphs, to put across.
When I first went to study in Edinburgh,
one of the first essays I handed in came back, marked,
and I'd passed, and I was delighted,
but there's a little bit of feedback on the essay,
and the professor had said where I'd been writing strongly,
or where I could improve,
but one of the comments that really stood out for me was,
a bit wordy.
And you think to yourself, it's fine for a professor,
he's able to put things across so clearly,
but I was obviously struggling just to find words,
and when you've got a word count to reach,
you maybe just fill it in with a few extra words here and there.
But I'm sure you all know people,
and you're trying to get something across in words,
and then someone just comes in,
and in one sentence they're able to sum up things so beautifully,
and just in a way that is so clear,
and makes so much sense.
It is a gift to be able to do it.
And it is a gift that we have from God,
that we have his word in such a way to us,
and that his word comes across to us with so much clarity.
Even when there's times when you're reading through something,
and you've got questions about what you're reading,
and you're wondering, where's this going,
and how can we go forward with this?
And yet it's followed so often by a qualifier
that just sums up things so beautifully,
and puts everything into perspective.
And here as Paul is writing to the Colossians,
he does this for us.
He's talking here about living a life pleasing to God,
which really begins there in verse 10,
fully pleasing to him,
bearing fruit in every good work,
and increasing in the knowledge of God,
being strengthened in power according to his glorious might,
for all endurance and patience with joy,
giving thanks to the Father.
So there's so much there for us
about the wonder of all that God has done for us,
joyfully giving thanks to God.
But there are people who are enduring things,
who are suffering things,
and so just to leave it there would make you leave you wondering,
how can this be so?
How can we go on in a manner worthy of the Lord,
fully pleasing him,
bearing fruit,
being strengthened,
enduring with patience,
with joy,
and giving thanks?
How can you go on in this?
Well, he goes on to give a reason why.
In just a few words,
he sums up for us
a reason why
they and we can go forward like that,
looking to walk
in a manner worthy of the Lord,
fully pleasing him.
And how is it?
Well, he gives us
great reason for thanksgiving
and seeing the bigger picture
and reminds them here
of the love of God towards them,
the love of God
that will never leave them
in the midst of all
that they are seeking to do for him.
And there are three reasons
why they can focus here
that we want to think about this evening.
Three things that they have
and we have through faith.
You will have heard
or seen the idea
of a genie in the bottle.
Maybe it's in a cartoon
or something like that
where someone finds a bottle
and rubs the bottle
and the genie pops out
and you've got three wishes.
It's make-believe, of course,
but sometimes when you see this,
it makes you think,
what would I ask for?
If I had such an opportunity,
what would I ask for?
But what if God was asking you?
What do you want of me?
So when I think of that question,
I come back to Bartimaeus.
Blind Bartimaeus who met with Jesus
and Jesus asked him that very question.
What do you want me to do for you?
And what was Bartimaeus' response?
Lord, that I may see.
All the things that he could have asked for,
it was that he could see.
And that is what Jesus gave to him.
Well, here we see three things
that are ours through Christ.
And they're not wishful thinking.
They're not make-believe.
They are ours through faith in Christ.
And that's what Paul is reminding the Colossians here of.
That in their going forward,
in their living a life pleasing to God,
bearing fruit,
and all of these things,
with patience and joy and giving thanks,
he gives them three things
that they can hold on to.
And that's what we have in the middle of verse 12
down to verse 14.
And the three things that are highlighted for us
are there is a share in the inheritance of the saints.
That there is a deliverance,
as it speaks of in verse 13,
delivered us from the domain of darkness
and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved son.
And then the final one we see there in verse 14,
that is redemption,
the forgiveness of sins.
Three things that could seem almost like wishful thinking for us.
And yet it is what we have in Christ.
I just want us to focus on these three things together
just for a short time.
And we begin with that,
share in the inheritance of the saints in light.
Everything that we have here,
as Paul is writing,
is the foundation is God.
And what God has done for us
in Jesus Christ,
our Redeemer,
who lives.
That is the foundation of all of his writings.
It's the foundation of scriptures,
as we have it.
It's the foundation of all that we see
in the Old,
right through to the New Testament.
And language that Paul uses here
has so much of it
reflecting the Old Testament as well.
In summing up in a few words,
there's a depth of teaching here
and a breadth of teaching
that covers all kinds of situations
down through the generations
of God's people.
And here as he speaks of a share
in the inheritance of the saints in light,
it takes us right back to the Old Testament
and to the promises of God,
to his covenant promises
that he gave through Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob,
that they would have an inheritance,
that God's people would have an inheritance.
And when you go back to the Old Testament,
so much of it was to do with land
and the promise of a land for God's people.
And it's the promises that you see fulfilled
during the Old Testament days
with the Exodus,
as God led the children of Israel out,
he was leading them to the promised land,
taking them out of slavery in Egypt
to the promised land.
And so there was a kind of exclusive side
to that inheritance,
that it was for God's chosen people
in the Old Testament,
God's chosen race.
But yet there is a change for us here now
in the New Testament.
Still the same kind of language,
this inheritance and a share in the inheritance,
but there's a change.
And that change is because of Christ's coming
and of what he has done for his people.
You see, the inheritance is broadened out.
It's for all of the saints in light.
And you think of this in light
of how the Old Testament,
we're looking at God's chosen people,
but the New Testament speaks about Jew and Gentile.
It speaks about all of God's people
in a broader sense.
And it's not just speaking about a land,
it's more than that.
We have an inheritance,
a share in the inheritance of the saints in light.
Of what?
Of God's chosen place for his people.
Not just a land in an earthly sense,
but in a heavenly sense.
Of what we have through Christ as our Lord.
And when you think of inheritance,
it's something that so often causes difficulties
in this world.
Especially when there's a lot to be gained
from an inheritance.
How many people and families
have fallen out over an inheritance?
Something that has been left by someone
for somebody else.
And maybe somebody's been left out.
Feeling that they were due something.
And they get nothing.
And if you look at it so much
in the world of the rich people
who have passed away,
how often you see it's caused
so many problems.
Famous people,
you could almost list them off.
People who have passed away.
Michael Jackson,
Bob Marley,
John Lennon,
Nelson Mandela,
Robin Williams.
There's been a whole host
of famous people
who have passed away.
And if you look it up,
what you find is
what they've left behind
has just caused
so much tension.
Fallouts.
People claiming
what they feel is rightfully theirs
and somebody else has got it.
even in some cases
has been left to an animal
or to a charity
and they feel so hard done by.
And it causes
so many problems.
But yet here we have
a wonderful inheritance
that is for all
and for any
who will put their trust
in the Lord Jesus.
It's for the saints,
the holy ones,
for Jew and Gentile,
for young and old,
for rich and poor.
No matter what,
it covers all.
By faith in Christ,
he has qualified you
to share the inheritance
of the saints
in light.
It is a wonderful promise.
And Paul puts it
to the Ephesians as well,
where he speaks there
in chapter 3,
in verse 6,
he says,
this mystery is that
the Gentiles are fellow heirs,
members of the same body
and partakers of the promise
in Christ Jesus
through the gospel.
Again,
just a few words
that sum it up for us.
The mystery
that the Gentiles
are fellow heirs,
partakers of the promise
in Christ Jesus
through the gospel.
So there's no debate,
there's no dispute.
It's what is ours
through the gospel,
through faith
in Jesus Christ.
And when you think
of the famous people
and the disputes
over their inheritance,
just looking at it
for money,
and yet the gospel
has so much to offer
on people
who should away,
they don't want it.
And this is what is ours
through Christ,
an inheritance
with the saints,
something that can be
never taken from us,
that is ours
through Christ.
What a wonderful
blessing that is.
So then,
in light of
what he has spoken
about before,
of fully pleasing,
bearing fruit,
increasing in knowledge,
having patience,
with all joy,
giving thanks,
here is one reason
why,
the inheritance
that is ours.
The second thing
we see here
is a rescue
from darkness.
He has delivered us
from the domain
of darkness
and transferred us
to the kingdom
of his beloved son.
So as well as
having something
that we really
had no right
to,
this inheritance,
ours through
the mercy of God,
verse 3 leads on
from there then.
And it's telling us
that there are two kingdoms
that we have
around us.
That there is
the kingdom
of darkness
and the kingdom
of light,
the kingdom
of God.
And we can only
be in one
or the other.
And the one
that should cause
us fear
is the kingdom
of darkness.
darkness.
And yet,
when you read
in other places
like in John's
gospel,
you read there
that the people
loved darkness.
They loved that
aspect of life
where they felt
hidden from God.
And yet,
there is that assurance
that God will bring
all into the light.
But in what way?
Well,
here we are given
assurance that
when we put our
trust in the Lord,
he has delivered us
from the domain
of darkness
and transferred us.
So he's taken us
from one
and put us
into the other.
And we are put
into the kingdom
of his beloved
son.
Again,
when you think
of Bartimaeus,
blind Bartimaeus,
how he was brought
from darkness
to light.
He was blind
and could not see
and yet,
by the mercy of God,
he was brought
to see Jesus
and follow him
on the way.
And that is,
again,
the Christian hope
that we have here.
The reasons
that we have
to be full of joy
and patience
and all of these things
is that we've been
brought from one place
to another.
John Newton
was another one
who saw that change
and transformation
himself.
How he knew
the grace of God
and he put it so well
when he said,
it's almost like
the darkness
still has a little
hold in some ways
and yet he knows
he's in the kingdom
of light
but he knows
he's still a work
in progress
but he knows
he's in the kingdom
of the beloved son
but he says,
I am not what I ought
to be.
I am not what I want
to be and I am not
what I hope to be
in another world
but still,
I am not what I once
used to be
and by the grace
of God,
I am what I am.
The grace of God
which enables us
to see where we've
been taken from
and taken to.
And again,
this is Old Testament
language for us as well
when you look at
the experience
of God's people
in the Old Testament
of one kingdom
and another
waging war
against them.
You think of
the children of Israel
again
and the Exodus
and how it speaks
of it in this way
in Exodus 6
verse 6
it says,
Therefore,
say to the Israelites,
I am the Lord
and I will bring you
out from under
the yoke of the Egyptians.
I will free you
from being slaves
to them
and I will redeem you
with an outstretched arm
and with mighty acts
of judgment.
There is the Lord
working in their midst.
He is the one
who brings them
out of the yoke
of the Egyptians
and who brings them
into another kingdom,
another place.
They were physically
delivered from one
to another
but now the emphasis
is on
a kingdom of darkness,
the works of evil
of this world,
to the kingdom
of the beloved son
and the redemption
that we have
in Christ.
And the trouble
that the Colossians
and so many other
churches in Paul's day
faced up to
was the false teachers
coming in
and saying,
you need to do
X, Y and Z
before you can be
qualified for the
kingdom of God.
But no,
he delivers
from the domain
of darkness.
He brings us out
and puts us in.
Jesus does not just
bring us out
of darkness
but he brings us
into his own
kingdom.
Jesus saves us
and he speaks here
of that darkness
and light
and we speak
of darkness
around us
especially in the
winter months
and we talk about
maybe our eyes
becoming accustomed
to the dark
so that you're able
to see a little
at least in the
darkness
when your eyes
readjust
but would you
choose to live
in darkness?
Would you choose
to go out
on a dark night
and say it's a
full moon
so I'll think
I'll switch my car
headlights off
and just go
by that little light
I have from the moon?
You wouldn't.
You would still
keep your lights on.
You wouldn't go out
to the shed
and not switch
on the light
when it's dark
to start looking
around for something.
You would put
the lights on.
and so
as God
speaks to us
here about
the kingdom
of darkness
and the kingdom
of his beloved
son
which one
would you want?
Which one
would you choose
to be in?
Why would be happy
walking in darkness
when there is the
kingdom of his
beloved son
the kingdom
of light
to be part
of?
God
is able
to save
and that's
the wonder
of it
and he saves
sinners
transfers him
from one
kingdom
to another
and Jesus
warned
of this
he warned
in the gospel
of John
so often
about the need
to be in the light
that he is
the light
of the world
and in chapter 12
he said
to the people
there
Jesus said
to them
the light
is among you
for a little
while longer
walk while you
have the light
lest darkness
overtake you
the one who
walks in darkness
does not know
where he is going
while you have
the light
believe in the light
that you may
become sons
of the light
and here we have
the kingdom
of his beloved
son
that we would
be his sons
of light
so God
has qualified
you for an
inheritance
he has
transferred you
from the
domain of
darkness
to the
kingdom
of his
beloved
son
there are
two reasons
to go on
and joy
and thanksgiving
and you have
the third
and final one
here as well
in verse 14
the kingdom
of the beloved
son
and it's in the
son
in whom
we have
redemption
the forgiveness
of sins
so we are
brought into
view of
the cross
now
of all
that has been
done for us
on the cross
of Christ
the redemption
the forgiveness
of sin
that is ours
through Christ
so we have
an inheritance
we have a rescue
but perhaps
even more
importantly
we have
the forgiveness
of sins
we couldn't
do any
of these
things
we couldn't
give ourselves
the inheritance
we couldn't
transfer ourselves
from the
kingdom of
darkness
to light
and we
certainly
could never
redeem
ourselves
because as
the psalmist
says
to redeem
my life
is costly
none
sufficient
price
can pay
but the
Lord Jesus
has paid
it for us
we have
redemption
we have
redeemed
a price
has been
paid
and again
that word
has reference
to the
Old Testament
redemption
is so much
related to
slavery
and to
being in
bondage
and to
be redeemed
was to
be set
free
and that's
certainly
what the
people would
have had
in their
mind
here
even
looking
back
to the
exodus
and being
slaves
in Egypt
to be
redeemed
was to
be set
free
from that
slavery
so now
we are
looking at
it in
another
way
a
redemption
the
forgiveness
of sin
the Bible
the New
Testament
speaks about
being in
bondage
to sin
being slaves
to sin
and the
only way
to be
freed
is through
the price
being paid
for us
and Christ
came to
redeem
sinners
to save
sinners
from their
sin
so that no
longer we
will be
slaves to
sin
but we
will be
free
in him
and the
image here
you think
of being
set free
from prison
there's almost
two ways
it can
happen
there was a
series called
prison break
where two
brothers escaped
from prison
but all the
time that they
had escaped
they were always
looking behind
them and
wondering
would they be
caught
would they be
found out
would they be
put back
in
and that's
one way
you could
look at
this
a freedom
a forgiveness
of sins
but we're
always looking
behind our
back
just like
being on
run
on the run
from prison
and you
can't live
your life
because you're
always in
fear
you're always
wondering
what's
ahead
but the
image here
is not
that
it's much
more powerful
the image
is of
a rescue
of being
freed
of being
found
guilty
and put
in prison
but someone
else has
come
someone else
has confessed
someone else
has taken
the guilt
that you
had
and taken
it on
themselves
so you
are set
free
because they
have taken
the price
and that is
what we have
here
we have
redemption
the forgiveness
of sin
because
as Mark
puts it
in his
gospel
as it
says in
his gospel
for even
the son
of man
did not
come to
be served
but to
serve
and to
give his
life
as a
ransom
for many
he has
redeemed
his
people
so we
have these
three things
that for
some
it can
seem
just like
wishful
thinking
that we
would ever
have such
a blessing
of God
in Christ
but here
we are
told
what is
ours
through
faith
in Christ
and why
we can
go on
strengthened
with endurance
with patience
with joy
giving thanks
because
we have
a share
in the
inheritance
of the
saints
we have
been
delivered
from the
domain
of darkness
and transferred
to the
kingdom
of his
beloved
son
and we
have
redemption
we have
freedom
we have
the forgiveness
of sin
isn't it a
wonderful
reason
to give
thanks to
God
for what
we have
through
Christ
and why
we aim
to live
a life
fully
pleasing
to him
in just
these few
words
it is
summed up
so beautifully
for us
what we
have
in Christ
these
three
wonderful
things
that are
ours
through
faith
and may
God's
words
strengthen
us
and help
us
to go
on
living
for him
knowing
and reminding
ourselves
of what
is ours
in Christ
let us
pray
God's
I'm
we're
all
we're
all
we're
we offer
to be
we're
going to