Good morning, church family. Today we are reading Colossians chapter 1, verse 13 to 23.
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. He is the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created in heaven and on earth,
visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things
were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold
together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn
from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God
was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in
heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind,
doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body or flesh by his death, in order to present you
holy and blameless and above re-approach before him. If indeed you continue in the faith, stable and
steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all
creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.
I want to start with just that phrase that most of us knows,
the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.
I want to ask the question, why is it always greener?
Well, I think it goes something like this. When we look inside, we actually don't like what we see.
We're not the people we want to be.
We're not in the circumstance of life that we want to be in.
And we make it worse because we look around and we think that others
have the good life that we crave but haven't been able to get.
And so that leaves us feeling restless
and unhappy and unfilled and empty.
We long to be somewhere else.
We long to be transferred or transported to that happy place.
But even then, at the same time, I think we fear that even if we could get to the place of our dreams,
the place of happiness, of deep connection, of security,
I think we fear that, well, when we get there, we're just going to mess it up again.
And others will bring the same pain and hurt to us as we've experienced in this place.
So, a new place, no matter how wonderful it is in our dreams,
will mean little if we get to that new place and we're the same old broken person.
So, we long to be transferred, but we also long to be transformed.
We want to be free to build and experience the dream life in all its fullness or satisfaction.
But then again, you see, we might, at that point, we might then act
as though we have freedom and resources to make our dream life a reality.
But even as we're acting that out, deep down again, we know or we fear that we're stuck in a cycle.
We're stuck in a cycle of dreaming of the good life,
which then just gets bitterly shattered and disappointed because we can never get there.
We can't actually change ourselves.
And so, we're stuck because of our, we're stuck in our emptiness.
We're stuck in our disappointment because our inability to be different.
Now, that that I'm trying to describe, hopefully you already picked that up.
Hopefully, that's not just me feeling that.
But I think advertising have really done a good job of exploiting exactly those longings.
So often, they use really powerful before and after images in advertising.
There's lots on the TV at the minute, if any of you still watch TV.
Maybe that's just an old person's thing.
Anyway, there's one on the TV at the minute by dairy farmers.
And so, just a mouthful of their flavoured milk transports you from being stuck in a long queue at the supermarket checkout,
which I think depicts the boring dullness, routineness, unfulfilledness, emptiness of ordinary life.
You'd have a sip of your flavoured milk.
And lo and behold, you're bright.
You're in a sexy, tropical beach party scene.
Yeah.
And that's just dairy farmers.
I tell you, you need to buy some.
I've been drinking it by the gallon.
And I tell you, advertising is cruel.
It's cruel because, at very best, it can only offer you a temporary fix.
And that's probably more to do with sugar than actual transportation.
See, promises are not reality.
And what we need when we look inside, that desire, that longing to be transferred and transformed,
that tells us that what we need is a new reality.
We need someone with the power to deliver us into that good life of fullness, that good life of our dreams, that dream life.
My friends, as I say this morning, we need Jesus.
And we need the renewing power of his gospel.
Paul wants the Colossian Christians to be convinced that they already have fullness of life in Jesus.
And by extension, he wants every single believer here this morning to know that we also have fullness of life in Jesus.
And he wants to challenge anyone here this morning who is not yet a believer to know that you can have fullness of life in Jesus.
He wants to say this morning.
He wants to be with you.
He wants to know that you can have fullness of life.
Fully restored to being our authentic selves.
Restored to have freedom to be who we truly are.
Restored to being true image bearers, living life to the full.
and in the text that I'm looking at this morning
short three verses but so jam-packed with things
Paul also uses a very powerful before and after
image that Jacob's really helpfully picked up in the children's segment
before and after image to help
people realize, help empty people realize and discover
fullness in Christ
he starts off in verse 21, that's the focus of
21, 22 and 23 are my focus this morning
he starts off in verse 21 saying
what you once were, you who once were
alienated and hostile in mind doing evil
deeds
what you were, once you were in a persistent state
of total rebellion against God
in our natural born state
every single person is effectively at war with God
it's as if we've all made a declaration of independence from God
the consequence of which is that
the relationship has been fractured
we're alienated, we're estranged
we're cut off from relationship with God
what's the controlling drive for that declaration of independence?
it's the drive for autonomy
the drive to be separate from God
to create life under our own resources
in our own way
and it comes from our inmost being
it starts in our minds
it's in our attitudes
it's in our heart
it's in our desires
hostile in mind
and then all of that overflows
into our actions
described here as evil deeds
why are they evil or offensive to God?
because all our actions are designed
to suggest that God doesn't even exist
that we live life apart from God
we answer only to ourselves
everything is designed
to reject God's claim
to authority in our lives
and so as Bo said in his introduction
contrary to what we want to believe
and contrary to what our society and culture tells us
people are not good at heart
quite the opposite is true
in our natural born state
we have a bad heart towards God
and as a consequence
a bad track record before God
but there's another aspect of alienation
mentioned back in verse 13
which is a really important one to get hold of
so just look back in your text to verse 13
where it says
he, that is Jesus
has delivered us from the domain of darkness
now that word domain
has to do with authority
being captive
you see
in our natural born state
our perception of autonomy from God
is that we actually have freedom
to do whatever the heck we like
freedom to build something good in life
freedom and fullness of life apart from God
but we're told in verse 13
that the reality is
that rebellion
autonomy
puts us into the domain
of darkness
that is
it's a jurisdiction
where we're held captive
so our perception of autonomy
and freedom
is just that
it's actually a perception
that deceives us
and masks
what is really
a captivity
it's a distorted reality
the truth is
that we've been deceived
and taken captive by sin
and are heading for a showdown
with God's justice
that's a pretty heavy point
to stop at isn't it
a breakout
but
I do that
to introduce the next sentence
thankfully
God has not left people
in that distorted
deceived
alienated
guilty
reality
he has done something
totally left field
so we continue in verse 21
he had
verse 22
actually
he has now reconciled
so you
who once were alienated
he has now reconciled
in his body of flesh
by his death
see the before and after
starting to come out
God has done something
totally left field
God has now
reconciled
in and through
Christ's death
now I'm just going to
unpack the words
God has reconciled
now we're so familiar
with that word
and that was my problem
when I started to prepare this
I looked at that
and I thought
what am I going to say
oh man
that's familiarity
breeding contempt
God has reconciled
in other words
God has rescued us
from rebellion
and hostility
God has made his enemies
into his friends
now where does that happen
in our world
dog eat dog world
God has restored us
to full relationship
of peace with him
and all of that
is something that
God has graciously
done for us
it's an action
that's sourced
in God's love
and God's determination
not in us
in any shape or form
something we have not
deserved
God has done for us
something we have not
no part in
God has done for us
to be reconciled
by God
and to God
is to have a
totally new standing
before God
characterized
not by enmity
but by peace
not by alienation
but by
inclusiveness
and closeness
and intimacy
it's characterized
by total blessing
and my friends
it is something
that we simply
accept
thankfully
because God
has done it for us
and all this
is the result
verse 22
all this is the result
of Jesus' death
on the cross
the second word
by which he has
redeemed us
now in Paul's word
in Paul's
in Paul's world
slavery
was common
so this picture
would mean much more
to the Colossians
than it means to us
so
in the world
of slavery
you could
change
and transfer
the ownership
of a slave
by paying
the slave owner
a price
so you paid
your price
you bought
or redeemed
the slave
and then you
became the owner
of that slave
the slave's master
now
when that sort of thing
happened
and again
this is where
we won't actually
be able to get
into this illustration
really easily
the consequences
for the slave
were life changing
he or she
would have a new master
he would be transferred
to a different place
he would have
different conditions
of living
now
here's the rub
and this was often true
in the ancient world
if the new master
was kind
and good
and generous
then redemption
was a wonderful thing
it meant deliverance
from a terrible
empty life
into a wonderful
new life
of fullness
a new sense
of freedom
to enjoy
and serve
their new master
in delight
quite literally
in many
many instances
in ancient
world
that transfer
would see
a slave
brought into
essentially
being one of the family
and treated
like a child
and this is what
God has done
for his people
in the death
of Jesus
if you look back
at 13 and 14
again
read that verse
again
he has delivered us
from the domain
of darkness
and here's the word
transferred us
to the kingdom
of his beloved son
in whom we have
redemption
the forgiveness
of sins
everything changes
the direct result
of Jesus' death
is that God
has transferred
revels
from a position
of alienation
and living under
condemnation
to the domain
of life
darkness
to life
captivity
to freedom
and if you look
at verse 22
back to 22
sorry I made you
jump back and forward
I'm sure you can handle it
it says that
he's reconciled us
in his body of flesh
by his death
in order to present you
that word present
was a word
that was used
in the courts
and it's as if
God has legally
and publicly
declared
and committed
himself to
the fact
that he would
had paid
the price
of rebellion
and that he
would
no
never again
abandon
or hold
those people
to account
for their sin
because it had
been dealt with
we were
in that context
we were stuck
we were done
for
but Jesus
has paid
the price
of our rebellion
he's paid the penalty
for our rebellion
Jesus died
in payment
of my sin
as a consequence
I am forgiven
I am restored
to full relationship
in peace
I am delivered
from the domain
of darkness
and transferred
into God's domain
or God's kingdom
in light
and life
that's a massive
before and after
thing isn't it
but there's still
more
and God has
verse 22
again
God has
transformed
rebels
back into
his image
God's intention
in salvation
or redemption
where as you see
there in verse 22
to make
his people
holy
what is that
well
it's to restore
their ability
to live
obedient
blameless
delighted
lives
before God
as I said
before
the word
present
in verse 22
is a legal word
so God
has legally
bound himself
always to
treat
his reconciled
people
just as if
they'd never
ever sinned
my friends
put those two
words together
now
in Christ
we experience
not just
a new position
a new orientation
before God
we actually
experience
a change
of heart
transfer
transform
our bad
track record
is wiped
clean
and
we're changed
from the inside
out
by God's
spirit
living within
us
we have a new
heart
new DNA
which results
in new
attitudes
new desires
new actions
new freedom
to live as
happy
obedient
children
before our
gracious God
again
look back
at verse 12
we didn't
read this
earlier
but look
back to
verse 12
another
interesting
concept
in there
given
thanks to
the father
who has
qualified
you
to share
in the
inheritance
of the
saints
in light
in Christ
God has
done
everything
required
to qualify
rebels
to become
part
of his
family
with the
same
rights
and the
same
inheritance
as Jesus
himself
that's
huge
but we
become so
familiar with
it
I become
so familiar
with it
I miss
it
what a
before and
after picture
what a
contrast
previously
in our
natural
born
state
we were
guilty
rebels
set apart
for
condemnation
and
destruction
that was
in our
natural
born
state
now
in
Christ
restored
to
fullness
of life
and relationship
with God
we are
set apart
for
obedient
committed
lives
of service
and worship
the
contrast
couldn't
be
greater
so
we've been
asking each
week through
this series
what is
fullness in
Christ
well
fullness in
Christ
what is our
fullness in
Christ
well it's
new
identity
as those
qualified
to be
in God's
eternal
family
it's a
new
standing
before
God
now
viewed as
beloved
sons and
daughters
who will
never be
abandoned
or rejected
it's a
new
freedom
through
new
spirit
controlled
hearts
to enjoy
life
as we
were
originally
created
to
do
it's
new
passion
to
worship
Jesus
as
both
Lord
and
Savior
in
all
of
life
and
we
cannot
separate
those
two
even
though
we've
had
to
do
it
for
the
sake
of
preaching
breakdowns
so
Dave
last
week
took us
through
verse
15
to
20
where
Paul
established
the
lordship
of
Jesus
in
everything
in
this
world
wherever
you
can
think
or
whatever
you
can
think
of
this
world
Jesus
is
there
he's
today
we're
saying
Jesus
as
Savior
the
two
cannot
be
separated
because
he is
lord of
everything
in the
universe
verses
15
to
20
because
of
that
he
is
qualified
to
be
our
Savior
Jesus
is
God
come
into
the
world
as
a
sinless
human
being
and
so
he
is
an
acceptable
sacrifice
for
our
sin
that's
the
picture
that
Jacob
had
in
the
children
segment
this
morning
because
Jesus
is
lord
he
is
qualified
to
be
our
savior
now
add
the
second
part
because
he
has
been
a
savior
of
such
enormous
proportion
then
he
must
be
our
lord
because
he
is
saved
at
such
enormous
cost
to
himself
as
part
of
God's
salvation
purpose
then
he
must
be
our
lord
he
must
be
our
lord
personally
as
individual
christians
and
he
must
be
our
lord
demonstrably
as
a
church
community
a
church
family
unit
the
new
resurrection
community
or the
church
no
what
might
prevent
us
from
experiencing
this
fulence
again
that's
the
second
question
we're
committed
to
asking
each
week
well
look
at
verse
23
Paul
highlights
two
things
which
might
rob
us
of
confidence
to
live
in
fullness
in
christ
now
the
likelihood
is
as
soon
as
we
start
to
read
verse
23
we
might
start
thinking
of a
performance
based
response
we'll
read it
so
all
that's
been
stated
in
verse
21
and
22
and
then
it
goes
on
comma
at the
end
of
verse
22
and
23
if
indeed
you
continue
in
the
faith
stable
and
steadfast
not
shifting
from
the
hope
of
the
gospel
that
you
heard
which
has
been
proclaimed
in
all
creation
under
heaven
and
of
which
I
Paul
became
a
minister
so
here's
the
question
the
if
suggests
a
contingency
based on
what
Paul
has
already
said
the
question
is
what
is
it
that
Paul
expects
of
the
believers
at
Colossi
as they
live
day by
day
in this
knowledge
of having
been
reconciled
that's
the
question
you have
to ask
as you
start to
read into
verse 23
what does
Paul expect
from them
well I
say this
very very
simple
expects
nothing
except
loyalty
to the
gospel
they
already
know
and
have
received
and
experienced
it's
very
emphatic
there
in
verse 23
it goes
on
there
is
only
one
gospel
there
is
only
one
gospel
yes
it's
the
gospel
that
brought
newness
to you
guys
at
Colossi
when
you
heard
it
and
understood
it
in
the
past
yes
it's
the
gospel
which
is
producing
similar
results
wherever
it's
spoken
around
the
world
the
same
gospel
the
same
result
and
ultimately
it's
the
same
gospel
that
had
taken
Paul
captive
to
serve
Jesus
Paul's
point
here
is not
to put
us
on a
performance
treadmill
fullness
of
life
was
not
about
their
performance
in
response
to
what
God
has
done
for
them
and
in
them
rather
it
was
accepting
what
God
has
done
for
them
and
living
in
the
light
of
that
living
in
the
light
of
what
is
now
true
for
them
given
what
God
has
done
for
them
my
friends
it
is
not
about
being
driven
by our
feelings
on
any
day
by day
basis
I
don't
feel
renewed
therefore
I
can't
be
renewed
that
moves
away
from
what
God
has
done
for
us
Paul's
point
here
is
very
simple
when
they
came
to
believe
when
they
came
to
faith
in
Christ
they
experienced
fullness
in
Christ
or
the
full
benefits
of
Jesus
as
Lord
and
Savior
God
has
acted
in
their
lives
in
the
past
fullness
has
already
become
part
of
their
lives
in
the
past
and
they
live
every
day
into
the
future
on
the
basis
of
what
God
has
done
for
them
they
have
been
rescued
perfect
passive
if
you're
interested
in
grammar
they
have
been
redeemed
please tell me
I got that
right
yes
no
don't
say
anything
alright
they have
been
rescued
they have
been
redeemed
they have
been
transferred
they have
been
reconciled
they have
been
given
peace
new
identity
new
standing
before
God
new
freedom
to love
and serve
new
passion
to
worship
in
the
past
now
it's
something
they already
experience
now
the
problem
is
that
many
Christians
seem
to
think
that
as
they
move
forward
into
the
future
they
continue
to
have
one
each
of
one
foot
in
two
boats
you ever
tried
to
straddle
two
boats
one
foot
in
each
it
just
doesn't
work
but
I
think
that's
how
lots
of
Christians
think
of
life
oh
I
don't
know
which
boat
I'm
in
that's
impossible
according
to what
Paul
has
said
here
a
person
can
only
be
one
or
the
other
either
you're
alienated
and in
the domain
of
darkness
or
you've
been
brought
in
to the
kingdom
of his
son
in
light
God
has
done
it
for
you
either
you're
in
Adam
alienated
hostile
and
pursuing
autonomy
from
God
or
you're
in
Christ
rescued
transferred
into
God's
family
transformed
from the
inside
out
so your
heart's
desire
is to
love
and serve
God
and live
under
the
rule
of
Jesus
now do
you hear
what I'm
saying
your
heart's
desire
I'm
not
saying
perfection
in
the
accomplishment
of
that
your
whole
new
orientation
is that
you now
want to
love
and serve
Jesus
okay
where have
we got
I've just
lost a
page here
now
that was
a bit
of a
shock
to me
I'm
sure
there's
going to
be
an
climax
here
it's
still
here
put it
down to
14
weeks
and a
lot
of
rust
second
thing
second
place
where we
might
not
experience
fullness
in
Christ
is
verse
23
again
is that
we're
not
single
minded
in
serving
Jesus
as
Lord
and
Savior
Paul
uses
very
specific
words
here
he says
you're
to be
continue
stable
and
steadfast
again
it's
not a
performance
thing
the words
there
just
mean
you're
to be
single
minded
don't
change
don't
allow
yourself
to be
dissuaded
from
trusting
that you
have
fullness
of life
in
Jesus
and
start
looking
for it
somewhere
else
that's
what
Paul
is
saying
what
you
do
going
forward
as a
Christian
is
keep
your
eyes
firmly
fixed
on
the
reality
of
what
God
has
done
for
you
again
fullness
of
life
is
not
about
performance
in
response
to
the
gospel
but
fullness
of
life
is
there
for
us
providing
we
refuse
to
entertain
any
thought
that
anything
or anyone
other than
Jesus
can deliver
fullness
of
life
the
Colossians
now lived
in God's
kingdom
where Christ
is king
they placed
themselves
under the
lordship
of Christ
and so
the question
for Paul
is very
simple
will you
continue
to do
that
tomorrow
and next
week
and next
month
will you
continue
to serve
him
as king
gladly
or would
they settle
back into
thinking
sometime
again
well maybe
maybe there's
more fooling
somewhere else
maybe there's
better satisfaction
in some other
place
and subtly
shift
their focus
to those
things
my friends
in summing
up then
before
before the
foundations
of the
world
our lives
were
inextricably
tied to
God
our hearts
and dreams
were always
meant to
belong to
him
when our hopes
and dreams
are taken
captive by
anything else
they're bound
to fail
because they
lead us
away
from Jesus
or encourage
us to
add something
to what
God
has done
for us
in Jesus
but in
Christ
our greatest
dream of
being acceptable
to God
of being
with him
in heaven
forever
has already
become
our new
reality
that's a
truth to
live by
isn't it
that's a
clarity
to see
and hold
on to
and navigate
life
by in a
confused
world
that's
true
fullness
of life
well pray
with me
please
as Bo
said at
the very
start
Lord
so often
our concept
of you
though strong
may just be
that you're
useful
and not
beautiful
Lord your
beauty
is shown
in so many
places in
your world
but in
the greatest
most obvious
place it's
shown in
your action
to reconcile
us who
previously were
alienated and
facing condemnation
we thank you
that you have
transferred us
from the
domain of
darkness
into the
kingdom of
your son
from darkness
to life
to light
from death
to life
we thank you
Lord that not
content with
that you've
also transformed
us and
continue to
transform us
may it never
be Lord that
either individually
or as a
church family
we are guilty
of
taking our
eyes of you
and starting
to find
and look for
fullness
somewhere else
once again
in Jesus name
I pray
Amen
thank you much
for listening to
me