Rescued, transferred, and redeemed.John Farley
Pastor-Teacher Sunday, April 22, 2018 Grace Bible Church Pakistan www.gbcpakistan.org Please pray for:• Church/School Building • Protection as they distribute Bibles in distant and dangerous places Grace Bible Church Pakistan
Rescued, Transferred, and RedeemedCol 1:9-12 I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. (Rom 7:21) He ASKS GOD for something. Col 1:9-10a He asks God to provide us with all that BEFORE he moves to the life we are called to lead. SO THAT If God doesn’t provide it… There is NO WAY that we will ever be able to carry out the game plan in verse 10… …UNTIL we have been filled with the knowledge of God’s will in ALL spiritual wisdom and understanding. Col 1:9-10 God gives us His ALL first… so we can give Him our all. Which all comes from Him anyway! His all for us towers over the things He is looking for in our walk and work. Col 1:11 It’s God’s own wisdom and understanding that pleases Him in all respects… and bears fruit in every good work. It’s God’s power that attains all steadfastness and patience. It takes perfection to make perfection. And we ain’t perfect! Col 1:13-14 Verse 13 is the first key turning point in the letter. Verse 12 marks the end of Paul’s prayer on behalf of the saints. In verse 13, Paul begins to instruct the saints. The subject of this next section (verses 13-23) is the glories of Christ. And so Paul leads off with a recap of what God did in saving us. 1. He rescued us. A dramatic rescue. Colossians has a sister epistle, the letter to the saints at Ephesus. In Eph 1:7-8, Paul presents the facts of our redemption. Eph 1:7-8 First, our redemption was secured through the blood of Christ. Second, our salvation is according to the riches of God’s grace. Eph 2:1-9 First, in Eph 2:1-3, we learn more about the domain of darkness. We were dead there, dead in our trespasses and sins. And he tells us how we lived when we were in the domain of darkness. Second, in Eph 2:4-5, we learn more details about our rescue from the domain of darkness. Why did God rescue us? Because of His mercy and His great love for us. How did God rescue us? He made us alive together with Christ. Third, in Eph 2:6a, we learn details about our transfer to the kingdom of God’s beloved Son. He raised us up with Christ, and seated us with Christ in the heavenlies. Now that’s a transfer!! Fourth, in Eph 2:6b-7, we more about His kingdom, and why we have been placed there. Christ’s kingdom is now in the heavenly places. We are seated with Him in the heavenlies. So that in the ages to come, God might show us the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us. Fifth and finally, in Eph 2:8-9, we learn more about how we have been saved.
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