Be Prepared

Colossians 1:12-14  Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:  (13)  Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:  (14)  In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

INTRODUCTION:           We as Christians, to use a tried and true phrase from the Boy Scouts, must “Be Prepared.”  The Boy Scouts teach good morals and life skills.  Things as Christian we all must also have.  Not just to have but use and have them re-enforced by our Christianity.

              However, our reason for being “Prepared” is for that coming day in which either God calls us Home, or that day when Jesus returns to retrieve His Church.

              We in our past as children of the devil, found the way of qualification and to receive the eternal inheritance with God.  All through the Blood of Jesus being on that Cross.

              According to [1] Matthew Henry “Here is a summary…of the Gospel concerning the great work of our redemption by Christ.”

              These three verses constitute 1 message of five in verses 12 through 23.  I will use the next 4 Sunday evening for the remainder of these verses.  I will be gone one of those Sundays.

I.            WE ARE PARTAKERS OF AN INHERITENCE                  (v 12)

              A.           We Must Be Prepared

                             1.           Our preparation is through Jesus

                                           i.            Our channel to Jesus is the Holy Spirit

                                                          a.           We cannot do it on our own

Ephesians 2:8-9  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  (9)  Not of works, lest any man should boast.

2.               It is God who made us qualified

i.                By putting His only Begotten Son

              a.           On that Cross to die

              b.           For our sins

John 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

ii.               Whosoever believeth

B.              Walk In The Light

1.               Set ourselves apart

              i.            For God’s service eternally

C.              God Has Made Us Heirs

1.               Heirs to what?

              i.            Eternity

Titus 3:7  That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

                                                          a.           Our Hope

                                                          b.           Is eternal life

                                           ii.           The promises made to Abraham

Galatians 3:29  And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

                                                          a.           We are now Abraham’s Heirs

Romans 4:13  For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

                                                          b.           Heirs of the promise

                                                          c.            All by faith in Jesus

                                           iii.          Heirs of reward

Colossians 3:24  Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

                                                                                               

                                                          a.           The reward of inheritance

                                                          b.           Because we serve Jesus

                                           iv.          Heirs of immortality

1 Corinthians 15:50-54  Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.  (51)  Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,  (52)  In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.  (53)  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.  (54)  So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

                                                          a.           Incorruptible

                                                          b.           That “Victory In Jesus”

II.           GOD HAS DELIVERED US                                                   (v 13)

              A.           From The Power of Darkness

                             1.           A place, a realm, a kingdom

Matthew 6:23  But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

                                           i.            Where sight does not exist

                                           ii.           A lack of knowledge

2.               An active power

              i.            That enslaves men

John 3:19  And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

a.               To sin

b.               To rebel against God

c.               To rebel against the church

B.              God Has Rescued Us

1.               He gave us the life

              i.            The light

John 1:9-10  That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.  (10)  He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

                                           ii.           The true light / The truth

                                                          a.           To all men

C.              God Transferred Us

1.               To His Son Jesus

John 6:65  And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.

                                           i.            Only from God

                                                          a.           Is Jesus available

III.         WE ARE FORGIVEN                                                              (v 14)

A.              God Redeemed Us

1.               With the Blood of Jesus

Luke 23:34  Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

2.               We were forgiven

              i.            From His Cross

                             a.           While in agony

CONCLUSION:  Isn’t it amazing what God’s only Begotten Son gave us by His selfless death on that Old Rugged Cross.  In His agony we were on His mind.  While on the Cross He forgave one and all who would trade their world for His through the Blood He shed.

              God’s Amazing Grace, Jesus, look to Him, and serve Him.

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[1] “Matthew Henry Commentary”  Volume 5, page 752.