May 09, 2021

“ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH YOUR LIFE?”

“COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS”

COLOSSIANS 1:12-14

Counting blessings in the midst of counting losses. There are certain blessings we must hold on to.

Colossians 1:3,12, 2:7, 3:15-17, 4:2

Paul Now Tells Us Three Things We Can Be Thankful For:

Colossians 1:12-14 “giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.”

1.   We Have An Inheritance- Colossians 1:12

1 Peter 1:3-5 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

Ephesians 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.”

Ephesians 1:11-14 “In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, 12that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. 13In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.”

vs.12 “qualified” or fit, met, God has qualified us for heaven.

Ephesians 1:18 “the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.”

Acts 26:18 “to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.”

What are you going to do with your inheritance? Will you invest it? Or sit on it?

You did not earn it, you don’t deserve it, you can’t do anything to keep it, but what are you going to do with it now that you have it?

Matthew 6:20 “but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.”

2.   He Hath Delivered Us From Darkness And Hath Translated Us

Colossians 1:13 “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.”

1 Thessalonians 5:4-5 “But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.”

Ephesians 5:8 “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.”

“Delivered”-rescued from danger.

Ephesians 6:11-12 “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

There is no reason for a believer to be under the power of darkness. If we follow Jesus we walk in light not in darkness.

1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;”

Are you in darkness or in the light?

3.   We Have Redemption Through Christ’s Blood

Colossians 1:14 “In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.”

“Redemption”-to buy, to pay off, to free, to liberate, to rescue.

John 8:34 “Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.”

Acts 2

Titus 2:14 “Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.”

Ephesians 1:7 “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.”

It is about the blood. “Forgiveness”-means to send away, to cancel a debt.

Hebrews 9:22 “And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission.”

Romans 3:24-25 “being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed.”

No matter how crazy it gets in our world today, we as believers can be thankful for:

1.   We have an inheritance.

2.   We have been delivered from darkness and translated to the kingdom of His dear Son.

3.   We have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sin.

Do you have stability? How are you doing with your spiritual investments? Are you counting your blessings?