Colossians 1:13-14 - God the Great Deliverer

Summation & Diagnosis

Let us pray.

I invite you to turn your attention to Colossians 1:13-14 this morning. We live in a time with a plethora of worldviews, cultures, ideologies, and religions. Furthermore, we are met with a cultural phenomenon of “Your truth”. You are free to believe whatever you want and it is your truth. No one can challenge this subjective truth that is held personally. Self-wisdom is the king of the day.

It may be easy for us to see the plethora of false teaching and not be able to wrap our minds our the complexities of what others believe. Hinduism believes this, Mormonism believes this, New Age spirituality believes this, Jehovah Witnesses believe this, and the list goes on and on with over 4,000 recognized different religions in the world. Yet, in Scripture there are two kingdoms - The Kingdom of God and The kingdom of darkness. For God, there is no in-between. In our verses today, we see that one is either in the dominion of darkness or in the Kingdom of the Beloved Son.

So, my prayer for this morning is we see the stark contrast between these two kingdoms. For those of you who are currently in the dominion of darkness, I pray that you would see the glorious light of the Gospel, that the Spirit would, as John 16 states, convict you of sin, righteousness, and judgment leading to your heart being open to receive the powerful Gospel, that you would repent accepting Christ as Lord and Savior, and that you would then walk with Him in joy for all your days.

For those of us who are in the Kingdom of the Beloved Son, I pray we would respond in gratitude to the Father. For He, and He alone, is the one who transferred us to this Kingdom. I pray our souls would be moved by the truth that He delivered us from the dominion of darkness to the Kingdom of Christ. That we no longer are under the chains of sin, evil, and Satan. I pray that we would be so moved by this that our souls will cry out in worship to the Father who rescued us from eternal damnation and has caused us to part in this New Exodus. Ultimately, my prayer is that we would behold the glory of God.

The Word Read

So let us look at Colossians 1:13-14. It is vitally important that you see the text with me not simply hear it - for in the Word of God we see the glory of God which drives us to God-glorifying, Christ-magnifying, and Spirit-driven worship. Hear the Word of the Lord:

13 He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Behold, brothers and sisters, this is Word of the Lord.

Our passage can be divided up into three sections. The first part of Colossians 1:13 reveals the Father is our deliverer from the domain of darkness. In the second part of Colossians 1:13, Scripture tells us that the Father placed us in the Son’s Kingdom. Finally, in Colossians 1:14 we see that it is only through the Son that we have redemption which is the forgiveness of sins.

Colossians 1:13a - Exegesis

Let us begin by turning our attention to Colossians 1:13a where we will see God as our great Deliverer. However, I will read starting in Colossians 1:12:

12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

In verse 12 Paul gives the third way the Colossians can live a life worthy of the Lord. The Colossians are called to give thanks to the Father. Why? Because the Father has qualified them to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. Verse 13 gives us the reason as to how the Father has qualified the saints. How has He qualified the Colossians, Paul, and Timothy? Paul says in the first part of 1:13, He has delivered us from the domain of darkness. Though a simple clause, there is much to unpack.

First who is the He? The “He” here is God the Father. The Great Father who created the world and saved His people. The loving Father who sent the Son to be crushed on the cross on behalf of the elect’s sin (Isaiah 53). The caring Father who sent the Spirit to dwell within us (John 14:16-17). The Father who sits on the throne continually worshipped (Revelation 4). This is the Father of the Colossians, the Father of Paul and Timothy, and our Father. He is your Father. This Father has qualified US for salvation.

How did our Father do this? By delivering us from the domain of darkness. The word delivered means to be rescued from danger. The Father did not save us from simply being bad or misbehaving. No, HE RESCUED/DELIVERED US FROM DANGER! This is a very real, very present and future danger. This danger has existed since Genesis 3. In Genesis 3, God tells Adam and Eve that one day there would be a rescuer. He would save them from rebellion and sin. This is a real threat, a real danger. In Genesis 6:6, the Lord tells Moses to tell the people of Israel:

I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. 7 I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.

Like God saving the Israelites from Egypt with His outstretched arm, God has saved You, His child, from the danger of sin and eternal death. He has taken you to be His child. He is Your God who has rescued you from danger. What more could be of great encouragement. Your God, Your Father has rescued you! You are no longer in danger.

Then Paul tells the Colossians what they have been saved from - the domain of darkness. Domain here refers to executive authority or domination. Darkness are the forces or power structures of evil, sinfulness, chaos, darkened by sin. So what is the domain of darkness? The evil, sinful, darkened by sin structures and forces that dominate those who are not in Christ. This was the state of the Colossians before repentance in Christ. They were dominated by darkness. BUT now they have been delivered, rescued by the great Father!

Colossians 1:13a - Conscience

This half a verse is dripping with grace. Brimming with the fruit of Gospel. A loving Father, by His grace alone, has saved a people from the domination of darkness, of sin, chaos, evil, and eternal death. The domain of darkness seeks to dominate. It is not looking for a COO, CFO, or branch manager to help manage its affairs. The domain of darkness is instead looking to dominate its members. If you are not in Christ this morning, this is your domain. Your citizenship is the domain of darkness. This domain intends to dominate you. There is no freedom here. There is a feeling of false freedom, but be warned this authority seeks your destruction. My plea with you is to run to the great Deliverer. Run to Jesus who is the King of the Kingdom of the Beloved Son. Here the words of Christ from Mark 1:14-15:

14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

This is the Kingdom where true freedom is found. The Kingdom that has eternal life. The Kingdom where eternal springs of water wait for you in eternity. The Kingdom where Jesus Christ, and Him alone, will release you from the burden and weight of sin. He comes to you and says, “surrender.”

For those of us in Christ, we should praise the Father because He has delivered us. He has rescued us from this dominion. We are no longer dominated by sin. He is no longer our master. Our Master is a merciful, loving God.

Colossians 1:13a - Use

This deliverance also includes the evil spirits in the unseen realm, but we will look more at this next week as Paul details Jesus’ authority over all spiritual beings in verses 15-17.

Our deliverance is to our great encouragement because it causes us to look to our triune God. We were, and still are, unable to save ourselves. Our good works did not save us from the domain of darkness. Our understanding of doctrine did not save us. Our baptism did not save us. No, only the mighty work of God saved us! The Father delivered you from the domain of darkness. Furthermore, we can take encouragement because He keeps us out of the domain of darkness. Those who are His are His forever! Every day, Christians suffer from spiritual depression, spiritual anxiety, and spiritual angst. Their hearts are overtaken and for one reason or another they believe a lie regarding their relationship with God. This may be you this morning. Spiritual depression, anxiety, and angst have gripped your heart. The Lord feels so distant. You are on earth and He feels galaxies away. Hear the Words of our Lord from John 10:27-29:

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.

He may feel distant, but He’s not let you go. He has you in His hand. Christ has given you eternal life and you will not perish. The Father will allow no one to take you from His almighty hand. You are still His. As a good Father, He’s calling you back to Him: Come, My child, come.

When we pray this week our hearts should be stirred to praise. When we say, “Father”, this the first part of Colossians 1:13 should come to mind. Father, thank you for delivering me. Thank you for saving me from danger. Thank you for rescuing me from the power and domination of the kingdom of darkness. Thank you for placing me into this new exodus with Christ saving us and leading us to a great promised land.

Colossians 1:13b - Exegesis

In the second part of verse 13 we see where the Father has placed us - the Kingdom of the Beloved Son. Look at the text with me:

and transferred us to the kingdom of the Son he loves

The first part of verse 13 reveals where The Father has taken us out of - the domain of darkness - and now we learn where we’ve been placed - Christ’s Kingdom! How did this happen? The Father transferred them. God plucked, or transplanted, them from one domain and then placed them into a new kingdom. This is, once again, all a work of the Father.

Where has he transferred them to? The Kingdom of the Son he loves. Notice the great contrast. The domain or domination of darkness vs. the Kingdom of the Son the Father loves. In one there is no hope, in the other the love of the Father. One Kingdom absent of the triune God, the other the Father and the Son. The one full of darkness, the other a kingdom of light. Paul’s prayer is also a report of praise. You’ve been taken from a kingdom of death to a kingdom of life.

This Kingdom belongs to the Son. The wonderful, eternal, obedient, sinless Son. The Son who was present in creation. The Son who was promised to save God’s people in Genesis 3. The Son whom the Israelites longed to see for thousands of years. The Son who led the Israelites out of the Egypt. The Son who willingly came to earth. The Son who lived a perfect life. The Son who died a gruesome death. The Son who rose from the dead. The Son who ascended to the Father. The Son who sent the Spirit. The Son who is the radiance of God’s glory and upholds the universe by His Word. The Son who was given a kingdom. The Son who will deliver the kingdom to God the Father one day. And the Son whom the Father LOVES.

The Father has not given the Kingdom over to a person/spirit that He doesn’t know. He’s given the Kingdom over to His Son. This Son is the one He loves. Listen to Matthew 3:13-17:

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

Before the Son started His ministry, the Father loved Him and was well pleased with Him. In fact, the Father loved Him eternally. The triumphant Messianic King had arrived. He comes from the Father. The Father has given Him a Kingdom and the Son will reign supreme.

Colossians 1:13b - Conscience

This verse leaves us with one truth: there are two kingdoms in this world - darkness and Christ’s. There is nothing else. In the drama of Scripture, we find a rebellious domain that does not seek to live under the rule and reign of God. God the Father, in His grace, simultaneously delivers and transfers His children from the domain of darkness to the Kingdom of the Beloved Son. Paul’s words in Ephesians 2:1-19 bring our salvific process into view:

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

As this settled into my heart this week, I was overwhelmed with gratitude and thanksgiving. I have a great loving Father who delivered me. The weight of this glorious truth pierced my heart afresh. Does it bring us to our knees? Both Colossians and Ephesians reveal that salvation was not our doing. It was the mighty work of God. It was by His grace that He saved us. It was by His mercy that were redeemed. This is all a gift from God! The great transfer comes from a great God!

Colossians 1:13b - Use

Imagine you walk into Chaney’s one afternoon. You look around and see Bob wearing a tuxedo instead of jeans and a T-shirt. He comes over to your table and says, “Welcome to Chaney’s, it’s a pleasure to be your server. How may I serve you today?” Confused you ask, “Bob, what is going on???” He looks over his shoulder, leans down, and whispers “new ownership.” Suddenly, it all makes sense.

New ownership means a new owner, new rules, and a new way. This is the same for us when we are delivered and transferred to the Kingdom of the Beloved Son.

First, there is a new King over our lives. Previously, we were slave to sin. Now we are slaves to God (Romans 6:20-22). Our lives mustn’t be ruled by our selfish desires, passions, and sin, but by Christ. So we have a new king.

Second, we have a new identity. If we have been transferred to the kingdom of the Son we are a new creation or a new creature. 2 Corinthians 5:17 states:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

The old man has died and a new one lives. And 2 Corinthians 5:18 explains how:

All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself

Our new identity was given to us not because we have done enough works, not because we know enough Bible or doctrine, not because we’ve been members of a church for 50 years. The new creature emerges due to the Father’s most gracious and glorious work from before the foundation of the earth.

Third, we have a new way of living. We no longer live under the bondage of the domain of darkness. We live holy, pure, to the glory of God. Romans 6:19:

For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.

Regardless of how moral we may have been, we lived a life to impurity and lawlessness prior to being transferred to the Kingdom of the Son. Being under the rule and reign of a new king means we live a new life because we are a new creation. The Father and Son send us the Holy Spirit so that we may live in the kingdom.

Fourth, we have a new eternal home. Prior to God rescuing us were destined for the lake of fire. An eternity of God’s wrath being poured upon us. Now, our future home is glorious. A city filled with the glory of God where we will reign forever.

We’ve received all of this because of God the Father’s great transfer! We’ve received a new King, a new identity, a new way of living, and a new eternal home. As the doxology says, PRAISE FATHER!

Colossians 1:14 - Exegesis

In Colossians 1:14 we learn that there is but one way to redemption - the Son.

in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Paul, still in his prayer, draws the Colossians to the center of his entire argument - Christ. The false teachers were teaching something other than “Christ alone”. Paul stakes his teaching in Christ alone. It is only in the Son that you have redemption. Only in Christ can you be redeemed from the domain of darkness. There is liberation and freedom given.

In Luke 4, Jesus is led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit. There He is tempted by the devil. He withstands each temptation. Then Jesus comes to Nazareth and goes into the synagogue on the Sabbath Day. There He takes a scroll and reads Isaiah 61:1-2:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.

The time had come, the promised new exodus from Isaiah had arrived. Those in Christ have ongoing freedom from sin because of His redemptive work. Forgiveness of sins were not just given to each member of the congregation, but to the church as a whole!

Colossians 1:14 - Conscience

The redemption and forgiveness of sins is the heart of God’s story. For thousands of years, people waited for their sins to be taken away. The blood of bulls and goats could not take sins away (Hebrews 10:4). The people had to provide sacrifices day after day after day. Yet, the Son’s sacrifice was once and for all. When He said “it is finished”, it was. His sacrifice opened the door for humanity to have a relationship with God. Liberation and freedom have come to us.

After a great battle was won in Rome, a great parade was given. The city would celebrate the conquest and victory with key military leaders leading the way in the parade. In 2 Corinthians 2:14, Paul writes how Christ does this:

But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.

Paul pictures Christ as the great general who leads His people. He’s already won the battle. Liberation and freedom have come. Christ is victor. He has captured a people for Himself adding them to His kingdom. We are that people. We are the ones who have been captured by Christ. He has brought redemption to our hearts. He has freed us from the chains of sin. Through His death, He was won the battle on our behalf.

As we love our lives how often do we give thanks to our great General who has freed us? Are we thankful for His redemptive work on the cross? Do we long to give Him praise?

Colossians 1:14 - Use

Redemption is here this morning. Some here this morning show the behaviors of a life of the Beloved Kingdom on Sunday, yet belong to the domain of darkness during the week. Sin, impurity, unrighteousness abound. The words of Christ to Sardis in Revelation 3:1-2 ring true of you:

I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.

Christ is calling you to repent and become spiritually alive. See the sweetness of the blood of Christ. See the wonderful redemption He offers to you!

Some are here and have not repented of sin. The Spirit has brought you in so you could hear the love of the Father. He’s sent a Savior, whose name is Jesus, to redeem you. Freedom and liberation is before you. The great King Jesus offers salvation to your soul today, but it comes through repentance and surrender.

Some of us are exhausted with life. The weight of a situation or a culmination of situations weigh on our hearts today. In the trial, we’ve lost focus of our great God. The issues have become mountains that block the view of the Son. Know that Christ will keep you. The Father will not remove you from the Son’s Kingdom. You are His. Rest on the bosom of Christ as He reminds you of His redemptive work on the cross.

In closing, let us go to the Redemption. Matthew 27:45–54:

45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 47 And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said, “This man is calling Elijah.” 48 And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink. 49 But the others said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.” 50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. 51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, 53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. 54 When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”