Our Thankfulness Prioritized

Last week we saw our Priority for Prayer.

We are to Pray for each other to be Filled with Knowledge that we might Walk worthy, producing fruit, maturing to the image of Jesus Christ, strengthened against the trials and tribulations and suffering of our day, that we might be able to endure until the end.

Are you praying for me? I am praying for you.

Are you praying for each other?

God answers prayer.

James 1:5 (KJV 1900)

5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Luke 11:9 (KJV 1900)

9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

Folks, we need to Prioritize Prayer for the Word of God and our Walk with God.

Then and only then will God impart Joy, Peace, and Contentment into your life.

So, we are praying.

Now What?

We need to Prioritize our Thankfulness.

Notice the words of Paul.

Colossians 1:12 (KJV 1900)

12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

Let’s not even talk about thanking God for what He is doing in your life or what He is going to do in your life.

If you are a Christian, you have plenty to be thankful for what God has already done in your life.

What God has done started with the Father, but was performed through His Son.

Galatians 1:4 (KJV 1900)

4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

1 Peter 1:20 (KJV 1900)

20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

You are not here by accident.

God had a plan.

Ephesians 1:4 (KJV 1900)

4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Now, lets go back to our verse.

Colossians 1:12 (KJV 1900)

12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

Meet - made us able, qualified us, made us complete, brought us to perfection.

What has God completed?

He made (qualified, equipped, and perfected)us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.

Paul is speaking of our Salvation.

I think we need to be more thankful for our salvation. God qualified you to go to heaven, that’s future, but God also qualified you to be a saint in light, that’s present.

You, if you are a saved child of God, “have been qualified” by God to participate in His inheritance with those saints who have already been promoted to glory.

I should be hearing some “Amens” of Thankfulness.

Maybe some applause of Thankfulness.

Maybe a shout, a praise the Lord, thank you Jesus.

Something.

Do you realize what it means to be qualified?

When we came into this world, we were anything but qualified to participate in anything related to God the Father.

Think with me for a moment:

You Were:

1. You were Dead in our Sins—Eph. 2:1

Ephesians 2:1 (KJV 1900)

1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

2. You were Separated from God by your Sins—Isa. 59:2

Isaiah 59:2 KJV 1900

2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, And your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

3. You were a Child of the Devil—John 8:44

John 8:44 (KJV 1900)

44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

4. You were Doomed to Hell—2 Thes. 1:8–9 ; Psa. 9:17

2 Thessalonians 1:8–9 (KJV 1900)

8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

Psalm 9:17 (KJV 1900)

17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, And all the nations that forget God.

That is a sad state of affairs, but it is where all people find themselves by virtue of their natural birth.

But, thanks be to God, as Paul said in verse 12; when we were born again, everything that was wrong with us was made right by the Lord!

You Are:

1. God Gave You His Life—Eph. 2:5 ; John 10:28

Ephesians 2:5 (KJV 1900)

5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

John 10:28 (KJV 1900)

28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

2. God Reconciled You To Himself—Rom. 5:6–10

Romans 5:6–10 (KJV 1900)

6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

3. God Adopted You Into His Family—John 1:12; 1 John 3:1–13; Rom. 8:15

John 1:12 (KJV 1900)

12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Romans 8:15 (KJV 1900)

15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

4. God Set You On The Road To Heaven—John 14:1–3; John 17:24

John 17:24 (KJV 1900)

24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

John 14:1–3 (KJV 1900)

1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

All of this happens when as a sinner you believe on Jesus for salvation.

At the instant, as a lost sinner, you trust Jesus Christ for your soul’s salvation, a sinner becomes a saint of God.

You literally become a “new creature”.

You are rebirthed or “born again.”

You receive a fresh start. Everything changes!

God in His awesome, soul-saving, sin-killing power instantly and eternally prepares you, the child of God and makes you worthy or qualifies you to enter His presence, His family and His heaven.

We call this wonderful gift Justification.

It simply refers to the act of God declaring a sinner to be right with God.

Justification is God’s gracious gift to every repenting believing sinner, Rom. 5:1, 9. That is what God meant when He said that He had qualified us. No wonder Paul told his readers to give thanks to God!

Are you ready to Amen, clap, shout, or whatever now?

Here’s the bottom line, God loves you; Jesus died for you; the Holy Spirit drew you; and God saved you by His grace.

Ephesians 2:8–9 (KJV 1900)

8 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.

You did nothing and you deserved nothing, yet God gives you everything when you come to Jesus for salvation!

Let’s take a look with the apostle Paul, the messenger of God what He has to say

Colossians 1:13 (KJV 1900)

13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

You Have Been Delivered!

Delivered = rescued.

Rescued from what!

The word “power” has the idea of “authority or jurisdiction.”

As a lost person. you do what you do because you are what you are!

You are trapped in your sins and you carry out the will of your master the devil. You are in a hopeless and helpless condition!

You need Deliverance.

Paul declares a glorious truth: Paul tells us that you have been “delivered” from that awful bondage!

When God saved you by His mighty grace, He broke the bonds that held you and forever set you free!

The very word “deliver” tells the tale. It means, “to draw to oneself; to rescue; to deliver.” That is just what the Lord Jesus did for you when He saved you by His grace. He reached into your lost situation and drew you to Himself. He rescued you by His power and He delivered you from your darkness, your bondage, your sentence and your sin. He set us free!

When God rescued us from darkness, several great things took place. Let me share a few with you today.

1. We Are

Delivered Instantly—

What Jesus did for us was not a gradual thing. One moment, you were a hell bound sinner, the next; you are a children of God!

Salvation is not a process, it is an instantaneous event!

2. We Are

Delivered Powerfully—

It is described as a “new birth,” John 3:3, 7.

At the instant of salvation, you are made “new creatures,” 2 Cor. 5:17. The power of the enemy is forever broken and you are set free!

2. We Are

Delivered Eternally—

What Jesus does for His people is not a temporary fix; it is an eternal solution.

The Bible is clear about this matter.

When Jesus Christ saves a soul, He does it for good, 1 Pet. 1:5; John 10:28; John 6:37.

In fact, if a believer could ever lose his or her salvation; they could not be saved again unless Jesus returned to this earth through the Virgin Mary; lived a perfect sinless life; duplicated His life in every detail; died again on the cross and rose again from the dead, Heb. 6:4–6.

Not only have you been Delivered, but

You Have Been Translated!

Colossians 1:13 (KJV 1900)

13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

Jesus did not just bring you out of the devil’s kingdom, He brought you into His Own kingdom!

The Bible says that you have been “translated.” This world means “to transfer; to move from one place to another.”

When Jesus saved you, He transferred you from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light.

You are in a new kingdom, you are subject to new laws and rules for living because you have a new ruler.

You have been delivered from the power of sin and of Satan.

We are always praying for the Lord to deliver us from sin’s power, or from the power of the devil. Friends, He already has! Instead of seeking freedom from these things, we need to learn to live in the freedom that we have already been given by the Lord Jesus, Rom. 6:2, 7, 11, 14. Thank God we are free! Hallelujah! Free, free, eternally free!

The devil wants every one of you to live your lives in darkness and eventually drop off into Hell.

Satan could care less about your peace, your joy, your well being or your salvation.

But, when you came to Jesus and were saved by His grace, you entered into His kingdom.

When you did, you came under the dominion of One Who loves you more than life itself. He gives you everything the old master, the devil would not give, and could not give, you.

Jesus gives you eternal life, hope, salvation, peace and joy. Jesus loves you; He cares about you; He is ever with you; and He carries you in His heart, Matt. 11:28; 1 Pet. 5:7.

We need to prioritize thankfulness because God Delivered Us, Translated Us, and the result is

You Have Redemption!

Colossians 1:14 (KJV 1900)

14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

Paul tells us that in Jesus and as members of His kingdom, you have and enjoy:

1. Redemption through His blood—

It cost God something, Redemption was not free. You have been purchased out of the slavery of our sins and brought into the family of God by grace through His flesh and blood.

2. Forgiveness of sins—Every evil thing you ever did; every mark that stood against you, has been forever removed and washed away. You are as clean in the eyes of God as if sin had never, is not now, or will ever be a part of our lives! (Ill. Psa. 103:12 ; Isa. 38:17 ; 43:25 ; Jer. 50:20; Micah 7:19; 1 John 1:7)

Psalm 103:12 (KJV 1900)

12 As far as the east is from the west, So far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

Isaiah 38:17 (KJV 1900)

17 Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: But thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: For thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.

Isaiah 43:25 (KJV 1900)

25 I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, And will not remember thy sins.

1 John 1:7 (KJV 1900)

7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

These things are yours by His grace through faith. They are the product of the glorious changes for the better that He works out in the lives of His children. Thank God for these things! They are precious and they are priceless! They ought to make us praise His name and exalt Him while there is breathe in these bodies.

But, the question today is this:

Has Jesus made this change in your life?

Have you trusted Him for your soul’s salvation and have you experienced a Deliverance, Translation, and Redemption?

Has Jesus made a difference in your life?

If you have ever truly met Him, then He has. If there has been no change in your life, then you haven’t met the Jesus of the Bible.

If you need to be saved, you can be today. You can come to Jesus and He will change you by His power. If there is a need to come before Him to thank Him for all that He has done, you can do that as well. Whatever the needs in your life may be today, there is one place and one Person to bring them too. If you will bring them to Him, He will change everything that needs to be changed today.

Application: This passage reminds Christians that their identity is rooted in the redemptive work of Christ. It encourages them to live in the freedom and confidence that comes from knowing they have been forgiven and redeemed by His blood.

Teaching: This sermon teaches that our salvation is not based on our own efforts or worthiness but on the sacrificial work of Christ on the cross. It emphasizes the importance of understanding and embracing the grace and forgiveness available to us through Jesus.

How this passage could point to Christ: Colossians 1:12-14 points to the centrality of Christ in the believer's life. The redemption and forgiveness mentioned in these verses ultimately come from His sacrificial death and resurrection.

Big Idea: Through the redemption and forgiveness in Christ, believers are qualified to share in the inheritance of the saints in light, reminding them of the centrality of Christ in their identity and salvation.

What is the main focus of the sermon regarding prayer and thankfulness?

According to the sermon, why is it important to prioritize prayer and thankfulness in our lives?

What does the term 'meet' in Colossians 1:12 imply about our ability to partake in the inheritance?

How does the sermon describe the transformation that occurs when one is saved by Jesus Christ?

What are the key aspects of redemption and forgiveness mentioned in Colossians 1:14?

How can the concept of being partakers of the inheritance impact our daily walk with Christ?

In what ways can the knowledge of being delivered from the power of darkness influence our outlook on life and spiritual battles?

How can understanding our redemption through Christ's blood and forgiveness of sins empower us in our Christian journey?

What practical steps can we take to prioritize thankfulness in our lives, based on the sermon's teaching?

How can you apply the message of prioritizing prayer and thankfulness in your interactions with others this week?

Reflecting on the sermon, how can you express gratitude for the redemption and forgiveness you have received through Christ in your daily life?