Colossians 1:9–14 (ESV)

9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; 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.

From this prayer, we learn that prayer makes two great requests:

1. It asks for the discernment of God’s will,

2. and then for the power to perform that will.

We have examined the first request…

1.  TO BE FILLED WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD’S WILL  (V.9)

Today, we finish up the second request.

2. TO LIVE WORTHY OF THE LORD, PLEASING HIM IN EVERY WAY (v.10-11)

Yesterday, we said that if we are going to live a life that is worthy of the Lord, that pleases Him in every way, that life must express itself in four ways. Three of those ways are…

1) Through bearing fruit in every good work (v.10) “bearing fruit in every good work”

2) Through increasing in the knowledge of God (v.10) “Increasing in the knowledge of God.”

3) Through being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might (v.11)

Paul lists three ways Christ’s power expresses itself in our lives.

* Expressing great endurance (this has to do with CIRCUMSTANCES).

* Expressing patience (this has to do with PEOPLE).

* Expressing joy

There is a fourth way…

4. Through giving thanks to the Father (v.12-14)

In order to live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way, we must not only bear fruit in every good work and grow by the knowledge of God and be strengthened by God’s power, but we must live in gratitude.

Paul list four areas we should be continually thankful to the Father for providing for us in Christ.

1) For qualifying us to share in the inheritance of the Saints in the Kingdom of Light (v.12)

“giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.”

We are (partakers, KJ) with other saints. We have these blessings right now as we walk in the light.

2) For rescuing us from the dominion of darkness (v.13)

“He has delivered us from the domain of darkness”

Sin and Satan dominate this world. Paul described the work of Satan in 2 Corinthians 4:4 (ESV)

“…the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”

Paul could never forget what Jesus said to him when he struck him down on the road to Damascus.

Acts 26:17–18 (ESV)

17 “… the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you 18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

How thankful we should be for having been delivered from the dominating life of darkness .

3) For bringing us into the kingdom of the Son He loves (v.13)

“..and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,”

Our nation is a democratic nation. But, we are subject to a higher power. We do not live in a democracy. We live in a kingdom right now. Jesus is the King of our lives.

Remember what the Father said at Jesus’ baptism, “This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.”  Never forget that the Father loves His Son.

4) For our redemption and forgiveness of sin which comes through the Son (v.14)

“in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

The word “redemption” reaches back to the act whereby a slave’s freedom was bought at a slave market. In our case, Christ has bought our freedom from the slave market of sin.

The Lord Jesus, as it were, put a price tag on us. How highly did He value us? He said, in effect, “I value them so highly that I am willing to shed My blood to purchase them.” Since we have been purchased at such a tremendous cost, it should be clear to us that we no longer belong to ourselves; we have been bought with a price.

Forgiveness literally means the canceling of a debt. God has cancelled the debt which our sins incurred. The Lord Jesus Christ paid the penalty on the cross; it never needs to be paid again. The account is settled and closed.

Redemption and forgiveness are not exactly the same thing, but by putting them together as Paul does, we learn that forgiveness of our sins is the main purpose of redemption.

Now, here are four great things for us to be thankful to the Lord for this Thanksgiving:

1) For qualifying us to share in the inheritance of the saints in the Kingdom of Light

2) For rescuing us from the dominion of darkness

3) For bringing us Into the Kingdom of the Son He loves

4) For our redemption and forgiveness of sin, which comes through the Son