Friday August 20, 2010

Read Colossians 1:13-14

Do you know what God has done for you in Christ Jesus? Can you verbalise it? Take the challenge now. Verbally describe or explain what Jesus has done for you.

Paul sums it up for us in vs 13-14. God has rescued us. We were drowning in the sea of sin and God sent His son to save us from certain death. But notice what Paul tells us in vs 13? We were rescued from the dominion of darkness. Darkness is a metaphor for sin and wickedness. We were rescued from its authority or dominion. We were, like all unbelievers, under the power of sinfulness. 1 John 5:19 says that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. By His death and resurrection Jesus has freed us from the authority of the devil. We are no longer under his power. We are free to serve God. We are free to live for Him rather than for our own selfish desires, or for the devil. This freedom came at a great cost. Jesus, the Lord of all, had to leave His heavenly throne. He had to give up His grandeur and greatness, His majesty to become a man like us. (see Philippians 2:5-11). He had to live a perfect life suffering immense temptation. He had to endure a wrongful trial by His own subjects. He had to bear the nails, the crown of thorns and the spear for my sins and for your sins. He had to die because we sinned. He had to be forsaken by His heavenly Father with whom He’d always been in perfect communion. And Jesus did all this because He loves you and wants to set you free.

Jesus has set you free. He has redeemed you. He has paid the cost to set you completely free. Sin is no longer your master. Addictions, bad habits, sinfulness are no longer your master or your controller. Jesus is your Lord because He has purchased you with His own blood. You are free. You are forgiven. You are in the light. You are not in darkness.

Prayer:-

ü Pray that you will have opportunity to help others come out of the dominion of darkness into the light of Christ by sharing the good news with them.  Pray that every believer in your congregation will have similar opportunities to share the work of Jesus with non believers.

ü Pray that your church will have a powerful impact in your local community.

MEAT 4  THE MATURE

Make a decision to share your faith with someone today. Prayerfully ask God who that somebody might be.