Rock Solid Gratitude
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Rock Solid Gratitude
Colossians 1:9-14
November 264h, 2024
Life’s Bullseye
Colossians 1:9-10a (NIV) 9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way:
Colossians 1:10b-14 (NIV)
…bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Four movements in living a life worthy and pleasing to the Lord.
Bearing fruit in good work
Growing in the knowledge of God
Growing in power for the purposes of endurance and patience
Giving joyful thanks for our salvation
Maybe the best English word for us to use for “joyful thanks” is gratitude. Gratitude carries with it an overarching attitude or posture of thankfulness independent of any particular situation. Gratitude is Giver directed. A “Thank You!” is “gift directed”.
The Greek root word used for “thankfulness” is what we translate as eucharist. The eucharist is the ultimate gift and the one which carries us through any season of our lives – especially the seasons of hard and lack.
Living a life of “joyful thanksgiving” matters to God because it is in a whole-life expression of embracing the love of the Giver, the cost of the gift and the life this gift creates.
Colossians 1:1214 (NIV)
12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
The gift of a changed status.
The gift of an inheritance and a Kingdom residence.
The gift of redemption and forgiveness through Jesus Christ.
Qualified. Rescued. Brought.
All three are “changed status” words of movement. Movement where we had zero ability to move ourselves.
“Qualified” can mean
A) a move from a non-qualified/un-qualified
B) a move from a disqualified/ rejected status.
The result of our qualification is that we are made perfect and holy through the sacrifice of Jesus.
Hebrews 10:11-14 (NIV) 11 Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when this priest [Jesus] had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. 14 For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
“Rescued” means we were once dominated by darkness but through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus we have been rescued.
“Brought” means carried or led. Jesus didn’t bail us out and say “good luck”, He says “come with me!
The Gift of Inheritance and Kingdom Residence
Romans 8:14-17 (NIV) 14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
This inheritance is imperishable!
1 Peter 1:3-7 (AMP) 3 Blessed [gratefully praised and adored] be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant and boundless mercy has caused us to be born again [that is, to be reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, and set apart for His purpose] to an ever-living hope and confident assurance through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 [born anew] into an inheritance which is imperishable [beyond the reach of change] and undefiled and unfading, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are being protected and shielded by the power of God through your faith for salvation that is ready to be revealed [for you] in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice greatly, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 7 so that the genuineness of your faith, which is much more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested and purified by fire, may be found to result in [your] praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
This inheritance is unshakeable!
Hebrews 12:28 (NIV) 28 Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, and offer to God pleasing service and acceptable worship with reverence and awe; 29 for our God is [indeed] a consuming fire.
The Gift of Redemption & Forgiveness
Ephesians 2:1-9 (NIV) As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
Redemption is a buy back process. Forgiveness is a wiping away process. Redemption and Forgiveness are what change our status, inheritance and address!
Our joyful thanks flow from a multi-faceted embrace of…
The cost of the gift. God’s Son, Jesus’ life.
The heart of the Giver. His great love for us.
The impact of the gift. Life for death.
Paul isn’t trying to cox us into exhibiting better manners towards God, He is coaching us how to live a Holy and Pleasing life to God. Gratitude isn’t a manners issue, it is a heart issue.