Grow With Pastor Joe

One of the first things that I remember learning were “manners.” I remember the importance of having good manners that was stressed to me, especially by my mother. The big one as a young boy was to say, “thank you.” Don’t you hate it when someone doesn’t say it? I’ve shared this before, but I am known to get upset when holding a door for someone entering a building and not receiving a thank you in return. While I know that I don’t need it, it is common courtesy. Thanklessness and ingratitude are perhaps the most irritating of mannerisms that I see so prominently displayed in today’s society. The Apostle Paul even included “unthankful” as a mark of the long list describing the perilous last days (2 Tim. 3:1-5). What is interesting is that we are bothered by the ingratitude of others but are unbothered by our own. There are certainly many characteristics that should be displayed in the life of the Christian, but I believe one that should be primary, but is often missing is gratitude. If we aren’t growing in gratitude, then we aren’t really growing. To grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ is to grow in gratefulness to Christ. The more grateful we become to Christ the more grateful we will be for the many blessings in our life. However, we often miss seeing the blessings of life, not because they aren’t there; rather, we miss seeing them because our vision is skewed by thankless hearts that are dissatisfied thinking that we deserve more than we have. It is the grace of God that we need the most in our life, but it is also that same grace that grows each believer into being a grateful believer. As a side note, it is hard to be grumpy when you’re grateful. Gratitude is the antidote of grumbling and grumpiness in our life. Gratitude is an attitude that must be chosen.

            Being grateful and giving thanks to God is seen throughout all of scripture. It is seen as both a command and a privilege for the believer. When we think of praying, we think of asking God, but we see many times in the scriptures that both asking and thanking are placed together. Phil. 4:6-7 says, “⁶ Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” 1 Thess. 5:16-18 goes on to say, “¹⁶ Rejoice evermore. ¹⁷ Pray without ceasing. ¹⁸ In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” It is not wrong for a Christian to ask or make request to God in prayer. It too is a command and privilege. However, we ought to do as much thanking as we do asking. I’d say that we should thank Him that we can ask of Him. The next time that you find yourself praying and asking things of God, thank Him that you can ask Him. Watch what happens to your prayer life. Maybe we ought to ask God that we would be more thankful and for grateful hearts that choose to see the countless blessings of His grace in our daily, even mundane life.

Now, as we continue our study of Colossians. We are looking at Col. 1:12-13 as Paul begins to wrap up his opening prayer for the Colossians to know and grow in the will of God. Col. 1:12-13 says, “¹² Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: ¹³ Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:” Thus far, we have seen that his requests are the direct results of knowing and growing in the will of God by the word of God through the Spirit of God. These requests and results include walking worthy, pleasing God, being fruitful, deeper knowledge of God, being strengthened to endure, and finally having a grateful attitude for the grace of Jesus Christ in our life. The big picture issue of the letter to the Colossians is to reiterate the supremacy and sufficiency of Christ in comparison to man’s own wisdom and works. All that we are and do fall flat in comparison to the person and work of Christ. The Christian life and the life of the church is built upon the supremacy and sufficiency of Christ’s person and work. We are beneficiaries of the finished work of Christ by grace through faith. It is grace that gives us the faith, love, and hope that Paul prayed for earlier in the opening of his letter and it is God’s grace that provides all that he has prayed for in Col. 1:9-13. Today’s focus is on growing in gratitude, but I would say that gratitude itself is a work of grace in our life. Gratitude in the Christian life is an acute awareness of the grace of God being present in our lives. The more aware we are of His grace the more grateful we become that He is faithful to us in all seasons and circumstances of life. Paul’s letter to the Colossians discusses gratitude in several places including Col. 1:3, 12; 3:15-17; 4:2. What is seen is that as we see Christ as supreme and sufficient that we can’t help but to grow in gratitude. In our passage today, we will see three reasons to give thanks to God. We give thanks to God for our inheritance, deliverance, and transference in Christ. These three are seen in Col. 1:12-13; however, all three are accomplished and provided by Christ’s work that is described in Col. 1:14. All three of the reasons to grow in gratitude in our passage for the day are promised by the Father, provided by the son, and preserved by the Spirit. We receive the grace of God so that God would receive His glory for who He is, what He is like, what He has done, is doing, and will do.

What does it mean to give thanks? The phrase “giving thanks” in our opening verse is the word “eucharisteo” which has “charis” (grace) as a root. The word itself means to be thankful for receiving favor. What we call the Lord’s Supper or Communion, Catholics call the Eucharist, which is where they believe they receive favor and that the elements that they partake of literally become the body and blood of Jesus as they re-crucify Him at the altar every time they partake. That’s heresy. The word “eucharisteo” though is appropriate when we think of God’s grace. God’s grace should make us grateful. Grace precedes and produces gratitude. The idea of giving thanks to God is the act of faith of being grateful for the bestowing and benefits of the grace of God. We can’t rejoice in the grace of God if we don’t remember how gracious God has been, is, and has promised to be. The Puritan writer Stephen Charnock wrote, “How worthy it is to remember former benefits when we come to beg for new.” Much of Paul’s opening prayer has focused on the Christian life being lived by the enablement of the Holy Spirit within the life of the believer. Eph. 5:18-20 says, “¹⁸ And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; ¹⁹ Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; ²⁰ Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;” These verses show us that if we are filled by the Spirit then we will be controlled and empowered by the Spirit. Therefore, Spirit filled living will be grateful living for the constant presence and work of God’s grace in our life. Now, let’s look at Col. 1:12-13 to see the three reasons that we should be grateful in our Christian life.

First, we must be grateful for our inheritance as we see in Col. 1:12 which says, “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:” We give thanks unto the Father through the work of the Son and the Spirit for us, in us, and through us. All of life is to be lived to the glory of God. Eternity itself is focused upon the praise, honor, and glory of the Lord. One of the small but meaningful ways that we can give God glory is to give Him gratitude. Here in this verse, we see that one of the reasons we must be grateful to Him is for the inheritance that we have. Before we get any further, what do we know about an inheritance? An inheritance is not like a wage (paycheck). A wage is earned, but an inheritance is received. We who were born enemies of God have been gloriously born again, made joint-heirs with Jesus, and have been granted eternal life by the grace of God. What we deserved is death, but we have been given life. The phrase “made us meet” is the Greek word “hikanoo” which means to make fit, to make qualified, or adequate. It is in the aorist tense which means that it was a past completed action with continual effects while also being in the passive voice which means that it is not us who have made us qualified or fit, but it is Him. God has qualified us or made us fit for the inheritance of the riches in Christ not by what we have done, but by what Christ has done on our behalf. We have an inheritance based upon our new position in Christ upon the new birth where the Lord saved us. The only thing that makes us fit for this inheritance is the supreme and sufficient work of Christ. Notice though that we are “partakers” which is the word “meris.” This particular word was used in the Greek speaking world for an assigned allotment or portion of an inheritance. Because we are all “saints” in Christ we are all partakers, yet, at the same time there is a specific portion or inheritance for us in Christ. Furthermore, Ps. 16:5 expresses what our portion really is saying, “The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.” The word “inheritance” is the word “kleros” which means a legal actual property or possession. The riches of our inheritance in Christ are as real as real can be. The inheritance that we receive is the benefit of belonging to Christ. Because of our position we have the benefits of eternal riches of His grace that are ours for an eternal possession in Him (See Eph. 1). Before Christ we earned eternal wrath, but in Christ we inherit eternal wealth. Before Christ we deserved rags, but in Christ we are destined for eternal riches. See these truths as well in Eph. 2:11-13; 5:8-11. As the fourth verse of the old hymn, “Be Thou My Vision” says, “Riches I heed not, nor vain, empty praise; Thou mine inheritance, now and always. Thou and thou only, first in my heart, High King of Heaven, my treasure thou art.”

Second, we must be grateful for our deliverance which we see in Col. 1:13a which says, “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness.” Not only has He made us fit for an eternal inheritance, but He has done so through the divine deliverance of His grace. The word “delivered” which is the word “rhuomai” means to snatch or steal away from danger or to rescue. It is in the aorist tense showing us that it is a completed action, but it is also in the middle voice which speaks of the fact that it is God who initiated the rescuing and completed His mission. Our salvation and eternal deliverance are past, present, and future. We have been delivered, are being delivered, and will be delivered. All of this is accomplished by Christ at the cross on our behalf. Our deliverance is all by the grace of God. When we think about the rescue or deliverance that this verse speaks of, we must think of the grace of God. An acronym for grace could be “God Rescues All Christians Eternally.” We have been eternally rescued for the death and destruction that our sinfulness deserved. We have been delivered from the “power of darkness.” Notice the contrast of light and darkness in Col. 1:12-13. We are now the “saints in light” who were once under the dark dominion of “darkness.” The word “power” is the word “exousia” which means authority or dominion of rule. The word “darkness” is the word “skotos” which means the absence of light, shadowy, but is often used in reference to something evil or immoral in nature. Rom. 6:17-22 declares this truth showing believers that we were once under the dark domain of sin and Satan, but now we are in Christ who is our Lord. We are no longer slaves to sin. If you have been delivered from the dark dominion of sin, then shouldn’t you give thanks to God. If we will praise God when the power comes back on after a storm, then how much more should we praise Him for delivering us from the blackness of our sin?

Third, we must be grateful for our transference which we see in Col. 1:13b which says, “and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:” The word “translated” is the word “methistemi” which means to transfer or transpose place or condition. This idea is interwoven with our deliverance. It is not just that we have been rescued from the dark dominion of sin, but we have been transferred into a new place and new condition. We have a new King and a new country if you will. We went from death to life. We went from darkness to light. We went from condemned to forgiven. We were destined for Hell, but now we are seated in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus. We are no longer who and what we were. 1 Cor. 6:11 says, “And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” We have been placed now into the “kingdom of His dear Son.” The word “kingdom” is the word “basileia” which means a sphere of rule or sovereign control. When we think about the Kingdom of God, we see that He is the eternal King with an eternal Kingdom who presently rules and reigns but will also establish a future literal earthly Kingdom upon the return of Christ. We are citizens of the Heavenly Kingdom which is eternal ruled and protected by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Lord Jesus Christ. Notice though that it is the kingdom of God’s “dear” Son. The word “dear” is the word “agapetos” (root agape – divine self-sacrificial love) which means beloved, much loved, dear, and precious. Throughout Colossians we see that Christ is preeminent, but we must see that He is precious. His supremacy declares His preeminence, but His sufficiency declares His preciousness to the Father and the Body and Bride of Christ, the church. The heart that is growing in gratitude is grateful for the preeminence and preciousness of the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

All of us struggle with things. We all have distractions that often discourage us and weigh us down. I myself struggle with deep anxiety, fear, and have battled seasons of dark depressions. I have found that in those moments when I feel that the waves of anxiety are drowning me, I feel that I can’t catch my breath or catch a break. Something that the Lord has shown me through these even recent moments is to look around, breathe, and start to thank God for the things I see around me. It moves my mind away from my worries and turns them on to the worthiness of Christ. H. A. Ironside said, “We would worry less if we praised more. Thanksgiving is the enemy of discontentment and dissatisfaction.” Are you discontent with life? Are you unsatisfied? Are you sinking under the waves of worry? Start to give thanks to God. He has delivered you, transferred you, and given you an unimaginable eternal inheritance in Christ. There is grace. So much grace that your guilt is gone. So much grace that He won’t let you go. So much grace that there is eternal reward with and in Him waiting for you. So much grace that we can’t help but be grateful. Give Him praise for His precious promises and the privilege that it is to belong to Christ by the riches of His grace.