Rescued By The Cross
Colossians 1:13-20
Introduction
"Throw Out the Lifeline" is a great old hymn composed by Edward Smith Ufford, a Baptist minister who served in Maine and Massachusetts. In 1888 Ufford was visiting Point Allerton, near Boston. While there, he visited a lifesaving station on the coast and watched men practicing rescue procedures that they would use in the event of shipwreck. One of the drills they practiced involved throwing a lifeline to those struggling in the water. He went home and wrote the lyrics and melody to this hymn. The hymn has been popular since its initial publication and has been recorded by such diverse artists as Ella Fitzgerald, Burl Ives, the Wilburn Brothers, Mahalia Jackson, and Shirley Caesar. Along the way some verses were added to the original song.
This is the life line, oh, grasp it today!
See, you are recklessly drifting away;
Voices in warning, shout over the wave,
O grasp the strong life line, for Jesus can save.
That is our message for today - that the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus is a rescue mission. Colossians 1:13 tells us, “For he has rescued us…” No matter how strong, fast, brilliant, creative, or accomplished we are, everyone who follows Jesus has been rescued. The power of that rescue effort is found at the cross.
Today let’s be reminded that we have been saved and rescued. Remember what you’ve been rescued from! What kind of life would you have without Christ?
1. Jesus Came To Our Rescue Us from Darkness
Colossians 1:13 Who rescued us from the authority of darkness…
The Enemy has a hold on this world and we can see effects of his work. He steals, kills, destroys (John 10:10)
Without Christ we are living in darkness. Spiritual darkness. Evil influences that have us veering off into dark areas. Bruce: “…the sinister forces marshaled against him for a decisive combat in the spiritual realm.” Directional darkness - how do we know the best ways to live, how to grow deep in relationships, how to overcome the struggles of life without the guidance of Jesus / Scripture. Religious Darkness - how do we worship, love, and serve God when we are in the dark, surrounded by false ideas? Ephesians 5:8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord….
2. Jesus Rescued Us From Rejection
Colossians 1:13b ...brought us into the kingdom of the Son
In Jesus we find the acceptance that every person needs. God has taken us right out of the sphere in which we used to live into His own kingdom and into His own power … it was a rescue.
Col. 1:21-22a Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you. In Christ we have a new Family, Father, Future. Before we were “lost”…now we are “Found”.
3. Jesus Rescued Us From Bondage
Colossians 1:14a in whom we have redemption
Redemption is "a releasing effected by payment of ransom”. Barclay “Without God men are slaves to their fears, slaves to their sins, slaves to their own helplessness and their own fault. In Jesus Christ there comes a liberation…". We have been "released" from the bondage of sin through the payment of Jesus' blood. (Ephesians 1:7). This is so amazing when we consider the awfulness of our own sins. How could Jesus take people like us and turn them into redeemed, righteous, saved, heaven-bound, secure souls? Amazing Grace how sweet the sound!
4. Jesus Rescued Us from Guilt
Colossians 1:14b the forgiveness of sins.
He has forgiven us - he has released us from the bonds, the imprisonment of sin. He forgives us - letting our sins go as if they had never been committed. Matthew 1:21 says, "She will give birth to a son, and you are to give
him the name Jesus because he will save his people from their sins.” Wiersbe - “…He has canceled every debt so we cannot be enslaved again. Satan cannot find anything in the files that will indict us!”
5. Jesus Rescued Us from Self-Dependence.
Colossians 1:15-19
15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.
17 He is before all things, and in him, all things hold together.
18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him,
All Depends on Christ! Bruce: “…one of the great Christological passages of the NT.”
He is the Image of God – the likeness of God. (15; Heb 1:3)
He is Firstborn (15) By "firstborn" Paul means he is the one who occupies the privilege and rank of being firstborn.
He is Creator- all things were created by him and for him (16)
He is Central to all things (17)
He is the Head of the church (18)
Nothing is excluded from the rule and power of Jesus Christ. Hughes: He is supreme over every area of our lives - Let us give him first-place!
Someone once said, “Were the highest heavens my pulpit and the whole host of the redeemed my audience, Jesus alone would be my text.”
6. Jesus Rescued Us From Separation
Colossians 1:19-20 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
To reconcile is to bring things back together. Sin brought division and stole the peace that all creation had with God. Jesus, through his blood shed on the cross, brings all things back together.
Romans 5:10 "For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!"
Conclusion:
Colossians 1:27 …Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Billy Graham: “God undertook the most dramatic rescue operation in cosmic history. He determined to save the human race from self-destruction, and He sent His Son Jesus Christ to salvage and redeem them. The work of man's redemption was accomplished at the cross.”
Paul once asked, “Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” - Romans 3:24-25
We are rescued by the cross, rescued by Jesus. He is throwing out the lifeline to you. Will you take it up?
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Questions For Discussion
1. What are some reasons we do not usually think of ourselves as having been ‘rescued’ by Jesus?
2. How would you describe “the authority of darkness” (Colossians 1:13 in your own words? What kind of authority/power can darkness have over us if we do not appeal to Jesus?
3. Reflect on Psalm 81:7 and 116:7-9 in relation to being rescued by God in times of distress. In what manner do you think God rescues us?
4. How does being ‘in the kingdom’ relate to not feeling rejected?
5. In what ways are we in bondage to sin before Jesus rescues us? What does that mean - to be in bondage to sin?
6. This theme is not only found in Colossians. What are two other areas where we can expect God’s rescue if we believe and follow Him? Galatians 1:3-4; 1Thessalonians 1:10
7. Colossians 1 says, near the end, “…Christ in you, the hope of glory” (1:27) What does that mean to you?
8. How does it change our perspective to see lost friends as people in need of rescue and Jesus throwing out the lifeline?
9. Was there anything else you wanted to talk about?
For next week: Read the letter to the Ephesians.
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