Background: The Colossian church was founded by Epaphras, who was from Colossae (Colossians 1:7; 4:12; Philemon 1:23). Paul taught Epaphras in Ephesus for two years, and then he planted churches in the tri-cities (Laodicea, Hierapolis, Colossae).

Epaphras is now in jail with Paul, and they are writing from prison about freedom.

Text: Colossians 1:12-14

Paul is writing to encourage the church that the Father has qualified us to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Paul is comparing two domains: the dominion of darkness is contrasted with the kingdom of light, which is also called the kingdom of the Son he loves (speaking of God the Father).

God has rescued us from the dominion of darkness.

Q. What’s all that about, this dominion of darkness that God has rescued us from?

A. Paul is writing metaphorically here. The dominion of darkness is a fancy way of saying the cover of night.

Under the cover of night, people are likely to do their worst without being noticed. One thing you can do for safety is to turn on the lights.

That’s what happened on that first Easter. The light was turned on, the cover of darkness was shattered, and people were transferred to a kingdom so full of light that darkness could not exist. And that’s what still happens today when a person receives Jesus. As John wrote in his gospel, to all who…receive him, to those who believe in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.

Everyone who “takes up” Jesus and believes in him has the right to become God’s child. At that point, they are rescued from the cover of darkness and brought…into the kingdom of the Son he loves in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

The Message: God rescued us from dead-end alleys and dark dungeons. He’s set us up in the kingdom of the Son he loves so much, the Son who got us out of the pit we were in and got rid of the sins we were doomed to keep repeating.

As mentioned earlier, the apostle Paul wrote this amazing truth from prison. Freedom is NOT a location; it’s a new life that begins the moment we say yes to Jesus, and it’s available to every person without exception.

And that’s the truth beautifully affirmed in the song, At This Table.

At this table, everyone is welcome
At this table, everyone is seen
At this table, everybody matters

So come as you are
Remember that the door is always open
Yes, come as you are
The perfect gift that you can bring is your heart
So, come, come as you are

This Easter, you are invited to accept Jesus as your saviour. Receive him, believe in his name, and attain the right to become a child of God.

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