John Carter – March 28, 2018
Download PDF 2018 Passion Week Devotions – Colossians
13He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (ESV)
In the Gospels, we learn of the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of heaven. Here this kingdom is called “the kingdom of his beloved Son.” We are not born into this kingdom like we are born into to the kingdoms of this world. If you are a citizen of a country, or you are under the authority of a local government, you are there because you were born there or because you moved there. For many, you have stayed because of family, friends, work, or familiarity. With daily news reports, we learn that our earthly kingdoms are broken and in need of repair. God knows this. That is why he calls our earthly kingdoms the “domain of darkness.” Many Christians are fighting against this darkness, and this is good. But the true win is not a fixed earthly kingdom but a new kingdom entirely. This new kingdom belongs to the Son of God. And through this Son, we who are called by his name receive forgiveness for our sins and permanent citizenship into his kingdom. This was done through the work of Jesus, the Son of God, on the cross.
If you have been transferred into the kingdom of God’s Son do you thank him for dying to make this possible? What sins did God forgive so that you might be redeemed, forgiven, and transferred? Who could you also invite into this kingdom?
Holy Father,
Thank you for transferring me from the dominion of darkness to the kingdom of your Son. Thank you for forgiving me for rebelling against you. Jesus, only through you can I be forgiven. Thank you! Teach me how to rejoice in my new citizenship as I work faithfully for your glory. Amen.
Why This Devotion?
How much effort do we put into celebrating Christmas? We invest time, money, conversations, and even family gatherings. And this is all on top of attending times of worship with other Christians. But if we are careful to study the Bible we see that the birth of Jesus, the Son of God, means very little unless he died on the cross and rose from the dead. This is because without the life, the death, and the resurrection of Jesus we would all still be dead in our sins. That is why this one-week devotion was created for the week before the death and resurrection of Jesus; Passion Week.
As you work through these devotions take time to read each passage from Colossians, the short devotional comments, and then authentically pray the prayers. After you finish each devotion let the rest of your day be filled with deep meditation on the truth of who Jesus is and why he came.
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