Last Sunday of the Church Year
November 25, 2007
Text: Colossians 1:13-20
Theme: "From the Domain of Darkness"
This is a story of death and life, of darkness and light. We will deal with the death of the body that came into the world because of sin. We will look at the separation from God we describe as eternal death and then the wonderful twist. We will hear of the death of Jesus that redeems us and transfers us from the domain of darkness into His kingdom of light and life.
But first, the domain of darkness - so that we realize how dark and how serious this all is.
From the domain of darkness comes death.
Death was not God’s plan for us.
God created a world, a universe with out death.
God’s world was "very good", as good as could be, there was no death or decease.
He warned us against bringing it into the world.
Death invaded creation when Adam and Eve rebelled against God.
They were convinced by the Devil to doubt God’s Word.
"Did God really say?"
"You will not surely die."
It hasn’t changed.
The attack on the Word of God continues today.
Does it really mean that a fetus is a baby? That gambling is wrong? That we should insult or "dis" one another? or obey the law only when we feel like it.
Does it really mean that say sex marriage is wrong?
Does it really mean that God created in six ordinary days?
The attacks continue and so do the consequences.
From the domain of darkness comes the curse of death.
Death has been passed onto us all.
Just as sin entered the world through one man and death through sin and in this way death came to all men.
So sin has plunged us all into the domain of darkness.
It has brought death to us and it has effected all of creation.
Sin brought death, decease and deterioration through out creation.
So because of our sin darkness reigns.
How does all this happen? How does Adam’s sin effect us all? How does it curse all of creation?
Sin broke the perfection of creation.
It is no longer "very good".
Sin and death have corrupted God’s creation.
You see sin is now a condition, a cause.
You see, we are not sinful because we commit sins.
We commit sins because we are sinful.
We are sinners and that causes us to sin.
It is this condition that is passed down to us and with it death.
Death is in the world because the condition of sin has effected it all.
Animals now die and they kill each other.
Sickness and decease effect all life.
Worst of all the death that curses us is two fold.
Physical death came to us and so did spiritual death.
By our sinful nature we are spiritually dead.
These plague all of humanity.
Our sin plunges us into the darkness and would condemn us for all eternity but . . .
As in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive again.
From the domain of darkness, Jesus rescues us by His death.
It was Jesus who transferred us to His kingdom, the Kingdom of God.
Sin brings death as its punishment.
Jesus took that punishment for us all.
He redeemed us under the law, so the Father granted us forgiveness and more.
God made us His own.
He made peace for our rebellion with His blood on the cross.
He is the creator of all things, yet He reconciled all things to Himself.
Jesus provided for our salvation and then delivers it to us through His body the Church.
In His Word and Sacraments He delivers His forgiveness.
These are the things of the Church and the purpose of the Church.
God makes us His children in Holy Baptism.
Jesus feeds us with His Word, the Holy Bible,
Calms our fears with Holy Absolution and
Touches us with His very body and blood in Holy Communion.
The Lord binds us together as His body, leads us into the light and gives us life.
With His death Jesus redeems us and gives us life.
He has transferred us from the domain of darkness into His marvelous light, the Kingdom of God. He brought us together as His body the Church, fed us with His Word, promised to be with us, support and protect us until He makes the promise to the thief on the cross come true for each of us, "Today you will be with me in paradise."
SDG
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