“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.” — Colossians 1:13-14, NIV
We are rescued! The cross was a commando raid. Jesus continued what His Father had always done—rescue His people. Moses delivered them from the clutches of Egypt. The Israelites were repeatedly protected from the Philistines. Daniel, Ezra, and Nehemiah inspired the people until the Babylonian captivity ended. But Jesus performed the ultimate rescue, snatching us from the kingdom of darkness whose agenda is hatred, murder, terror, and the destruction of human souls are the agenda.
Jesus came to set us free and take us to His kingdom. He came to shine a Light and expose the kingdom of darkness. He didn’t do it from some distant command post. He came into our battle and lives and shared our joys and sorrows. While on earth, He showed compassion to the woman at the well, He healed another woman who was an outcast. He raised a precious daughter from the dead. He took part in weddings and feasts. He defied the Pharisees and their judgmental cruelty. And finally, He won the decisive battle on the cross, and darkness lost it dominion forever.
“You are a king, then,” said Pontius Pilate to Him, and Jesus answered, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact for this reason, I was born, and for this I came into the world” (John 18:37, NIV).
Jesus knew we could never escape by ourselves. So He paid the price and conquered death to bring His kingdom to us. He even taught his disciples to pray, “Your kingdom come.” He taught us “The kingdom of heaven is at hand…the Kingdom of heaven is near” (Matthew 4:17).
When you feel despair closing in and you feel trapped or imprisoned, remember, you were rescued when you put your faith in Jesus. Don’t ever forget it. You have been rescued as sons and daughters with a powerful Father who loves you and invites you to live in His kingdom.
And He wants you to start now.
“Redemption is the liberation of man through Christ and the Holy Spirit from forces and thralldoms that hold him bound, individually and collectively.”—John Mackay1
- Wirt, Sherwood Eliot and Beckstrom, Kersten, Living Quotations for Christians (Harper & Row, 1974), p. 198, ref. 2669.
23. Reverend Frederick Langbridge, (1849)
