The purpose of this website is to provide free sermon manuscripts and sermon videos to pastors and missionaries throughout the world, especially the Third World, where there are few if any theological seminaries or Bible schools.

These sermon manuscripts and videos now go out to about 1,500,000 computers in over 221 countries every year at www.sermonsfortheworld.com. Hundreds of others watch the videos on YouTube, but they soon leave YouTube and come to our website. YouTube feeds people to our website. The sermon manuscripts are given in 46 languages to about 120,000 computers each month. The sermon manuscripts are not copyrighted, so preachers can use them without our permission. Please click here to learn how you can make a monthly donation to help us in this great work of preaching the Gospel to the whole world.

Whenever you write to Dr. Hymers always tell him what country you live in, or he cannot answer you. Dr. Hymers’ e-mail is rlhymersjr@sbcglobal.net.

I seldom preach a sermon twice, but this one got such a reaction last Sunday morning that I am preaching it again tonight. During the exposition before the sermon I said that this generation is wicked and godless. And I am saying that again tonight! I said that this generation listens to gutter music, and likes it, watches filth on TV and enjoys it, and I'm saying that again tonight! I said that most young people today act like a bunch of pigs, and I'm saying that again tonight! I also said that their fathers should have scolded them and told them what I was saying. Their parents should have disciplined them and taught them how to behave – instead of a preacher having to do it – and I'm also saying that again tonight!

Some kids ran out of the church building and called the police – who showed up after the service. I'm surprised the police even came! Downtown Los Angeles is not an easy place to get the police to respond. A few years ago a man was shot six times through the chest in the parking lot behind our Christian bookstore. It took the paramedics and police nearly ten minutes to get there – for a murder! The man who was shot died on the way to the hospital – largely, I think, because it took three or four 911 calls and over ten minutes to even get the paramedics or the police to come for a dying man!

But these kids, who were visitors, disrupted the service, ran out of the church and told the police we were trying to kidnap them! They did not tell the police the real reason they were angry – they didn't like what I was saying from the pulpit!

So, I'm going to say it again. This is what I said then, and I'm saying it all again! Bill Clinton was like Nero. The young people in our city are like the Romans who wanted blood in the Colosseum. It's the absolute truth!

Now tonight I'm reading from the book of Colossians. It was written when Nero was the Emperor of the Roman Empire. The city of Colosse was part of the Roman world. The book of Colossians was written against the backdrop of the pagan Roman culture, a culture that reminds those of us who know history so much of America today.

In this passage we are given three words that you need to know if you want to escape from the barbaric paganism of society. Those three words are

1. Deliverance;

2. Translation;

3. Redemption.

You must experience the reality of those words in the Bible if you want to escape from God's judgment of our city and our pagan nation. Listen carefully to the meaning of these words if you have any desire at all to become a real Christian.

I.    First, think of the word "deliverance."

Our text says:

“(God) who hath delivered us from the power of darkness"

(Colossians 1:13).

The word translated "delivered" means "to rescue or to preserve." This is what Jesus Christ does for you when you experience regeneration and conversion. God sent Jesus to "deliver" you, to "rescue" you, and "preserve" you.

Now this is a very important word, especially in our day. "Decisionism" has gone through our churches and our society. Nearly everyone thinks he is saved by "making a commitment" to God. It is human work, something you do for yourself – but it is Pelagian heresy.

We need to see that salvation does not come by

1. Making a commitment.

2. Accepting Christ.

3. Making a decision.

4. Making Jesus the Lord of your life.

5. Asking Jesus into your heart.

6. Following Jesus.

7. Believing that He died for you.

You see, each of those things is something a person can do for himself, or herself. They are purely human actions.

But "deliverance" is clearly something that God does for you through Jesus Christ, His Son.

"Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness"

(Colossians 1:13).

Jesus Christ has to "rescue," "deliver" and "preserve" you – because you cannot do that for yourself!

Notice that it says:

"Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness "

(Colossians 1:13).

The "power of darkness" is a very strong term. "Power" means "authority" and "control." "Darkness" refers to the work of Satan. It means the place of "shadows." Satan lives in spiritual darkness. Luther called Satan, "The Prince of Darkness Grim." The Bible calls Satan and the demons, "The rulers of the darkness of this world" (Ephesians 6:12).

Right now you are under the authority and control of Satan. You think that you are free, but you are not. The Bible says:

"Ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air (Satan), the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience" (Ephesians 2:2).

Your very mind and your very heart are right now under the control of Satan – the ruler of darkness. Satan is not in Hell yet – he is ruling your heart and mind.

The Bible uses the same Greek word translated "darkness" in our text to describe the people who arrested Jesus and nailed Him to the Cross. Jesus said:

"This is your hour, and the power of darkness" (Luke 22:53).

Did you ever wonder why those people nailed Jesus Christ to a Cross and killed the Prince of Life? The reason they hated Jesus and killed Him was because they were controlled by "the power of darkness" (Luke 22:53). They were under the authority and control of Satan.

That is your condition this morning. You may think you are already a Christian, but you are really under the power and authority of the Devil.

The people who betrayed and crucified Jesus all thought they were saved. They thought they would go to Heaven when they died. All of them thought that. That is one of Satan's greatest delusions, one of his greatest deceits and lies. With this lie Satan destroyed most of those who crucified Jesus. How about you?

Now, you must understand that you cannot save yourself from the power and authority and control of Satan and the demons, "the rulers of the darkness of this world" (Ephesians 6:12).

Someone else must deliver you from Satan. Who is it that can do such a thing? It is none other than Jesus, God the Son. Only Jesus can deliver you from Satan. Only He can rescue you from "the power of darkness" (Luke 22:53). Only Christ can preserve you from "the rulers of the darkness of this world" (Ephesians 6:12). Jesus, by the power of God, is the only one who can save you from confusion and enslavement to Satan. You are a hopeless slave to Satan until Jesus Christ sets you free.

II.   Second, think of the word "translated.”

When you are converted, your are not only delivered from the power of darkness, you are also

"translated…into the kingdom of his dear Son"

(Colossians 1:13).

The Greek word rendered "translated" here means "transferred" or "exchanged." It is from a Greek word that has two parts: "change" and "to cause to stand." This is what God does for you when you are converted in Jesus Christ. God "causes you to stand in a changed place." He "translates" you "into the kingdom of his dear Son."

As I speak, Mr. Manuel Mencia "translates" what I say into Spanish – phrase by phrase. Mr. Mencia takes my English words and "translates" them into Spanish. He "transfers" the English words into Spanish words. He "exchanges" them, or we might say, he "changes" the English words into Spanish words. That is what "translating" means.

And just as my English words must be "changed" into Spanish words, so you must be "changed" from being under the power of darkness, translated from that Satanic realm, " into the kingdom of his dear Son" (Colossians 1:13).

Now it is crucial that you understand that you cannot change yourself. The Pelagian heresy of "decisionism" is such a great deception today that someone may well say, "Dr. Hymers told us to change ourselves from the power of darkness into the kingdom of Christ." But I never said any such thing! In fact, I said just the opposite! I said that God must deliver you from the power of darkness, and translate you into the kingdom of Jesus, His Son.

When this verse speaks of "the kingdom of his dear Son," it is not referring to the future, realized Kingdom on earth. No, it is referring to the kingdom in preparation – right now. Every kingdom has a king. Satan is your king now. When you are "translated" by God, Jesus will be your King. That is what He's talking about in this verse.

The Bible says that God has called you

" Out of darkness into his marvellous light " (I Peter 2:9).

III.  Third, think about the word "redemption."

Our text concludes with these words:

"In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins" (Colossians 1:14).

I have said that Jesus can rescue, deliver you, from Satan. I have said that Jesus can translate you from Satan's kingdom to His own kingdom. Now I say that you must be "redeemed" by Jesus' Blood for this to happen.

Fanny J. Crosby, the great hymn writer, said:

Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it!
Redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb!

("Redeemed" by Fanny J. Crosby, 1820-1915).

Our text says, "We have redemption through his (Jesus') blood, even the forgiveness of sins" (Colossians 1:14).

The word "redemption" here means "a releasing for the payment of a ransom." The Greek word is used to describe deliverance from physical torture in Hebrews 11:35. The word is used to describe deliverance from the guilt of sins in Romans 3:24 and Ephesians 1:7.

Redemption is "a releasing for the payment of a ransom." Satan has kidnapped you. You are held under his control, in his kingdom of darkness. God cannot allow you into Jesus' Kingdom because you are a sinner. God is just, so you must pay for your sin in Hell – unless a ransom is paid for your deliverance from punishment. That's what Jesus did on the Cross – He paid the price! He paid the ransom for you! As the old song puts it,

Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe.
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.

("Jesus Paid It All" by Elvina M. Hall, 1820-1889).

The moment you put your complete trust in Jesus, the Son of God, His Blood washes your sins away – past, present, and future – all at once!

"In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins" (Colossians 1:14).

To sum up our text, there are three things you need to become a real Christian. They are

1. Deliverance from the power of darkness.

2. Translation into the kingdom of Christ.

3. Redemption through the Blood of Christ.

Why don't you have those things now? Because you desire to remain enslaved in darkness. Because you want to stay in the world, rather than come into the church, and the preparatory kingdom. Because you think you are O.K. without the Blood of Christ cleansing your sins.

But you are not O.K.! You are a slave on the way to Hell! Look up – to Jesus – the Son of God! He has risen from the dead! He is alive at the right hand of God! Look to Jesus and be saved from slavery and sin!

Scripture Read Before Sermon: Colossians 1:12-14.

Solo by Benjamin Kincaid Griffith: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ"

by Avis B. Christiansen