← ArchiveSunday, August 9, 2015DateAugust 9, 2015Speaker—TextEphesians 1Passages in this sermonEphesians 1:7–122:45Ephesians 13:02John 86:38Romans 3:106:49Romans 1:1611:42Romans 3:2413:09Romans 3:2313:12Ephesians 1:1413:49Hebrews 915:16Romans 517:38Romans 2:417:461 Peter 1:123:221 Peter 123:32TranscriptClick any line to jump there.0:00Music Sorry, it said choir special and then they leave. They have a special permission to leave, that's what it is, amen? How many of y'all have received in the mail, and I know you have because I just got one0:30the other day, and it's one of those envelopes that has inside it, it's thick and all, it comes from one of the car dealerships in the community and you open it up and there's a key inside there. It's a funky looking little key and you get this little key and you take the key to the dealership. The deal is they want you to bring the key to the dealership because they know good0:55and well that that key's not going to open anything, right? I mean, have y'all gotten one of those? It has that key in there and you're supposed to go and unlock this little lock and that lock has a code and that code will give you the code to the car that you just won, right? They're not going to do that, I know. They may like one in a billion people.1:23And I know some people have gone through the Golden Arches restaurant and you have the Monopoly game going on and you scratch that thing off. And when you read the numbers on that card from the Monopoly game at the Golden Arches restaurant and it shows the number of people that it takes for you to be like one in 600 billion people, you know, or you're going to win a Big Mac, you know?1:52Oh, you got that thing, you get it in the mail and you, you know, you get your coin out of it and you scratch it. You just can't wait, man. You can't wait. You want to scratch that thing off so you can redeem. And it has nothing on there. And it says, so sorry you didn't win anything, right? I want to talk to you today, if I had the word grace in front of you, last week we talked about God. It all begins with God, right? Grace always begins with Him. It's Him reaching down and giving us that second opportunity.2:22But today I want to talk to you about the R in grace and that's the word redeemed. I want to talk to you today about being redeemed. I want to remind us of this beautiful, wonderful passage in scripture that helps us understand that we are redeemed by His blood. Now I want you to turn with me to Ephesians chapter 1, verse 7 through 12. And I want us to unpack this and then I'm going to give you some background history on this2:49and help us maybe be reminded of us, you biblical scholars out there, that we are indeed redeemed by His blood. Ephesians chapter 1, beginning with the 7th verse through the 12th verse. In Him, we have, underline this, redemption through His blood. The forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of His grace. In which, I love this line, in which He lavished on us in all wisdom and insight.3:16He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him. With a view of an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him, also, we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose3:43who works in all things after the counsel of His will. To the end, that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be the praise of His glory. Let's pray. Father, let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight. Lord, we love You. We praise You. We thank You for what You're about to do in this place.4:12Lord, remove those obstacles standing in the way from us hearing Your Word today. And Lord, we give You that praise. In Christ's name we pray. And the church said, Amen. Jesus Christ paid the price of His life for our total redemption. Grace begins with God and runs through the blood of His Son. While grace is God stooping down to give us a second opportunity or a second chance to understand4:40redemption, we must first believe and receive. Now, during biblical times, during the New Testament times especially, the Roman Empire has many as six million slaves during that time. And the buying and selling of them was a major business. In Ephesus, it was kind of the epicenter of commerce during that time.5:06And a lot of slaves were bought and sold during that particular period of time. If a person wanted to free a loved one or a friend who was a slave, he would actually buy that person, buy that slave for himself, and then grant him his freedom by testifying a deliverance with a written certificate. He had to buy him and then set him free.5:34That's what biblical background tells us. That is precisely the idea that is carried in the New Testament, the use of the term of representing Christ atoning for our sins at the cross. When He died at the cross, He paid the penalty for all the sins of all mankind, every person in this room. He paid redemption price by buying it for Himself, by fallen man. He set us free, free from our sins.6:02Every human being since the fall, since the fall in Genesis, every human being coming into the world is enslaved to sin under total bondage to the nature that is corrupt, that is evil, and that is separated from its creator. No person is spiritually free. No human being is free of sin or free from its consequences. The ultimate consequence and penalty, which is death separated from the love of God.6:32But Jesus said it best in John 8, verse 34. He says, Truly, truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is slave of sin. But Paul points out to us in Romans chapter 3, verse 10, there is none righteous, no, not one. Sin is man's captor. We are captured by sin. Slaved owner. It demands a price to be released.7:00Biblical redemption, therefore, refers to the act of God by which He Himself, He Himself, has paid the ransom for our sins. God's grace is the undeserved love and goodness that is for us to be released. But listen to me, brothers and sisters. We could not do this of ourselves. And I believe that anybody at the sound of my voice would agree to that. We cannot be released from this sin, this enslave, this entrapment.7:28We need someone, a Redeemer, to come along and redeem us. Because now we belong to Jesus Christ by faith, made one with Him, placed His body in our body, we are now acceptable to God. Only Jesus Christ has the inherent right to do to all the goodness of God the Father. But because we are now identified with Him, we also receive that inheritance as well.7:55So as you're unpacking these principles today and as you're looking at this passage of Scripture, we need to be reminded just how blessed we really are. We are blessed. My sweet wife is the best Christian I know on the planet. I say that a lot. I truly believe that. Now, she is not without sin, without fault, but she is the best Christian I know.8:23I mean, she loves God with all her heart. But my wife, she struggled growing up as a child. She had a very hard father. Her dad was very strict, very hard, almost to the point of being almost somewhat abusive. Not abusive, but almost. And if she ever messed up and made a mistake, how her earthly father was so hard on her,8:48when she felt that when she messed up, she felt that she never would be able to regain His love. She had a bad understanding of God the Father. After our marriage, after she came to faith in Christ, my wife, I, by the way, I asked her if I could share this. She was gladly to allow me to share this with y'all. But after she came to faith in Christ, she had a real different idea about God.9:13If she made a mistake, how could her earthly father, her heavenly father, forgive her of her mistakes? If she messed up, had an evil thought, did something wrong, I mean, looked at me differently or whatever, she had this bad image of her heavenly father. And we had to walk through that. And a good friend of mine, a pastor up in Huntsville, Alabama, and I, the three of us, we all sat down and Dr. Jackson said to her,9:42Deb, tell me your background, tell me your story, tell me your family background. And once she unpacked all of that, he finally looked at her and he said, That's it. You've got a poor image of God the Father because you had a poor image of your heavenly father. Maybe some of you in this room today, you need to be set free because you have a poor image of the heavenly father because you've had a poor image displayed to you by your earthly father.10:08Dads gather in here close. We have a responsibility as Christ followers to project the heavenly father's image. We need to love our children and our wives as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us. And so once my wife got that, she got it. It reminded me of the great old hymn that Fanny Crosby wrote.10:38We never sing this anymore. It's a great old hymn, redeemed how I love to proclaim it, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, redeemed through his infinite mercy, his child and forever I am. Redeemed, redeemed, redeemed, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, redeemed how I love to proclaim it, his child and forever I am. Church, let me tell you something. That ought to make us all stand up and shout hallelujah. The word redeemed simply means to purchase or set free by paying a price.11:07Now, if you gather yourself back up in Ephesians chapter 1 and you go back up to verse 3, we are told that we are blessed with all spiritual blessings. We are told about election. Don't let that stumble you. Don't worry. That's not a bad word. God saves the elect. I like Dwight Moody's statement, God save the elect and then save some more. Amen? I believe that God will save anybody that calls upon the name of the Lord.11:37Romans chapter 1 verse 16, he says, For I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God and the salvation to, say it with me, everyone who believes. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever. Now, folks, I want you to tell you, this old redneck from trustful beliefs, that means everybody. That means everybody. Whoever believes on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Believe on the name of the Son of God. And thou shall be saved.12:07So don't let this election or this predestination or this adoption or this acceptance. And now we're talking redemption. Although the word is frequently used, it's often used without a clear and precise understanding. So church, I want you to gather with me closely today as we unpack these several verses of Scripture. I want to give you four things that I've kind of encapsuled as blessings from God the Son.12:32First of all, we are redeemed because the blood, because the blood of his son's life, we are redeemed. Notice with me in verse 7a, in him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of his grace. If we were doing a bunch of cross-reference, and I'm not going to ask you to turn because it will take us all forever to do this.12:59And so you'll just have to trust me and go back. I think I've written those in your notes in your handout. But notice with me Romans chapter 3, verse 24. Now, Romans chapter 3, verse 23, most of us know that one, you know, right? For all is sin, it comes short of the glory of God. We stop at the water's edge right there, do we not? Oftentimes, but look what verse 24 has to say. Verse 24 goes on to say, being justified as a gift by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus,13:23whom God displayed publicly for as a propitiation in his blood towards faith, through faith. Now, folks, let me tell you something. We are justified because we confess our sin. We are justified and we are redeemed by his blood. Turn with me back to Ephesians chapter 1, verse 14. Ephesians chapter 1, verse 14.13:53Notice what it says. Go right on down the passage. Who is given as a pledge of our inheritance with a view to the circle, the word, redemption of God's own possession to the praise of his glory. Church, let me tell you something. We should not think that each person of the Godhead works independently, independently, because all of them work together, because all of them work together to make possible our salvation.14:12Church, I'm here to tell you today, we can shout about this.14:25This is a refresher course. This is a reminder for the body of Christ today when we get discouraged, when we get downtrodden, we want to throw in the towel. We want to stop at the water's edge.14:53We want to understand that because of his blood, we are redeemed. It tells us redemption is secure. Man belongs to God by creation, but sin took us away because of Satan. In order for man to be set free, we must have someone to pay that penalty. Turn with me to Hebrews. Hebrews chapter 9. You'll know this, those of you Bible scholars. But Hebrews chapter 9 gives us a beautiful portrait that only the blood, only the blood can be paid for for our sins.15:20According to the law, one may, verse 22, one may almost say all things are cleansed with blood. With and without shedding of blood, there is no, say it with me, forgiveness. We cannot be forgiven or could not be forgiven ever without the shedding of the blood. Jesus Christ's whole purpose in life was to come to redeem mankind of its sinful nature.15:50The blood stands for death. Blood in Scripture stands for death. The fact that death is required to pay for sins showed that sin is not to be treated lightly. Christ Jesus paid the price required by giving us his very life. Church, because of the blood. I know in 21st century church and a lot of these new or newer congregations, they don't want to talk about the blood.16:18They don't want to preach on the blood. They don't want to preach on the cross. They want to make the cross looking something beautiful. The cross is ugly, folks. The cross is ugly. Why? Because it hung our Savior on that cross. We don't want to preach about the blood and some of these new contemporary models because, oh, that will offend somebody. Let me tell you something. It's offensive enough to me that Christ Jesus died for my wretched soul.16:45We ought to shout, hallelujah, thank you for the redemption power of the blood. Because of the blood of his sons, we are redeemed. Number two, because the price Jesus paid, our sins are forgiven. Notice with me in the second part of that verse, in him we have redemption through his blood. The forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of his grace.17:13He reached down and because he paid the penalty for our sins at Calvary's cross, he reached down and gives us the gift of eternal life. That's God's grace. He paid the price. Forgive means to carry away. Romans 5, 8 says, but God demonstrated his own love towards us, and while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.17:38Romans chapter 2, verse 4. Quickly turn back. Notice what Paul writes to the Roman church. Or do you think lightly of the riches of his kindness or forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God reveals to you to repentance? He is trying to wake up the Roman church. He is trying to shake them a bit, saying that because Jesus Christ paid the penalty for our sins, we are forgiven.18:04Sin makes us poor, but grace makes us rich. Man, that's the best thing I've ever written in my life right there. Sin makes us poor. Church, write this down, but grace makes us rich because of the price of Jesus Christ paid, our sins are forgiven.18:27Number three, because of the example of his son's life, God reveals his will toward us. His will to us. Pick it up in verse 8. I love this phrase, lavished. I mean, every time I've read that this last couple of weeks, this really just gets me fired up. Which he lavished.18:57Which he lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his kind intention which he purposed in him. With a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of time. That is the summing up of all things in Christ. Things in the heavens and things on earth. In him also we have obtained an inheritance. We have been predestined according to his purpose.19:25Who works all things after the counsel of his will. Church, listen to me. Mystery simply means a sacred secret once hidden is now revealed to God's people. Now, how has that happened? How has that happened? Through his word. It has been revealed to us. Sin tearing apart everything. But in Christ, God will gather everything together. We are a part of a great eternal program.19:54We have the privilege to be a part of this great eternal program by living out the example of Jesus Christ every day. I've been tasked in a few weeks to preach at an event and they've given me a subject. I really, it bothers me when they do that. But they have a theme and they say we'd like you to come preach and we want you to preach on the topic of living out the gospel. I said, wow, you couldn't give me a better theme. I mean, I'm glad I didn't have to preach on lamentations or something like that, you know.20:23Preach on the genealogy, you know, how to figure out an outline out of that, you know. But they said living out the gospel. And I started thinking about that this week. Thinking about that this week as we looked at this principle today because of his example, the example of Christ Jesus. He reveals his will to us through his word. I find it dumbfounding when we are in this sinful world, in the most perilous of times as this world is.20:50We do not spend any adequate time in the word of God. His will is revealed to us through his word. Always revealed. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto thy path. Church, you want to know God's will for your life? Get in God's word. We sung about it all day long. We need to know his word.21:19You breathe the word of God into us. He gives his perfect will for the church. He gives his perfect will for us individually as married couples, as single adults in this room, as students. Church, we get the will of God through the word of God. And then we are motivated to live out that beautiful plan that he has laid out for us. And so, God, because of the blood of his son, we are redeemed. Because of the price Jesus Christ paid, our sins are forgiven.21:47Because of the example of his son's life, God reveals his will to us. And number four, and I'm done. Because of Jesus Christ, this is going to make us all shout. We have an eternal inheritance. Man, two amens out of that. We have an eternal inheritance.22:15Short period of time on this earth, 70, 80, 90. Some of you might live to be 100, but not much further. Some of you are 100 in this room already. Greg, I mean, we're going to live on this short period, but we will inherit for all of eternity. Man, that ought to make us get excited about that.22:43It ought to make us get excited about bringing those who don't have that inheritance along with us. Pick it up in verse 11. Also, we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to his purpose, who works all things after the counsel of his will, to the end that we who are the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of his glory.23:06In Christ, we have an eternal inheritance. Turn with me quickly to 1 Peter 1. 1 Peter 1. I want you to notice this real quickly, and it will be done. 1 Peter 1. Pick it up in verse 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,23:38who according to his great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you. Folks, it is not going to go away. How many times have you heard of people who inherited resources?24:05They inherited money. They inherited cars and lands and yachts and condos and all kinds of things. They inherited from someone else who paid the price for that, and they died, and they left it in the will, and they inherited it only to a short time later squander it all away. We know time and time again, but we have a wonderful inheritance that will never go away.24:30That's heaven for our very, very own. God the Son is the Father's love gift to us. We are the Father's love gift to the Son. The church is Christ's body, building and bride. Jesus Christ's future inheritance is wrapped up in his church. We have a beautiful inheritance because of the redeeming blood of Jesus Christ.24:58It does remind me of that great old hymn. Redeemed how I love to proclaim it. Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Redeemed through his infinite mercy. His child and forever I am. Sing it with me.25:28Redeemed, redeemed, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Redeemed, redeem his child and forever I am. I've asked Greg to come up in this great old hymn of the faith. We don't sing it often, and I think we need to sing it. I think we need to sing it to the tops of our voice before we ever, ever invite those in this room that have not been redeemed.25:54I think we need to sing it as a testimony to those in this room that may be downtrodden, that may be discouraged, that may be at the end of their rope today. This has been a horrific week. I've dealt with more heartache this week in ministry in the week that I'm preaching on redemption.26:18And it's been beautiful to just know that I'm wrapped up in his redeeming powers, that I've been saved by his grace, that God reached down and gave me a second opportunity. This wretched Baptist preacher, he gave another opportunity because Jesus Christ paid the price at Calvary's cross.26:39We're redeemed. Would you stand? Greg, lead us. Sing it, church.26:55Sing it, church.27:10Sing it, church.27:40Sing it out. Redeemed, redeemed, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Redeemed, redeemed, His child and forever I am. One final thought, and I want to leave this with you before we walk into our time of invitation.28:08While you're standing, we should stand in awe, should we not? We should stand in awe at being the beneficiaries of something that cost the very life of the Son of God and virtually cost us nothing. All we had to do is confess our sin and receive that redeeming power.28:31Would you pray with me?More sermons on Ephesians →
