1. INTRODUCTION. LAST WEEK WE WITNESSED THE GREATNESS OF GOD IN CREATION. HOWEVER, ADAM AND EVE’S TRANSGRESSION OF THE EATING OF THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL, VIOLATED THE WORD AND THE WILL OF ALMIGHTY GOD, THUS, ADAM AND EVE SOLD ALL HUMANITY INTO THE HANDS OF SATAN. SINCE THAT SINGLE EVENT, THE WORLD HAS BEEN CORRUPTED, TAINTED, AND HELD HOSTAGE BY THE FORCES OF EVIL, BECOMING MORE WICKED WITH EACH PASSING TICK OF THE CLOCK. GEN. 6:5, “AND GOD SAW THAT THE WICKEDNESS OF MAN WAS GREAT IN THE EARTH, AND THAT EVERY IMAGINATION OF THE THOUGHTS OF HIS HEART WAS ONLY EVIL CONTINUALLY.” MANS NEFARIOUS AND PERNICIOUS PROPENSITIES HAS MADE THE WORLD WHAT GOD DID NOT INTEND THE WORLD TO BE. YET, IN ALL THAT MAN HAS DONE TO VIOLATE THE STANDARDS OF GOD, GOD STILL LOVED AND LOVES US WITH AN UNDENIABLE, UNCHANGING, AND UNMATCHABLE LOVE, THAT HE HAD A PLAN TO RECONCILE US BACK TO HIMSELF BY DOING WHAT ONLY GOD COULD DO IN THE PROVISION OF HIS SON TO DIE FOR ALL OF OUR SINS. I STOPPED BY TO TELL US TODAY THAT WE SHOULD SHOUT AND REJOICE ABOUT THE GREATNESS OF GOD IN OUR REDEMPTION!
2. THE TEXT. THE APOSTLE PAUL PENNED THIS EPISTLE TO THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS TO INSTRUCT THEM, TO ENCOURAGE THEM, AND TO PRAISE THEIR FAITHFULNESS.
a) OUR REDEMPTION CAME WITH A PRICE THAT NONE OF US COULD PAY.
b) THE WORD REDEMPTION CARRIES THE CONNOTATION OF BEING DELIVERED FROM SIN AND THE EVIL CONSEQUENCES OF SIN AS CHRIST PROCURED OUR SALVATION WITH THE SHEDDING OF HIS BLOOD.
c) THOSE OF US WHO HAVE ACCEPTED JESUS AS SAVIOR, HAVE BEEN SET FREE BECAUSE JESUS PAID THE RANSOM TO BUY US BACK FROM SATAN.
d) MAN IS POWERLESS TO FREE HIMSELF, THEREFORE, OUR FREEDOM RESTED IN THE WILL OF GOD AND THE BLOOD OF JESUS.
e) WHAT’S SO DESIRABLE ABOUT US THAT GOD WOULD WANT TO SAVE US?
f) ALTHOUGH MAN, BY NATURE IS THE ENEMY OF GOD, GOD WAS AND IS MOVED BY HIS RICH GRACE AND UNBELIEVABLE LOVE TO REDEEM US.
g) BECAUSE NOTHING ELSE AND NO ONE ELSE COULD SECURE OUR REDEMPTION, GOD TOOK THE MATTER INTO HIS OWN HAND IN SACRIFICING THE LIFE OF ONE FOR THE LIVES OF THE MANY!
h) MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, EVERY TIME THAT WE LOOK IN THE MIRROR, WE SHOULD SEE HOW UNWORTHY WE ARE OF HIS LOVE.
i) HOWEVER, EVERY TIME THAT WE LOOK IN THE MIRROR, WE SHOULD THANK AND PRAISE GOD FOR REDEEMING US!
j) I’M A LIVING WITNESS OF THE GREATNESS OF GOD IN OUR REDEMPTION!
3. HOW ARE WE REDEEMED? ROM. 10:9-10, “ THAT IF THOU SHALT CONFESS WITH THY MOUTH THE LORD JESUS, AND SHALT BELIEVE IN THINE HEART THAT GOD HATH RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD, THOU SHALT BE SAVED. FOR WITH THE HEART MAN BELIEVETH UNTO RIGHTEOUSNESS; AND WITH THE MOUTH CONFESSION IS MADE UNTO SALVATION.”
a) HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THE BLOOD OF JESUS COULD SAVE US?
b) WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT BY ONE MAN’S BLOOD STAINED DEATH, DELIVERANCE FROM THE WRATH OF GOD COULD BE OBTAINED?
c) AS WE EXAMINE THE SHED BLOOD OF JESUS, WE MUST ACCEPT THE UNSCIENTIFIC FACT THAT JESUS’ BLOOD WAS NOT POLLUTED BY THE DNA OF HUMANITY.
d) ALTHOUGH HIS MOTHER CARRIED HIM, HIS DNA HAS DIVINE ORIGINS BECAUSE IT WAS THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO CAME UPON MARY.
e) THAT’S WHY WE CAN SING THE SONG, “WHAT CAN WASH AWAY MY SINS, NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS.”
f) YOU DO KNOW THAT IT REACHES TO THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN, AND IT FLOWS TO THE LOWEST VALLEY; THE BLOOD THAT GIVES ME STRENGTH FROM DAY TO DAY, WILL NEVER LOSE ITS POWER.
4. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF OUR REDEMPTION? THE ANSWER IS SIMPLE. WE ARE REDEEMED TO BE RECONCILED UNTO GOD AND TO BE DRAWN INTO A CLOSER RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
a) EVERY BELIEVER SHOULD LIVE IN A MANNER THAT’S PLEASING TO GOD.
b) EVERY BELIEVER SHOULD LIVE AS THOUGH THEY ARE REDEEMED.
c) IT SHOULD BE EVIDENT BY OUR ACTIONS.
d) AS A REDEEMED PEOPLE WE SHOULD NOT SPEND OUR TIME GROANING AND COMPLAINING ABOUT THINGS, BECAUSE CHRIST IS BIGGER THAN THE THINGS THAT WE GROAN AND COMPLAIN ABOUT.
e) WE ARE REDEEMED TO TRUST JESUS IN ALL THAT WE ENCOUNTER.
f) DON’T FOCUS ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES, FOCUS ON HIM WHO CAN OVERCOME OUR CIRCUMSTANCES.
g) WE ARE REDEEMED TO WORSHIP GOD IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH.
h) WE ARE REDEEMED TO BE COMMITTED TO CHRIST AND HIS COMMISSION.
i) WE ARE REDEEMED TO BE FAITHFUL TO GOD.
j) SO THE QUESTION I WANT TO PUT FORTH IS HOW FAITHFUL ARE YOU TO GOD?
k) THIS IS A QUESTION THAT ALL OF US MUST ASK OURSELVES ON A CONTINUAL BASIS!
5. WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF OUR REDEMPTION? FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE HAVE THE FORGIVENESS OF OUR SINS. THAT IN AN OF ITSELF IS REASON TO LIVE FOR HIM!
a) ANOTHER BENEFIT OF OUR REDEMPTION IS THAT WE ARE SAVED FROM THE WRATH OF GOD. COL. 3:6 TEACHES THAT THE WRATH OF GOD COMES ON THE CHILDREN OF DISOBEDIENCE.
b) THAT MEANS THAT WE WILL NOT BE ETERNALLY SEPARATED FROM GOD AT DEATH.
c) ANOTHER BENEFIT OF OUR REDEMPTION IS THAT WE HAVE THE HOPE OF HEAVEN. COL. 1:5 TEACHES THAT THE HOPE OF HEAVEN IS LAID UP FOR EVERY BELIEVER.
d) ANOTHER BENEFIT OF OUR REDEMPTION IS THAT WE HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT RESIDING IN US TO GUIDE US, TO INFLUENCE US AND TO REVEAL GOD’S WORD AND WILL IN OUR LIVES, HE COMFORTS US IN TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS, AND GIVES US PEACE IN THE MIDST OF DEATH.
e) THE BENEFITS OF OUR REDEMPTION ARE TOO NUMEROUS THAT OUR FINITE MINDS CANNOT COMPREHEND; 1 COR. 2:9, “BUT AS IT IS WRITTEN, EYE HATH NOT SEEN, NOR EAR HEARD, NEITHER HAVE ENTERED INTO THE HEART OF MAN, THE THINGS WHICH GOD HATH PREPARED FOR THEM THAT LOVE HIM.”
6. CONCLUSION/THREE POINTS. BE MINDFUL OF…
a) ONE, SINCE WE HAVE BEEN REDEEMED, WE ARE FREE. JOHN 8:36, “IF THE SON THEREFORE SHALL MAKE YOU FREE, YE SHALL BE FREE INDEED.” WE ARE FREE FROM THE PENALTY OF SIN, WE ARE FREE FROM THE POWER OF SIN, AND ONE DAY WE WILL BE FREE FROM THE VERY PRESENCE OF SIN. BUT, WE ARE ALSO FREE TO LOVE AND SERVE GOD AND OUR FELLOW MAN.
b) TWO, MAN DOES NOT POSSESS THE POWER OR ABILITY TO REDEEM THEMSELVES; ONLY A CONFESSED CONFIDENCE IN JESUS. JESUS PAID THE ULTIMATE PRICE TO BE NOT JUST THE SAVIOR OF OUR LIVES, BUT LORD! 1 COR. 6:20, “FOR YE ARE BOUGHT WITH A PRICE: THEREFORE GLORIFY GOD IN YOUR BODY, AND IN YOUR SPIRIT, WHICH ARE GOD'S.” WE BELONG TO HIM AND NOT TO OURSELVES!
c) THREE, OUR REDEMPTION IS THE DIRECT RESULT OF GOD’S LOVE AND HIS RICH GRACE. NONE OF US ARE DESERVING OF HIS LOVE, BUT THANK GOD HE LOVES US. ROM. 5:8, “BUT GOD COMMENDETH HIS LOVE TOWARD US, IN THAT, WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS, CHRIST DIED FOR US.” EPH. 2:8-9, “FOR BY GRACE ARE YE SAVED THROUGH FAITH; AND THAT NOT OF YOURSELVES: IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD: NOT OF WORKS, LEST ANY MAN SHOULD BOAST.
d) THE GREATNESS OF GOD IN OUR REDEMPTION IS EVIDENCED BY GOD OFFERING REDEMPTION TO EVERYONE…
• DESPITE THEIR REJECTION OF HIM
• DESPITE THEIR CURSING HIM
• DESPITE THEIR FORSAKING HIM
• DESPITE THEIR UNCOMMITTMENT TO HIM
• DESPITE THEIR REBELLION AGAINST HIM
• DESPITE THEIR HOSTILITY TOWARDS HIM
• DESPITE THEIR DENIAL OF HIM
• DESPITE THEIR TRANSGRESSIONS AGAINST HIM
• DESPITE THEIR HATRED OF HIM
• AMAZING GRACE HOW SWEET THE SOUND THAT SAVED A WRETCH LIKE ME…
