Count Your Blessings (Part 2) Series

Ephesians: Finding our Identity in Christ

Ephesians 1:7-10

Redeemed!

Pastor Jefferson M. Williams

2-01–2026

Redeemed

Two weeks ago, we started our study of Ephesians 1 and made it through verse 6. We learned we are chosen in Christ, adopted into God’s family in Christ, and we are extravagantly loved in Christ.

Paul explodes into praise, into a 202 word, doxology because he is so excited about these blessings that God has lavished upon us. He just couldn’t keep inside.

This past week, on Netflix’s reboot of Star Search, one of the contestants sang “Hard Fought Hallelujah” by Brandon Lake and Jelly Roll.

Jelly Roll is one of the judges and I want you to listen to what he does when he gets the opportunity to talk about God’s grace.

[Reel of Jelly Roll]

Can he get an amen here?!

Let me remind you that if you miss a Sunday, you can always watch the sermon on Facebook, Youtube, our website, or read the manuscript on Sermoncentral.com.

Today we are going to continue to count our blessings and learn some more really good news about our identity in Christ.

Please turn with me to Ephesians 1.

Prayer.

Blessing #4: You have Been Redeemed

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us.”

This is such good news! What is our greatest need?

Theologian, professor and pastor D.A. Carson said it best:

“If God had perceived that our greatest need was economic, he would have sent an economist. If he had perceived that our greatest need was entertainment, he would have sent us a comedian or an artist. If God had perceived that our greatest need was political stability, he would have sent us a politician. If he had perceived that our greatest need was health, he would have sent us a doctor. But he perceived that our greatest need involved our sin, our alienation from him, our profound rebellion, our death; and he sent us a Savior. ”

Redemption is a churchy word. What does it mean?

In the Bible, redemption means “release from bondage through payment, freed by ransom.”

We see this played out in the rescue of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. When the tenth and final plague was coming, God told the Israelites to kill a lamb and put its blood on the doorposts. The avenging angel would “passover” the Jewish first-born.

They were redeemed by the blood of the lamb.

We see redemption in the story of Abraham willing to offer Issac. At the last minute, God stops Abraham and he sees a ram (male lamb) caught in a thicket. Isaac was redeemed by the blood of the lamb.

On a more personal note, and one of my favorite prophets in the Bible, we see redemption play out in Hosea’s marriage.

The prophet Hosea was told by God to marry a prostitute named Gomer. They have three kids in quick succession. None of the kids look like Hosea.

Then Gomer disappears and Hosea finds that she is living with another man and is in bondage to him. Hosea buys his own wife back from slavery.

God says to Israel - that is how you act towards me. You run after foreign gods, you cheat on Me, you get yourself caught in the net of bondage.

And, time and time again, I rescue you. I redeem you. I buy you back.

This is the redemption that Paul is so excited about.

In reality, there are three aspects to our redemption - we have been redeemed, we are being redeemed, and we will be redeemed.

The Essence of our Redemption

We need to be rescued. We are helpless and hopeless to to save ourselves. What do we need to be saved from? From the wrath of God!

In the next chapter of Ephesians, Paul writes:

“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.” (Ephesians 2:1-3)

Our sin separates us from God. Not only that, sin is open rebellion against God. Without redemption, we are enemies of God and His wrath is not only coming, but deserved.

What is the only way to be rescued from God’s wrath? Sin must be paid for and the only payment God takes is a blood substitution. Someone must be willing to pay your debt to buy you back and rescue your from God’s righteous anger.