Chosen And Redeemed

CHOSEN and REDEEMED

Ephesians 1:7-14

Last week we were looking at the amazing spiritual blessings we get in Christ. Today, we’re going to continue looking at what Paul tells us in Ephesians 1. These messages are simply reminders or maybe for the first time you’re hearing what Christ did for us. If we would stop and really think about it, it’s really very overwhelming to think about what God has done for us.

As we did last week, I’m going to read scripture from Ephesians 1:3-14. And remember, in the original Greek this was one long sentence. We’ve added all of the punctuation to make this more readable and understandable. So, let’s look at these uplifting words from Paul –

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with EVERY spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,

4 even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him.

In love 5 He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will,

6 to the praise of His glorious grace, with which He has blessed us in the Beloved.

7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace,

8 which He lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight

9 making known to us the mystery of His will, according to His purpose, which He set forth in Christ

10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth.

11 In Him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,

12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of His glory.

13 In Him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. – Ephesians 1:3-14

Without redoing last weeks message, the highlights come in verses 3-5 as Paul highlights these spiritual blessings - Our spiritual blessings include the fact that - -

We are chosen because we are loved.

We were chosen before the world was created.

We are not condemned.

Jesus died for us and God now considers us - -

HOLY and BLAMELESS.

So with that in mind, let’s keep moving on and we’re going to start with verses 7-8, which could be a full sermon in itself. Paul tells us --

7 In Him we have REDEMPTION THROUGH HIS BLOOD, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, 8 which He lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight

I really want this in one slide because of what Paul’s telling us about what God has done for us.

As I mentioned last week, Paul is telling us the source of these blessings we receive. It’s in those first 2 words . . . IN HIM! In Christ and through Christ, because of Christ we have redemption.

The word redemption literally means to be released or to be delivered by payment of a ransom. It gives us the image of God buying rescuing us from what was enslaving us and holding us in bondage, and that is sin.

When we are redeemed we gain our freedom, which is freedom in Christ and through Christ. In essence we gain a new status, as children of God.

So, we’re released from our captivity to death because of our sinfulness. Someone had to pay the price to restore us so that we could have a relationship with God . . . and that was Jesus.

Other passages help us to see what Jesus did for us -

5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself as a ransom for all, – 1 Timothy 2:6

18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold,

19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. – 1 Peter 1:18-19

12 He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of His own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. – Hebrews 9:12

45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” – Mark 10:45