Seven Spiritual Blessings
Part 4
Redemption
Foundational Text: Eph. 1:3-14
Text: Eph. 1:7
Intro: We have been looking for the past couple of weeks at spiritual blessings
- These are blessings that we overlook many times
- That we have a tendency to take for granted
- The reason it is so important for us to recognize and apply these spiritual blessings to our lives is because we are spiritual beings
We make decisions based on our spirit
- If our spirit is week we will make our decisions based on emotion and feelings
- If our spirit is strong we will make decisions based on righteousness and the word of God
- For this very reason Gods greatest blessings for your life are spiritual
Last week we looked at our first spiritual blessing Holy and Blameless
- Jesus made it possible for us to be above reproach
- Without guilt and shame
- This means the devil can no longer approach God and accuse us of our past sins
- We are above reproach
- We are protected
- The only way the devil can lay claim to us again is to tempt us or entice us away from God
- He can not come in and get us he has to draw us out
Our second spiritual blessing we looked at was predestined adoption
- We were not an after thought in the mind of God
- He had mad a plan for us from before the foundations of the earth
- We were not an accident
- God had predetermined that He was going to make a way for us
- This also implies that God has a predetermined purpose and plan for each of us
- We were adopted into His family as sons and daughters for a purpose
- God chose us He wanted us from the very beginning
Read foundational text:
Ephesians 1:3-14 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
Our focus tonight is going to be on Vs 7
Let’s look at it again
Ephesians 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
I. Redeemed From
The third blessing I want to look at tonight is redemption
God has redeemed us and forgiven us from our sins.
In Barclay’s daily study bible he puts it this way
“For it is in Him that we have a deliverance which cost His life; in Him we have received the forgiveness of sins, which only the grace of His love could give.”
This word redemption means to ransom or as Barclay puts it. It is our deliverance
The picture here is of a man that has been set free by paying a ransom
This is what Jesus has done for us
- He paid a price
- He paid a ransom
- For our freedom
This is were the scripture comes from in
1 Corinthians 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
We were purchased from our debt of sin
The picture here is of someone who cannot help themselves
- It is like a prisoner of war
- Or someone who has been kidnapped
- Or convicted criminal that has been pardoned
None of them could help themselves
- None of them could pay the price
- They had to be redeemed or ransomed
Why did we need redemption?
- What is it that we needed redeemed from
- Why is this such a great blessing of God
What has happened is you and I were captivated by sin
- We were kidnapped
- We were taken prisoner by sin
- We were bound just as a hostage is bound with no hope of escape
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
We were hopelessly lost
- There was nothing we could do to free ourselves from sin
- We needed help
We had been blinded by our sin and we were on our way to hell
- We were bound for eternal punishment
- Just as the old song goes “we owed a debt we could not pay”
- We were in a hopeless situation
So Jesus came and redeemed us
We were blinded by the prince of this world
- We were blinded by Satan
- Until we were approached with the gospel of Jesus Christ most of did not have a clue that we were sinners headed for judgment
2 Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
We had no idea what we headed for
One of the great blessings of redemption is that now our eyes are open
- We can know see were we are going
- No longer do we have to grope blindly through life
- Constantly wondering what it is all about
- With redemption comes an opening of our eyes
- We see things the rest of the world has no clue about
It is the picture of a slave that has been bought and set free
As a slave all he could see was
- The misery
- The drudgery of life
- The heart ache and pain
- There was no hope
- There was no hear after
- All he has to look forward to is labor and more labor
- Pain and more pain
- Sorrow upon sorrow
- Cold and heartache
- He is never allowed in the mansion or palace
- He is never allowed the finer things of life
Things like
- Peace of mind
- Salvation
- Holy and blameless
- A place of esteem
- Adoption for him is something he could never imagine
But then it happens he is purchased from the auction block of sin and not just purchased but adopted into the family
- Were there was cold there is now warmth
- Were there was sorrow there is joy
- Were he was once blind he can now see
- Were there was sickness there is health
- Were there was hopelessness there is now hope
- Were there was mere existence there is now purpose
This is what Jesus did for us when He redeemed us
What a glorious blessing
We needed salvation we needed redemption but there was no way for us to redeem ourselves so Jesus Himself paid the price for our redemption. He paid the price with His own Blood a life for a life
“In ever case the concept of redemption is the delivering of a man from a situation from which he was powerless to liberate himself or from a penalty which he himself could never pay”
William Barclay
Matthew 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
II. Redeemed for a purpose
In this word redemption there is also the intention of being redeemed for a purpose
We were not just set free to wonder about with no aim or direction in life
- With no calling
- With no mission or passion
We were redeemed to fulfill the purpose of God
- So that are lives might be used to advantage
- That we might accomplish something
In sin our life was wasted
- We went from one empty purpose to another
- One empty relationship to another
- There was no aim
- No direction
- As we mentioned earlier we just wondered blindly through life
- Trying to lay up for ourselves a treasure were moth and rust could corrupt it
- Or a treasure we could leave for someone else when we die
- But in reality our lives were empty
One of the greatest blessings of God is He has given us a purpose
- A reason for being
- Direction in life
- Vision
This is why the bible says, “without a vision the people perish”
- We have something worth living for
Jesus redeemed us so that you and I could make the most out of life
“The bridge between despair and hope is a clear cut purpose in life”
“Purpose with a hope is the anchor of the soul and the incentive to achieve”
When we were redeemed we were given a hope and purpose in life
- We can read the book we know we win
- The devil is a defeated foe
These two go hand in hand
Hope and purpose
The moment you begin to loose your purpose in The Kingdom of God you start to loose hope
- This is why it is so important to get involved in the Kingdom of God
- Embrace the vision
- Surrender to Gods will for your life
- To strive for that high calling
The moment you begin to loose your drive and purpose hope begins to fade
- The hope of God using you
- The Hope of salvation
- Before you know it you are backslidden and in the world again
- You must have a vision
- You must have a purpose
There is no ridding the fence
In the Kingdom of God you are ether all in or all out God will not tolerate indecision for very long
“Be ye ether hot or cold or I will spew you out of my mouth”
What is your purpose in the Kingdom of God?
What is Gods will for you?
What is His plan for your life?
Why did He redeem you?
Redemption is a great spiritual blessing. Not only did He pay a price that we could not pay but He has given us a vision and purpose in life and when we embrace that vision and Gods will there is a strengthening of our spirit that hell itself cannot overcome.
Every Head Bowed
