Redeemed by Grace
Ephesians 1:7-10
As usual, I am very excited about this sermon from Ephesians 1. I suppose most pastors feel that way from week to week.
Ill. I am reminded of the three boys at school who were bragging about their daddies. One said, “My dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper and calls it a poem. They pay him $100”. The second boy said, “My dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper and calls it a song and they pay him $1,000.” The third boy said, “That’s nothing. My dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper and calls it a sermon. It takes 6 to 8 men to collect all the money.”
Words are important. Words make sentences.
The passage we are looking at in the ESV is one very long sentence. However, in the original language and documents, this is only part of the longest sentence in the Bible. It begins with verse 6 and goes through verse 14. Paul was not one for short sermons, nor was he one for short sentences.
What is redemption? Ever heard of a Pawn Shop? Coupons?
Why do we need redemption?
In John 8, the Jewish leadership was trying to argue with, and trap Jesus. Joh 8:31-34 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
Although the Jews were being controlled by the Romans who controlled the world, the religious Jews held the view that they recognized no king or emperor but God.
33 They answered him, "We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, 'You will become free'?"
Jesus response to them was that although they did not recognize their servitude, and not that of Rome, they were still slaves and needed to be set free.
34 Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.
Jesus went on to pay the price of our redemption. The Apostle Paul in Ephesians tells us about that redemption.
Eph 1:7-10 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 1:8 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.
I. The price of redemption Eph 1:7 “ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses…”
Throughout history, different levels of crimes required different levels of redemption. Failure to pay redemptions’ price costs one his freedom. Some crimes required the payment of a day’s wage. Some crimes cost one a year’s wage. Some crimes cost five years of servitude.
Do you know what the most egregious crimes cost one? It is said that they cost one his blood. It meant his life.
1 Peter 1:18, 19 - 1Pe 1:18 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.
One writer wrote: “When Paul and Peter write about the blood of Christ, they are not saying that the physical blood itself has any mystical or magical properties that provides for our redemption. The phrase ‘the blood of Christ’ is just a phrase that is used to describe the painful, agonizing, bloody death of Jesus on the cross.”
If you are like me, your mind has already gone to Hebrews 9:22. “Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”
And the blood of sacrificed animals was used to sanctify the articles of worship and purify from sin. But it was not just the blood.
Ill. When I was a student in High School, my dad was the missionary pastor of Bethel Baptist Church of Temple, TX.
We had a member who was manager of a ranch just north of Temple.
On that ranch, they raised livestock with diseases. They had rabbits, horses, sheep, goats and other animals with other diseases such as rabies, and I cannot remember what else.
The workers had to wear what we could now call hazmat suits and be very careful.
I remember specifically that once a month, each horse would go into the lab and have blood drawn which was used to make vaccines.
When a horse got to a certain age, near the end of its productivity, the manager explained to me that they hooked it up to the machine that drew blood and just bled it out.
Thinking of that, I never saw in the law any instructions on bleeding sheep a little and using that blood in the purification process. It wasn’t just the blood that God required, but the death of something.
In the Garden of Eden, after Adam and Eve sinned, God covered their shame. Gen 3:21 And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.
God could have used cotton, or silk, or polyester. He is God and He can do what He wants.
However, He used the death of an animal to show Adam and Eve that our sins are worthy of death, the shedding of blood. But the blood of animals was insufficient for all of sin for all of mankind, through all of time. It was just a promise of a redemption price to be paid once and for all.
Heb 10:3-4 But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
Heb 10:10 And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
It is Jesus’ blood that buys our redemption, but it cost our Savior His life.
II. The process of Redemption “…according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight…”
We discussed, last week, that we are saved by God’s grace; underserved favor based upon His decision and His plan of redemption. Paul then ties the riches of His grace to wisdom and insight.
That is important, because I’ve never known any new Christians that have had fully developed spiritual wisdom or insight described as lavish. I am not arguing with this scripture, but only pointing out that it is by God’s grace that we continue to grow in wisdom and insight, not by our works. This is a continual process, based upon God’s perfect promise, over the period of a lifetime.
The truth here is that if we depend upon God’s grace in day to day living, walking by faith, God will lavishly pour His wisdom and insight into us. If He is not pouring wisdom and insight into us, we are not trusting in grace and walking by faith. Grace and faith go hand in hand. The attempt to earn wisdom and insight ruins grace.
Let’s look closely at the word “lavished”. “per-is-syoo'-o” has the Greek root word that indicates an exceedingly, great amount. The parallel Hebrew word, “rev-aw-yaw'” is found in the 23rd Psalms. “My cup runneth over”.
Ill. After a football game, a couple of players from the winning team will mosey on over to the Gatorade cooler. You know what happens next.
The trainers have begun to make Gatorade, to the delight of the makers, in exceeding abundance. This extra drink is poured out on the coach’s head. Such a waste. Some schools do not have the same budget for the drink. So they have a water Igloo for the celebration. There is plenty of water to use it abundantly, and it is more available and cost effective than the Gatorade.
Over 70 percent of the earth’s surface is covered with water. There is an abundance of water, but not as much as there is grace, and the insight and wisdom grace promises.
Here is the picture. God pours His wisdom and insight, based upon His grace, upon us at a wasteful level. However, there is plenty where it comes from, so no problem.
The problem comes in this: If this wisdom and insight is available in such overdone abundance, why am I not spiritually mature, wise and insightful than I am?
You may ask the same question, to be honest. I must say, that there must be areas in my life where I depend on a works-based solution, either emotional or logical responses, or in some way I am not responding in faith and not trusting in the undeserved grace of God.
Honestly, I find those areas every day, every week. I have to prayerfully look at my decisions, responses, the motives behind my decisions, and my very attitude in every area. That will explain the lack of sufficient or growth compared to what is poured out on me.
It is not that God is not offering it. It is that in some area in my life I am not receiving it. I can resemble a duck more than a sponge when it comes to God pouring His grace on me.
III. The purposes of redemption: Eph 1:9 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.
First, God wanted to share with us His wonderful plan and purpose.
The reason for God’s redemption, the reason for Jesus’ death, the reason God is pouring out Grace lavishly and pouring on us wisdom and insight, is so we can understand the beauty of God’s purpose. We, the Church, are the only ones who get the full picture of what God was doing from the beginning. We are the only ones throughout history who can understand what God is doing in the end. God, through His grace, has chosen us to uncover the mystery that the prophets wanted to know.
Secondly, God is doing this so that we can see, and labor for, the future unity that He has purchased. God is uniting all things by the work of His Son. In the end, or at the fullness of time, all things will be united in Jesus Christ. Finally, God is doing this to tie up the loose ends. “…to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.”
Does this remind you of something? Remember when the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray? He gave them the Model Prayer. Remember, it begins, “"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:9-10.
There is no doubt that God’s will is done in heaven. However, on earth there is still rebellion and sin. In the universe, there is still Satan and His demons tempting and deceiving mankind. But the redemption of Jesus Christ marks an end to that. It marks and end to the independence of mankind, the rebellion of sinners, and the spite of demons. God is uniting all things under Jesus Christ, in heaven and in earth.
Are you with God or will you oppose him until judgment. You can receive this wonderful redemption, this bountiful grace, this marvelous understanding, and this peaceful, unified destiny, if you trust Jesus today.
Believers, I have to ask us, are we being ducks to God’s grace, or sponges.
Ill. The late actor W. C. Fields, who died in 1946, was famous for his love for alcohol and what he called the good life. He hated women, children and animals. Although this was a movie persona, it truly matched his personality. He also hated Christmas, Christianity and anything related to them. His rough living, worsened by the loss of his only child, finally took its toll.
The story is told that when he was in the hospital in declining health, awaiting death, a friend came by to visit. The friend found Fields thumbing through a Bible. “What are you doing with that?” he asked. “Looking for hope?”
“No,” answered Fields. “Looking for loopholes.”
In the same book that Fields was trying to find a loophole, he could have found grace. Whatever reason you came today, you can find grace.
