Scripture: Romans 6:5-23; 1 John 1:5-10
Theme: Gifts of Salvation
Title: It’s Paid For!
This sermon shares three amazing gifts the LORD has paid for all of us – 1. He has paid for our forgiveness 2. He has paid for our Healing 3. He has paid for our Deliverance
INTRO:
Grace and peace from God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit!
This morning I want to talk to you about “It’s Paid For”.
I believe that far too many people do not allow themselves to enjoy God’s Forgiveness, His Healing and His Deliverance. I believe that too many people don’t allow themselves to receive and enjoy the gifts that the LORD has for them.
Have you ever had someone pay your way to a ball game, to a movie or to some type of event?
Have you ever had someone invite you to go out and eat with them and they told you that they would pick up the tab/bill?
Have you ever had someone give you an extravagant gift and you had nothing to give back in return?
Sometimes when something like this happens we tend to shy away from receiving the gift. We may quickly tell them that they don’t have to pay our way. We have enough money to pay our own way.
We may even try to turn the tables and try to pick up the tab/bill before they can. We may try to do the same with the tickets or figure out how we can get an even more extravagant gift for them.
We may decide that if we are going to let them pay then the least we can do is to pick out the least expensive items from the menu because we don’t want to over burden them. We may try to at least pay for the tip. We may decide that since they have bought the tickets we will reward them with picking up the cost of anything else (drinks, popcorn, food, T-shirts etc…)
Often we have trouble with someone paying our way because we just don’t feel worthy of such a kind gesture. Other times we just don’t want to feel like we are indebted to them.
We may even be tempted to be a little suspicious, wondering what they want in return. We have been taught that there is no free gift/no free lunch. We have been taught that most people live by the model “quid pro quo” and so we are wondering what they really want us to do for them in return.
But what if I told you this morning that there is a Person who has paid the price for all of us. His name is Jesus.
Jesus has paid our full bill and even more. Jesus has done everything we need and all He asks is that we accept His rescue and receive His redeeming grace. All He asks is that we receive His mercy, grace and love this morning. All He asks is that we allow His Holy Spirit to come and reside in our hearts, minds and souls.
So, exactly what bill did Jesus pay? Let’s look at that this morning.
I. Jesus paid for our forgiveness
Ephesians 1:7 (NLT)
“He (God) is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of His Son and forgave our sins.”
2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV)
21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Romans 6:23 (NIV)
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The Bible tells us that our first parents, Adam and Eve were created in God’s Image. They were created to enjoy God, His creation and one another. The LORD GOD ALMIGHTY placed them in this amazing place called the Garden of Eden.
Each day, the Bible tells us God would spend quality time with Adam and Eve. They would fellowship together and share life. God would reveal more of Himself and His plans with them. They would share their hopes and dreams. Everything was perfect. Adam and Eve were continually enjoying God’s Presence, Provision and Protection. Their lives were filled with love, joy, peace and creativity as they took care of the plants and all the creatures in the Garden.
The LORD told them that they could eat the fruit from all the trees that He had created in the Garden except for one. He warned them that they should not eat from that tree; the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
God did that because He never wanted Adam and Eve to experience sin/evil. He warned them that if they ate of that tree then sin/evil would cause them to die. He warned them that disobeying Him would ruin everything.
The Bible tells us that sometime later; Satan approached Adam and Eve in the form of a serpent and began tempting them to disregard what God had told them. Satan told them that God was not being truthful or fair. Satan told them that God was holding back a very special gift from them. Satan told them that if they ate from the Tree of Good and Evil that they would receive a very special gift.
Satan told Adam and Eve that rather than die they would be more alive than ever. That if they disobeyed God and ate from the tree that they would in fact be like God; knowing good and evil. He told them that instead of them becoming less they would become more. Satan lied. Satan always lies.
Sadly, Adam and Eve rebelled by eating the fruit and as a result evil/sin entered into them and into our world. We call this event the Fall of man and creation. Adam and Eve’s disobedience radically changed everything for the worst.
Adam and Eve’s disobedience changed their relationship with God. Where they had experienced such a supernatural oneness with God they found themselves estranged from Him. They no longer could walk and talk freely with God in the Garden. In fact, the Bible tells us that because of their sin they had to leave the Garden.
Their disobedience opened wide the door to even more evil/sin. Sin’s power and presence darkened Adam and Eve and creation. It corrupted everything. Sin corrupted Adam and Eve’s physical bodies, their emotions, their relationships, their minds and their spirits. Where there once was an abundance of light, unity, love and creativity there was now an abundance of division, chaos, decay and death.
The Bible tells us that they passed on their fallen nature to their children, their grandchildren, their great-grandchildren and on and on down the line until today. All of us are born with a fallen, sinful nature.
While we may get upset with Adam and Eve and all their choices the reality is we all have sinned this morning and fallen short of God’s Glory (Romans 3:23) . We have all rebelled against the LORD and found ourselves doing things against His Will. Sin has placed everyone under the power and penalty of Hell, death and the grave. Sin has alienated us from God and from everlasting life with God.
That is the bad news.
The Good News is Jesus Christ!
Jesus Christ, the Son of God came to rescue us, redeem us and restore us into the image of God. Jesus came to give His life as a ransom for us. Jesus came to destroy the works of the Devil. Jesus came to defeat sin, death, Hell and the grave. Jesus paid the price so that we could be reconciled to God. Jesus came so that we could be born again and that we can be infilled with His Holy Spirit. Jesus came to give us newness of life enabling us to be able to live forever on the New Heaven and New Earth.
Jesus paid the full price for all our sins. Jesus died on the cross for all of us. He took our punishment. He took our death. He made a way for all our sins to be forgiven. Jesus paid the price for us to enjoy forgiveness today.
Jesus paid the price so that each one of us could live a life just as if we had never sinned. Jesus paid the price so that each one of us could live a life as if we had never cheated, lied, stolen, hated or disobeyed God. Jesus paid the price for our full forgiveness.
As Born Again believers in Christ Jesus we are forgiven. Sin is no longer an issue between us and the LORD. Jesus took care of the sin problem. This is a radical statement but we need to hear it and absorb it. If we do that then this wonderful free gift of forgiveness will transform our lives.
We don’t need to worry about our guilt and shame. We don’t need to worry about carrying around a weight of sin and condemnation. What we do need is to understand is that in Christ we are pure and holy. What we do need to understand is that in Christ we can experience a life bearing the fruit of the Holy Spirit. What we do need to understand is that in Christ we can help others experience full forgiveness.
Understanding and embracing this gift of forgiveness allows us to live a life complete with love, joy and peace. Understanding and embracing this gift of forgiveness allows us to enjoy our prayer time, our Bible time and our worship time. This morning, we are not to be guilt ridden or shame ridden. Instead, we are to bask in the glow of forgiveness.
This morning, God loves us. He loves us with an unconditional love. He loves us so much that He died for us so that we could live a life with this wonderful gift of forgiveness.
Let us rejoice in forgiveness. Let us say this to ourselves this morning –
I N C H R I S T I A M F O R G I V E N!
II. Jesus paid for our healing
One of the beautiful ministries that Jesus did while He was here on the earth was to bring forgiveness and healing. The Gospels are full of story after story of how Jesus touched people and spoke to people bringing healing and wholeness into their lives.
Think for a moment of the story of the woman with the issue of blood (Luke 8:43-48). Remember how afraid she was to approach Jesus. How full of shame she was and how she had been ostracized by her community because of her disease.
Remember how she planned her approach to Jesus. She picked the perfect time when she could just slip in and touch the hem of his garment. One touch and she would be gone. Surely, it could do no harm and then she could just slip back away again.
I love that story for it is full of such faith, such forgiveness and healing. Jesus took the time to stop and honor her and uplift her before the community. Jesus took the time to bring full salvation into her life; physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual.
And this morning that is exactly what the LORD wants to bring into all of our lives. He wants to bring physical healing, mental healing, emotional healing, social healing and spiritual healing into our lives.
The Bible tells us that the presence of sin brought all kinds of diseases, difficulties and brokenness into our world. The presence of sin brought all kinds of addictions, emotional/mental illnesses and social troubles and unrest.
If you ever want to see a picture of what Satan passionately desires for us in this world then reread the story of the man of Gadarenes (Luke 8:26-39). This man was possessed with demons and living a life of hell on this earth. He was mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually in bondage to sin. He was a terror to himself and to others. He became a perfect picture of what Satan wants for each one of us.
But notice what happens when this man connects with Jesus. In mere seconds, this man from Gadarenes goes from being a madman to one clothed and in his right mind. Jesus destroyed the power of Satan over this man’s life and returned him to the life that God had intended for him to have. He is whole, healthy and ready to share the message of salvation in Jesus.
Isaiah 53:4-5 tells us
“Yet it was our weakness he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down, and we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.”
There is a lot about healing that I don’t know. Why some people are healed and others are not I do not have the answer.
What I do know is this:
+While Jesus was here on the earth He healed a great many people - physically, emotionally, mentally, socially and spiritually.
+After Pentecost we see the presence of healings, anointing and miracles.
+Over the last 2,000 years millions of people have testified of being healed in their bodies, minds and souls.
I have received the gift of healing multiple times. I have received healings without medicines, a doctor visit or a surgery. Other times the LORD has walked we me as I have gone to the doctor, taken medicines and had surgeries.
I believe in supernatural divine healing. I believe what Jesus’ half-brother James tells us in James 5:13-15
“Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the LORD. Such a prayer offering in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.”
My advice is very simple when it comes to healing. Have faith that Jesus heals. Have faith that the Holy Spirit will help you pray. Go to the LORD for all your needs. Do not neglect sound medical advice but understand that all healing whether it comes instantly or over a period of time comes from the LORD.
If you are sick let the Church pray and anoint you. If you are sick go to the LORD and ask for Jesus to bring healing. If you are sick listen to the wisdom and counsel of the Holy Spirit. Put it in God’s hands and thank God for His Healing touch.
III. Jesus Paid for Our Deliverance
Jesus paid for our forgiveness
Jesus paid for our healing – physical, emotional, mental, social and spiritual
Jesus paid for our deliverance.
Satan loves to enslave us. He loves to cause chaos, destruction and disease in our lives. He loves to cause harm and mischief in our lives. He loves to bring condemnation in our lives. He loves to cause us to self destruct.
With all that in mind, we need to always remember this morning that Satan is a conquered foe. Jesus defeated the devil and Jesus has all authority and power!
Listen to the words of Colossians 2:13-15 and Matthew 28:16-20
13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities[b] and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. – Colossians 3:13-15 (ESV)
16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[b] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” – Matthew 28:16-20 (ESV)
Did you hear the words “disarmed”, “put to shame”, “triumphing over them” and “all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me”?
All of those words mean just one thing – Satan/Devil has been defeated and instead of Satan being in control of this earth, Jesus has all authority. And in Jesus’ authority we can experience true and lasting deliverance.
Right now as we are gathered here, Satan is doing his best to put people under a false imprisonment. Satan is doing his best to get people to give into fear, hatred, depression, anxiety and addictions. Satan is doing his best to tell people that they cannot be free. Satan is telling people that life on this earth is one full of misery and that he is in control of this world. Again, Satan lies. He is the father of lies.
The truth is Jesus is in control. The truth is the Holy Spirit is alive and well on this earth. The truth is we can have peace. We can be free of addictions. We can be free of fear and doubt. We can experience a life of supernatural peace from above.
Remember what Jesus did when He first appeared to the disciples on the day of His resurrection. They were gathered together with the doors locked afraid for their lives. They just knew that the Romans were going to come and arrest them and they would be hanging on their own crosses in a matter of hours.
But then Jesus appeared in front of them and spoke one word and filled that room with that one word – Peace. Jesus calmed their fears and gave them a future of hope.
All throughout the Bible there are these amazing stories of how the Devil has tried to destroy, confuse and enslave God’s people and how the people responded in many different ways to bring about a time of victory and peace.
+Moses, Hur and Aaron spent time in prayer while Joshua and the troops won the battle down below (Exodus 17)
+Paul and Silas sang praise songs and the Presence of God came in a mighty way (Acts 16)
+David picked up five stones as he in faith ran towards Goliath in the name of the LORD knowing that the LORD would deliver him and Israel (1 Samuel 17)
+The Early Church held a prayer meeting asking for peace and courage and the Holy Spirit came and shook the meeting place and filled all of them (Acts 4).
In story after story we see the LORD coming down and bringing peace and dismissing anxiety. In story after story we see the LORD moving and bring freedom and deliverance. In story after story we see God’s People coming together and the LORD bringing miracles, anointing and renewals.
God is not only the God of forgiveness and healing. He is the God of deliverance. He is the God who can calm our hearts, our minds and our souls. He is the God who can deliver us from all temptations and evil. He is the God who is victorious and wants us to share the victory.
2 Corinthians 10:3-6 reminds us that God gives us the strength to pull down strong holds, to cast down arguments and bring our thoughts into soundness.
This morning, we are a Forgiven People – Jesus has paid the Price
This morning, we are a Healing and Healed People – Jesus has paid the Price
This morning, we are a Delivered People living out a Life of Holiness in peace and victory – Jesus has paid the Price
We are not the world. We are not a condemned people but a forgiven people. We are not to give into the fear of this pandemic or any pandemic. We are not to live lives filled with anxiety and fear. We are not to become enslaved in the things of this world and its mindset.
We have been rescued and redeemed.
We are being healed – body, mind and soul.
We are people of deliverance – sin has no hold on us, the world has no hold on us and we are people who live above fear and anxiety, depression and hopelessness.
This morning as we close:
I would like to give an invitation to anyone who needs forgiveness, who needs healing and who needs deliverance. I would like to invite you to come and receive Jesus’ forgiveness, Jesus’ healing and Jesus’ deliverance.
I would like for us to thank God for these three gifts – forgiveness, healing and deliverance.
Open Altar/Prayer/Anointing/Blessing
