WEBVTT 00:00:02.684 --> 00:00:03.604 Would you open your Bible? 00:00:03.604 --> 00:00:27.963 This morning, we're going to continue on in our study of Ephesians in a book that is just, or letter, that is just really fabulous, and we're in a series called In Christ, in Christ, and all these speak of this, and what we really have and as you're turning to Ephesians 1, or you can watch it appear on the screen is what is, I would say, really profound theology. 00:00:27.963 --> 00:00:37.289 It's theology in the clouds, if you will, and it's being brought down to our place by Paul here, and what it does? 00:00:37.289 --> 00:00:40.213 It gives us a perspective, really, of the. 00:00:40.213 --> 00:00:59.822 It's almost like a cosmic view of God's purpose and plan for our lives past, present, future and so this is wonderful stuff, and the truths that you find here, if you can grab a hold of them, they will literally transform how you walk out your Christian life, and it really the sense of this. 00:00:59.822 --> 00:01:01.665 I'm always living in defeat. 00:01:01.665 --> 00:01:15.873 If you can grab hold of these truths, you can live above the defeat, and the enemy wants to take you down, as we've kind of heard this morning, though, in our study this morning, I have so much anticipation for what God wants to show us today, and I hope you do too. 00:01:17.140 --> 00:01:26.849 Before we get into our message, though I want to give you some more of a I guess what you call a preview and a review, because we looked a little bit at it last time. 00:01:26.849 --> 00:01:39.370 But, going forward, we're kind of walking through this really slowly and it's going to go on into the next year and so I want to kind of give you sort of a big picture view of the book again. 00:01:39.370 --> 00:01:43.828 So I'll give you just three words here and you can write these down and kind of remember them. 00:01:43.828 --> 00:01:59.609 Give you just three words here and you can write these down and to kind of remember them Sit, walk, stand, sit, walk, stand, Sit is chapters one through three, walk is four and five and chapter six is stand. 00:01:59.609 --> 00:02:17.750 And so you know, I got this from a book I read years ago on the book of Ephesians, by a young Christian commentator or Christian watchman, and it's always kind of stuck with me and I just every time I read this book I think of that sit, walk, stand. 00:02:17.750 --> 00:02:18.331 It will help you. 00:02:18.331 --> 00:02:22.825 So now we're just in chapter one and, as I say, we're going slow. 00:02:22.825 --> 00:02:31.093 We'll be looking at verses seven and eight today, if you want to go there, and you might think, wow, just two verses, just two verses. 00:02:31.093 --> 00:02:41.036 That's a lot less than we normally do, but there's just so much meat here and we want to get every bite of it and that's why we're going through through it slow. 00:02:41.056 --> 00:02:49.983 This chapter one verse, verses three through 14, is actually one single long, complex sentence in the Greek and it's almost like Paul is. 00:02:49.983 --> 00:02:53.510 He's piling up phrase upon phrase. 00:02:53.510 --> 00:03:00.733 It's almost like he can't get the words out fast enough on the page to tell you about what God has done in Christ. 00:03:00.733 --> 00:03:03.725 And what has God done in Christ? 00:03:03.725 --> 00:03:14.002 Well, verse three tells us he has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, and we're going to find out more about that in chapter two. 00:03:14.002 --> 00:03:22.949 But so far what God and this is kind of looking back at a little bit of review what God has done for us from eternity past we talked about that. 00:03:22.949 --> 00:03:26.414 He's chosen us and he's adopted us. 00:03:26.414 --> 00:03:32.472 Now, in 7 and 8, we move from the past to the present. 00:03:34.039 --> 00:03:36.967 Just two verses on this grand theme of redemption. 00:03:36.967 --> 00:03:40.840 Redemption In verse 7 and 8, let's just read it together. 00:03:40.840 --> 00:03:55.532 It says in him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses according, we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us in all wisdom and insight. 00:03:55.532 --> 00:03:58.314 Let's pray, father. 00:03:58.314 --> 00:04:30.529 We're so grateful for your word and I just ask you, holy Spirit, would you just open our understanding to your word this morning, lord, that we would grasp and grab hold of everything that we see that you want us to understand, that we would walk the walk, Not just talk the talk, lord, but walk the walk that you called us to, and that you would make us more today, like Jesus, and we ask for that in Jesus' name, amen. 00:04:32.761 --> 00:04:37.151 So when you hear the word redemption, what do you think of? 00:04:37.170 --> 00:04:38.093 What comes to mind? 00:04:39.281 --> 00:04:40.586 Think about that just a second. 00:04:41.259 --> 00:04:43.548 What comes to mind when you hear the word redemption? 00:04:48.120 --> 00:04:48.427 Just a second. 00:04:48.427 --> 00:04:49.151 What comes to mind when you hear the word redemption? 00:04:49.151 --> 00:04:52.386 John Schwant, who was president of Redemption Seminary which is kind of ironic, it's the same name of what we're talking about here. 00:04:52.386 --> 00:04:58.995 He observed the word redemption stirs something in us, even in everyday life. 00:04:58.995 --> 00:05:10.161 It's a term that pulls at the heart, used to describe comebacks, homecomings and stories where things are finally set right. 00:05:10.161 --> 00:05:14.168 We cheer when our team redeems a season. 00:05:14.168 --> 00:05:27.988 It's even sweeter when we experience it ourselves, when what was lost is recovered, what was broken is restored, and when justice or vindication. 00:05:27.988 --> 00:05:28.750 Isn't that true? 00:05:28.750 --> 00:05:45.728 So, as Christians, we know, the greatest story that we've ever heard is the story, the biblical story, of redemption, what Christ has done for us. 00:05:47.680 --> 00:05:50.790 Paul says it like this in 2 Corinthians 8, 9. 00:05:50.790 --> 00:06:04.692 He says, for you know the grace of our Lord, jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor so that you, by his poverty, might become rich. 00:06:04.692 --> 00:06:07.646 How many of us would do that? 00:06:07.646 --> 00:06:15.494 How many of us would become poor so that somebody else could become rich? 00:06:15.494 --> 00:06:22.110 I would venture to guess nobody would raise their hand. 00:06:22.110 --> 00:06:27.600 Entered, I guess nobody would raise their hand. 00:06:27.720 --> 00:06:34.428 The truth I want you to grab hold of this morning is that God's extravagant gift of redemption proves and reveals what he thinks about you. 00:06:34.428 --> 00:06:42.348 God's extravagant gift of redemption proves and reveals what he thinks of you. 00:06:42.348 --> 00:06:49.767 So, with that in mind, let's see what God has to say to us this morning, to teach us, and we're going to look at this in two ways. 00:06:49.767 --> 00:07:00.932 It's just two simple ideas, main ideas First, the blessing of our redemption and then second by the way, I guess, more of application the power of our redemption. 00:07:00.932 --> 00:07:03.843 First, let's look at the blessing of our redemption. 00:07:03.843 --> 00:07:11.483 He says here the first thing I want you to see is that redemption is our priceless possession, and that's found in verse seven. 00:07:11.483 --> 00:07:15.533 He says there in him we have redemption through his blood. 00:07:15.533 --> 00:07:27.305 Redemption is our priceless possession and and you know, we probably heard this term redemption tossed around a lot, but maybe we've never really stopped and said to ourselves what does that really mean? 00:07:27.305 --> 00:07:30.928 What does that word redemption mean? 00:07:30.928 --> 00:07:39.944 So this is really important for us to know, because redemption is the primary biblical theme that runs all the way through the scriptures, from beginning to end. 00:07:41.120 --> 00:07:55.654 For example, in Genesis we see redemption occurs at time that that very first sin in Genesis, when God tells the serpent I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your seed and her seed. 00:07:55.654 --> 00:07:59.812 He shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel, genesis 3.15. 00:07:59.812 --> 00:08:04.052 And that word there, the seed, is more than just general mankind. 00:08:04.052 --> 00:08:05.545 It's more than mankind in general. 00:08:05.545 --> 00:08:10.904 It speaks of a person who will come and defeat our enemy, a single person. 00:08:10.904 --> 00:08:11.687 It's in the singular. 00:08:11.687 --> 00:08:17.600 Satan is going to be defeated and God will restore all that was lost through sin through this person. 00:08:17.600 --> 00:08:31.192 And this is a remarkable verse because it's even called the proto-evangelium of the gospel the first gospel, because it is even called the proto-evangelium of the gospel the first gospel because it is the Bible's first prediction of a savior. 00:08:31.192 --> 00:08:35.004 Even from the beginning, god was thinking about you and me. 00:08:35.004 --> 00:08:39.480 By the time we come to the rest of the Bible, it's just kind of as we go through it. 00:08:39.941 --> 00:08:43.546 The Bible is really all about this unfolding drama of redemption. 00:08:43.546 --> 00:09:08.490 Some people have called it the scarlet thread of redemption, and the primary example that maybe sticks out from all of these that you'll find is this story we call the Exodus, the Exodus story, where God's people were redeemed or bought or brought out of slavery from Egypt from those who were over them by the time we get to the book of Revelation. 00:09:08.490 --> 00:09:10.032 I'll just fast forward to the end. 00:09:10.032 --> 00:09:39.589 For us, john, in the Revelation, this redemption theme, it culminates in a new song Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth. 00:09:39.589 --> 00:09:42.494 Revelation 5, 9 and 10. 00:09:42.494 --> 00:09:45.269 Well, let me just kind of give you this is redemption. 00:09:45.269 --> 00:09:49.303 Let me give you kind of the core idea here, because redemption is. 00:09:49.303 --> 00:09:50.947 There's just so much in the Bible. 00:09:50.947 --> 00:09:55.369 We could talk about Grand theme, but let me just give you the core ideas. 00:09:55.760 --> 00:10:04.668 Simple definition, if you will Redemption is simply deliverance by the payment of a price, deliverance by the payment of a price. 00:10:04.668 --> 00:10:09.410 A lot of that comes out of the Old Testament and we could spend a lot of time there. 00:10:09.410 --> 00:10:16.234 But there's really two New Testament words from the Greek language that speak of redemption. 00:10:16.234 --> 00:10:21.865 The first of these is a word, agorazo, we find in the scriptures. 00:10:21.865 --> 00:10:26.114 You've heard somebody who is fearful of public places. 00:10:26.114 --> 00:10:28.025 That's called agoraphobia. 00:10:28.025 --> 00:10:30.086 It has that word agora, marketplace. 00:10:30.086 --> 00:10:31.070 It means marketplace. 00:10:31.070 --> 00:10:34.730 So agorazo means to buy out of the marketplace. 00:10:34.730 --> 00:10:39.725 Sometimes it's got a little word in front of it, x, meaning out of, so it's buying out of. 00:10:39.725 --> 00:10:48.203 You go to the marketplace, you find something you like, you want to buy, you buy it, you bring it home and it's yours because you bought it. 00:10:48.203 --> 00:10:50.187 That's agorazo. 00:10:50.227 --> 00:11:00.852 There's another word, lutrao or apolotrosis, and that word for redemption means to pay a price to free someone from bondage. 00:11:00.852 --> 00:11:17.806 To pay a price to free someone from bondage, and in that day it was used for people who were actually prisoners of war, and they would use that word to basically pay someone to let that person go, to release them, to free them. 00:11:17.806 --> 00:11:29.333 It also was used in the terms of someone that were like 50 million slaves in the ancient world and it was really rare to have someone come and buy your freedom. 00:11:29.333 --> 00:11:32.831 In fact, if they had the money they could buy their own freedom. 00:11:32.831 --> 00:11:47.942 But this word here, lutrao, is a word that means not only to free prisoners of war but free slaves from their bondage, and so we kind of get this idea in the back of our mind that we're going to talk about a little bit today. 00:11:49.405 --> 00:11:57.941 You know, a missionary in West Africa years ago was trying to really kind of explain to the people he was working with this the meaning of the word redeem. 00:11:57.941 --> 00:12:13.052 And so when he was talking to the person that was in the Bambara language and so he asked his African assistant, he said in his native tongue how do you say you know redeem in your language? 00:12:13.052 --> 00:12:18.206 And the guy said well, we say it kind of like this that God took our heads out. 00:12:18.206 --> 00:12:21.253 God took our heads out. 00:12:21.253 --> 00:12:22.070 He said I don't get it. 00:12:22.070 --> 00:12:22.871 What are you talking about? 00:12:22.871 --> 00:12:23.695 God took your heads out. 00:12:23.695 --> 00:12:24.804 He said well, god took our heads out. 00:12:24.804 --> 00:12:25.485 He said I don't get it. 00:12:25.485 --> 00:12:26.067 What are you talking about? 00:12:26.067 --> 00:12:26.628 God took your heads out. 00:12:26.628 --> 00:12:41.945 He said well, he told them many years ago and when the slave traders had come to Africa, some of his ancestors, who had been captured by slave traders, had basically been chained together and driven to the sea coast, all chained together. 00:12:41.945 --> 00:12:55.226 And he said, as they were driving through the villages, sometimes a chief would recognize a friend or a relative and he would stop the truck and he would say I'll pay you for my relative. 00:12:55.226 --> 00:13:11.096 They would pay them through with silver or gold or ivory or brass and he will pull him off the truck, unchain him and and pull his head out of the iron collar and his relative or his friend would become freed. 00:13:11.096 --> 00:13:15.779 He said that's how we think of it. 00:13:16.460 --> 00:13:20.154 What an unusual and graphic illustration of the word redeem. 00:13:20.154 --> 00:13:25.350 In him we have redemption through his blood and this is the grace with which he has graced us. 00:13:25.350 --> 00:13:28.106 He's highly favored us. 00:13:28.106 --> 00:13:35.711 Paul is basically, he wants us to feel deeply the value and importance God has placed on every person. 00:13:35.711 --> 00:13:39.984 Notice, redemption. 00:13:40.004 --> 00:13:41.929 A few things here. 00:13:41.929 --> 00:13:45.868 Redemption, first of all, is a present possession or reality. 00:13:45.868 --> 00:13:47.511 We have it. 00:13:47.511 --> 00:13:49.503 It says you have redemption. 00:13:49.503 --> 00:14:00.130 Literally, it says we are having redemption, which means we got it and we still have it, and it's being applied to us even right now, while you're sitting in your seat. 00:14:00.130 --> 00:14:03.129 If you're in Christ, you are having redemption. 00:14:03.129 --> 00:14:04.943 Ever thought that? 00:14:04.943 --> 00:14:07.615 What is it's? 00:14:07.615 --> 00:14:16.663 It's the ongoing rescue from your sin, and God is always at work in you to bring you out, to bring you in, just like he did the the people of Egypt. 00:14:16.663 --> 00:14:25.253 He brought them out to bring them into a new place, to a new land, from sin, from self self, from Satan. 00:14:25.253 --> 00:14:31.249 And God is out to rescue all of us, some of us, it takes a little longer than others. 00:14:31.249 --> 00:14:34.947 Right, redemption is a present possession. 00:14:34.947 --> 00:14:36.264 You have it right now. 00:14:36.264 --> 00:14:37.168 Right now. 00:14:37.820 --> 00:14:43.592 Redemption, secondly, was purchased at a tremendous cost, tremendous cost. 00:14:43.592 --> 00:14:47.130 The price paid is the blood of Christ, the blood of Jesus. 00:14:47.130 --> 00:14:52.148 He died on the cross for our sins and that is intended. 00:14:52.148 --> 00:15:05.971 The blood is intended as a graphic metaphor in some sense, not a metaphor, but a picture of his violent death that he experienced to pay for our sins, to sacrifice himself on our behalf. 00:15:05.971 --> 00:15:08.864 This was the means of our redemption. 00:15:08.864 --> 00:15:13.453 So I think the point there is just don't take it lightly. 00:15:13.453 --> 00:15:14.522 He paid it all. 00:15:14.522 --> 00:15:35.919 Let me add a verse from 1 Peter that says for you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed, from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 00:15:35.919 --> 00:15:44.394 God took his own son and he gave him on our behalf. 00:15:44.394 --> 00:15:48.969 Yeah, redemption is costly. 00:15:51.001 --> 00:15:54.827 Third thing out of these verses that redemption is only found in him. 00:15:54.827 --> 00:15:57.427 That's our series title. 00:15:57.427 --> 00:15:59.628 Redemption is only found in him. 00:15:59.628 --> 00:16:14.489 He's the source, and sometimes we look everywhere else but the source to find our healing and deliverance, and that sounds too simple sometimes, doesn't it that our deliverance from sin, self and Satan is in a person. 00:16:14.489 --> 00:16:19.163 How sad, then, when we don't believe. 00:16:19.163 --> 00:16:25.128 We don't believe it and we try to work out our own salvation without Jesus. 00:16:25.128 --> 00:16:29.783 So redemption is really practical. 00:16:29.783 --> 00:16:33.326 Do you believe that he can redeem your marriage? 00:16:33.326 --> 00:16:38.825 Do you believe he can redeem your past? 00:16:38.825 --> 00:16:44.187 Do you believe he can redeem your past? 00:16:44.187 --> 00:16:51.639 Do you believe he can redeem your reputation or your purity, or your bad habits, or your passion for God? 00:16:51.639 --> 00:16:56.307 He can. 00:16:56.307 --> 00:17:05.539 Psalm 103, verse 4, says he is the one who redeems your life from the pit Is your life, the pits. 00:17:05.539 --> 00:17:08.903 This morning he can get you out of that pit. 00:17:08.903 --> 00:17:12.323 Psalm 103, verse 4. 00:17:13.234 --> 00:17:24.643 Romans 8.32 says since he did not spare even his own son but gave him up for us all, won't he also give us everything else? 00:17:24.643 --> 00:17:28.719 So a lot of us feel like that we lack something. 00:17:28.719 --> 00:17:32.166 They're walking around this earth like we don't have enough. 00:17:32.166 --> 00:17:33.135 That's that old problem. 00:17:33.135 --> 00:17:39.047 Derek talked about it last week Not enoughism Do you suffer from? 00:17:39.047 --> 00:17:40.088 Not enoughism? 00:17:40.088 --> 00:17:45.214 Do you suffer from not enough-ism? 00:17:45.214 --> 00:18:02.394 Cs Lewis said you can't go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending. 00:18:02.394 --> 00:18:07.877 So this is our priceless possession, this of redemption. 00:18:07.897 --> 00:18:08.460 There's a second thing here. 00:18:08.460 --> 00:18:09.682 I want you to see that redemption is a measureless gift. 00:18:09.682 --> 00:18:13.696 That's what he's talking about here when he says the forgiveness of our trespasses. 00:18:13.696 --> 00:18:21.244 Trespass in the plural means you've stepped over the line somehow of God's standard. 00:18:21.244 --> 00:18:25.809 But here our focus is on forgiveness, isn't it? 00:18:25.809 --> 00:18:36.666 Because that's what we all need Forgiveness. 00:18:36.666 --> 00:18:38.615 The word Ephesus simply means to release you from a penalty. 00:18:38.615 --> 00:18:49.566 Colossians 1, 13 and 14 says he has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 00:18:49.566 --> 00:18:55.523 That means he took you from where you were and he transported you to a new place. 00:18:55.523 --> 00:18:58.104 And the place he took you from was not a good place. 00:18:58.104 --> 00:19:00.898 It was a place of bondage and darkness and powerlessness. 00:19:00.898 --> 00:19:01.321 To a good place. 00:19:01.321 --> 00:19:03.292 It was a place of bondage and darkness and powerlessness. 00:19:03.292 --> 00:19:10.817 To a new place in Christ, where you have power, you have freedom, you have blessing, you have everything you need for life and godliness. 00:19:13.742 --> 00:19:20.255 Charles Coulson, who was associate in the Nixon administration. 00:19:20.255 --> 00:19:21.194 He eventually became a Christian. 00:19:21.194 --> 00:19:21.951 He tells of watching Albert Speer, who was an associate in the Nixon administration. 00:19:21.951 --> 00:19:22.573 He eventually became a Christian. 00:19:22.573 --> 00:19:33.585 He tells of watching Albert Speer who was being interviewed one morning on Good Morning America and Colson was watching him. 00:19:33.585 --> 00:19:44.503 And Speer was the Hitler confidant who was technologically a genius and he kept the Nazi factories running all through World War II. 00:19:44.503 --> 00:19:49.965 He was brilliant and so he was listening to this interview on Good Morning America, colson Wise. 00:19:49.965 --> 00:20:04.183 He said he was the only one of the 24 criminals the war criminals there at Nuremberg, the trials after World War II to admit his guilt the only one, and he had served 20 years in Spandau Prison. 00:20:05.916 --> 00:20:17.240 In the interview he referred to a passage in one of Speer's earlier writings and he said to Speer, albert Speer, he said you have said the guilt can never be forgiven, or shouldn't be? 00:20:17.240 --> 00:20:20.280 Do you still feel that way? 00:20:20.280 --> 00:20:28.319 And Colson said he'll never forget the look of pathos, of on his face, of Spears' face. 00:20:28.319 --> 00:20:36.481 As he responded I served a sentence of 20 years and I could say I'm a free man. 00:20:36.481 --> 00:20:41.115 My conscience has been cleared by serving the whole time as punishment. 00:20:41.115 --> 00:20:44.685 My conscience has been cleared by serving the whole time as punishment but I can't get rid of it. 00:20:44.685 --> 00:20:54.007 This new book, he says I was writing, is part of my atoning, of sort of clearing my conscience, if you will. 00:20:54.007 --> 00:21:01.827 And the interview kind of pressed him here he said you don't really think you'll be able to clear your conscience totally. 00:21:01.827 --> 00:21:06.885 And Spear shook his head and he said I don't think it will be possible. 00:21:10.635 --> 00:21:15.988 Colson says for 35 years Spear had accepted complete responsibility for his crime. 00:21:15.988 --> 00:21:22.087 His writings were filled with contrition and warning to others to avoid his moral sin. 00:21:22.087 --> 00:21:28.988 He desperately sought expiation, all to no avail. 00:21:28.988 --> 00:21:31.561 In Colson comments. 00:21:31.561 --> 00:21:39.608 Here he says I wanted to write Spear to tell him about Jesus and his death on the cross, about God's forgiveness, but there wasn't time. 00:21:39.608 --> 00:21:40.555 His death on the cross, about God's forgiveness. 00:21:40.555 --> 00:21:42.317 But there wasn't time. 00:21:42.317 --> 00:21:49.446 The ABC interview was his last public statement and he died shortly after. 00:21:49.446 --> 00:21:55.866 See, the tragedy for Spear is that he never knew that there was an answer to escape his accusing conscience. 00:21:56.859 --> 00:22:03.685 And today you may be a person here who is accused by the enemy. 00:22:03.685 --> 00:22:13.926 Your conscience is always bombarded by lies and accusations and things that you're not enough and you did this or you did that, or this sin was the last straw. 00:22:13.926 --> 00:22:17.638 Those are lies. 00:22:17.638 --> 00:22:34.704 In Christ, the writer to the Hebrews tells us that it is the blood of Christ that will purify our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God. 00:22:34.704 --> 00:22:43.871 See, if you're living under the accusation and guilt and shame of the enemy, guess what? 00:22:43.871 --> 00:22:52.657 He's successfully shut you down, and there are many in our churches today that are shut down and we won't do anything because we feel so condemned. 00:22:52.657 --> 00:23:01.185 We're not enough, not enough, something wrong with us, something wrong with us. 00:23:01.185 --> 00:23:03.275 Redemption tells us that's a lie. 00:23:03.275 --> 00:23:08.174 It's a lie. 00:23:08.174 --> 00:23:08.958 See. 00:23:08.958 --> 00:23:11.154 The enemy loves to bring up your past and my past and never let it go. 00:23:11.154 --> 00:23:13.343 See what you did this week. 00:23:13.343 --> 00:23:15.462 God could never forgive that. 00:23:15.462 --> 00:23:20.422 But God is different. 00:23:20.422 --> 00:23:25.185 We serve a magnificent and merciful God. 00:23:25.694 --> 00:23:30.662 Listen to what Scripture says, and I'm just going to read some of these and let them sink into you and me. 00:23:30.662 --> 00:23:38.585 Psalm 103, 12 says as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. 00:23:38.585 --> 00:23:40.422 You know how far the east is from the west. 00:23:40.422 --> 00:23:43.381 That's infinite folks. 00:23:43.381 --> 00:23:47.741 Isaiah 44, 22,. 00:23:47.741 --> 00:23:50.443 I have swept away your sins like a cloud. 00:23:50.443 --> 00:23:56.664 I have scattered your offenses like the morning mist. 00:23:56.664 --> 00:24:03.384 Oh, return to me, for I have paid the price to set you free. 00:24:03.384 --> 00:24:07.821 Jeremiah 31, 34. 00:24:07.821 --> 00:24:13.146 For I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sin no more. 00:24:13.146 --> 00:24:16.285 See, we have a problem in our humanity, don't we? 00:24:16.285 --> 00:24:22.527 We have memories, but God is above our own, remembering things. 00:24:22.527 --> 00:24:24.078 He says I will forget it. 00:24:24.078 --> 00:24:26.785 Say, how does he do that? 00:24:26.785 --> 00:24:27.246 I don't know. 00:24:27.246 --> 00:24:34.285 He's God, but he basically treats us like it wasn't even there. 00:24:34.285 --> 00:24:37.878 Is that sinking in? 00:24:37.878 --> 00:24:39.364 That's amazing. 00:24:39.364 --> 00:24:42.240 Micah 7, 19. 00:24:42.240 --> 00:24:44.462 He will again have compassion on us. 00:24:44.462 --> 00:24:49.567 He will tread our iniquities underfoot like dirt. 00:24:49.567 --> 00:24:55.247 You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. 00:24:55.247 --> 00:24:58.160 That's beautiful. 00:24:59.739 --> 00:25:01.255 And then this last one from the New Testament. 00:25:01.255 --> 00:25:05.275 This is the one you hang on to whenever you mess up and you sin. 00:25:05.275 --> 00:25:08.642 And it says in 1 John 1, 9,. 00:25:08.642 --> 00:25:12.169 If we confess, that means to simply agree with God about it. 00:25:12.169 --> 00:25:29.115 If we confess our sin, he is faithful, he's faithful, he is faithful and just. 00:25:29.115 --> 00:25:29.797 It means he's right to do it. 00:25:29.797 --> 00:25:30.458 He he's legally right to do it. 00:25:30.458 --> 00:25:35.147 He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 00:25:40.384 --> 00:25:42.308 I could see say more, but we've got to go on. 00:25:42.308 --> 00:25:43.579 Let me go on. 00:25:43.579 --> 00:25:46.541 He says something else here that's so good. 00:25:46.541 --> 00:25:47.519 Our forgiveness is a. 00:25:47.519 --> 00:25:48.115 What it says. 00:25:48.115 --> 00:25:53.876 It's according to the riches of his grace, according to Notice. 00:25:53.876 --> 00:25:55.723 It says according to, not out of. 00:25:55.723 --> 00:26:01.586 There's a big difference there Not according to, or it's according to, not out of. 00:26:01.586 --> 00:26:03.622 So I guess think of it like this. 00:26:03.622 --> 00:26:05.761 I was just trying to think of this analogy. 00:26:06.042 --> 00:26:22.067 This week I found out and it kind of goes back and forth Elon Musk is the richest guy in the world right now as of September, from what I understand with a net worth of between $350 to $450 billion. 00:26:22.067 --> 00:26:24.662 So I can't even comprehend that. 00:26:24.662 --> 00:26:27.121 So I don't know whether it's $350 or $450. 00:26:27.121 --> 00:26:28.305 What's a few billion dollars, right? 00:26:28.305 --> 00:26:36.634 Listen, if Musk wanted to give away his riches, there are two ways he could do this, right? 00:26:36.634 --> 00:26:42.627 He could either give them out according to his riches or out of his riches. 00:26:42.627 --> 00:26:51.347 According to one source, musk in 2024 made more money in one day than he gave away all year. 00:26:51.347 --> 00:26:53.903 That was like about 6%. 00:26:53.903 --> 00:26:56.924 That would be out of his riches. 00:26:56.924 --> 00:26:59.779 You see the difference. 00:26:59.779 --> 00:27:05.536 I'm not making the point to dis elon, I just say this to make this point. 00:27:05.997 --> 00:27:08.162 Our god is a super generous god. 00:27:08.162 --> 00:27:11.127 He gives according to the riches of his grace. 00:27:11.127 --> 00:27:14.001 And what is his grace? 00:27:14.001 --> 00:27:16.769 It's an unmerited favor. 00:27:16.769 --> 00:27:19.678 You didn't deserve it, but you got it anyway and he's. 00:27:19.678 --> 00:27:23.195 He's washing you, overwhelming you with it. 00:27:23.195 --> 00:27:26.630 God's riches and I like to think of it like this. 00:27:26.630 --> 00:27:31.803 This is always helpful this little acronym G-R-A-C-E God's riches at Christ's expense. 00:27:31.803 --> 00:27:38.963 That kind of reminds me that I didn't earn it myself, but it cost Jesus to give it to me. 00:27:38.963 --> 00:27:41.588 So do you see it? 00:27:41.588 --> 00:27:46.560 Our redemption is our priceless possession because he paid our sin debt. 00:27:46.560 --> 00:27:55.123 It's our measureless gift because we have total forgiveness to cover our sin and a supply of grace that never runs dry. 00:27:55.123 --> 00:27:59.037 And you think, well, I got to be out of grace for me. 00:27:59.037 --> 00:28:00.441 No, that's not what it said. 00:28:00.441 --> 00:28:02.546 It never runs dry. 00:28:04.199 --> 00:28:10.182 Paul's final thought regarding our present blessings here I want you to see it is that redemption is our deepest treasure. 00:28:10.182 --> 00:28:19.616 It's our deepest treasure and I find this fascinating, really, because it basically speaks that this redemption that we have now is is still actively at work in us. 00:28:19.616 --> 00:28:24.107 That's because with our redemption, you see, we receive. 00:28:24.107 --> 00:28:26.820 What comes to us is spiritual discernment. 00:28:26.820 --> 00:28:44.838 We don't see it often, but it says there in verse eight, which he lavished upon us in all wisdom and insight, this grace, this grace that he covered us, he lavished us with it in all wisdom and in insight. 00:28:44.838 --> 00:28:48.311 And, as I say, this is often an unseen blessing of redemption. 00:28:48.311 --> 00:28:50.336 We maybe never even thought about this. 00:28:50.336 --> 00:28:58.579 But here it says we're given the spirit's wisdom and insight to sort of help us navigate our journey through life. 00:29:00.483 --> 00:29:02.708 If you're not a Christian, you don't have this. 00:29:02.708 --> 00:29:09.634 But a Christian, someone who's in Christ, has at his access God's own wisdom, christ's own wisdom. 00:29:09.634 --> 00:29:12.038 Listen to these verses. 00:29:12.038 --> 00:29:14.222 He says in 1 Corinthians, 2.10,. 00:29:14.222 --> 00:29:29.465 But it was to us that God revealed these things by his spirit, for his spirit searches out everything and shows us God's deep secrets as a result of our redemption. 00:29:29.465 --> 00:29:39.381 So there's something you need to know, something you need to have some wisdom and insight you need to understand to get you along the path. 00:29:39.381 --> 00:29:44.349 Just ask him. 00:29:44.349 --> 00:29:50.765 That's what James 1 says If we lack wisdom, he will give it to us. 00:29:52.355 --> 00:29:54.103 Here's another verse Colossians 2, verse 3. 00:29:54.103 --> 00:30:09.788 It says in him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, and I can just sort of picture this as that all the things that we want the most are found in Christ, and they're beyond our comprehension and value. 00:30:09.788 --> 00:30:25.286 And then one more 1 Corinthians 1, verse 30, it says because of God, you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption. 00:30:25.286 --> 00:30:33.785 So here in chapter 1, verse 8, it says he lavished this grace upon us. 00:30:33.785 --> 00:30:37.883 He lavished this grace upon us. 00:30:37.883 --> 00:30:50.946 The Greek word there translated, lavish, means super abounding, it means to overflow, it means to get more than you need so that you have more than enough. 00:30:53.736 --> 00:30:57.306 Have you ever, um, have you ever visit anybody, ever visited niagara falls? 00:30:57.306 --> 00:30:58.650 Who's visited niagara falls? 00:30:58.650 --> 00:31:00.555 A few of you, you know. 00:31:00.555 --> 00:31:20.525 I have never had the opportunity to go there and see that, but for the people that have and if I guess we talk to these folks, uh, people say who've been there for the very first time, they go there, and it says they're awed by the sight and sound and sense, this overwhelming sense of it all and every minute, what I understand. 00:31:20.525 --> 00:31:28.880 200 000 tons of water plunge over the niagara falls into the niagara river gorge and, uh, it's a. 00:31:28.960 --> 00:31:33.935 It's a thunderous ovation to the generous, magnificent nature of god. 00:31:33.935 --> 00:31:41.961 God created it and when he created the falls, you know, he could have used a whole lot less water, couldn't he? 00:31:41.961 --> 00:31:47.940 He could have built the falls lower, in fact, but he didn't. 00:31:47.940 --> 00:31:50.124 He built them 12 stories high. 00:31:50.124 --> 00:32:06.522 And because they are what they are from the creative hand of God, and because they are what they are from the creative hand of God, people come from all over the world to see this, just to come and stare. 00:32:09.789 --> 00:32:11.232 What a picture of God's grace in Christ Jesus. 00:32:11.232 --> 00:32:15.221 It's like a Niagara Falls deafening out the sound of our enemy. 00:32:15.221 --> 00:32:27.984 His grace In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace which he lavished upon us in all wisdom and insight. 00:32:27.984 --> 00:32:33.992 God's grace toward us. 00:32:33.992 --> 00:32:38.775 You see, it's not squeezed out like an eyedropper and it's not carefully rationed like we were in some kind of drought. 00:32:38.775 --> 00:32:41.122 Not at all. 00:32:41.122 --> 00:32:49.361 His grace is a Niagara of super abundance, so lavish that we marvel at its display. 00:32:49.361 --> 00:32:50.796 If we can just get a hold of this. 00:32:50.796 --> 00:33:06.402 So we see, then, in these two verses the blessing of our redemption, and that's our text this morning, but you know, I felt like that we needed some extra help in seeing its application. 00:33:06.402 --> 00:33:10.840 So let's look now at what I just call the power of our redemption. 00:33:10.840 --> 00:33:18.963 This is our present reality, folks, that we live in this redemption as believers. 00:33:20.770 --> 00:33:33.119 During the final days of the old Denver Stapleton Airport, a crowded United flight was canceled and a single agent was there rebooking everybody who was like. 00:33:33.119 --> 00:33:33.821 It was chaos. 00:33:33.821 --> 00:33:41.696 And there was this long line of of really unhappy people inconvenience travelers and they're waiting to get their tickets so they could get on board. 00:33:41.696 --> 00:33:52.575 And, uh, suddenly this angry passenger comes up and he slaps down his ticket on the counter and he says I have to be on this flight and it has to be first class. 00:33:52.575 --> 00:33:57.080 And the agent replied calmly. 00:33:57.080 --> 00:34:07.352 She said sorry, sir, I'm happy to help you, but I've got all these people here that I got to help first and I'm sure then, once I help these people, I'll be able to help you. 00:34:07.352 --> 00:34:09.675 And the pastor? 00:34:09.675 --> 00:34:10.956 He was not real impressed. 00:34:10.956 --> 00:34:14.539 He asked loudly so everybody could hear him. 00:34:14.539 --> 00:34:19.545 He said do you have any idea who I am? 00:34:19.545 --> 00:34:24.336 And, without hesitating the gate attendant. 00:34:24.336 --> 00:34:30.516 She smiled, she grabbed her public address microphone and she said may I have your attention please? 00:34:30.516 --> 00:34:39.061 Her voice kind of bellowing out through the terminal we have a passenger here at the gate who does not know who he is. 00:34:39.061 --> 00:34:45.420 If anyone can help him find his identity, please come to the gate. 00:34:45.420 --> 00:34:52.862 And you can imagine, with all these people behind him laughing hysterically. 00:34:52.862 --> 00:35:05.322 The man glared at the United agent and gritted his teeth and basically retreated and everybody was applauding loudly, as you probably would have too. 00:35:09.552 --> 00:35:16.322 But I give you this all too often the followers of Jesus Christ live frustrated lives. 00:35:16.322 --> 00:35:20.577 They don't know who they are either. 00:35:20.577 --> 00:35:30.157 All too often we somehow believe that we are worthless, incapable, unlovable. 00:35:30.157 --> 00:35:39.762 Much of what we do is an attempt to be more lovable, to be more likable, to be worthy of just some love. 00:35:39.762 --> 00:35:46.083 And if we can just look the part, play the part, act the part, maybe, just maybe, someone will love us. 00:35:46.083 --> 00:35:50.721 And I can guarantee you, every person in this room, including me, came in today. 00:35:52.313 --> 00:35:56.362 Even though we might have a noble, I'm going to love other people and focus on other people. 00:35:56.362 --> 00:36:02.057 We're desperate to be loved, every single one of us. 00:36:02.057 --> 00:36:10.704 Our addictions are temporary fixes to fill the emptiness that only Christ can fill. 00:36:10.704 --> 00:36:21.994 So we're desperate to be loved, but often, I think, feel this overwhelming and this is the enemy the overwhelming sense of rejection. 00:36:21.994 --> 00:36:25.083 Rejection, there's something wrong with me. 00:36:25.083 --> 00:36:35.081 Deep within myself, I just there's something wrong with me and and well, there is there. 00:36:35.081 --> 00:36:48.472 You're not there yet, you're in process, but it's not hopeless, and God in Christ doesn't see anything wrong with you. 00:36:48.472 --> 00:37:05.293 You know, I just I'm amazed by this thing we call rejection, or feel this sense of rejection, and I can say that probably there's no one, even if you put on a good face, there's no one here that doesn't think. 00:37:05.293 --> 00:37:07.440 I wonder if they'll listen to me, if they'll like me, if they'll love me. 00:37:07.440 --> 00:37:08.501 They'll pay attention to me. 00:37:08.501 --> 00:37:13.396 Whatever Do I matter. 00:37:13.396 --> 00:37:16.581 Where do we get that? 00:37:17.963 --> 00:37:24.840 This couple of weeks ago, my little two-year-old granddaughter was back in the back playing at our house. 00:37:24.840 --> 00:37:28.257 We have toys back there and she just runs back there when she comes in. 00:37:28.257 --> 00:37:40.021 But the one thing she does is when she comes in, she grabs my wife's hand and she come play with me and they go back there and play dollhouse or something like that. 00:37:40.021 --> 00:37:56.501 Well, this one particular morning my wife and my daughter were there and they were busy because they had to get something in preparation for something we were doing maybe some job and she said to my little granddaughter she said I'm sorry, honey, I can't right now. 00:37:56.501 --> 00:38:00.498 Nana's got to do some other things. 00:38:00.498 --> 00:38:04.197 She was kind of hollering back there Come play with me. 00:38:04.197 --> 00:38:05.300 You know that kind of thing. 00:38:05.300 --> 00:38:06.262 And that's what she said. 00:38:06.262 --> 00:38:19.012 Well, pretty soon I heard I was in there in my office in the study, and I heard her walk back to the front in the kitchen where my wife was working and she looked at her and she said why are you crying, honey? 00:38:19.012 --> 00:38:27.351 And I guess she had tears flowing down her eyes and you know what she was feeling Rejection. 00:38:30.476 --> 00:38:31.237 You don't love me. 00:38:31.237 --> 00:38:53.199 And you see how the enemy plays off our lives in certain ways, so that what might not even be true is true for us, because we believe it's true and what God wants us to do is believe the truth, not the lies. 00:38:53.199 --> 00:39:03.974 You and I are unworthy, but you're not worthless On our own. 00:39:03.974 --> 00:39:19.159 We are spiritually destitute, stained by sin, darkened by sin, but in Christ you are forgiven and loved beyond what you could imagine, bought and paid for, washed clean by the precious blood of Jesus. 00:39:19.159 --> 00:39:38.615 Scripture reminds us that Jesus gave himself for our sins, to deliver us from this present evil age and our society messages us to tell us that we're not worth very much To deliver us from this present evil age according to the will of our God and Father. 00:39:38.615 --> 00:39:52.492 It's God's will that you have been delivered from the place that you are oppressed by the enemy into the freedom of God's dearly loved kids. 00:39:54.778 --> 00:40:00.820 Someone has said that redemption is not only a destiny changing truth. 00:40:00.820 --> 00:40:03.472 It transforms life in the here and now. 00:40:03.472 --> 00:40:20.985 Life in this world inevitably brings difficulties, but this makes it an ideal school in which to learn to continually and joyfully place our confidence in God for all that belongs to this life and all that belongs to the next. 00:40:20.985 --> 00:40:32.719 The whole Christian experience is in fact summed up in six words, thrice quoted in the New Testament the just shall live by faith. 00:40:32.719 --> 00:40:47.559 And so the question for us will we believe in the redemption Jesus has paid for us, and we have power over the lies when we do. 00:40:48.889 --> 00:40:56.001 Let me give you a few ways to kind of practically bring this home, and then we'll just finish up here. 00:40:56.001 --> 00:40:58.998 First thing, I think it was no more condemnation. 00:40:58.998 --> 00:41:02.778 I am accepted, not rejected. 00:41:02.778 --> 00:41:06.139 That's what Romans 8, verse 1. 00:41:06.139 --> 00:41:09.597 You're accepted in the beloved. 00:41:09.597 --> 00:41:14.380 Second one is divine favor is restored. 00:41:14.380 --> 00:41:17.376 That was lost in the garden but in Christ. 00:41:17.376 --> 00:41:22.541 When you came to Christ, christ died on the cross for your sins and you were placed into him. 00:41:22.541 --> 00:41:25.456 Divine favor is restored. 00:41:25.456 --> 00:41:27.818 God is for you, not against you. 00:41:27.818 --> 00:41:39.201 I have to say that though we kind of know that with our head, but we don't know that in here and I don't imagine what I say here will change that. 00:41:39.201 --> 00:41:45.552 But I'm praying that the Holy Spirit will get a hold of you and me that we will begin to actually believe it. 00:41:45.552 --> 00:41:47.496 This is faith, right. 00:41:47.496 --> 00:41:49.260 Divine favor is restored. 00:41:49.900 --> 00:41:50.983 Third thing no more guilt. 00:41:50.983 --> 00:41:51.831 You're not guilty. 00:41:51.831 --> 00:42:00.007 You don't have to carry around a guilty conscience because that guilt was taken by jesus. 00:42:00.007 --> 00:42:07.728 I mean, you might be in need of of confession because you've done some, but, but god takes that. 00:42:07.728 --> 00:42:09.070