WEBVTT 00:00:00.239 --> 00:00:01.439 Well, good morning, church. 00:00:01.600 --> 00:00:18.559 Turn with me, if you will, to Ephesians chapter 1, Ephesians chapter 1, and today we will be looking at verses 7 through 10, which is all about the redemption that we have in Jesus Christ. 00:00:19.679 --> 00:00:28.879 If you remember from previous weeks, Paul, the Apostle Paul, is writing this letter to encourage the church in Ephesus. 00:00:29.199 --> 00:00:33.520 These Christians were living in a very immoral culture. 00:00:33.840 --> 00:00:37.200 There was a lot of ethnic diversity and tension. 00:00:37.439 --> 00:00:43.039 There was a lot of false teaching floating around about the Christian faith. 00:00:43.520 --> 00:00:47.679 And all of these things were starting to creep into the church. 00:00:48.000 --> 00:00:52.159 So Paul writes this letter to establish true doctrine. 00:00:52.399 --> 00:01:02.240 He writes this letter to unify the church and teach about how it functions and to remind these believers about how they should be living. 00:01:02.719 --> 00:01:05.760 So Paul opens this letter by blessing God. 00:01:06.159 --> 00:01:07.439 That's how he starts. 00:01:07.599 --> 00:01:09.760 He blesses God in verse 3. 00:01:09.920 --> 00:01:14.879 And then he goes on to give us reasons on why we should be blessing God. 00:01:15.439 --> 00:01:24.480 And as we have seen so far, we should be blessing God because in Christ He has given us every spiritual blessing. 00:01:25.280 --> 00:01:32.959 Next, we saw that we should be blessing God because He chose us and adopted us into His family. 00:01:33.359 --> 00:01:35.680 It's a pretty big reason to bless God. 00:01:36.480 --> 00:01:40.480 And today we are given another lofty reason. 00:01:40.799 --> 00:01:46.560 We should be blessing God because in Christ we have redemption. 00:01:47.200 --> 00:01:52.319 And God has made known to us the mystery of his will. 00:01:53.359 --> 00:01:57.680 There are many things in life, if you think about it, that get us excited. 00:01:58.000 --> 00:02:04.879 Achieving goals, falling in love, watching our favorite football team win. 00:02:05.200 --> 00:02:09.919 I get really excited when Molly says, Jimmy, what do you want me to make for dessert? 00:02:11.680 --> 00:02:24.879 But as Christians, the thing that should be getting us the most excited, the thing that should really be stirring our affections the most is the fact that we have been redeemed. 00:02:25.280 --> 00:02:33.360 And that is my hope this morning, that our affections would be stirred afresh towards this reality. 00:02:34.000 --> 00:02:38.560 And so let us look together at what Paul says in verse 7. 00:02:40.000 --> 00:02:51.280 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace. 00:02:52.800 --> 00:03:08.080 Now, before I expound on this verse, allow me to first explain the dark backdrop, the bad news, so that we can appreciate how significant redemption truly is. 00:03:08.719 --> 00:03:15.439 So ever since the fall in Genesis 3, humanity has been in bondage. 00:03:15.840 --> 00:03:19.599 We have separated ourselves in every sense from God. 00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:21.759 We are slaves to sin. 00:03:22.319 --> 00:03:29.520 Sin's addiction in power, it permeates through our every thought, our deed, our molecules. 00:03:30.000 --> 00:03:35.680 We crave evil and we pursue every sinful impulse. 00:03:36.080 --> 00:03:38.240 And we are slaves to Satan. 00:03:38.560 --> 00:03:40.479 He has his way with us. 00:03:40.719 --> 00:03:44.159 We believe his lies, we bow our knee to him. 00:03:48.560 --> 00:03:54.000 Because we, as humanity, have appointed him as our master. 00:03:54.560 --> 00:03:57.759 And we are slaves to the law of God. 00:03:58.240 --> 00:04:00.479 We are under the curse of the law. 00:04:00.800 --> 00:04:07.759 It hovers over us and it shouts, guilty, you deserve death. 00:04:08.400 --> 00:04:14.879 God's law haunts us, it points out our every flaw and failure, and it condemns us. 00:04:15.759 --> 00:04:19.680 And here's the worst part about all of this bad news. 00:04:20.319 --> 00:04:28.160 There is nothing us fallen humans can do to get ourselves out of this terrible situation. 00:04:28.879 --> 00:04:31.040 We can't pay for our crimes. 00:04:31.360 --> 00:04:32.879 The bill's too high. 00:04:33.120 --> 00:04:35.360 We can't change our love for sin. 00:04:35.759 --> 00:04:37.600 Who has that kind of power? 00:04:37.839 --> 00:04:39.759 We can't escape God's judgment. 00:04:39.920 --> 00:04:42.800 Who can hide from an omniscient God? 00:04:43.839 --> 00:04:58.399 You could live a million years performing trillions of good deeds, giving all your money to the poor, and you would still fall infinitely short, atoning for your sins or pleasing God. 00:04:59.040 --> 00:05:01.199 So Scripture is very clear on this. 00:05:01.519 --> 00:05:05.040 Our good works cannot atone for sin. 00:05:05.759 --> 00:05:10.000 Isaiah says that our good works are like filthy rags. 00:05:10.480 --> 00:05:15.360 Hebrews tells us that animal sacrifice is insufficient. 00:05:15.920 --> 00:05:22.720 We are totally spiritually bankrupt, incapable of providing a solution. 00:05:22.959 --> 00:05:29.360 We are slaves in darkness with no power to do anything about it as we await judgment. 00:05:29.680 --> 00:05:33.199 We are in every sense doomed. 00:05:34.079 --> 00:05:36.319 And here is more bad news. 00:05:36.560 --> 00:05:37.519 You ready? 00:05:37.839 --> 00:05:39.439 God is good. 00:05:40.480 --> 00:05:43.839 And you might say, well, how's that bad news? 00:05:44.000 --> 00:05:46.399 Well, it's bad news if you're a criminal. 00:05:46.560 --> 00:05:54.480 It's like telling a thief before he goes to court, hey, the judge you have, he's a really good judge. 00:05:54.800 --> 00:05:56.399 He seeks justice. 00:05:56.639 --> 00:05:58.720 He rights every wrong. 00:05:59.040 --> 00:06:05.120 And so it means that God is holy and therefore he must punish evil. 00:06:05.439 --> 00:06:09.839 It means that God will not allow sinners to go unpunished. 00:06:10.480 --> 00:06:18.079 Just imagine an earthly judge who had Stalin and Hitler and Jeffrey Dahmer in his courtroom. 00:06:18.319 --> 00:06:27.600 And let's say that earthly judge looked at these men and all their crimes and said, you know, I'm just going to forgive all of you. 00:06:27.920 --> 00:06:29.519 You're free to go. 00:06:30.399 --> 00:06:33.360 What would we say about that judge? 00:06:33.920 --> 00:06:38.000 We would say that the judge is wicked. 00:06:38.160 --> 00:06:39.040 He's corrupt. 00:06:39.120 --> 00:06:40.000 He's evil. 00:06:40.319 --> 00:06:43.199 He's worse than those in his courtroom. 00:06:43.519 --> 00:06:46.959 He's just going to let these people off the hook. 00:06:47.839 --> 00:06:53.199 This church is why redemption was needed. 00:06:53.680 --> 00:07:03.920 God cannot look at a sinner, someone who's committed divine treason against his kingship and his kingdom, and just say, I'm going to forgive you. 00:07:04.240 --> 00:07:06.480 That would make God unjust. 00:07:06.800 --> 00:07:08.480 There must be payment. 00:07:08.800 --> 00:07:11.680 God's wrath must be satisfied. 00:07:12.319 --> 00:07:17.680 God cannot forgive sin unless it is paid for. 00:07:18.480 --> 00:07:21.600 And this brings us, church, to the good news. 00:07:21.920 --> 00:07:31.920 The same God who condemns us in his wrath is the same God who has provided for us a way of redemption. 00:07:32.560 --> 00:07:47.120 Two thousand years ago, God sent his son, Jesus Christ, into this world to keep the law that we couldn't keep and to pay a sin debt that we could never pay. 00:07:47.439 --> 00:07:57.839 And Jesus offered up his perfect, holy, eternal life to satisfy the wrath of God on our behalf. 00:07:58.480 --> 00:08:00.879 And that is what redemption means. 00:08:01.040 --> 00:08:04.639 It means to buy back, to purchase a slave. 00:08:05.279 --> 00:08:09.279 It's the idea of being delivered from slavery. 00:08:09.519 --> 00:08:17.439 It means that you were a slave, you were unable to afford your freedom, but someone came and paid your debt. 00:08:17.680 --> 00:08:19.600 They purchased your freedom. 00:08:19.759 --> 00:08:23.680 And that is exactly what Jesus Christ did. 00:08:24.639 --> 00:08:38.000 When Jesus was nailed to the cross, all of God's fury against your sin and my sin was poured out on him. 00:08:38.960 --> 00:08:42.639 He experienced the hell that we deserved. 00:08:43.519 --> 00:09:39.279 Every time that you have turned away from God, every moment of rebellion, every time you have cursed God's name in frustration, every time you've doubted God's goodness, every time you've hurt someone with your words or your actions, every selfish choice, every indulgence in addiction, every stolen possession, every lustful thought, every moment you have made yourself the center of the universe instead of God, every complaint against him, every time you've refused to give him the glory that he deserves, every single sin, whether by action or inaction, whether in public or in secret, God took all of your crimes, your failures and your shortcomings, and all of your offenses, and he punished Jesus for them. 00:09:40.000 --> 00:09:50.080 And Jesus Christ bore that punishment until he cried out, It is finished, meaning paid in full. 00:09:52.080 --> 00:10:03.279 That, my friends, is why Paul says, look at the verse, in Christ we have redemption, the forgiveness of our sins. 00:10:04.480 --> 00:10:09.039 We have committed an eternal crime against an eternal God. 00:10:09.279 --> 00:10:12.960 The just punishment, then, is eternal judgment. 00:10:13.519 --> 00:10:22.159 And the only possible way that we could ever be forgiven is if there was an eternal sacrifice provided. 00:10:22.399 --> 00:10:24.080 And Jesus did it. 00:10:24.799 --> 00:10:28.960 He paid every last penny, he settled the bill. 00:10:29.279 --> 00:10:33.120 This is what theologians call the divine exchange. 00:10:33.679 --> 00:10:38.639 As the poem goes, what I was, he became. 00:10:38.960 --> 00:10:48.879 What he was, I became, giving his life for my life, being rejected that I may be accepted. 00:10:49.200 --> 00:10:59.840 He was treated as a sinner so that I might become a saint, suffering a horrible death that I might experience a glorious resurrection. 00:11:00.159 --> 00:11:09.840 He died that I might live, coming under the curse that I might be blessed, becoming poor that I might become rich. 00:11:10.320 --> 00:11:15.679 This church is God's redemption in Jesus Christ. 00:11:16.000 --> 00:11:23.360 He who knew no sin became sin so that we might become the righteousness of God. 00:11:23.919 --> 00:11:25.840 Glory, hallelujah. 00:11:26.559 --> 00:11:30.240 Jesus has ransomed us from the realm of darkness. 00:11:30.559 --> 00:11:34.720 He satisfied the demands of the law on our behalf. 00:11:35.279 --> 00:11:42.240 The legal documents written against us was nailed in his body on that tree. 00:11:42.559 --> 00:11:46.399 He has purchased us from Satan's grip and power. 00:11:48.720 --> 00:11:50.559 He grabbed us out of the gutter. 00:11:50.799 --> 00:11:52.320 He brought us into his family. 00:11:52.480 --> 00:12:02.080 He clothed us in righteousness, in which we now stand before God as dearly loved, forgiven, blameless children of God. 00:12:03.279 --> 00:12:05.600 This is not something you can earn. 00:12:05.840 --> 00:12:08.080 It's not something we can buy. 00:12:08.559 --> 00:12:13.200 This is a free gift that God has offered all of humanity. 00:12:13.600 --> 00:12:18.320 And it is available to anyone who comes to Christ in faith. 00:12:18.639 --> 00:12:22.639 A gift is not something you pay for or pay back. 00:12:24.159 --> 00:12:28.879 It is something that is simply received or rejected. 00:12:29.360 --> 00:12:40.159 Friends, if you believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord and that he died for your sins, you have forgiveness of all your sins. 00:12:41.600 --> 00:13:03.120 Now, Christians in the room who are here struggling this morning with guilt, shame, condemnation, you feel like God is so mad at you right now, you've not behaved well recently, you've not been a great witness, you're so aware of how fleshly and evil you can be. 00:13:03.919 --> 00:13:05.200 Listen to me. 00:13:05.600 --> 00:13:12.399 If you are in Christ, the wrath of God no longer applies to you. 00:13:13.360 --> 00:13:18.799 If Christ was punished for my sins, I can never be punished for them. 00:13:19.519 --> 00:13:28.960 If your name is written in the Lamb's book of life, it will never be erased if you are forgiven of every single sin. 00:13:29.440 --> 00:13:31.519 Yes, you need to go on confessing. 00:13:31.759 --> 00:13:33.759 Yes, you need to go on repenting. 00:13:33.919 --> 00:13:36.159 Yes, God is still working on you. 00:13:36.399 --> 00:13:39.679 Yes, God still disciplines you in his love. 00:13:40.559 --> 00:13:45.919 But do not believe the lie that you are still under God's judgment. 00:13:46.240 --> 00:13:50.320 That is literally anti-gospel thinking. 00:13:51.279 --> 00:13:57.840 And don't say to yourself, yeah, Jimmy, but you don't know what I've done. 00:13:58.080 --> 00:14:01.679 If you were in my head for just a day, you would understand. 00:14:01.840 --> 00:14:06.799 I'm different, I'm so broken, I keep messing up, I keep failing. 00:14:07.039 --> 00:14:08.159 Listen to me. 00:14:08.480 --> 00:14:16.799 I don't care how big or small your sin account may be, that doesn't change the good news. 00:14:17.200 --> 00:14:24.559 That if you are in Christ, you have present tense redemption and forgiveness through Him. 00:14:24.960 --> 00:14:29.519 Your sin is no match for Christ's mercy. 00:14:30.720 --> 00:14:36.480 The point of the gospel is that you don't deserve it, nor are you worthy of it. 00:14:36.720 --> 00:14:45.679 And so rejoice, knowing that God treats you not based on your merit, but based on the merit of Christ. 00:14:46.240 --> 00:14:50.000 And you may say, Oh, Jimmy, how can this be? 00:14:50.240 --> 00:14:52.320 It's like too good to be true. 00:14:52.639 --> 00:14:53.600 Exactly. 00:14:53.840 --> 00:14:56.559 Yes, now you're starting to get it. 00:14:56.720 --> 00:15:08.320 Because the scandal of the universe isn't that there's a hell deserved by all, but that there is a heaven offered to all freely by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. 00:15:08.639 --> 00:15:12.399 God provided the solution to our sin problem. 00:15:13.039 --> 00:15:17.039 Through Christ, we're free from the penalty of our sin. 00:15:17.679 --> 00:15:23.600 Through the Holy Spirit, we are now being slowly freed from the power of sin. 00:15:24.240 --> 00:15:31.279 And in the future, through God's plan, one day, we will be set free from the presence of sin. 00:15:31.919 --> 00:15:34.399 Now, why would God redeem us? 00:15:34.799 --> 00:15:36.639 Why would he do all this? 00:15:37.679 --> 00:15:39.519 What was his motivation? 00:15:40.000 --> 00:15:43.039 Well, Paul reveals this to us in the last part of the verse. 00:15:43.200 --> 00:15:44.080 Look at what he says. 00:15:44.240 --> 00:15:47.360 He says, God did all this according to what? 00:15:47.759 --> 00:15:50.799 The riches of his grace. 00:15:51.519 --> 00:15:58.879 God redeemed us because in nature he is full of abundant grace. 00:15:59.120 --> 00:16:00.799 That's why he did it. 00:16:01.120 --> 00:16:15.679 The reason he didn't destroy us all and start over, the reason he didn't judge all of humanity and move on is because he is wealthy, he is rich, he is abundant in grace. 00:16:16.720 --> 00:16:37.440 Even though God had the sovereign right and rule to punish all of us, even though God would have been completely just in condemning us all to judgment forever, he implemented a glorious redemption plan to show off his marvelous grace. 00:16:38.240 --> 00:16:55.600 What this verse implies is that God wanted to save us, that his preferred will, which is in line with his sovereign will, was to show undeserved favor and blessing to people who don't deserve it. 00:16:56.320 --> 00:17:03.519 And there's no better way for God's grace to be displayed unless there's a dark backdrop. 00:17:03.759 --> 00:17:05.519 And there is with sin. 00:17:06.319 --> 00:17:14.799 You don't appreciate a diamond unless it's on a black pad, you don't appreciate the stars unless it's a dark night. 00:17:15.200 --> 00:17:27.599 In the same way, we couldn't appreciate God's grace unless we understood the depths of our sin and the depths of God's love to pull us out. 00:17:29.359 --> 00:17:33.920 He didn't do this because he felt obligated, he didn't do this randomly. 00:17:34.559 --> 00:17:34.880 No. 00:17:35.519 --> 00:17:41.440 God did it because he wanted to display the abundance of his grace. 00:17:41.759 --> 00:17:45.200 He wanted to exercise that attribute of his. 00:17:46.400 --> 00:17:56.559 Some of you in the room who perhaps didn't have the best father growing up or guardian tend to think of God as always angry. 00:17:56.799 --> 00:18:02.799 He's always mad, short-tempered, furious, frustrated. 00:18:03.119 --> 00:18:09.839 And then you read scripture with that lens, kind of hyper-focusing on God's wrath. 00:18:10.079 --> 00:18:21.759 All you can see is the great flood and God raining down fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, or him sending bears to eat rebellious children, making fun of Elisha. 00:18:22.400 --> 00:18:30.480 Don't get me wrong, God is just, he does punish, he is a God of righteousness. 00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:36.480 But let us never forget that he is also a God of amazing grace. 00:18:37.119 --> 00:18:45.920 In fact, Isaiah tells us that God's judgment is his strange work, meaning it's not his preferred work. 00:18:46.319 --> 00:18:50.240 He would rather show mercy than judgment. 00:18:51.359 --> 00:18:58.079 And next, Paul is going to tell us how this redemption, how God's grace came to us. 00:18:58.319 --> 00:19:03.440 In other words, how is it that I came upon redemption? 00:19:03.839 --> 00:19:05.759 Did I stumble upon it? 00:19:06.160 --> 00:19:08.400 How was salvation made known to me? 00:19:08.559 --> 00:19:12.079 And Paul gives us insight here in verses 8 through 10. 00:19:12.319 --> 00:19:14.000 Look at what he says. 00:19:14.720 --> 00:19:37.200 Which he lavished upon us in all wisdom and insight, making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. 00:19:38.079 --> 00:19:41.279 So how did I come to know Christ in his redemption? 00:19:41.519 --> 00:19:46.000 Was it applied to me because I studied the Bible really, really hard? 00:19:46.480 --> 00:19:51.759 Am I what I am because I'm a very good listener, a really good responder? 00:19:52.240 --> 00:19:56.319 Or maybe I just have like a great intellect and mind and other people don't? 00:19:56.720 --> 00:19:59.839 Did I receive all this because I discovered it myself? 00:20:00.079 --> 00:20:04.799 Maybe I have redemption because I'm more educated than people in the room. 00:20:05.359 --> 00:20:05.680 No. 00:20:06.160 --> 00:20:10.960 Here's how it was lavished on you. 00:20:12.000 --> 00:20:20.880 God took the gospel, he took the good news about Jesus, he took the message of his salvation, and he lavished it on you. 00:20:21.759 --> 00:20:25.599 He gave you the wisdom and the insight to understand it. 00:20:25.839 --> 00:20:27.920 He was the one who unveiled it to you. 00:20:28.079 --> 00:20:36.960 That's what Paul means here when he says, making known the mystery of his will, God removed the blinders, he uncovered for you his will. 00:20:37.359 --> 00:20:41.519 He enlightened the eyes of your heart, which he praised later on. 00:20:41.839 --> 00:20:49.599 I don't know if you guys remember in the Gospel of Matthew, when Jesus asked his disciples, Who do you say that I am? 00:20:50.160 --> 00:20:56.400 If you guys remember what Peter said, Peter said, You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God. 00:20:57.440 --> 00:21:01.759 Do you guys remember what Jesus, his response was to Peter? 00:21:02.240 --> 00:21:12.400 Jesus said, Blessed are you, Simon, son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. 00:21:12.880 --> 00:21:20.160 You did not learn this from flesh and blood, meaning it didn't come from your own intellect, it didn't come from human beings. 00:21:21.440 --> 00:21:25.599 In essence, Jesus tells Peter, you did not come to this conclusion yourself. 00:21:25.920 --> 00:21:27.680 God made this known to you. 00:21:28.480 --> 00:21:29.920 God revealed this to you. 00:21:31.119 --> 00:21:31.920 There it is. 00:21:32.720 --> 00:21:37.440 The only reason we have redemption today and a relationship with God. 00:21:38.160 --> 00:21:44.880 The only reason we're experiencing the new life we have in Christ is because God made his truth known to us. 00:21:45.599 --> 00:21:49.119 The Holy Spirit illuminated the gospel to us. 00:21:49.519 --> 00:21:59.839 Maybe God used another Christian or an evangelist or a church service to declare the good news to us, but it was God in those moments, spiritually awakened. 00:22:00.559 --> 00:22:05.200 You, revealing his truth to you, unveiling the gospel to you. 00:22:05.920 --> 00:22:11.279 God has publicly advertised Christ crucified. 00:22:11.519 --> 00:22:20.880 He's done this through the public death of Christ, by recording his testimony, the Bible, the number one most published book in the world. 00:22:21.200 --> 00:22:27.119 He did this by sending apostles and evangelists and missionaries all around the world. 00:22:27.440 --> 00:22:36.000 He's done this by preserving his church, who continues throughout history to declare the excellencies of Christ. 00:22:36.480 --> 00:22:54.480 God not only displays publicly his message of redemption, which is why humanity has no excuse, but he also pursues us with this blessed message, wooing us, persuading us to believe it, haunting us to embrace it. 00:22:54.720 --> 00:23:02.000 And he did all this, look at the verse, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ. 00:23:02.480 --> 00:23:08.960 God lavished his grace on you in all wisdom and insight for his purpose. 00:23:09.279 --> 00:23:14.079 He didn't do this so that we could keep building our little kingdoms. 00:23:24.880 --> 00:23:26.880 That is what salvation is all about. 00:23:26.960 --> 00:23:34.720 It's all about God and his glory and his purpose and us participating in his kingdom. 00:23:36.400 --> 00:23:39.119 And what is God's purpose in all of this? 00:23:39.359 --> 00:23:42.400 What is the summum bonum mentioned here? 00:23:42.640 --> 00:23:44.640 Look at the end of the verse. 00:23:45.519 --> 00:23:54.880 That by setting forth Christ in the fullness of time, that all things would be united in him. 00:23:55.519 --> 00:23:58.400 Things in heaven and things on earth. 00:23:58.720 --> 00:24:14.079 God's plan through Christ is to bring everything in heaven and on earth together under the authority in the headship of Jesus Christ, essentially reconciling all creation through Jesus. 00:24:14.400 --> 00:24:20.160 This is seen as the central purpose of God's work in the universe. 00:24:20.880 --> 00:24:24.720 Ever since the fall, things are a mess. 00:24:25.039 --> 00:24:27.119 Evil is everywhere. 00:24:27.519 --> 00:24:29.279 People hate each other. 00:24:29.680 --> 00:24:31.519 Governments are corrupt. 00:24:31.839 --> 00:24:33.920 People are exploiting each other. 00:24:34.160 --> 00:24:37.759 Children are starving because people are selfish. 00:24:38.079 --> 00:24:39.839 Marriages are failing. 00:24:40.160 --> 00:24:41.680 Murder is happening. 00:24:42.000 --> 00:24:47.759 So many people are destroying themselves with self-harm and drugs and pornography. 00:24:48.000 --> 00:24:50.480 The demonic is having a blast. 00:24:50.720 --> 00:24:52.559 The world is a wreck. 00:24:52.799 --> 00:24:57.920 And it's a wreck because we are not under the lordship of Christ. 00:24:58.160 --> 00:25:01.599 We're doing whatever we think is right in our own eyes. 00:25:01.920 --> 00:25:08.559 And the world is this way because we gave God the middle finger in Genesis 3. 00:25:08.720 --> 00:25:12.400 We said, God, I don't want you telling me what to do. 00:25:12.640 --> 00:25:17.200 I'll decide what's right and what's wrong, what's good and what's bad. 00:25:19.200 --> 00:25:23.039 And behold, this is the fruit of being our own God. 00:25:23.440 --> 00:25:35.839 Which is why God set forth Christ to begin this reconciliation process of redeeming his creation back to himself. 00:25:36.400 --> 00:25:43.279 Through the gospel, people are being transformed and restored and reconciled to God. 00:25:43.920 --> 00:25:45.599 Look around this room. 00:25:45.920 --> 00:25:57.039 How is it that someone like Ron Johnson or Rick or Wyatt, myself, how is it that we're here worshiping God? 00:25:58.079 --> 00:26:08.559 How is it that all of us Christians are here today glorifying our Creator and we're not still out there living for sin and for the ways of this world? 00:26:08.960 --> 00:26:16.960 Here's how God has reconciled us back to Himself through Jesus Christ. 00:26:17.359 --> 00:26:22.880 We are slowly being more and more conformed into Christ's image. 00:26:23.200 --> 00:26:31.759 He is slowly but surely preparing us, making us more and more fit for his future coming kingdom. 00:26:32.319 --> 00:26:38.319 So ever since God set forth Christ 2,000 years ago, the kingdom of God is expanding. 00:26:38.559 --> 00:26:41.200 And it's happening right before our eyes. 00:26:41.519 --> 00:26:50.480 And it's all working towards this great day, the day of the Lord, when all of God's creation is reconciled back to Him. 00:26:51.039 --> 00:27:00.559 A day when all of creation is practically, lovingly, in full submission to his reign and his rule. 00:27:00.880 --> 00:27:08.880 A day when Christ physically rules over all of us, and we are delightfully worshiping him. 00:27:09.440 --> 00:27:20.400 A day when God expels all evil, sin becomes extinct, and nothing but pure righteousness and holiness dwells forevermore. 00:27:20.880 --> 00:27:30.000 Hebrews 2.8 tells us when God subjected all things to Christ, he left nothing outside of his control. 00:27:30.240 --> 00:27:30.960 What's that mean? 00:27:31.039 --> 00:27:35.599 It means that Jesus has absolute full control over the universe. 00:27:35.839 --> 00:27:41.519 Yet, the author of Hebrews says, we do not see everything subject to him. 00:27:42.000 --> 00:27:45.119 In other words, Christ owns and rules all things. 00:27:45.279 --> 00:27:51.759 But at the present time, we read the news, we look around the world, and we think, huh, well, clearly not. 00:27:52.000 --> 00:27:53.920 The world's still a mess. 00:27:54.400 --> 00:28:15.759 Which is why the author of Hebrews reminds us that God through Christ is working all of history towards a great day of consummation, a day of total and complete reconciliation, this uniting of heaven and earth, where God rules once again over his creation. 00:28:16.559 --> 00:28:19.440 This is why we were redeemed, church. 00:28:19.680 --> 00:28:28.240 This is why we were purchased, that we would belong and participate in God's eternal kingdom. 00:28:28.559 --> 00:28:30.319 And it's coming soon. 00:28:30.559 --> 00:28:40.240 In the blink of an eye, the household of God will be walking together with Jesus in the new heaven and new earth. 00:28:40.480 --> 00:28:47.839 Free from sin, no more suffering, no more tears, no more temptations, no more death. 00:28:48.880 --> 00:28:53.119 Worship and adventure will never end. 00:28:53.920 --> 00:29:00.000 And it will be with our Lord face to face, and we will enjoy him forever. 00:29:00.240 --> 00:29:05.680 That's what all of God's redemption plan is working towards. 00:29:07.599 --> 00:29:09.440 So, Proclamation Church. 00:29:09.759 --> 00:29:17.920 There are a lot of practical applications that I could say from a sermon like this, just from these passages. 00:29:18.480 --> 00:29:22.319 But today I want to challenge us just a little bit differently. 00:29:22.880 --> 00:29:38.720 My challenge to all of us is to take some time today, tomorrow, this week, to simply meditate on this reality and worship God for his redemption. 00:29:39.519 --> 00:29:44.480 Again, this passage is in the context of blessing God. 00:29:44.640 --> 00:29:47.119 This is a reason to bless God. 00:29:47.599 --> 00:29:50.000 So why don't we do just that? 00:29:50.799 --> 00:29:54.559 We waste so much time on other things. 00:29:55.200 --> 00:30:04.720 My phone notified me the other day that somehow I spend an average time of 3.5 hours of screen time. 00:30:04.880 --> 00:30:07.039 Like, that's ridiculous. 00:30:07.839 --> 00:30:15.920 We rent so much space in our minds to think about useless, negative, terrible things. 00:30:16.799 --> 00:30:27.359 What would it look like if we carved out some time to read through these passages, other passages even, that talk about redemption? 00:30:27.599 --> 00:30:35.440 What would it look like to go on a walk and just think about how God has redeemed me and bless him for it? 00:30:35.759 --> 00:30:42.880 What would it look like to spend time in prayer, praising and blessing God for his redemption in my life? 00:30:43.119 --> 00:30:49.599 What would it look like if we made a list of all the things that God is redeeming us from? 00:30:50.240 --> 00:30:53.920 How might that affect our thoughts and behaviors? 00:30:54.160 --> 00:30:59.200 How might that transform us and reground us as Christians? 00:31:00.480 --> 00:31:17.200 How might this shape our worldview and diminish lies that we believe or relieve anxieties if we spent just a fraction of our thought life each day thinking about God's blessed redemption? 00:31:17.680 --> 00:31:23.279 How much of our so-called current problems probably wouldn't exist? 00:31:24.799 --> 00:31:35.519 Paul commands us in Philippians 4 8 to meditate on the things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, praiseworthy. 00:31:36.079 --> 00:31:49.759 Church, I can't think of anything more true, noble, lovely, and praiseworthy than the fact that I have been purchased and redeemed and ransomed and saved by Jesus Christ. 00:31:50.000 --> 00:32:03.839 I can't think of anything greater from my mind or my heart than to think about the fact that although I was dead in my sins, an enemy of God, lost in darkness, he saved me. 00:32:04.640 --> 00:32:08.160 I've been purchased by the blood. 00:32:09.599 --> 00:32:21.200 And so, church, I want to close this sermon by reading a modern paraphrase of one of my favorite poems by a Puritan, John Flavil. 00:32:22.559 --> 00:32:26.240 And before I read this, I just want to give uh a caveat here. 00:32:27.119 --> 00:32:30.480 This is not infallible scripture, okay? 00:32:30.880 --> 00:32:37.920 But this is poetic imagery to help us capture the significance of Christ's redemption. 00:32:38.160 --> 00:32:39.920 So listen to this poem. 00:32:41.200 --> 00:32:58.720 God the Father says to Jesus the Son, My Son, here is a company of poor, miserable souls who have completely ruined themselves and now lie open to my justice. 00:32:59.599 --> 00:33:07.359 Justice demands satisfaction for them, or will cast them into eternal misery. 00:33:07.680 --> 00:33:10.960 What shall be done for these souls? 00:33:11.359 --> 00:33:17.759 And Jesus the Son says, O my Father, such is my love and my pity for them. 00:33:18.000 --> 00:33:24.160 Rather than to see them perish forever, I will be responsible for them as their surety. 00:33:24.720 --> 00:33:29.119 Bring in all your bills, that I may see what they owe you. 00:33:29.440 --> 00:33:34.240 Lord, bring them all in so that no debt remains unpaid. 00:33:34.720 --> 00:33:38.480 I will pay it to the very last penny. 00:33:39.200 --> 00:33:43.680 My father, let it not trouble you that justice demands it. 00:33:43.920 --> 00:33:47.599 I will stand in their place and suffer what they deserve. 00:33:47.839 --> 00:33:52.079 Let the punishment fall on me, I will take it myself. 00:33:52.400 --> 00:34:03.519 And then the father says to the son, But my son, if you become their substitute, you must pay every last bit. 00:34:04.000 --> 00:34:07.759 If I spare them, I will not spare you. 00:34:08.480 --> 00:34:13.280 And the son says, I am willing, Father. 00:34:13.599 --> 00:34:14.639 Let it be so. 00:34:14.960 --> 00:34:18.880 Charge it all to me, for I am able to discharge it. 00:34:19.119 --> 00:34:29.119 And though it will undo me, though it will impoverish all my riches and empty all my treasures, yet I am content to do it. 00:34:30.800 --> 00:34:32.880 Church, Christ has done it. 00:34:33.599 --> 00:34:35.679 No more debt I owe. 00:34:36.079 --> 00:34:40.079 Through faith, Christ's merit is now my own. 00:34:40.320 --> 00:34:41.360 Let us pray.