The Book of Ephesians (#15): Ephesians 1:7

[music] The title of our sermon this morning is redeemed through his blood. Redeemed through his blood. Ephesians chapter 1:7. So this morning we continue our work through Paul's letter to the church at Ephesus. And we move now from an emphasis on the work of the father verses 3-6 to now focus on an emphasis the emphasis of the work of the son in verses 7-2. The the opening hymn of praise in this section of text will conclude with an emphasis on the work of the holy spirit in verses 13 and 14. So even in the structure of the text now it's obvious in the opening paragraph that the work of our salvation originating in the loving determination of the father in eternity past terminating terminating upon the praise of the glory of his grace in eternity future is a thoroughly trinitarian work. It is a work of the father, the son and the holy spirit. It is the father in verses 3-6 who is concerned with our election to holiness and our predestination to adoption as sons. It is the son then who secures our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins and our eternal inheritance in verses 7-2. And it is the spirit who preserves us at the end who is the pledge of that inheritance in verses 13 and 14. So the work of our salvation is a trinitarian work. But I want you to see the members of the trinity, father, son, and holy spirit are not working independently of one another. It is thoroughly a trinitarian work. The father has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places with Christ. Verse three, he has done so in Christ. He has elected us to holiness. In verse four, in him he has predestined us to adoption as sons. Verse 5, by or through the person and work of Jesus Christ. And verse 6, we are accepted in the beloved one. Now, the same is true concerning the work of the son. In the son, in him, we have redemption. Verse 7, the forgiveness of sins. But that is according to the riches of the father's grace. In him we have obtained an inheritance. Verse 11, but that according to the purpose of him, the father, who works all things after the counsel of his own will, it is the father's electing and redeeming grace that is the fountain from which the atoning work of the son flows like a river of life to his people. The same is true concerning the work of the spirit. We are sealed with the spirit. Verse 13, that upon trusting in Christ and the spirit is the guarantee of our inheritance. Verse 14, but that to the praise of the father's glory. So the work of the father is understood in reference to the son. The work of the son always understood in reference to the father and the work of the spirit understood in reference to both the father and the son. Now over centuries theologians have referred to this perfect and unbreakable unity of effort revealed in scripture as the doctrine of inseparable operations. The doctrine of inseparable operations. Think with me. The work of the triune God, particularly the work of the triune God in creation and the work of the triune God in our redemption is always an undivided work. The father does not give a people to the son and then the son fail to redeem them and raise them on the last day. The Lord Jesus Christ says, "All that the father gives me will come to me and him I will raise on the last day." The son does not redeem those people and then the spirit fail to sanctify them to preserve them to the end. The work of the triune God is always and entirely undivided. The father, son, and spirit share one indivisible divine essence acting with one indivisible will, one accord in one harmony in the work of our redemption. One invincible work of the one true and living God. That said, the one true and living God exists in three persons. And scripture rightly appropriates aspects of that saving work to each of the three persons of the Godhead. each of the three persons of the trinity in order to highlight their relationship to one another within the godhead. So in this hymn of praise then verses 3 to 14 it is the father who elects it is the son who redeems and the spirit who seals the spirit who applies. But the praise of Paul, think with me, the praise of Paul in these verses reveal a heart and mind that is marinated in, submersed and immersed in the fact that our salvation is the work of our triune God. Undivided in essence, undivided in will, undivided in omnipotent power. One invincible, invincible, invincible, unbreakable, certain and unassalable work of the one true and living God. That, brothers and sisters should fill us with confidence. Should fill us with hope. It should cause us to meditate on the work of our God in our salvation and cause us to rejoice in him. Should cause us to worship and praise him. Our salvation is the work of God in divine wisdom, in divine love, and in sovereign power. Now, that said, we've seen in our study of Ephesians 1 that the various aspects of that work are manifold. The various characteristics of that work are manifold. And we see those various aspects revealed in scripture attributed rightly to the father, to the son, and to the holy spirit. And considering the particular work of the father in verses 3-6, our practice so far has been to take each of those concepts, each of those aspects introduced by the text and then hopefully develop in our study of that aspect and studying that concept together, we hope to develop a better understanding of that particular aspect of our salvation. Right? in verses 3-6 those aspects of salvation representative not exhaustive representative of the work of the father and our salvation so we've taken length then in verses 3-6 to unpack our union with Jesus Christ and how important that is we've taken st pains to unpack our election before the foundation of the world we've taken a length of time to consider predestination to adoption as sons the ultimate aim of our salvation being to the praise of the glory of his grace Okay. All of those elements, those aspects of our salvation that are attributed to a work of the father. We're going to same follow the same pattern through the next two verses of this hymn of praise in verses 3-4. Beginning with redemption in verse 7 this morning, the forgiveness of sins in verse 7, his abounding grace in verse 8, the revelation of his will in verse 9, his sovereign plan in verse 10, our inheritance in verse 11, and the means and end of our salvation in verse 12. And if the Lord wills it, we'll then look at the work of the spirit in verses 13-4. We're going to continue to work through the verses of this hymn at the many aspects of our salvation attributed to rightly the father, son, and holy spirit and the one work of our salvation. The point is this again. The point is this. We've got to understand what these things mean. We need to understand what these things mean. We need to familiarize ourselves with the terms. We need to understand the concepts. If our own worship and praise in spirit and in truth is to rise to the level of Paul's worship in this text, then our worship and praise must continue to be informed by the revealed word as his was. Our worship and praise needs to be fueled and informed by the text of scripture when we first turn to Christ in faith. If you remember those days, by the grace of God, by the grace of God and through a work of his spirit, our worship then was pleasing in his sight. When someone turns to faith in Christ, he's indwelt by the spirit and he turns with a grateful heart to worship and praise God for having saved him from his sin. That from the heart of that genuine believer and dwelt by the spirit is pleasing in God's sight. It is a sweet smelling aroma, right? It's pleasing to God. But how much more does our worship does our praise serve to glorify him when that praise and worship reflects more of his greatness, more of his worth, more of his grace, more of his compassion for more of an informed understanding of what he's done and who he is. How much more our capacity to worship and praise him as we grow in grace. When the Lord saves us, we have to know more little we often know little more than Jesus saved me and I'm grateful. [laughter] He's forgiven me of my for my sins and I am grateful. Often we know a little more than that. Maybe just enough to say with Paul in Ephesians chapter 1:3, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who's blessed me with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, even though I don't know what any of those blessings are, what they entail, and what all those words mean. I know just enough to praise him and to say, "Thank you." But growing in the Lord, from that day on, we begin to know and to understand the length and width and height and depth of that love lavished upon us. And our gratitude deepens and our praise and worship matures. Our love for him increases. Our hope in him abounds. We see those blessings in the context of our own sin and rebellion against him as we become more and more understanding of the depth of our depravity and the gutter from which we have been raised and our love for him deepens. Our gratitude deepens. Our humility deepens. Our worship matures. Our praise is informed. The more we learn more of who he is, we learn more of what Christ has done. We know more the cost of our redemption and our love deepens and our worship matures. We go through adversity. We go through suffering. We see God's wisdom, God's love, God's compassion, his pity in the midst of our suffering. and our hope grows and our worship matures and our praise deepens. Every line of thought in Ephesians 1:es 3-14, every line of thought introduced by the Apostle Paul in the opening paragraph of this letter in this hymn of praise is representative not exhaustive but representative of the manifold work of our salvation by the triune God so that we can grow in our capacity for worship and praise. right? To the praise of the glory of his grace. It's so that you and I can grow. We we need to know these things. We need to understand the terms and the concepts. We need to apply them in our hearts and minds. We need to pray that the spirit of God would help us understand. We need to meditate on these things. And as we meditate, we need to praise and worship as Paul does. Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing the heavenly places in Christ. Let our worship and praise rise to the level of his. in verse three. So the terms and concepts, in other words, the terms and concepts here are very important. The theology is important. I remember years many years ago reading John Murray's redemption accomplished and applied for the first time and I was amazed at all of the terms being used and all the concepts being discussed. Election Predestination, fornowledge, substitution, atonement, redemption, ransom, expeation, propitiation, calling, regeneration, conversion, forgiveness, imputation, justification, reconciliation, adoption, sanctify, sanctification, perseverance, glorification. That's representative list. And all of that, all of that, election, predestination, fornowledge, substitution, atonement, redemption, ransom, expeation, propitiation, calling, regeneration, conversion, forgiveness, imputation, justification, reconciliation, adoption, sanctification, perseverance, and glorification. All of that brought to bear on the subject of our sin. Brought to bear on the subject of our need. And that by a gracious God who aims to satisfy that need and the person and work of his own son. All of that, all of that necessary to deal with the consequences of our sin so that God may be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in his son. Albert Martin uses a really good illustration. Imagine a man on death row in solitary confinement in a supermax prison. Right? Think of that circumstance. Think of his condition. He is guilty. He is guilty. He's under the sentence of death, under the condemnation of the law, and he's awaiting the execution of his sentence. But not only that, that man is not only a dead man walking, he's also blind. Can't see a thing. Blind as a bat. He sits in darkness day and night. He's not only blind, he's also deaf. Can't hear a thing. He is riddled with disease, lame in his feet, and he can't read or write, speaks only gibberish. He's illiterate and ignorant. No useful skills of any kind. He doesn't have a dime to his name, and he doesn't have a hope in this world. And on top of all that, he stinks. I added that last part. It wasn't Howard Martin. The guy The guy is in the worst shape imaginable. The worst shape imaginable. For him to be restored to life, for him to be restored to some sense of usefulness, some sense of normaly would take a significant, a profound marshalling of unified effort. He needs the favor of the courts to deal with his judgment. Needs a really good attorney. Needs a favorable judge. He needs an army of doctors to deal with his health. He needs the work of teachers to deal with his illiteracy. He needs the charity of friends, if he had any, to get him back on his feet. He needs a patient employer to teach him a skill. He needs a bath. There is one unified effort that is needed with one unified aim. But the distinct aspects of that unified effort are manifold. Do you see? They're manifold. And those manifold works are attributed to various persons. And they [snorts] all have one unified aim and end. So it is brothers and sisters. When God finds you and me, when God finds you and me, we are on death row imprisoned by our sin under the condemnation of the law. And you and I are awaiting the execution of our sentence. That's where we're at. That's where we're at. We are guilty. We are dead men walking, dead men walking. We're blind. We're deaf, riddled with disease, riddled with corruption, riddled with pollution, ignorant of things that are spiritually discerned, illiterate in the things of the spirit. We are spiritually bankrupt, not a penny to our name, without God, and without hope in this world. And what is necessary to give us life to give us usefulness is a unified effort of the triune God marshalling the various aspects of that work necessary to address the various aspects of our own need. Expeation just an example expeation has reference to our guilt. Propitiation has reference to our judgment. Redemption has reference to our bondage. Justification has reference to our standing. Sanctification has reference to our corruption. Perseverance has reference to our weakness and so on. The words and concepts in that situation, the words and concepts are profoundly important. Do you see every one of those aspects marshaled for the sake of our salvation, for the good of our soul? and an understanding of those all of that brought to bear upon us when we were dead in trespasses and sins on death row in that condition. All of that marshaled for our salvation when the Lord accomplishes that should fuel such gratitude, such humility, such worship, such praise and understanding of all those things, all those aspects, all that it took to save us should fuel and inform our worship, should fuel and inform our love for him, our gratitude, our humility. And the more that we understand those things, the more capacity we have to worship in spirit and in truth as we ought for sanctified praise. With that thought, with that understanding, we come to verse 7 then verses 7-2. Having considered the work of the father, we now consider the work of the son. Marshaled for the benefit of our own souls. Grace poured upon grace to the praise of his glory. Verse seven, in him in Christ we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace. And considering the role of the son in the work of our salvation, Paul begins with the concept of redemption. In him we have redemption through his blood. John Murray said again, just as sacrifice is directed to the need created by our guilt, propitiation to the need that arises from the wrath of God, reconciliation to the need arising from our alienation from God. So redemption is directed to the bondage to which our sin has consigned us. Redemption, the word refers to buying something or buying someone back from bondage or from loss. It involves securing a release by the payment of a price. That's what redemption is. Very often that price is referred to in terms of a ransom. Redemption involves securing release by the payment of a price. And that that concept is all over the Bible because the Bible points to the person and work of Jesus Christ who redeemed us. Right? So the concept of redemption is everywhere. We find that the concept originates in the text of the Old Testament. Turn back with me to Exodus 13. I want you to see this. Exodus 13 is where we see this concept in action as it were. By the time we arrive at Exodus 13, the Israelites have been delivered from their slavery in Egypt. They have been redeemed out of the fiery furnace of Egypt. They have been delivered. They have been set free from their slavery in Egypt. And now they are heading toward the Red Sea. The Lord in this time between coming out of Egypt and heading toward the Red Sea, the Lord is already beginning to instruct them. He wants them to understand from the very beginning, he wants them to remember from the very beginning that they are a redeemed people. They are redeemed. So he establishes the Passover. On the way he establishes the feast of unleven bread and all of that, those are object lessons, right? That ritual in designed to teach. their dididactic tools. He establishes the Passover, the feast of unleven bread to remind them of the means of their redemption. And then he establishes in Exodus 13 the law of the firstborn to remind them of the nature of their redeemed relationship. Look at verse one. Then the Lord spoke to Moses saying, "Consecrate to me all the firstborn. Whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and beast, it is mine." Now, if you remember in Exodus 13, they're just now coming out of Egypt. They just witnessed the death of the firstborn in Egypt. God spared them with the blood of the Passover lamb on the doorpost and on the lentil of the house. And immediately as they come out of Egypt, now God says to them, "The firstborn are mine." The firstborn are to be consecrated to the Lord. God deter determined to pour out his judgment against sin in the land of Egypt. That judgment of God culminated in the 10th plague. The death of the firstborn. Pharaoh refused to let God's firstborn son go. So God took the firstborn of the sons of Egypt in judgment. In doing so, in doing so, God redeemed the firstborn in Israel through the payment of a price. They were to sacrifice that lamb or goat without spot or blemish. They were to spread the blood along the doorpost and on the lentil of the house, and the angel of death would pass over any house under the covering of that blood. It's in this way that God spared the firstborn in Israel. And now God in relationship to Israel is claiming the firstborn as his own. See the setting, the context. Drop down to verse 11. It shall be then when the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites as he swore to you and to your fathers and gives it to you. Notice the Lord is the one who is taking the initiative. The Lord is the one who is doing this, right? The Lord does all of this himself. Verse 12. When he does that, you shall set apart to the Lord, all that opens the womb, that is, every firstborn that comes from the an animal which you have, the males shall be the Lord's. Now, does that mean that every firstborn male then is to be sacrificed to God? No. Verse 13, but every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb. And if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck and all the firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem. Not sacrificing kids here, right? The ritual, this ritual of redemption, redeeming the firstborn sons in Israel, reenacts, if you will, in their mind, consider these things. It reenacts their own redemption out of the house of slavery by the payment of a price. It creates a teaching opportunity, right? This ritual creates a teaching opportunity. Verse 14, so it shall be when your son asks you in time to come, saying, "What is this?" Right? Teaching opportunity. You shall say to him, "By strength of hand, the Lord brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. And it came to pass when Pharaoh was stubborn about letting us go that the Lord killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of beast. Therefore, commemoration of that great deliverance and remembrance of that great deliverance and thinking through the lessons associated with that great deliverance. Therefore, I sacrifice to the Lord all males that open the womb, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem. Words, they are bought back, if you will, by the payment of a price. Verse 16, it shall be as a sign on your hand and as frontlets between your eyes. In other words, this lesson, this language is typological. It's figurative. That lesson shall be as something you place between your eyes on your forehead. In other words, it's going to be influencing the way that you think and it shall be as a sign on your hand. In other words, it's going to influence the way that you act. These lessons are intended to change the way they think and to change the way they act. It was to be for them a constant reminder in their thoughts and actions. Consecrating the firstborn of their flocks or the first fruits of their harvest was a way of acknowledging that the whole thing belonged to God. The whole flock and the whole harvest belonged to him. He is the one who had blessed them with all that they had. In this case, he's blessed them with their firstborn sons by providing a means of redemption. The consecration of the firstborn son in a family or the firstborn among the sons of Israel communicates the same as the firstborn of the flock or the first fruits of the harvest. All of it belongs to God. All of it is his treasured possession and they are redeemed by the grace of God. In this case, however, the family would redeem their firstborn son and they would redeem him with the payment of a ransom, the payment of a price. Look at Leviticus uh chapter 25. There's several texts under the law that expand on this, but in particular Leviticus 25, uh we have the laws concerning uh the kinsman redeemer in the year of Jubilee. Jubilee the Israelites were to keep seven years of Sabbaths as it were 7* 7 49 years and the 50th year would be a year of release. The Jubilee year was a year of release. The principle of redemption or the right of redemption was established in the law because it all ultimately belonged to the Lord. It was the Lord. So it wasn't to be per permanently sold or permanently given away. It was to be redeemed. Look at verse 23. The land, verse 23, the land shall not be sold permanently. God says, for the land is mine. Do you see? For you are strangers and sojourners with me. And in all the land of your possession, you shall grant redemption of the land. The land could be redeemed. It could be its release could be secured by the payment of a price. Verse 25. If one of your brethren becomes poor and has sold some of his possessions, and if his redeeming relative, if his goel, the kinsman redeemer, comes to redeem it, then he may redeem what his brother has sold. Or if the man has no one to redeem it, but he himself becomes able to redeem it, and let him count the years since its sale, and restore the remainder to the man whom to whom he sold it, that he may return to his possession. But if he is not able to have it restored to himself, then what was sold shall remain in the hands of him who bought it until the year of Jubilee, 50th year, and in the Jubilee it shall be released, and he shall be returned to his possession. It's interesting. The Jubilee is in the 50th year at the sound of the trumpet on the day of redemption. It's a beautiful picture of what is ultimately coming for us at the sound of the trumpet, the day of our ultimate the consummation of our salvation. All of this refers to securing release through the payment of a price. If you remember, we see the example of the kinsman redeemer many places in the Old Testament, but one place in particular in the book of Ruth. If you remember that story, we don't have time to get into that now, but if you remember the book of Ruth, you have IMC, Naomi, and their two sons who because of a great famine on the land of Israel, move to Moab. Their sons in Moab marry two Moabitete women, Ruth and Orpa. And then the father-in-law, they leave them uh widowed, without help, in poverty, destitute, no way to care for themselves. So in misery, Naomi calls herself Mara. In misery, Naomi and Ruth uh go back to Bethlehem. That's that terrific uh account of Ruth. I where you go, I will go. Your people will be my people. Your God will be my God. Ruth is uh giving testimony of her faith in the one true and living God of Israel to follow Naomi. So Naomi and Ruth go back to Bethlehem. It's interesting. They go back to Bethlehem. Ruth is found gleaning the fields of Boaz and Na Naomi when Ruth tells Naomi about this Naomi recognizes Boaz as the goel as the kinsman redeemer. She recognizes Boaz as a close relative. Now kinsman redeemer in order to be a kinsman and redeemer there were several conditions. The kinsman and redeemer had to be a close relative. He had to be willing. A kinsman redeemer voluntarily redeemed property and people. He had to be a close relative. He had to be willing and he be had to be able to pay. He had to have them had to have the means to pay the price that was required for the redemption. The commitment was entirely voluntary. And in this case, the commitment involved Ruth as bride. And Boaz would redeem the land of IMC for IMC's sake to further the estate of IMC. He would redeem the people involved. In this case, Naomi and Ruth would pledge to provide for them. And he would redeem the family lineage. In this case, not of Boaz, but of IMC. And it would be the son. He would raise up an heir to IMC who would inherit IMC's estate. This was the work of the kinsman redeemer. Boaz in that role becomes a typological picture of the perfect kinsman redeemer who is our Lord Jesus Christ. Boaz is a typological picture of Jesus Christ. Boaz think with me. Boaz marries Ruth. Together they have a son named Oed. Oed is the grandfather of David, the forefather of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ becomes our close relative by taking our humanity to himself. He becomes our brother. We are in tremendous need destitute. a need that only he as our brother can satisfy. He was able to pay the ransom that was required. He's the only one able to pay the ransom that was required. He was sinless. He is the son of God and he was willing voluntarily gave his life as a ransom for us. When you see the the texts of scripture that that point, for example, to his willingness, to that voluntary, to the voluntary nature of his sacrifice, all of it points back to these kinds of concepts in scripture. I hope that as you read the Bible, as you're reading through that these things will begin to coagulate, if you will. The connections will begin to be made. You'll see these things as you read through the Bible. He voluntarily gave his life as a ransom, the payment of a price to secure our release. And in doing so, he redeemed us. He redeemed us from the curse of the law. He redeemed us for the condemnation due to our sin. He redeemed us from our slavery to sin. He redeemed us from our bondage to death. He freed us from our slavery to the devil. And he made us like Boaz did graciously with Ruth. He made us his own beloved bride. He gave us an inheritance. He's raised us as sons to our heavenly father. He secured our release as our kinsman redeemer. He secured our release by the payment of a price. All those Old Testament examples, all those Old Testament pictures find their fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. He has redeemed us by the payment of a price. In numbers chapter 18, the law the law designates the redemption price of the firstborn son as five shekels of silver. In 1 Peter chapter 1:17, Peter says, "Conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear, knowing that you are not redeemed with corruptible things like silver or gold from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but you are redeemed with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He secured our release by the payment of a price, not five shekels of silver. We are born in bondage under the curse of the law. You were born in sin. The thoughts and intents of your heart only sin continually corrupted, polluted by sin. You're born under the curse of the law. Every time you sin, the curse of the law cries out against you. Cursed, cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. We're born under the curse. We are death row inmates awaiting the execution of a just and righteous righteous sentence. And yet in Galatians 3:13, Paul says, "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law." And what was the price that he paid to secure our release? Having become a curse for us. He's redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us. Chapter 4:4. When the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth his son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. He secured our release by the payment of a price by his perfect obedience to the law, satisfying the law's righteous demands. He met the law's conditions for life on my behalf. in my place, in your place. And by his perfect sacrifice on the tree, delivering up voluntarily his body and death, shedding his own blood, he met the law's demands for my death. He met the law's righteous demand for your death. He did so by taking your curse in mine upon himself, bearing the wrath of God in himself on the tree. And that is so that I could be, you could be anyone who puts their faith in Jesus Christ so that they could be released from their condemnation under the law. They could be taken off death row. We're in bondage under the curse of the law. We're in bondage to sin and death. We are in bondage to the prince of the power of the air. In conclusion, Ephesians chapter 1 vers7 elucidates the price that was paid for our redemption. Ephesians 1:7 says that we have redemption through his blood right in him in Jesus Christ. We have redemption. We have redee release through the payment of a price. And that through his blood, the price that was paid was the shed blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is a metanym figure of speech for his death. The Bible says that the wages due our sin is death. Unapologetically and clearly. The wages due our sin is death. Someone has to die. Someone has to die. Christ has redeemed us by giving his life for us. Someone has to die. And the Lord Jesus Christ died on behalf of those who put their faith and trust in him. He gives his life for us. Why doesn't Paul say that right in the text? Why doesn't Paul say that we are redeemed through his death? Why does Paul specifically say we are redeemed through his blood? Use of the word for blood. In the use of that word, he connects that price that was paid by Jesus Christ to the whole sacrificial system. He connects the fulfillment to its shadow, the fulfillment to its picture. By using the term blood, he connects it to the sacrificial system in Israel. Blood shed in atonement for sins. Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission. Note with me and think with me, brothers and sisters. He did not shed his own blood. He did not die voluntarily, deliver up his body and death. He didn't do that. He didn't pay the price to make us redeemable. Now, make the connections in your head. He didn't pay that price. Did not give his life. did not shed his blood to place us in a redeemable position. He accomplished the work of redemption. The blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, the payment of that price secured redemption for his people. There's not one, it's almost blasphemous to think it's there's not one shred of that work that is not efficacious in accomplishing all that God, the father, the son, and the holy spirit intended through the death of the son. Everything is accomplished. He didn't shed his own blood to make us redeemable. He shed his own blood to redeem us. In other words, there are is actual bondage considered, an actual debt that is owed, and an actual price that is paid and payment for that debt. And the Lord Jesus Christ accomplishes redemption for his people. Hebrews chapter 9 11. Listen. But Christ came as high priest of the good things to come with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands. that is not of this creation, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood. He entered the most holy place once for all, having obtained, not having made possible, not having placed us in a redeemable position, but having obtained our eternal redemption determined by the Father in eternity, accomplished by the Son in history, and applied by the Spirit when he calls us to himself in time. His shed blood in payment of that price accomplished nothing less than the redemption of those who are the objects of his redeeming work. He has set them free through the payment of price. That's why the son can save the father in John chapter 6. All that the father gives me will come to me. The one who comes to me I will in no wise cast out but will raise him up on the last day. That should give us great hope, great consolation, great confidence. That is the work of our triune God. That should inform our worship. That should fuel our worship. The more that we understand those things, the more with Paul, we should say with an informed heart, an informed mind, fervent in spirit, verse three, blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in him. Amen. Pray with me. Father in heaven, we thank you for the redemption that we have in Jesus Christ. We're grateful that in love you sent your son. In love, he voluntarily gave his life. In love, the spirit applies that accomplished work in our own lives, sealing us for the day of redemption. We are grateful, grateful, Lord, for this work of our triune God. And we praise and we worship you for it, Lord. Thank you for the certainty that it is. Thank you for the confidence that that gives us. Thank you for the sure hope that we have in him. Thank you Lord for your help by your spirit uh with understanding these things. I pray God now um please that you would break through the crust of surrounds often surrounds our hearts seems to surround our minds as we are polluted by our own sin unduly concerned with the affairs of this life and you would cause us to fix our gaze on eternal and unseen things in the heavens that we might worship and praise you more as we ought as we consider these things that you by your spirit God would give us a greater capacity for glorifying your great name for exalting the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ in the power of your spirit you would cause this to be the case for your own glory and for the exaltation of your son please Lord help us help us to understand help us to grow in our understanding and help us to apply these things in our life. May they be as frontlets between our eyes and as a sign upon our hand influencing in all ways the way that we think and the way that we act so that our very lives would be a continuous act of worship and that to your everlasting praise. We love you. We are grateful Lord for these things. I pray God, we are weak and we are in our fallen state so darkened by sin and corruption, ignorant, illiterate, even hostile. I pray God you would break through the native hostility, ignorance, illiteracy of anyone here who has not turned from their sin to put their faith and trust in you, Lord. And you would break up the stony ground, their hearts. You would replace their heart of stone with a heart of flesh. You would indwell them with your spirit. you would open blind eyes and unstopps and for the glory of your own name save. We pray this in Jesus name. Amen. >> We're so grateful that you've connected with us through the sermon that you've just heard. For more information, visit us at cornerstoneorlando.org. Or better yet, come and see us on the Lord's Day at 3370 Snow Hill Road in Ovido, Florida. We're just east of Orlando and about 15 minutes from the campus at UCF. It would be a joy to have you worship with us. [singing] >> With my soul, [music] it is [singing] well with my soul. [music]