Lesson 47: The Church Purchased with His Blood

Scripture Reading: Acts 20:28

Acts 20:28 NASB95

“Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.

Introduction

God brought the construction of Zerubbabel’s temple and the city walls to completion. In the Old Testament era, God worked through the temple and the city walls; now in the New Testament era, the work of redemption proceeded through the church.

If that is the case, then what is the essence of the church that God uses for the movement of redemption that does not cease? In speaking about the essence of the church, Apostle Paul states in Acts 20:28

Acts 20:28 NASB95

“Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.

In this lesson, we will be examining the church that God purchased with His own blood.

1The church that God purchased

(1) The master of the church is God

Because God purchased the church, He is the master of the church. The original text emphasizes, “The church of God.” (ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ ⸀θεοῦ) and manifests precisely that the church is God’s possession.

Jesus Christ is the one that purchased the church by shedding His blood on the cross, however, when it says that God purchased the church, it manifests the divinity of Jesus showing that He is God.

Colossians 2:9 ESV

For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,

Romans 9:5 describes Jesus Christ as “who is over all, God blessed forever” while Titus 2:13 states, “our great God and Savior.

Romans 9:5 ESV

To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.

Titus 2:13 ESV

waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,

(2) Purchased for Himself

The word “purchased” in Acts 20:28 in Greek is peripoieo used in the middle voice which means “to meet,” “to gain,” or “to possess” and is used to show God’s active interest in purchasing the church for Himself.

The church was purchased with blood

(1) Blood signifies life

The fundamental foundation of the church is the blood of Jesus Christ. In the Bible it says that the blood is equal to life. The first half of Leviticus 17:11 states

Leviticus 17:11 ESV

For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life.

Leviticus 17:14 ESV

For the life of every creature is its blood: its blood is its life. Therefore I have said to the people of Israel, You shall not eat the blood of any creature, for the life of every creature is its blood. Whoever eats it shall be cut off.

Jesus shedding His blood to purchase the church means that Jesus gave His life on the cross as a price for purchasing the church.

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 ESV

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

(2) Jesus’ blood is the blood of the covenant

Jesus’ blood is the blood of the eternal covenant. The seven words that Jesus proclaimed one by one as He shed all His blood on the cross was the perpetual sermon of the blood, the apex of His great sacrifice, and the essence of the eternal covenant.

So only the church which has deeply rooted itself in the word of the eternal coveannt established by the blood of the cross is worthy to be called “the church which He purchased with His own blood.”

The movemant of God’s redemption manifested itself in the world through the church which was purchased by Jesus’ blood. Therefore, no matter what interference from Satan or man’s unbelief the work of redemption will continue until the end of history until it is finally fulfilled.

3. The church that is shepherded

The second half of Acts 20:28 states, “to shepherd the church.”

Acts 20:28 NASB95

“Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.

Here, “to shepherd” is not βόσκω (bosko), which is the Greek word generally used to indicate a shepherd tending a flock to graze; instead, it uses ποιμαίνω (poimaino). Poimaino has a more active meaning than bosko and refers to the shepherd’s mission of taking care of and looking after everything for the sheep.

The Lord has entrusted His sheep to those who oversee the church. Therefore, they must make sure the sheep are not lacking anything by leading them to green pastures and quiet waters and restoring their souls, giving comfort with the rod and staff, anointing them with oil, and being with the sheep in every way (Ps. 23)

A true shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. Jesus is the true shepherd and the true overseers of souls, who practiced true poimaino: He is the only One that leads us to green pastures and guides us to still waters, protecting us with His rod and staff.

Apply

Share with each other if there ever was a situation where you have seen man acting as the master of the church and not God (Eph. 1:22)

Ephesians 1:22 ESV

And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,