Rooted In Your Wealth #4

Your Blessings From Jesus

Text: Ephesians 1:7-12

Introduction

Exploring Ephesians & Philippians: An Expository Commentary (a) The Person Involved (1:7a)

There was no other good enough

To pay the price of sin;

He only could unlock the gate

Of heav’n and let us in.

(Cecil F. Alexander)

1) Your Blessing Of Redemption

Redeem = to purchase and set free by paying a price

At that time, Rome had about 60 million slaves.

Treated like furniture.

A slave could be bought and then set free.

What exactly were you set free from?

The law — Galatians 5:1 “1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”

Slavery to sin — Romans 6:6-14.

Power of Satan — Galatians 1:4 “4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:”

Colossians 1:13-14 “13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:”

REALLY…One life was able to separate humanity from all that? HOW???

You can never take a finite being and produce eternal life.

Illustration: It would be like taking cold ashes and trying to produce a flame that would never go out.

Illustration: It would be like trying to take numbers, adding them together and trying to reach infinity.

Jesus was Divinity in humanity.

He gave an INFINITE life.

It is beyond our comprehension because we want to add FINITE things to figure out how the INFINITE works.

Because Jesus gave an infinite life, there is sufficient grace to save all who will repent and believer.

Redemption was made possible because perfection had to leave Heaven and dwell on earth — 1 Peter 1:18-19 “18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:”

2) Your Blessing Of Forgiveness

Can you imagine a God who is just, holy, all powerful and righteous, but NOT LOVING? There would never have been a Calvary!

We must praise Him for HIS GRACE!!!

Forgive = to carry away

OT example: Jewish Day of Atonement when the high priest sent the scapegoat into the wilderness. One goat sacrificed and the other sins were confessed over and lost in the wilderness.

Christ fulfilled this in Himself.

Psalm 103:12 “12 As far as the east is from the west, So far hath he removed our transgressions from us.”

John 1:29 “29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”

When you think of how nasty your sin really is and how uncountable the number of your sins are, no wonder Paul said in Colossians 1:14 “14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:”

(v8) Abounded = showered you

3) Your Blessing Of Revelation

There were things not fully understood in Paul’s day.

“Mystery” = sacred secret, once hidden but now revealed to God’s people.

God has revealed to His inner circle (believers) about how God will one day unite everything in Christ.

Sin has slowly been destroying this world.

THINK…how many times have you said, “This world seems to be falling apart?”

FIRST…man was separated from God (Gen. 3)

SECOND…man was separated from man (Gen 4)

As long as unity is created by man, division will always be a present battle.

All things will be summed up in Christ.

Isaiah 24:21 “21 And it shall come to pass in that day, That the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, And the kings of the earth upon the earth.”

4) Your Blessing Of Inheritance

Is it an amazing thing that God has had your well being in mind from all eternity?

1 Peter 1:4 “4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,”

1 Cor. 2:9 “9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”

His eternal purpose was to bring into existence human beings upon whom He could bestow all the inexhaustible riches of His grace. John Phillips, Exploring Ephesians & Philippians: An Expository Commentary, The John Phillips Commentary Series (Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp., 2009), Eph 1:11.

All that God has in store for those who love Him are beyond your imagination.

Titus 2:13 “13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;”

You can lay down your head tonight, live through the difficulties of the day knowing that God has taken care of your inheritance.

This too is included in your predestination!

No wonder Paul said in verse 12, “That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.”