God's Will, Part 14
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Ephesians 1:7-8 .
7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,
8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight
What are we redeemed from?
We are redeemed from the domain of darkness. Colossians 1:13-14.
13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,
14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
God’s will is to redeem.
What is being referenced with the phrase “through his blood”?
It is in reference to his sacrifice on the cross. Hebrews 9:24-28 explains it well.
24 For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.
25 Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own,
26 for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,
28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.
How are our trespasses forgiven?
They are forgiven through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.
God’s will is forgiveness through the sacrifice of Jesus.
What was God’s motivation to do all of this?
God is motivated by his lavish grace, guided by wisdom and insight.
Ephesians 1:9-10.
9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ
10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
What is the mystery of God’s will?
It is that he would save the world through the sacrifice of his beloved Son (John 3:16).
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
By whose design was Jesus offered as sacrifice for the sins of the world?
By God’s purposes this happened, though the enemy thought he was working toward his own schemes, as 1 Corinthians 2:7-8 makes clear.
7 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory.
8 None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
Who is at the center of the Trinity’s plan for all of creation?
Who is at the center of the Trinity’s plan for you?
Jesus is at the center, with all redemption working through him, bringing about unity in everything, including us.
What are we waiting for?
We are waiting for the fulness of time.
What does that waiting look like?
2 Corinthians 5 gives us the answer, especially verses 14-20.
14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died;
15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
So let us be his ambassadors as we wait for the Trinity’s will to unify all in Jesus in the fullness of time.