The Wonder of Redemption in Christ

ephesians chapter one is the text that we're looking at through the years obviously over 50 years there have been a couple of times when this church went through the book of ephesians but it it is a book that needs to be brought to every new generation of grace church folks and thus we're looking at this book again in 2021 it is a foundational book it's foundational in the sense that we saw last time that it begins with a sovereign election it is foundational in that it lays out the gospel and no uncertain terms thoroughly it is foundational as well that it defines how we live sanctification it gives the structure for the church it informs us about all human relationships marriage family even employment it tells us how to battle against the spiritual powers of hell it does all of that in just a very very brief few chapters so as we go through the book of ephesians the the reality is that this book verse by verse becomes a launching point for explaining a lot of other things in fact you couldn't read the statement he chose us without that forcing you to answer the immediate questions what does that mean you can't read the word predestined or the word adoption without wanting to know what that means and you can't in the text for this morning starting in verse 7 see the word redemption without asking what does that mean and so it's as if the book of ephesians is the the doorway into sound theology sound truth that shapes our lives transforming us now i want you to go back to this wonderful chapter and be reminded of 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 christ we then are responding to that command blessed be the god and father of our lord jesus christ comes across as a sort of a command although it isn't in a formal sense it is a call for all of us to join the apostle in providing worship adoration to the one who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing this is what praise is this is worship worship given to god worship given to christ this is worship because god is worthy because christ is worthy spirit of god is worthy he deserves our joyous adoration he deserves to have blessing pronounced upon his person and work and particularly we bless him for the blessings which he has given to us we can obviously honor the lord for his creation we can honor the lord for his common grace for those things which are short of eternal salvation but that for which we bless his name most is that which has had the most effect on us and that is that he has granted us every spiritual blessing that heaven has in christ blessing is a familiar word to us and there are two words in the greek language that are translated blessing one is macarios and you find it in the beatitudes it's used about 50 times in the new testament you find it in the beatitudes blessed are those who and the beatitudes give you different reasons to define that blessedness but it absolutely it has the idea of being satisfied or being happy it's more subjective the other word is yula ghetto and that is the word used here and it means essentially to endow with an ability to to make someone worthy the first one is subjective to be happy and satisfied this is objective the first one talks about a kind of blessedness which we experience this second word eulego defines a kind of blessing that we receive from god he blesses us and therefore we become blessed god is blessing us with all the blessings that heaven can unload on a sinner through the gospel of jesus christ god is worthy of our blessing him we're not worthy of him blessing us right luke 17 10 says we are unworthy slaves acts 13 46 judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life we do not deserve all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in christ and yet he blesses us with all those spiritual blessings so that in turn we can bless his name worship is our response to such inexhaustible and eternal blessing from birth we are actually cursed we're cursed as to our fallen nature and we're cursed as to our sinful behavior how is it then that we move from the category of the cursed into the category of the blessed how is it that we move from the category of the curse into the category of the blessed without it having anything to do with our worthiness why is it that god blesses us how is it that god blesses us so that we can bless him who is worthy he does it because of grace and we remember don't we down in verse six his blessing to us starting with election as we saw last week is to the praise of the glory of his grace which he freely bestowed on us we didn't earn it we couldn't earn it but god has by grace poured out all the blessings that heaven holds with regard to eternal bliss on people who are unworthy and have done nothing to earn it and therefore all glory and praise goes to him for such grace now the way paul breaks this down in the opening 14 verses which is what we're looking at is in the very obvious past present and future tenses verses four through six defines the blessing in the past the blessing of being chosen before the foundation of the world that's the past blessing that started all the other blessings that's the first and greatest blessing the blessing in the past when we were chosen now today we come to verses 7 through 10 and really move into the present and in the present we have redemption this is the second blessing sometimes you hear people talk about the second blessing this is the true second blessing the first blessing from heaven was divine sovereign election we were chosen by god for salvation and eternal glory before the foundation of the world the second blessing is redemption let me read these verses to you seven to ten in him we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of his grace again it's grace that provided election and its grace that provides redemption which he lavished on us in all wisdom and insight he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his kind intention which he purposed in him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times that is the summing up of all things in christ things in the heavens and things on the earth in him there is so much there [Music] so much just the fact that verse 10 says summing up of all things in christ that is vast that is almost incomprehensible up all things in christ but that's the nature of these truths in the opening chapter of ephesians the first one the doctrine of the election you remember last week took us all over the bible to demonstrate the fact that this is consistent with how god works and god is god and that's what defines god as god he's in charge he makes the choices redemption is equally a vastly revealed truth on the pages of holy scripture as we'll see this morning in verses 7 to 10 and then verses 11 to 14 which end this opening section looks to the future glorification so categorically salvation blessings come in three tenses in the past election in the present redemption in the future glorification those three sum up everything and everything is summed up in christ so when we talk about being blessed with spiritual blessings we're sweeping from eternity to eternity through time our blessings are that vast that comprehensive and that is all the blessings there can possibly be all that is truly spiritual righteously so all that is truly heavenly all that can possibly be granted by god from eternity to eternity passing through time is given to us in christ so when you say that you are in christ or you're a christian this is not some part of your life this is your existence this is the most defining thing about you and if it is not the most defining thing about you then there's reason to think that you may think you're a christian but not be one now paul is not focusing on the subjective of being happy and satisfied like the beatitudes say he's focusing on the objective not what we experience but what god has endowed us with to make our lives everything god wants them to be these are endowments these are gifts from heaven that lead to our ultimate glory and the eternal fulfillment of god's plan if you are a believer you're in the middle portion of this eternity to eternity work of god you are in the process of experiencing redemption which will lead to glorification we have been chosen and then we have verse 7 redemption now let me talk about redemption [Music] starting at a rather broad level all religions exist for the purpose of some kind of redemption all religions that is the selling point of religion religion assumes that you're afraid of some deity and religion offers you some means to get on his good side or get on their good side in the case of many gods the the whole purpose of religion is to conscript your life in such a way that is intended to pacify deity to to make a way for you to go from disfavor to favor with the deity to get you out from under his hostility out from under his judgment out from under his anger his wrath even move him from indifference to some level of interest so all religions assume deity and they assume that you are bound to this deity in the sense that he's either going to treat you favorably in life and death or he's not and religion is simply a mechanism not just humanly devised although humans are involved in devising it but satanically devised to make you think that whatever deity you are worshiping can be pacified by your own good deeds all religions assume a deity is to be feared all religions assume a deity who is offended if not personally nonetheless offended in some way then you have to be reconciled in some way you have to be redeemed from your status as one who is under judgment so reconciliation or redemption is the essence of religion all religion universally in all religions the one who has offended the deity must find a way to be redeemed to be reconciled to avoid the deity's anger universally in all religions the offending center must by his own efforts make an acceptable atonement to earn the merit that cancels sin removes the fence and the guilt and brings redemption and i'm building on that one sentence at a time universally then in all religions the merit that earns redemption is done by the sinner the offender by good works moral action by religious rituals by restitution reparations self-abasement sacrifice whatever it is whether it's moral or ceremonial it falls to the offender to find a way to turn the hostility of the deity to favor if you're a muslim and you're a serious muslim in the middle east you probably have been convinced that one certain way to do that is to kill infidels anything short of that will not give you the sense that you have earned his favor that's how all the religions of the world are basically structured you can change the names but that's how they're structured christianity on the other hand the only true religion from the only true god says this the sinner can do nothing to redeem himself the sinner can do nothing to change his status the sinner can do nothing to move him from the anger and wrath and judgment of god into the favor of god no matter what he does even his righteousness says isaiah is filthy rags and furthermore jesus affirmed the inability of the offender to change his status because he said the standard is perfection jesus said in the sermon on the mount be perfect as your father in heaven is perfect you want to change your status with the true god be perfect well that's not possible no amount of good deeds no amount of good works no amount of moral action no amount of religious rituals restitution reparation sacrifice self-humiliation none of it or all of it combined together can provide merit that earns you favor with god reality is go back in history to the reformation that is what caused martin luther to go back to the word of god and find that salvation was by grace through faith because he was tortured by his inability to satisfy his own soul and quiet his own conscience and he realized that he could do nothing to change his wretchedness before god god's standard of perfect righteousness and man's total unrighteousness eliminates any possibility of redemption by merit just for a glimpse of that look at chapter two of ephesians and we'll get into this in detail obviously you were dead in your trespasses and sins that's the problem you don't have any capacity to change anything because you're dead there's no power in a dead person you were dead you were functioning according to the course of this world according to the prince of the power of the air the spirit now working in the sons of disobedience you were basically energized and driven by satan himself you lived verse 3 says in the lusts of the flesh indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind and where by nature the children of wrath all of this led to the fact that you are a child of wrath which is to say wrath was going to be your destiny but verse 4 god being rich in mercy because of his great love with which he loved us even when we were dead in our transgressions made us alive together with christ only one way that could happen by grace you have been saved not by works and that's what it says verses 8 and 9 for by grace you have been saved through faith that not of yourselves it is the gift of god not as a result of work so that no one may boast we are his workmanship created in christ jesus for good works which god prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them god elected us and god redeemed us and he redeemed us and in that redemption was regeneration which now gave us the capacity to do things that please god we don't receive our salvation because we do things that please god we can't do them before we've been redeemed but afterwards we have been redeemed unto good works so redemption reconciliation like election comes from god to the sinner salvation is a work of god not a work of man god provided the atonement that redeems god chose who he would redeem and then god provided the atoning sacrifice by which that redemption would be applied to those he had chosen that's why verse 7 says we have redemption we don't earn it we don't earn it we have it because he lavished it on us he lavished it on us election and redemption then are the work of god for the praise verse 6 of the glory of his grace his glory only touches sinners by his grace without grace we never possibly could see the glory of god the only way we would ever be able to see the glory of god would be by grace not by works i know this is basic but it's so refreshing to hear it again because it's the reason for our worship isn't it because of this grace listen to romans 5 17 for if by the transgression of one that is the sin of adam death reigned through the one in other words the whole human race died when adam sinned much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the one jesus christ so through jesus christ those who were condemned by the sin of adam received the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness the next verse he says so then as through one adam and his transgression there resulted condemnation to all men even so through one act of righteousness that is the act of righteousness done by the lord jesus christ himself the result of justification of life to all men that's a staggering statement now we know the impact that one man can have on the whole human race adam sinned in the whole human race catapulted into corruption but the other is also true one righteous life one righteous sacrifice results in justification of life to all men through one man's disobedience the many were made sinners through the obedience of the one christ the many will be made righteous the law came in so that the transgression would increase that's all the law can do is show us our sin but where sin increased grace abounded all the more so that as sin reigned in death even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through jesus christ our lord this is unmistakable salvation is by grace and not by works and that grace was made possible by the substitutionary death of christ who took our place and received our punishment so peter says in first peter 1 verse 18 you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your feudal or empty way of life inherited from your fathers you were redeemed rather with precious blood as of a lamb unblemished and spotless the blood of christ then in chapter 2 of first peter verse 24 he bore our sins in his body on the cross so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness just to make that point very clear to all of you false religion demands the sinner earn back a right standing with the deity that is all false religion that is why we say there is only one true religion one true god one true savior and one true gospel in hebrews 9 15 he is that is christ the mediator of a new covenant so that since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance the elect will receive glorification the in eternal inheritance because of the redemption the death that covered all their transgressions eternally by the way we will remember this this is what heaven will be focused on we are going to be in heaven doing essentially what we did this morning singing about amazing grace singing about the salvation given us in christ so redemption then i'm just trying to give you the big picture is the work of god by which he himself offers his son as a ransom price for sin which has outraged his holiness and since he chose the sacrifice he chose the satisfactory atonement when christ died the father was satisfied and the payment was made in full and that payment redeemed all who belong to god back in leviticus 25 interesting portion of god's laying out the law when an israelite became so poor that he had nothing left to do but sell himself into some form of slavery the law of god made provision for his family to redeem him redeem him out of bondage by paying a price similarly all of us are in bondage to sin we are bankrupt and christ has paid the price to redeem us that's why mark 10 45 says he gave his life a ransom for many now people often ask to whom was the ransom paid to whom was the redemption price paid and there have been number of suggestions i think it's pretty obvious the ransom was paid to god god was the offended one right god is the one who demanded the payment god is the one who chose christ god is the one who predetermined that he would die according to the book of acts god chose the means of atonement god chose the agent of atonement his son god chose the extent of atonement the leveling of all judgment against all who would ever believe in all their sins in the substitute the one who started the necessity for redemption is god because it was god who cursed humanity go back to deuteronomy 27 and read all the curses curses curse after curse after curse laid on the people by god himself it is god who is the judge it is god who is the executioner it is god who destroys both soul and body in hell it is god who has to be satisfied it is god who chooses the means of atonement in the agent of atonement this is the work of god we have literally been bought back from a curse that's what we're promised isn't it that christ was made a curse for us god cursed christ in order that he might remove us from the curse in colossians chapter 2 many verses coming to my mind but we read in chapter 2 verse 12 having been buried with him in baptism in which you were also raised up with him through faith in the working of god who raised him from the dead when you were dead in your transgressions and the circumcision of your flesh he made you alive together with him having forgiven us all our transgressions having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us which was hostile to us and he has taken it out of the way having nailed it to the cross magnificent language having nailed it to the cross paul's wonderful words in galatians 3 10 for as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse for it is written and this is from god right out of deuteronomy 27 cursed is everyone who doesn't abide by all things written in the book of the law to perform them you're cursed if you don't keep the law perfectly now that no one is justified by the law before god is evident for the righteous man shall live by faith if you could be justified by law you wouldn't have to live by faith to be justified however the law is not of faith on the contrary he who practices them shall live by them christ redeemed us from the curse of the law having become a curse for us for it is written cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree christ became the curse for us our condition is so profound that in john 8 34 we are identified as slave of sin romans 6 17 slaves of sin again romans 7 14 in bondage under sin romans 8 21 slaves to corruption and in this condition we can do nothing to please god only god can determine an atonement that is satisfactory titus 2 13 looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great god and savior jesus christ then verse 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed and to purify for himself a people for his own possession zealous for good works christ jesus gave himself to redeem us to pay to the father the price the father required to redeem us from every lawless deed every sin every sin and purify for himself a people for his own possession i love that phrase people for his own possession we belong to him we were love gifts to the father given to him but we never would have been able to be received by him if he hadn't paid the price of our redemption that's absolutely foundational to any understanding of christianity in the understanding of the gospel listen to what it says in hebrews 2 10. it was fitting for him speaking of christ for whom are all things and through whom are all things in bringing many sons to glory to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings for both he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one father for which reason he is not ashamed to call them brethren so how did we go from being hated by god the enemies of god to being the brothers of christ how is that possible it's only possible if someone comes and takes our place verse 14 says that christ partook of flesh and blood became like us that through death he might render powerless him who had the power of death that is the devil and free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives he freed us he redeemed us this is repeated many places in the new testament i've just given you some samples so we say the death of christ was a substitution and it was that means he took our place the death of christ was a propitiation that means the satisfaction it was satisfactory to the father and that's why the father raised him from the dead it was a reconciliation it brought us back to the father as adopted children it was a redemption we were bought back from bondage in sin and it was a domination i don't hear the word domination used nearly enough in speaking about the death of christ but the death of christ was the domination over all sin all the forces of evil it delivered us put us in a position where god doesn't account for our sins at all they were paid for in christ so the work of redemption comes to those who were chosen we saw that last week in john 6 and john 17 the father gives the elect to the son the son provides the redemption price to receive them and make them his own possession just expanding on that a little bit so you're clear the old covenant could only condemn that's what the law does it only condemns and all the blood sacrifices didn't change that all the blood sacrifices going on throughout the whole history of israel all the way up to the death of christ could never bring redemption never bring forgiveness never bring satisfaction they couldn't propitiate they couldn't substitute they couldn't dominate they couldn't reconcile they couldn't redeem and they couldn't provide adoption but the new covenant in my blood as jesus spoke of it in luke 22 20 takes away sin and this is where god's grace is put on display father planned our salvation the son purchased our salvation and the holy spirit applies our salvation we are redeemed by grace confirming our election and our redemption and our glorification now let's go back to ephesians chapter one and just look a little closer speaking of closer i better get the clock over there ephesians chapter one and we've already covered so much but there's something left that i want to get to but let me just point out some things we find here first of all the redeemer and well just to come with a comment or two the redeemer into verse six in the beloved in him we have redemption the redeemer is the beloved the redeemer is him the lord jesus christ the one beloved of the father the one of whom the father said at his baptism and his transfiguration this is my beloved son this is my beloved son whom i'm well pleased this is my beloved son listen to him so the father's beloved son beloved because he was eternally loved because he's eternally god because he's eternally perfect he is the one the father loves this is the redeemer there is no other redeemer only that redeemer who are the redeemed the redeemer we know is christ but who are the redeemed that's pretty clear if you just go back to verse 3 and see how many times you see us the pronoun verse 3 verse 4. see how many times you see we coming all the way down again us we us we clearly this refers to those whom he chose he chose us so who are the redeemed the redeemed are the chosen christ actually died it provided a sacrifice a substitutionary atonement a true atonement a real atonement and accomplished atonement for the elect first corinthians 3 21-23 says all things belong to you things present things to come all things belong to you and you belong to christ and christ belongs to god you're the redeemed so election to adoption to redemption loved by the father loved in the son now what was the redemption price we've already said it but let's look again at the text through his blood through his blood simply referring to his death i won't take time to explore that it's it's obvious hebrews 9 22 without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness so through his blood is a metonym for death it doesn't mean there was anything about the fluid that's saved it was in his death basically referred to by referring to blood romans 3 23 for example says for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of god being justified as a gift by his grace through the redemption which is in christ jesus whom god displayed publicly as a propitiation in his blood or in his sacrificial death the redeemer is the beloved the redeemed are the elect and the means of redemption is the sacrifice of christ so through his death the son purchased the redemption of god's elect to bring them to holiness to sonship and to his presence forever so that they would be god's own possession which is used down in verse 14. now i want to talk for just a few moments about the redemptive results the redemptive results verse 7 again the forgiveness of our trespasses okay we know about that we've talked a lot about that jesus at the last supper matthew 26 28 when he was going to show them to [Music] commit their regular attention to the cross by the cup and the bread said about the cup this is my blood of the covenant which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sin so we know that that's the first great reality the old testament even speaks of god's forgiveness psalm 103 says he forgives as far as the east is from the west isaiah 44 says he forgives so that sin is obliterated as if it was hidden in a thick cloud or heavy mist jeremiah 31 says god remembers your sins no more micah 7 says it's cast into the depths of the sea god's forgiveness is complete and full forgiveness acts 13 38-39 through him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you and that in him everyone who believes is justified from all things which you could not be justified from through the law of moses you can't be right with god by works but as ephesians 4 32 says god in christ has forgiven you romans 8 1 there's therefore now no condemnation from god to those who are in christ just a reminder that it's unpopular for sure maybe the most unpopular thing of all in this world unpopular and unacceptable to tell people that they are condemned sinners on their way to eternal hell unless they turn to christ in repentance and faith or receive god's forgiveness you would think that would be a wonderful message unless you realize that sinners protect their sense of goodness and don't like to admit their true condition but we can't receive the gift of salvation if we don't understand how desperately we need it the love of god then causes us to be chosen the love of christ then causes us to be redeemed by his sacrifice all of this go back to verse seven according to the riches of his grace as we read a moment ago in romans 5 20 where sin abounded grace did much more abound this is rich grace which according to verse 8 he lavished on us he lavished it acts 4 calls it great grace second corinthians 4 talks about it as a spreading grace but there's a second benefit and this is how i want to wrap this up and this should be obvious but not only have we received the forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of his grace which he lavished on us but in all wisdom and insight verse 8 then verse 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his kind intention which he purposed in him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times that is the summing up of all things in christ things in the heavens and things on the earth in him what is that well it's pretty obvious it starts with here's the second benefit he lavished on us not only the forgiveness of sin but verse 8 all wisdom and insight all wisdom and insight these go together because we really wouldn't be able to receive the forgiveness of sins if we didn't have the wisdom and insight into the revelation of god that reveals to us the truth of the saving gospel the forgiveness of sins is only available to those who understand that that is what the scripture offers that is the gospel in chapter 3 verse 8 of ephesians paul says to me the very least of all saints this grace was given to preach to the gentiles the unfathomable riches of christ and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in god who created all things so that the manifold wisdom of god might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in heavenly places paul says look god gave me the message of the unfathomable riches of christ so that they could be brought to light so that the manifest wisdom manifold wisdom of god might be known in the church and through the church so there's simply this simple idea god gave a revelation to paul and paul passed that revelation on and it was received by those who had been given the capacity to understand it the natural man understands not the things of god paul says to the corinthians but redemption granted to you and to me all wisdom and insight that is a very unqualified statement all wisdom and insight you remember back in matthew 11 25 jesus talking to his disciples none of whom were part of the religious elite and he said to them to the father with regard to them i praise you father lord of heaven and earth that you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and you reveal them unto babes divine revelation doesn't come to those who are intelligent paul says in first corinthians chapter 1 that the wise have no access to divine truth but we do what is mystery to everyone else is clear to us listen to first corinthians 2 6 we do speak wisdom among those who are mature a wisdom however not of this age nor of the rulers of this age who are passing away but we speak god's wisdom in a mystery it's still a mystery to them the hidden wisdom which god predestined before the ages to our glory the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood nobody gets it but god revealed it to us through his spirit first john john says we have an anointing from god teaches us all things so we are not only blessed to have the forgiveness of sins but to go along with that we have the ability to understand all wisdom and all insight into divine revelation that's why paul says in first corinthians 1 30 christ has become to us wisdom from god we know christ and in him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden from the world but revealed to us god has blessed us with every spiritual blessing chosen us adopted us redeemed us lavished us with forgiveness and now we have been given wisdom and insight to grasp and believe the full story of the gospel and all that has been revealed from heaven in holy scripture not only do we have the knowledge deep knowledge of the saving gospel but there's more look at verses 9 and 10 just for a moment he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his kind intention which he purposed in him with a view to the administration suitable to the fullness of the times that is summing up of all things in christ things in the heavens and things in the earth in him you know what that is that's the future he's made known to us the mystery of his will in matthew 13 11 jesus said to his disciples for you have been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven paul says in first corinthians 4 1 we are stewards of the mysteries of god paul talks to timothy about the mystery of the faith and in the end of the book of romans chapter 16 verse 25 now to him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of jesus christ according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past but is now manifested and by the scriptures of the prophets according to the commandment of the eternal god has been made known to all the nations leading to obedience of faith to the only wise god through jesus christ be the glory forever amen he bursts into doxology when he contemplates the fact that not only have we been given understanding of the gospel but we have been given understanding of all that is made manifest in the scriptures of the prophets and the scriptures of the prophets could be an allusion to the old testament prophets but more likely he's talking about the new testament prophets the lord ephesians 4 gave to the church apostles and prophets preachers of the new testament the mystery this would embrace if you go back to ephesians 1 this is very important this would embrace the end the end how do you know that because he's referring to the fullness of times the fullness of the times the end of everything the summing up of all things things that relate to heaven and earth so why did we get this revelation about the future why do we have this marvelous revelation which we can comprehend about how everything's going to end about the fullness of times about the summing up of everything in the heavens and on earth why did he give us that two reasons i think number one to honor his son so that we might see the true glory of his son and secondly to give us hope we need it don't we the revelation of the end eschatology part of the treasures of wisdom and knowledge the administration suitable to the fullness of time simply means the end of everything the completion the consummation of all redemptive history and what do we know about all redemptive history it's going to all wrap up in christ all of it is going to wrap up in christ colossians 1 verse 15. he is the image of the invisible god the protagonist the premier one of all creation for by him all things were created both in the heavens and on earth visible and invisible whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities all things have been created through him and for him so he's the beginning of everything he created everything he's before all things in him all things hold together he is the one who created everything he's the one who sustains everything he is the head of the body of the church he is the beginning the firstborn from the dead so that he himself will come to have first place in everything it was the father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in him and then in verse 20 and through him to reconcile all things to himself not just all people not all the elect but all things having made peace of the blood of his cross through him i say whether things on earth or things in heaven everything is going to resolve into christ he created it all he sustains it all it all finds its resolution in him this is where history is going this is where history is going wish i had more time one more passage first corinthians 15 22 for as in adam all die so in christ all will be made alive but each in his own order christ the firstfruits after those who are christ that is coming then comes the end when he hands over the kingdom to the god and father when he is abolished all rule and all authority and all power for he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet and the last enemy that will be abolished is death he has put all things in subjection under his feet and when he says all things are put in subjection it is evident that he's accepted who put all things in subjection to him when all things are subjected to him then the son himself will also be subjected to the one who subjected all things to him so that god may be all in all just mind-boggling everything resolves in christ and when christ has taken control of absolutely everything he hands it back to the father salvation is summed up in christ sin and death are gathered up and destroyed in christ the old testament law is summed up in christ the old testament prophecies are summed up in christ the old testament ceremonies are summed up in christ the old testament kingdom promises and blessings are summed up in christ rule over all angelic beings whether they are holy or unholy is summed up in christ the future of the material creation is summed up in christ who will redo the earth for his millennial kingdom and then it goes out of existence and he creates a new heaven and a new earth all judgment is summed up in christ all eternal glory is summed up in christ christ is everything everything that is why in verse 15 of ephesians 1 paul prays the prayer we're going to look at next time i i pray for you verse 17 the god of our lord jesus christ the father of glory may give to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him i pray the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you will know what the hope of his calling is and the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints i want you to know what's coming in the future i want you to know a biblical eschatology you get a glimpse of it in revelation don't you where they're all worshiping the lamb in chapter five and celebrating his redemption and again in chapter 7 of revelation again in chapter 11 then he comes with a blood spattered garment in chapter 19 to set up his kingdom and then he creates a new heaven and a new earth and he's the light of that heavenly city colossians 3 11 says christ is all and in all christ is everything everything everything is summed up such a statement summed up in him all the way through to the new heavens and the new earth he is coming he's coming to judge the ungodly he's coming first to gather his church he'll bring them back in judgment judgment will fill the earth for a period of time and then he will return with his saints to establish his millennial kingdom revelation 20. after a thousand years he will destroy the rebels that remain and create a new heaven and a new earth christ is everything he's everything father we thank you for the wonder of redemption we know you're going to redeem not only your elect but you're going to redeem the earth you're going to redeem the sky you're going to restore a kind of eden-like environment in your kingdom on earth and then you're going to wipe out this sin stained creation and create a new heaven and a new earth you created the original one you sustained the one that exists you will be the instrument of its demolishing during the time of tribulation you will restore it in the kingdom where you will reign and there will be no other king in this world you will be everything until you create a new heaven and a new earth and you will be the light of that eternal place this is the blessing of redemption we even hear that we will have redeemed bodies romans 8 23. so we are in the process of that redemption now we have been redeemed from our sins and death and judgment we will be redeemed we will be rescued from even the presence of sin in your glorious heaven of heavens with a new body a redeemed body like your resurrection body we will reign with you on this earth as your redeemed people and the final redemption will come when this entire universe goes out of existence and you create a new heaven and a new earth where there is righteousness peace and eternal joy you are everything you created when there was nothing you have sustained it you will bring it to its end all judgment belongs to you all salvation belongs to you [Music] and then you will create that everlasting kingdom of righteousness we are amazed at the grace that has allowed us to touch your glory the glory of forgiveness and the glory of divine revelation and so that we might glorify you we have been given the account of the future so that we can glorify you for what is yet to come and so that we can live in hope hope that purifies and gives us joy even in the face of suffering and as we look next time to that future and the eternal inheritance that awaits us may it always be that we are drawn to worship and to bless your name because you're worthy and we're grateful that we who aren't worthy have been so blessed i asked lord that you would do a work in every heart here that pleases you fulfills your purpose in christ's name amen you

Channel: Grace to You

Views: 114,380

Rating: 4.8854165 out of 5

Keywords: John MacArthur, Bible, Preaching, Christianity, Expository, Exposition, Sermon, Jesus, Christ, Grace to You, doctrine of redemption, the eternal plan of god, the eternal plan of redemption, chosen in christ

Id: Hs-uPTS71PM

Length: 62min 23sec (3743 seconds)

Published: Wed Apr 21 2021