Thank You Mark and Jake, Sarah for leading us again, we appreciate that. We're continuing our study this morning in the book of Ephesians and we're looking at another tremendous passage concerning the truth of our salvation, who we are, and what we have in Christ.

Last time we looked at the past aspect of salvation, election, God's eternal plan to save those who believe, to call out a people for himself according to his good pleasure for his glory. This morning we're going to look at the present aspect of our salvation, redemption. 

In him we have redemption by his blood, Paul says. This is a profound truth and one that we must clearly understand and continue to remind ourselves of as we study the amazing truth that Jesus has bought us back, that he has paid the price we owed, satisfied the wrath of God in our place in order that we might come back into a right relationship with God our Father and become heirs according to his promise. 

We're also going to see how all of this fits into the eternal plan of God to bring all things to consummation in Christ. The doctrine of redemption is at the very heart of the gospel and that's what we are going to explore together in our text this morning. 

Let's look at Ephesians 1:7. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure which he purposed in himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times he might gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in heaven and which are on earth in him.

I've given you four points on your outline this morning. First, in him. Second, by his blood. Third, according to his good pleasure. And fourth, for his purpose. 

Well first in our text we see in him. There's a tremendous contrast between the religions of this world created by men and the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ found only in biblical Christianity. In Romans 1 we learn that men have suppressed the truth of God, they hold down and cover up God's clear revelation of himself in his creation, and they create their own gods, their own religions fashioned after the creation, after corrupt and sinful men. 

At the center of every one of these false religions is the self-righteousness of man. Every one of these gods created by men has been offended, is separated, is angry at one level or another, and is at odds with man. The essence of religion is some sort of system of works, rites, rituals, service, or acts that appease God, that help us to earn his or their favor. 

And because every religion is based on works and self-righteousness on earning favor, we could say that religion is in me. In other words, it is me. I am working my way to heaven. I am faithfully going to the temple to worship, to offer gifts and sacrifices and money or whatever to appease my gods. Or if we come a little closer to home I could say it is in him plus me. It is Jesus' work plus my work. That appeases God. 

Yes, Jesus died for my sins, I believe that, but I also must keep the Ten Commandments. I must participate in religious rituals and sacraments and do my part in order to earn my way to heaven. Perhaps Jesus gave me a clean slate, he opened the door, but I have to take it from here in order to earn the right to enter God's heaven. 

This is not the truth of our text, this is not the truth of the Bible, of the gospel, of God's grace of redemption in him. Verse 7 says, in him we have redemption through his blood. His blood speaks of his death. Jesus' one-time death on the cross is the means by which the price was paid, the substitutionary atonement was made, God was satisfied and through which we have redemption. 

It is in him and him alone by his death and through his blood that we can be redeemed. It is important that we understand the word translated redemption. The verb means to redeem one by paying the price, to let one go free on receiving the price. The noun means a releasing affected by payment of ransom, deliverance, liberation procured by the payment of a ransom. 

I want to look at three Greek words that explain redemption in the New Testament. First, agorazo, which Mark mentioned this morning, agorazo, ex-agorazo, which was a word used of buying a slave in the market. In 1st Corinthians 6:20, Paul says, for you were bought at a price, therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are God's. 

Revelation 5:9 says, and they sang a new song saying, you are worthy to take the scroll and open its seal for you were slain and have redeemed us to God by your blood. This word redemption, we were bought at a price, we are not our own but we belong to God. The next word is ex-agorazo, it also speaks of buying as a slave, literally it means to buy for oneself, to take as a possession. 

Galatians 3:13 says, Christ has 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, that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. 

By his blood, by his death on the cross, Jesus has bought us, has redeemed us from the curse of the law. In Galatians 4:4 it says, but 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. 

And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying out, Abba, Father. Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. We see here that redemption means full sonship, heirs of God, and co-heirs with Christ. We belong to God, we are not only bond slaves to God, but we are sons and co-heirs, safe and secure, never to be sold again. 

The third word is lutro, to liberate by payment of a ransom. Titus 2:13 says, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for himself his own special people, zealous for good works. 

Jesus redeemed us to liberate us from the controlling power of sin and the fear of death, and empower us in order that we might live holy lives for his glory. First Peter 1:18 says, knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things like silver or gold from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. 

These verses tell us that Jesus has redeemed us with his precious blood by his sacrifice in order to liberate us from senseless religion, from the aimless useless wandering of trying to justify ourselves by traditions and religious works by our own effort. 

He has redeemed us by his one-time death in our place for our sins. I want to take a little trip through Hebrews with you to explore this truth, but we'll begin in Hebrews 7 at verse 26. 

Hebrews 7:26 says, For such a high priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens, who does not need daily as those high priests to offer up sacrifices first for his own sins and then for the people's. For this he did once for all when he offered up himself. 

Look at Hebrews 9 verse 7. Speaking of the temple, it says, but into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people's sins committed in ignorance. The Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing. 

It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered, which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience, concerned only with foods and drinks and various washings and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of Reformation. 

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 eternal redemption. 

For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 

And for this reason he is the mediator of the new covenant by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. 

If you look down to verse 24 with me also, 9:24, for Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands which are copies of the true but into heaven itself now to appear in the presence of God for us. Listen to verse 25. Not that he should offer himself often as the high priest enters the most holy place every year with the blood of another. 

He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world, but now once at the end of the ages he has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself and as it is appointed for men to die once but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. 

To those who eagerly wait for him he will appear a second time apart from sin for salvation. Look at chapter 10, verse 1. For the law having a shadow of the good things to come and not the very image of the things can never with these same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year make those who approach perfect, for then would they have not ceased to be offered. 

For the worshipers once purified would have had no more consciousness of sins, but in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins. 

Now look at verse 8. Previously saying, sacrifice and offering, it's about Jesus coming into the world, God giving him a body. Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings and offerings for sin you did not desire nor had pleasure in them which are offered according to the law. 

Then he said, behold I have come to do your will, O God. He takes away the first, he takes away the law covenant that he may establish the second, the new covenant. By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ how many times? Once. For who? For all. 

And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices which can never take away sins, but this man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till his enemies are made his footstool, verse 14, for by one offering he has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. 

My brothers and sisters, redemption, the price paid that pleases, that satisfies the wrath of God, is solely in him, in Christ, and it is solely through his blood. In him we have redemption through his blood, and as we have said, his blood spilled on the cross represents his death, it is his death that has paid the ransom price for our sins, and it was once for all. 

We do not need a mediating priesthood any longer. In fact, the New Testament says that we who believe Jesus are priests individually, for what is the role of the priest? It is to bring men to God. In the old covenant this was done through sacrifice, animal sacrifice, as a picture of the full and final atonement that would come through the sacrifice of the Lamb of God on the cross, once for all, accomplishing our salvation. 

The blood of bulls and goats could never take away sins, they could never make those who approach perfect, otherwise they would have ceased to have been offered. We now bring men to God through the preaching of the gospel. Peter says we are individually priests of God. 

You see, my friends, Jesus died once, and in that one time death he fully and finally paid the debt for our sins. God was satisfied, his wrath was satisfied, and he testified to this by raising him from the dead. It is finished, it is completed at the cross, and the ultimate blasphemy, as we see in the sacrificial mass with the mediating priesthood today, is to continue to sacrifice him to kill him. 

Him again and again for the propitiation of our sins, to teach that His one-time death was not sufficient, did not fully accomplish our salvation, and thus our works must contribute to, according to their doctrine, what was lacking in the cross of Christ. In me, not in Him, through my works, not by His blood. 

My brothers and sisters, this is the good news of the gospel. Jesus, by His one-time death in my place for my sins, has redeemed me. He has bought me back. He has made me His own and liberated me from slavery to sin and death and hell. Redemption is in Him, and it is through His blood. 

It is through His substitutionary death on the cross, taking the wrath of God that I deserved and making me right with God by means of faith, by imputation of my sins to Him and His righteousness to me. 

I want to look at two passages in relation to this before we leave this essential truth of redemption. First, Ephesians chapter 2, at verse 11. Paul here talking about the body of Christ, that's what this epistle is all about, the body of Christ, the church, and how Jew and Gentile are brought together in one body, reconciled to God. 

Ephesians 2:11 says, Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision by what is called the circumcision made in the flesh by hands, that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ, for He Himself is our peace, who has made both one and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity that is the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. 

And He came and preached peace to you who were far off and to those who were near, for through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. Now therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone in whom the whole building being fitted together grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. 

You see, it was the law, it was the handwriting of requirements that was against us, that condemned us because we were sinners, we were lawbreakers, we were deserving of death. Paul says in 2nd Corinthians 3 that the law is a ministry of death, a ministry of condemnation. The law was given to show us our sin and to lead us to faith in Christ, but after faith has come, we are no longer under the law. 

We have been redeemed from the curse of the law, because cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things to do them according to the law. If you want to earn your way to heaven, all you have to do is be perfect. The law requires perfection. 

We are condemned because we have transgressed the law of God, we have sinned. Jesus redeemed us, He bought us back, He Himself is our peace, and now we have peace with God and we stand in grace. 

Turn over to Romans 3 at verse 19. Romans 3:19, Paul explains this in great detail. Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, why? Why does the law speak? What's the purpose of the law? That every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God. 

Therefore, by the deeds of the law, good works, no flesh, no man will be justified in his sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now, but now, the righteousness of God, how? Apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Old Testament, the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, how is it that we can obtain this righteousness of God? Through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe, for there's no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. 

Where is boasting, then? It's excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. Therefore, we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart, not including the deeds of the law. This is such a vital passage for our understanding. 

In verses 19 and 20, we see affirmed again the truth that the law is given to show us our sin, to shut our mouths, to leave us guilty before God. It is not God's means to justification. Rather, in verse 21, we see the contrast, but now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed. 

How can we be righteous? Jesus said you must be righteous to get into heaven. You must be perfect as my Father in heaven is perfect. How can I be righteous? Only by receiving the righteousness of God apart from works. 

We cannot acquire nor contribute to our righteousness through works or rites or rituals. The fact is we have all sinned and fallen short of God's law, his perfect standard. Therefore, we must be justified by faith, faith alone in Jesus alone and what he accomplished in his one-time death on the cross, his burial, and his resurrection. 

Verse 24 of Romans 3, being justified freely, it's a gift. How? By his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus whom God set forth as a propitiation by his blood. Paul explains clearly again that justification is by grace, a gift through redemption which is in Christ by his blood because God set him forth as a propitiation. 

What a wonderful word this is. It means a full and satisfactory payment of debt. What was the debt that separated us from a holy God? Sin. A sin debt that we owed. And what is the wages of sin? The wages of sin is death, eternal separation from God in the lake of fire. 

My friends, this is what every one of us deserved. Every man born in Adam condemned and destined for hell. And if not for the grace of God and the person and work of Jesus Christ, that is where every man would end up. He set Jesus forth as a payment, a full, complete, satisfactory payment, satisfying fully the wrath of God for my sins and for yours. 

Praise God for his grace. Praise God for his indescribable gift. 

Now I want you to notice something in this text. There's some debate in the Christian world as to the extent of the atonement of Jesus Christ. Is his death, his atonement, limited or is it full, sufficient for every sin of every man? Look at verses 25 to 26 and I want you to watch these words carefully. 

Romans 3:25-26, whom God set forth as a propitiation by his blood through faith. Why? To demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed. To demonstrate at the present time, at the present time of the cross, his righteousness in order that he might be just, punishing all sin and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. 

We have many other texts that tell us about the full nature of Christ's atonement. John 3:16, for God so loved the world. 1 John 2 says Christ died not for our sins only, but the sins of the whole world. That's pretty clear. 

But here in Romans 3 we have a proof text that shows that Jesus' death was for every sin of every man and that salvation is available to every man who will turn from trusting in his own self-righteousness and works and religion and turn to Jesus in faith. Verse 25 tells us that God set Jesus forth as a full satisfactory payment for an express purpose, to demonstrate his righteousness. 

Then he explains exactly what he means, because in his forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed. You see in the Old Testament, men sinned, they lived in sin, and God did not execute them. He did not punish them instantly when they sinned. He passed over those sins. He allowed them to continue to live. 

And so the accusation could be made that God is not holy. God is not righteous. He winks at sin. But here we see that the very purpose for the propitiatory sacrifice was not only the salvation of those who would believe, but the demonstration of God's perfect holiness and righteousness at the cross, to demonstrate at the present time his righteousness. 

If Jesus' death did not pay for the sins of all men of all time, then God's righteousness was not demonstrated at the cross. You see, he would still be passing over the sins of unbelievers, not punishing them until the great white throne several millennia after the cross. 

The text says that God placed Jesus on the cross, set him as a full payment for the express purpose of punishing every sin of every man in order to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, once for all. 

And so I believe we can say rightly, regarding justification and redemption, our topic this morning, that Jesus' sacrifice is sufficient for all, for every man, but only efficient, effective in application by imputation for the one who believes, who places his faith in Jesus alone and what he accomplished at the cross. 

The following text in Romans 4 makes this clear, where he says in 4:1, what did Abraham find according to all this? If Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness. 

Romans 4:4 and 5 are amazing verses. Now to him who works the wages are not counted as grace but as debt, but to him who does not work but believes on him who justifies, who? The ungodly. Who goes to heaven, my friends? Not the good people, because there are no good people. The ones who understand that they are ungodly, the ones who understand that they need a Savior. 

It says his faith is accounted for righteousness, just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works. How many more ways can Paul say it? Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin. 

So we see in our text, in him we see by his blood, his death on the cross, and next we see according to his good pleasure. Ephesians 1:7, in him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace, which he made to abound toward us, lavished on us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure which he purposed in himself. 

If we are to understand these words, what Paul's saying here, we must understand the character and nature of our God. If as we have seen in Romans 3, the purpose of God is to demonstrate his holiness and righteousness at the cross, then as we will see, to bring all things to consummation in Christ, his pleasure, the source of this sacrifice, is his love and compassion, his desire to do what is good for us. Summarized in a word, grace. 

Look back at verse 7 with me, it says, in him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace. Our sins are forgiven because of Jesus' death in our place according to the riches of God's grace. 

The source of blessing to us from God is his love, his grace, and grace is defined as unmerited favor. You get that? Unmerited favor. Mercy is God not giving us what we deserve, but grace is God giving us what we don't deserve. It's unmerited favor. 

How can you validate any religion of man according to the Scriptures when by definition in religion, God's favor is merited? By works and rites and rituals. God's grace, His love, is poured out on us lavishly in Christ. It is His unmerited favor. 

The source of His blessing is His character, His nature, His person, His love, His grace. This desire on God's part is dominated by His good pleasure. Wiest makes this comment. He says, God's good pleasure, therefore, is not an arbitrary whim of a sovereign, but represents that which is the wisdom and love of God would contribute most to the well-being and blessing of the saints. 

The word means will or choice, delight, pleasure, satisfaction. In the case of God, all these are dictated by what is good or well. Thus, the delight, the pleasure, and satisfaction which God has in blessing the saints is found in the fact that what He does for them is dictated by what is good for them. 

Do you believe that? Do you trust that what God does is best for you? Do you believe Him and His word? Vincent says another key word of this epistle, God's grace, as manifested in redemption, is a mystery in virtue of its riches and depth, as the expression of God's very nature. 

The mystery of the redemption in Christ, belonging to the eternal plan of God, could be known to men only through revelation, making known of His will, pertaining to His will. The word will is the translation not of a desire based on reason, follow that? Not on desire based on reason, but a desire based upon the emotions. God's will or desire here comes from His heart of love. Redemption is according to His good pleasure. 

He loves you, and He wants to do what is best for you. That's why He sent Jesus, to redeem you. 

And last we see in our text, it is according to His purpose. Back in 7, according to the riches of His grace, which He made to abound toward us, lavished on us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us, look at this, the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Himself, for the purpose that, in order that, in the dispensation of the fullness of the times, He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, which are on the earth, in Him. 

God has made known to us a mystery. A mystery in the Bible is defined as something that's never before been revealed, but is now made known, okay? So He's telling us about a mystery, that's the emphasis here, the mystery is explained in verse 10, that, in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on the earth, in Him. 

The word that at the beginning of the verse indicates purpose, and the purpose here is that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ. 

My friends, this is a very full and interesting verse, and an important truth, and it takes a bit of unpacking here. In fact, this verse is so deep, once I got into it, I thought I might drown before I got back out. 

The key is in the phrase, gather together, and in the dispensation of the fullness of the time. You're feeling a little sleepy, now's the time to wake up, turn your brain on, because this is profound. The word translated dispensation is made up of two words, oiko, oiko and nomos, right? 

It's a combination of the words house and law. It speaks of administration of a home. It speaks here of an administration by God of a certain period of human history designated as the fullness of the times. The word time is not chronos, which is succession of moments, like we keep track of time. It's kairos, and Trench defines it this way, kairos is the expression of the fullness of the times, it speaks of the critical, epic-making periods foreordained of God, when all that has been slowly and often without observation ripening through long ages is mature and comes to the birth in grand, decisive events which constitute at once the close of one period and the commencement of another. 

It's the end of an age and the beginning of a new age, is what he's talking about. The season or dispensation which will complete the succession of seasons is the messianic kingdom, the millennial kingdom. God will, after this last age comes to a close, gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on the earth in him. 

Now this establishes two threads that run throughout the rest of this epistle. One is the restoration to God through Christ, the things on the earth, and the other is the restoration of the things in the heavens, particularly principalities and powers. 

The words gather together speak of bringing all things together around a certain point. This is ultimately Christ as signified by the words in him, however the idea here is bringing all things back to a former position. 

Think about this with me. What the words are saying is, when everything has ripened in the seasons, the epics of God's eternal plan of salvation, he's going to bring everything back to a former position as it was before, centered around Christ. 

Christ helps us here; he says the compounded preposition anna signifies again, pointing back to a previous condition, listen, where no separation existed. All things, all created beings and things, not limited to intelligent beings, God contemplates a regathering, a restoration to that former condition when all things were in perfect unity and served God's ends. 

The unity was broken by sin. I think Romans 8 is a summary of Paul's thoughts here. Let's go to Romans 8:18. 

Romans 8:18, what he's saying is that redemption is not just for us, redemption is for all things of God's creation. Not redemption in the sense of salvation necessarily, but redemption in bringing back to its position as God intended. 

Romans 8:18 says, for I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 

For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it in hope. The creation fell into futility, was subjected to the curse because of Adam's sin. But God subjected it in hope. 

Verse 21, because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious liberty of the children of God. So we're talking about all things, not just men and angels, but creation itself will be redeemed. 

For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now, and not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. 

For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope, for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. 

The promise, my brothers and sisters, is restoration, is an ending of the curse, is a glorious revealing. What is to come is glory. And all glory is wrapped up in Jesus Christ. All judgment is committed to Jesus Christ. Jesus will destroy, He will judge, and He will recreate. 

This speaks of an end of an age, the beginning of the final state, a new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. 

I'm going to read one more quote from Wiest as we close. He says, the purpose of God, therefore, is with a view to the administration that has to do with the completion of the seasons, His eternal plan. 

At the close of the messianic kingdom, the great white throne judgment will take place at which all lost human beings, fallen angels, and demons will be judged. The material universe, cursed by sin, will be brought back to its pristine state. The saved of the human race will live on in the new earth and the endless eternal ages will begin. 

This is what is meant by an administration of the completion of the seasons. God will accomplish all this restoration work in and through the Lord Jesus and His atoning death on the cross. He is the head, the center, around which God revolves everything He does in relation to sin and salvation. 

Full and final redemption of all things is in Christ. What glorious truths Paul lays before us this morning. Redemption is in Him. Redemption is by His blood. Redemption is according to God's good pleasure and it's for His purpose, His glory. 

It is God that we are redeemed by the precious blood of Christ and we who believe are in Christ. We cannot boast, we boast only in the cross of Christ. Thus all that the future holds in Him, my friends, it holds for us by promise through faith. 

Let's close in prayer. Father, we're so thankful for redemption. We're thankful that the price that had to be paid that You took that on Yourself, that You sent Jesus, holy, innocent, undefiled, perfect Lamb of God to die for us in our place, to take Your wrath for my sins, that I might have Your righteousness through faith in Him. 

Only this way could You remain just, punishing my sin, and justify the one who has faith in Jesus. Thank You for Your grace. Thank You for this gift. Help us to receive it by faith and just to trust You and believe You and know that we have eternal life in Him. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.