Salvation

Basic Training 3: Salvation and Redemption Ephesians 1.7-23 Allen R. Hunt Mount Pisgah 3/11/07
I. Kristi wrote me not long ago
Last night when the kids and I were leaving kids’ choir practice, a little girl was walking out with her mom in front of us. She spotted the baptismal pool for what seemed to be the first time. She said with great excitement, "Oh mom, they have a swimming pool at this church, maybe we can come here to swim this summer"...after a moment of second thought she said, "No, I bet it is for Allen Hunt!"
Seems like an appropriate way to begin a message on redemption- you’ll see why

II. Redemption = Slaves were freed by the payment of a ransom
Verses 10 and 22 make that plain – we have been redeemed
Sounds a little odd to us – not language we use a lot – to pay ransom for a slave
But Paul writing to folks – many are or were slaves – ordinary part of 1st century world
All too familiar with the idea – redemption – to be freed by payment of a ransom

Language would have been obvious also to 19th century Americans
Harriet Tubman risked her life 13 times between 1850-1860 to go back into the South to redeem more than 60 slaves – or Harriet Jacobs who hid in the attic of a house for 7 years from 1835-1842 before finally escaping to freedom and helping others to do the same
Redemption all too familiar

But what is less obvious to us today – just how in bondage we are
From moment Adam and Eve made the decision to disobey God, to turn away from Him to try to control their own lives – acting as if they belonged to themselves rather than God
Focused last two weeks on fact we are sinful, we are lost, we are fumbling around in dark
Every single one of us - We are in the dark spiritually

I. The Darkness We’re In (Eph. 2.1-3; Gen. 1-3; Rom. 1.18-32; 3.10-12, 23; 5.17; 7.18-20; Isa. 64.6)
In fact, that is the legacy of Adam and Eve
All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; and like the wind; our sins sweep us away. (Isa 64.6)
No matter how hard we try – there is a part of us that goes awry
1) Your DNA: Dark Heart Disease
Part of you that thinks you belong to yourself, rebels against God, self-rule
That is what it is like to live in darkness

2) Nicodemus and Judas (John 1.4-5; 3.2, 19; 8.12; 12.46)
In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. (John 1.4-5)
Jesus is light sent to shine in the darkness of this world – so no coincidence that when Nicodemus comes to Jesus, he comes at night, in the dark – does not belong to Jesus yet
Now there was a man named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night, and said, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him. In reply, Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth; no one can see the Kingdom of God unless he is born again.” (John 3.1-3)
This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. (John 3.19)
Part of us loves the darkness – love setting ourselves up as head of world and own lives
But there is another way
When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8.12)
I have come into the world as a light so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. (John 12.46)
So notice what happens when Judas betrays Jesus at the last supper table
As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night. (John 13.30)
It was night – i.e., Judas has left the light and returned to the darkness
Left life for death - left salvation for lostness

3) And is it the same with us
There is something in us that loves the darkness – something draws us away from God
We each have deeds we do not want exposed – have darkness in our hearts

Take a tour around the roads of Atlanta with me and group of children
Realize just how sin-FULL our lives and world are
Get on the highway and see large Lotto jackpot - $58M or something like that and I have to explain to kids that in Georgia we cannot find other ways to put kids through college or computers in classrooms that to sell one in a million chances to weakest and poorest among us – so government organizes and endorses addictive, self-destructive behavior – and now folks down in Hancock County among others are considering casinos as way to deal with abject poverty of areas – appeal to greed and sloth – to darkness in us
Keep driving – kids ask why cannot see the skyline of Atlanta on a nice, sunny day – ask about the smog signs – forced to share that our habits of gas and traffic are clogging our own air- I am a bit embarrassed – we are selfish, short-sighted, poor stewards - Pride
As we cross the Chattahoochee, embarrassed to tell kids that it is our main water supply and be careful not to eat fish caught in it because mercury content is high – full of waste and pollution – not only destroying fish and our own water but that of folks below us on river all way to Panhandle – oyster and tourism industries – remembering that we as a nation consume more than 4 times our share of resources – Gluttony
Then see the billboard – “Who’s the Daddy? Call 1800 DNA TEST” – live in a culture where Gwinnett County has paternity day once a month to try to track down men who will not accept responsibility for their own actions – not even sure who our own children are – and keep driving to see the bars and strip joints advertised Café Risque – Lust
And then have to chuckle as I drive – odd sign language between drivers – gestures – how quickly we forget that how we treat others matters to God- Anger
We are slaves – we live in darkness – slaves to our own desires, cravings and passions
We need to be redeemed
Redemption = Slaves were freed by the payment of a ransom

II. The Price He Paid (Eph. 1.7; Matt. 18.23-35)
So if we all need to be redeemed,
1) Why doesn’t God just let everyone off the hook? God is love - but He’s also righteous and just!
We all know God is love But God is also holy, righteous and just
Must hold those two in balance
Something must be done to redeem us
So God chooses Jesus

2) Why can’t we pay it ourselves? The price is way too high!
How could we possibly repay God? How can a slave redeem himself?
One drive around 285 is but a moment in my entire lifetime of realizing just how sin-FULL I am – and how that offends God
But God not willing to leave it there

3) The Cross of Christ: Purchase of God (Eph. 1.10, 22; John 19.30; Titus 2.13-14; 1John 2.1-2; Rev. 5.1-14)
God chooses Jesus – so Jesus comes to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves
On cross, He takes His last breath, utters, “Tetelestai” – it is finished, completed, perfect
Completion of a work – last stroke on a painting, final brick for a home
Signing of a deal – signet ring – tetelestai
Last payment on mortgage – debt – tetelestai
Jesus completes His task – He pays the price, the debt – He redeems us

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense – Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for our sins but also for the sins of the whole world. (1John 2.1-2)
Jesus is it – God’s purchase price – He redeems us from slavery and bondage
And that is why He is praised not merely by us but in the heavens in Revelation 5

III. The Rewards of the Redeemed (Eph. 1.17-19)
So when you move from the darkness into the light, things happen
1) A Fresh Start (Eph. 1.18; 2 Cor. 5.17)
I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you.. (1.18)
Once we were no people, but now we are God’s people
We have hope – we begin again
Born again – fresh start – now as a child of God
2) Incredible Inheritance (Eph. 1.14, 18; Rom. 8.17-18; Gal. 4.7; Col. 1.12)
…the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints…(1.18)
You will join this company of heaven
Look at the blessings of 1.3-14 – every spiritual blessing in Christ, chose us, adopted as sons, redeemed through blood, forgiveness of sins, grace lavished on us, made known mystery of His will, completion of His eternal plan, sealed with Holy Spirit
3) Power to Live Differently (Eph. 1.19; Rom. 12.1-2; Phlp. 2.13)
And His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of His mighty strength. (1.19)
He does not leave you all alone
‘I am with you’ – power of the cross