July 3, 2011

Have you ever felt tired of life? Have you ever said, I’m tired of living? I imagine that all of us have said this or its equivalent at some point. But is it really life that we’re tired of? I mean, it seems to me that it’s the lack of life that we’re tired of. It’s the sub-par life that we’re tired of.

When do you feel most alive? I feel most alive when I’m having a good time with family and friends. I feel most alive when I’m playing hockey. In other words I’m engaged in something in which I’m totally involved and not so self aware.

Last week we began looking at Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. In that message, I felt as if I backed up the truck and dumped the whole load at once. There is just so much that can be said about these opening verses in Ephesians. But in these opening verses we find the source of fullness of life and it has everything to do with Jesus Christ. This morning I want to focus on one thought. Fullness of life is found in Jesus Christ

 

I. JESUS IS OUR REDEEMER. Eph.1:7-8

When we read v.3-14 we are struck by the emphasis on praising God. Specifically we are praising God for his mercy and grace. Do you ever have moments when you are caught up in the wonder of God and his Son, Jesus? Are you ever amazed at God’s goodness to you? That’s worship! We also note that everything in these verses takes place in Christ. All that God does is accomplished in or by Christ.

In v.7-8 we learn that redemption comes through Jesus Christ. Now what exactly is redemption? The idea behind redemption is, “purchasing or buying back some item or person that would otherwise be lost, taken prisoner, or destroyed,” (Snodgrass). If you take your watch to a pawnshop to get some quick cash, the only way you can get the watch back is to redeem it. You will have to buy it back from the pawn broker. There are many young girls sold into sex slavery throughout the world. A number of organizations have a ministry of redeeming those girls out of this kind of slavery. Money is paid to buy the girls’ freedom.

Now in 2Sam.7:23 we read, “And who is like your people Israel�“the one nation on earth that God went out to redeem as a people for himself, and to make a name for himself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations and their gods from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt?” God exerted himself in behalf of Israel and rescued Israel from slavery in Egypt. When Paul writes that we have redemption in Christ he means that we have been bought out of slavery to sin. What price was paid? The price was paid with the blood, or death of Jesus. Jesus gave his life for us.

Sometimes people have wondered, “Well, who is the price paid to?” At times it’s been suggested that the price was paid to Satan, since we were in slavery to Satan. Or maybe it was paid to God, since God is the Judge and since the penalty for sin is death. But this makes the metaphor work too hard. The point is that in order for us to be released from bondage to sin Jesus had to die, bearing the penalty of our sin. He gave his life to redeem our lives.

What does redemption accomplish in us? Well, Paul says, that redemption brings the forgiveness of sins. God no longer holds our sins against us. Now I often think that over the years, the concept of sin has lost its bite. For one thing, most of us don’t feel that we are sinners. We don’t see ourselves as being all that bad. We don’t think that we’re bad enough for God to actually send us to Hell. What we must understand is that God doesn’t send people to Hell because their sins are especially bad sins. God doesn’t send people to Hell because they commit a certain number of sins. People go to Hell because they refuse to acknowledge that they are sinners at the core of their being; that they have a sin nature. People go to Hell because of their rebellion against God and his commands. People go to Hell because they do not embrace Jesus as the only provision for their sin and judgment. There are many very nice sinners on the face of this earth, and if they do not acknowledge their sin and embrace Jesus they will put themselves into Hell. The teaching about sin and Hell in the Bible is not meant to insult anyone, it’s meant to show us the truth about ourselves so that we will embrace God’s salvation in Christ.

How thankful we are that the Blagojevich trial is over. If you listen to the tapes, you have to wonder where his mind is at. It’s as if he just doesn’t see that he was acting in a very self serving and manipulative way. He doesn’t want to characterize his actions as extortion and bribery. I don’t know. Why can’t he get it? Well, we are all this way to one extent or another. We don’t like to own our sins. But you and I are sinners. We have sinned against the commands of God. In not embracing Christ we are rejecting the grace and mercy of God.

So Paul says, “O how wonderful that we can find redemption, the forgiveness of sins through faith in Jesus Christ.” This Lord’s Supper table is about our redemption in Christ. It reminds us to be thankful and to honor the Lord for what he has done for us.

 

II. JESUS IS OUR LORD. Eph.1:9-10

When we use the word, ‘mystery’ we think of something that is unknown or even unknowable. It’s a mystery. But in the Bible, the word, ‘mystery’ refers to something that was hidden and has now been made known. This word is used 7 times in the book of Ephesians. What is the mystery that has now been made known? Paul tells us in v.10.

What we see is that Jesus Christ is the one who gives definition to history. When we look at the events of world history, it is difficult to see any rhyme or reason. We think we can learn from history and I’m sure we can, but historical events never repeat themselves in the exact same way. There are just too many variables. So we can see why a person could look at history and find no ultimate purpose. Actually, without God, how could there be any ultimate purpose? Jesus Christ is the Lord of heaven and earth. There is going to be a fullness of time. There is going to be a time when history joins eternity. At that moment, Jesus will be standing tall. History reaches its fullness of purpose in Jesus Christ.

How do I know this? I know it because of what Paul says next. Paul says that in the fullness of time all things in heaven and on earth will come together under Christ. The idea is that all things will be summed up or united in Christ. The word that is used here is also used in Rom.13:9. There Paul writes, “The commandments, “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: “Love your neighbor as yourself."

Well, Christ is the summation of all things in heaven and on earth. A day will come when there will be a new heaven and a new earth and the Church, the people of God will dwell with Christ. So in these verses we are reading about human redemption and cosmic redemption. Humanity finds redemption from sin and judgment in Christ. The universe is redeemed from the curse of sin by Christ.

Now this is very important for us. You see what is going to happen in the future is already true for us. Christ, who is Lord of heaven and earth, is Lord of his people. If you know Christ, than Christ is your Lord. Personally, I do not buy into the idea that we accept Christ as Savior and then later on we accept him as our Lord. He is Savior and Lord and we must accept him as Savior and Lord all at once. In fact, living with Christ as our Lord in this world is one of the most significant ways in which we witness for him. Our goal is to live as if we are taking orders from Christ, because that’s what Christians do. Christ is our King. One day, “every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.” But that is already true for those of us who know Christ. We have already bowed and confessed that Jesus is our Lord

Do you recognize Jesus as your Lord? Do you live as if Jesus is your Lord? You ask, “Well, what exactly does that mean?” Before Jesus ascended to the Father he said to his disciples, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” When Jesus is our Lord we seek to do everything that he has commanded us to do. The “everything” is found in the New Testament. The commands of Jesus are not downloaded into our minds while we sleep. We must be taught what it means to obey the Lord. We are taught through the reading, preaching, and teaching of the Word of God. We must be regularly exposed to the Word of God so that over time it becomes part of how we think and live.

 

Now this morning as we come to the Lord’s Table I want to ask that all of us take time to reflect on these verses. Have you entered into the redemption available through Christ? Are you living your life under the lordship of Jesus Christ? That’s what this table is all about. This table declares the death of Christ in our behalf. Eating the bread and drinking the cup declares the fact that you are in Christ and Christ is in you. If you eat and drink will be you making a true statement about yourself? Why not give your life to Christ today? Amen