Sermon Tone Analysis

vs. 3-6 Praise to the Sovereign God who Chose Us and who Changed Us

Ephesians 1:3–6 (KJV 1900)

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

vs. 7-12 Praise to the Saving Son

Ephesians 1:7–12 (KJV 1900)

7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;

9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

Next week or in the near future, we will Praise For His Sealing Spirit.

Ephesians 1:13–14 (KJV 1900)

13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Christ’s Redemption

Ephesians 1:7 (KJV 1900)

7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Redemption = release or deliverance

Redemption conveys the idea of deliverance or setting a man free by paying a ransom.

For example, a prisoner of war or a kidnapped person is ransomed or redeemed; or a convicted criminal is freed from the penalty of death.

In every case the man is powerless to free himself.

He cannot pay the penalty demanded to liberate himself from his situation or bondage.

Note several significant facts.

We have been captured by the force of sin, the force of corruption and death,

and the force of Satan.

Paul will deal with this in chapter 2.

Redemption is free to Us

However, Redemption was very costly to Christ

The Character of Redemption:

Ephesians 1:7 (KJV 1900)

7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

In whom - Jesus Christ steps in

Three key ideas are included in the concept of redemption.

1) Man needs to be liberated, delivered, and set free.

2) Man is unable to liberate himself.

He has no energy, no power, no ability to free himself.

3) God has redeemed man by the blood of His Son Jesus Christ.

God Himself has paid the ransom for man’s release—the ransom of a life for a life.

God gave His own Son so that man might be set free.

Man has been redeemed through the blood of Jesus Christ (see Le. 17:11; Mt. 20:28; Ro. 3:24; 1 Co. 6:20; 7:23; Col. 1:14; 1 Ti.

2:5–6; He. 9:15; 1 Pe.

1:18f; 2 Pe.

2:1; Re. 5:9; 14:3–4).

This is extremely important to note: when a man truly calls upon the Lord to save him, God buys him right out of the marketplace of this corruptible life (Ro.

10:13).

God redeems him once for all, purchases and removes him from further sale.

He is redeemed eternally

The Cost of Redemption:

Ephesians 1:7 (KJV 1900)

7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Jesus died an excruciating, unfathomable pain that I might be saved.

Oh, how I ought to praise Him today!

The Culmination of Redemption:

And then, not only did He redeem me with his blood, but He forgave my sins—every spot, every blur, every blemish, and every stain washed whiter than snow in the blood of Jesus Christ.

In the Old Testament, when they would have that high day of atonement, the high priest would take two goats: one goat would be slain, and the blood of that goat would have its blood poured out there on the altar and as a sacrifice for sin; but then, the high priest would take another goat, and he would lay his hands on the head of that other goat, and he would confess the sins of the people over the head of that other goat.

And then, that goat was called a “scapegoat.”

Have you ever heard the expression “a scapegoat”?

He was called the scapegoat.

The sins would be put on that goat, and then he would be led away, way out in the wilderness, and he would be let go, never to return again.

And the idea of forgiveness literally means “to bear away.”

The Bible says He has removed our sins from us, “as far as the east is from the west”

Have you ever noticed —not as far as the north from the south.

You can measure the North Pole and the South Pole.

But you just keep on going east as far as you want, and you keep on going west as far as you want, and friend, that’s how far God has removed our sins from us.

The Bible says that God has buried our sins in “the depths of the sea.”

Micah 7:19 (KJV 1900)

19 He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; He will subdue our iniquities; And thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

They’re gone—our sins are gone.

The Cause of Redemption

Ephesians 1:7 (KJV 1900)

7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

God redeems man because of the riches of His grace

Ephesians 2:8–9 (KJV 1900)

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

He loves man with an unbelievable love—a love so great that it spurs Him to do whatever is necessary to save man.

So, the Apostle Paul praises the Father who selected us: He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world.

Then, he praises the Son who has saved us.

And we have redemption, and we have forgiveness.

Dear friend, but not only a redemption, pardon; also, a revelation of purpose.

Christ’s Revelation

You see, a Christian, a person who knows the Lord Jesus Christ, is the only one who understands where he’s going; he’s the only one who understands what this world is all about.

We are the only ones who can make rhyme or reason out of this world.

We have the key that unlocks the mystery of history.

Do you want to understand what it is?

Well, look at it.

Look at verses 9 and 10:

Ephesians 1:9–10 (KJV 1900)

9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

God’s redemptive plan flows from “the mystery of His will”; that He did what He did for us “according to His good pleasure”; and that God devised and carried out all of this because He “purposed” it “in Himself”.

In other words, God’s whole redemptive plan exists to bring Him glory.

Every soul that is saved fulfills God’s plan to redeem sinners and it brings Him glory.

Every soul that is saved is saved because God, in order to accomplish His plan, in order to advance His Own glory, has revealed the deep things of God unto us.

Verse 8 tells us that God’s grace has abounded toward us and He has given us “wisdom and prudence”.

“

Wisdom” has the idea of “sanctified knowledge”.

It is the “ability to understand the things of God.”

The word “prudence” refers to “understanding and insight”.

It is through this “wisdom and prudence” that God has “made known unto us the mystery of His will”.