EPHESIANS OUT LINE # 3 of 34

UNDER CONSTRUCTION (EPH. 1:7-8)

I. Introduction:

A. The Father's work according to verses 3-6 was to choose us from eternity past in

order that he could make us holy and blameless.

1. As we come to verse 7. we move to the work of the Son.

2. Me actually affects that which the Father has determined

3. The act of deciding was the Father's and the act of accomplishment is the Son's. ( 7-8 )

B. As we work through this passage, we can bear the sawing of boards and the pounding

of nails as God builds his church in the midst of today's world.

1. Hence the reason for my title - 'Under Construction'

2. This leads us to the first stage in this process

II. Redemption

A The word brings to mind the picture of a slave market.

1. Human beings were sold like cattle to anyone who would pay the price.

2. Paul's idea is that we were once bound as slaves in a great spiritual slave market .

3. Then Jesus came ana paid the price, He bought us and restored us to usefulness.

4. Until a slave is purchased The is useless to anyone.

B. We who were useless in so far as cod was concerned have been purchased and freed

in order to be useful and fruitful to Him.

1. We still use the word redeem In that sense in connection with a pawn shop.

2. When you pawn something. it is useful to no one - the pawn broker can t use

it I can't use it, it is in limbo.

3. That's the picture Paul uses here.

4. when I buy the article back it is restored to its usefulness.

5. In our natural condition, we are useless in so far as fulfilling the purpose for

Which God has designed us.

6. God has to redeem us from the slavery of the old nature that we received through

Adam.

C. When God liberates us, what is it that he done?

1. We have received the forgiveness of our trespasses.

2. The Greek word for trespasses means our missteps, our stumbling, our blundering,

our wanderings from the path that be has ordained that we should walk.

3. the creek word for forgiveness means "dismissed'

a. They have been set aside, they are no longer reckoned to us nor are

they taken into account by cod.

5 God has dismissed or put away our trespasses.

III By This Paul puts his finger on the chains that bind us.

A. At is cur awareness of guilt because of these acts and choices that makes us

feel uncomfortable with God.

1. But when Jesus comes into our lives He dismisses these trespasses.

2. They are forgiven end we bear him say to us as He did to the woman taken

in adultery - Neither do I condemn thee, go and sin no more. ( John 8:11)

3. On what ground could Jesus utter statement like that?

B. The answer is - through His blood - Only on that ground could He remain just and

consistent with His own nature.

1. All through the scriptures you find that there is no forgiveness from God

apart from Christ suffering on the Cross.

2 The Cross is not a pleasant thing - Talking about blood is never pleasant

3. There are people who cannot stand the sight of blood.

4. This whole business of a bloody Savior is offensive to most people, they do not

understand why Go d insists upon blood before there forgiveness,

And yet there is no other way, scripture is unanimous inits testimony.

Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins

Why?

5 Because it is the blood that underscroes the reality of our guilt. Jesus died

because we deserved to die. And we really do deserve to die; that is the whole

point? We are not merelv well-intentioned people accidentally stumbling along

into trouble. We know that.

6. Somehow. we are involved in these deeds and thus we deserve the judgment of Cod.

Our consciences tell us this; we can't escape them.

IV. Jesus became identified with our Sin.

A. Jesus died on that Cross because he took our place.

1. He was not just a substitute - He was identified with us and with our sin.

2. He died on the cross as us as well as for us.

3. The scriptures teach that The actually became us,

4. II Cor 5:21 - for our sake He make Him to be sin who knew no sin.

B. When He became what we are (sinners) God put Him to death, because that's exactly

what we deserve.

1. The wages of sin is death, The soul that sinneth it must die-

2. There is an idea abroad today that the gospel is considered good news because it

tells us that men are not really to blame for their misdeeds. There is a school of

behaviorism today which says that we can't help ourselves for what we did; we

are the victims of our circumstances. or of our genetic makeup. Our genes are

responsible, our pressures, our parents. It's not our fault. We mad to do what

we did; there was no way we could avoid it. But I want to say that if that is

the case, then we are of an people most miserable, There is no escape from our

guilt because there is something deep within the human conscience which will

not buy that proposition, will not settle for it Our conscience continues to haunt

us. What it says is that we are to blame. It faces us squarely with our guilt, our

complicity, our willing cooperation with the forces that tempted us, It does not

dodge it, it faces God's just sentence of deserved wrath and says it is right, it is

true. But then, it argues, the price is fully paid Fully paid! God's integritv has

not been violated. He is free now to love us to the utmost degree. His justice has been

upheld in the blood of his Son.

No one can ever argue that cod takes a light view of sin when he sees the cross

of Jesus. In all that bloody, gory episode there is marvelous testimony to

the whole world that God will never) ever put up with evil- But the cross argues

for us that there the price has been paid on our behalf. He who took our place

paid the full price, end therefore we are free. God sully accepts mc.

I can look my guilt in the face and acknowledge it, admit the whole stinking

mess, and point to the cross and say, "That has fully taken care of it, and

therefore there is no use talking about it any more- The cross has settled it.

I'm no longer what I once was because of that."

Paul calls that full acceptance ''the riches of His grace~'' God did it all;

I did nothing to deserve it or merit it in any way.

C. I am His Son now - His beloved Son

1. That is the key to self acceptance.

2. The reason we are haunted by guilt is that. we have never accepted and forgiven

ourselves,

3. If you haven't forgiven yourself it is a sure sign that you have never really

accepted God's forgiveness.

4. How do I know God accepted the blood and the sacrifice of His son? very simple

answer! God raised Him from the dead.

D. oh what a wonder that Jesus loves me - yes - Jesus loves even me,

1. I am so glad that our Father in heaven.

Tells of His love in the Book. He has given

wonderful things in the Bible I see .

This is the dearest, that Jesus loves me.

Tho' I forget Him and wander away,

Kindly He follows wherever I stray

Back to His dear loving arms would I flee

when I remember that Jesus loves me.

Oh if there's only one gong I can sin,

When in This beauty I see the great king,

This shall my song in eternity be,

"Oh, what a wonder that Jesus loves me."