May it please Almighty God to bless us together as we meditate in His Holy Word. Let's turn to the Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians in the first chapter and we'll read two verses, verses 6 and 7. Verses 6 and 7 in the first chapter of the Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians.

to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace.

We have some great truths set before us in this epistle of Paul to the Ephesians and there are some very long sentences in these chapters. The chapter we read this morning, there are long sentences. and it's really quite difficult to break them up and we read as a text here and we entered into the end of one long sentence and the commencement of another and really the essence of the word on my mind is the seventh verse which tells us in whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace.

Well we know, I hope we know anyway, that grace is the unmerited favour of Almighty God. And how wonderful it is if you and I are the recipients of His grace because if we are we will come within the verses which are before this in this first chapter and where the Apostle commences on the second verse and says, Grace be to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. And then he says, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. This is the Father, you see, placing it in Christ.

According, as I've already mentioned this morning when we read the chapter, according as He has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will just gives us a little insight into the greatness of God.

To think that the whole of humanity, the whole of mankind was known before the world was created. What a wonderful consideration that is, that God knew every person that was going to be born in this world, right from Adam and Eve, right down to the last person that will be born before that great voice calls and the time will be no more.

And God knew every person, every person, that would be born and their condition the situation whether the Lord would choose them unto eternal life or whether they would not be chosen unto eternal life

God is the creator of all things God has a perfect right to do what he chooses and it's very humbling to believe and to have the evidence that God has chosen us. We're not worthy of such a calling, we're not worthy of being numbered amongst those whom God has chosen, and yet how glorious it is to ponder that and to have the evidence, the evidence and all of those who are chosen will without any doubt have the evidence that they are born again of the Spirit of God.

They will all come and stand before God as a guilty sinner, unworthy of any mercy. yet come pleading for mercy, pleading for forgiveness, desiring a true blessing of repentance and be found with that good hope through grace that it is well with their souls.

So it's good to just ponder these things. We often make reference to it to think that we were chosen before time began which we were but it's good especially for you younger people to realise that here is a foundation text for that to establish us in our faith so it is not something that we've dreamt up something that we think is true because we know it is true because the Word of God tells us according as he hath chosen us It's a past tense. Hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved.

Well I hope you and I can take hold of these great verses here and recognize the majesty of them and the rightness of them and the wonder of them to think that you and I today are here under the sound of the gospel and what a blessing if we have therefore a good hope of God's grace toward us his unmerited favour which has come upon us and caused us to seek him to seek for his mercy to pray for His blessing, to pray that He will remember us with that favour He bears unto His people and visit our souls with His salvation.

To the praise of the glory of His grace wherein He hath made us accepted in the Beloved. That means accepted in Christ. In Christ. Again, if you know anything of the sinfulness of our own heart, our own nature. We stand amazed at such a grand and glorious truth. And surely it shall humble us, and surely it shall make us amazed, and surely it should bring into our hearts this statement to the praise of the glory of His grace. Praise our God for what he's done in calling us out of darkness into which we were born and shone the great and glorious light of the everlasting Gospel.

We have some very similar words to this 7th verse which I read for a text this morning in the Epistle, first epistle of John. It's a well-known verse, but it's a wonderful truth and it tells us this. Let me read the sixth verse. If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not the truth. But if we walk in the light, God's light, which he shines into our heart, not something that you and I produced, it's what God's given us, the light of the gospel. As he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, Christian to Christian, fellowship one with another, there's that holy and glorious bond which God gives. If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. That's a wonderful statement, isn't it? Wonderful truth in God's word, to have such a word like that, to rest upon how true God's word is. And we should be grateful for it.

And the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all sin. And it's necessary. And here we have the same statement here, the same words spoken so very, very clearly for us. In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace. We should be very thankful that God in his love to unworthy sinners has recorded in his word such a clear statement and how wonderful it is if you and I know this truth in our own hearts, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace.

Now that should bring into our hearts praise to our God, true thankfulness for his amazing grace. He's looked upon us, there we were, born in a blackness and darkness in ourselves. And to think the light of the glorious gospel has shone into our hearts. Oh, what an unspeakable gift that is. how wonderful it is and it's not something that you and I merited it's all of grace and to think that that was ordained before the world was created and the evidence we have is in whom we have redemption through his blood the blood, His blood what does that set before us? it sets before us the death the death of the Lord Jesus Christ because the Lord Jesus Christ He gave Himself He gave Himself as a sacrifice upon Calvary to atone for our sins so that we might be blessed with this wonderful gift of redemption, being redeemed, redeemed with the precious blood of Christ.

And of course, this scene really goes right back as I hope you know, to Genesis in those early times when the Lord came and spoke to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. And so very clearly in the third chapter of Genesis and the 15th verse, it's a very important and vital verse for all true believers to realise that this is what God spoke. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, And between thy seed and her seed, he was speaking there to the devil, it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. And you may remember also then that in that same account that the Lord took the clothes that Adam and Eve were wearing, they made themselves fig leaves, which were not very strong at all, and he made them clothes from the skins of animals and that signified that the death of the animals would have occurred and also that in so in the death occurring their blood would have been shed. So right from that very early time we see death was necessary and the clarity of death occurring was that shed blood. So how relevant it is, it's not something which is of no value, it's very important.

And the Apostle, sorry, the Prophet Moses he also wrote some great truths when he wrote the book of Leviticus and he tells us in the 17th chapter and the 11th verse tells us this for the life of the flesh is in the blood you see if there's no blood in the flesh there's no life it's dead

For the life of the flesh is in the blood. We understand that, I'm sure. And I've given it to you upon the altar. The animals were taken and their life was taken. They were placed on the altar and they were roast on the altar and it was to make an atonement. for your souls that means to make us right with God once again at one moment with God to make an atonement for your souls for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for your soul you see no shedding of blood no death and so that's a clear sign that death was brought to pass with that death of the animals in that case and of course we move right forward don't we to the glorious time of the Saviour and that's what we have here in this verse before us this evening or this morning rather in whom we have redemption through his blood and what does that show us?

It shows us this the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace. So the picture very clearly is that if there's no shed blood, there's no redemption. If there's no redemption, there's no forgiveness. And therefore, there's no hope for us.

So the relevant point here is that we have to whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace.

Well, how important that is, because every person born again of the Spirit of God comes under this great and wonderful blessing and that the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth us from all sin. It's wonderful, isn't it, to think of that. It doesn't matter how many sins we've committed, how bad our sins are, yet you see they're all washed away in the precious blood of Christ. it's so relevant and so important it's not the only place of course which this occurs in the Colossians we have very very similar words and in the in the first chapter again and here in Colossians in the twelfth verse we're told giving thanks unto the Father which has made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints of light. So there's no inheritance unless we are those who have been redeemed with the glorious and precious blood of Christ. And therefore we are partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. And what that means is the light of the gospel has shone into our hearts and it's shown us the great and wonderful plan of salvation.

It's shown to us how necessary it was that the Lord Jesus Christ, God's Son, none less, should come into this sinful world and stand in our place and bear that punishment due to us, that punishment of death. How willing was Jesus to die. that we, fellow sinners, might live. Oh, it's a great truth. And we go on, the inheritance of the saints in light, who hath, it's a past tense again, who hath delivered us from the power of darkness. We were born in darkness and we remain in darkness. until the light of the glorious Gospel shines into our heart, who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son, in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.

So it's set forth in the Word of God And that's just two examples or three examples I've given you this morning. There's many examples of the importance of the blood of Jesus Christ being shed, indicating that his life was given to atone, to bring us back to God. How humbling it is to think that you and I today are privileged to read this great and glorious truth that the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth us from all sin, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace. And I said this is part of a long sentence. That means it's joined together. And just reading on, wherewith he hath abounded And that's a broad word, isn't it? Abounded. It's not narrow, it's broad. Abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known unto us the mystery of his will, that through his grace, his unmerited favour to us, that we are born again and that the blood of Jesus Christ God's Son was shed for us so that we receive the forgiveness of sins, having made known unto us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he hath purposed in himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness 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.

And let me just carry on, because it's still one sentence. In whom also we have, and it's a blessing if we're numbered amongst the we, in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, something we never worked for, was given, inheritance being predestinated, that's predetermined, that God will save us according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will, that we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ. The great blessing of this favour to the Church of God is that you and I might show forth the praise of our God. May it testify of what he's done for us in calling us out of that darkness of nature into the glorious light of the Gospel, has shown to us the wonderful plan of salvation And the Lord Jesus Christ, God's Son, London was so willing to do his Father's will. And his Father's will is set forth so well, isn't it? In that third chapter of John, the 16th verse.

For God so loved the world, that he sent his only begotten Son into the world, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Oh, my friends, may we be blessed with that personal knowledge that you and I are amongst those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. And we believe on what he's done. And we believe on what he's said. And we believe in his sin atoning death on Calvary all those years ago. and that he did that work that his father gave him to do. It was a great work, it was a necessary work. It was a work that brought redemption to the whole Church of God. But never ever underestimate the cost it was to the Son of God. Co-equal with the Father, beyond our understanding, isn't it? These great things, and yet Jesus was so willing to come into this sinful world and to die that death that you and I might live. And it's through the wonder and blessing of His shed blood, His death that came about on that cross at Calvary.

The epistle to the Hebrews tells us, gives us some little clue or little evidence rather, he says this in the ninth chapter, the twelfth verse, neither by the blood of goats and calves, that's what was used before Christ came as a symbol, the blood of goats and of calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption for us. And let's just understand what that means, especially you younger ones, into the holy place.

In the Old Testament there was, first of all, the tabernacle that was erected and that was superseded by the temple. And in the temple and the tabernacle was the most holy place. And in that most holy place was the tabernacle in which was housed the Ten Commandments and also there was a sample of manna that Israel had as they passed through the wilderness. And the high priest and only the high priest was allowed to go into that most holy place once a year. And that holy place was all of gold, all faced of gold, and it represented heaven. And he was only able to go into that once a year, and that not without blood. Blood showed the death of the animal. And he had to sprinkle that, first of all for himself, and then for Israel.

once a year that was a great day a great occasion for the Israelites to see here was the high priest going into the holy of holies with that blood for that wonderful evidence of the sacrifice to take away sin and so here we have this picture before us again by his own blood he entered this is the Lord Jesus in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

For if the blood of bulls and of goats and the ashes of an heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies to the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God. You see the animals that the slain had to be as perfect as possible if it was possible without any spot at all and that's why this is stated here how much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God and then he comes on and says and for this cause he is the mediator of the New Testament he's in the Old Testament the high priest was a mediator that went into the holy place with that blood of animals but here we have the glorious Saviour.

And for this cause, He is the mediator of the New Testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the First Testament. The First Testament was the law of God. And we've all failed we're all there and yet you see here was that redemption pictured of for the other transgressions that were under the first testament they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance you see the inheritance which is reserved for the church of god for all those who are blessed with forgiveness through the shed blood of the Saviour. What's a wonderful prospect to think that we will be one day in glory, no separation, eternal happiness, and there we shall serve the living God.

And he goes to tell us then, for where a testament is, and a testament is a will, we're familiar, I expect, with what a will is. When someone dies, they usually make a will and that sets forth where their assets will be left and given to. For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is a force after men are dead. Jesus had to die for his will to come into force, otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth, because they could alter it. Whereupon neither the First Testament was dedicated without blood. When Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book all the people saying, this blood, this is the blood of the testament which God hath ordained for you. Moreover he sprinkled the blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels in the ministry and all things are by the law purged with blood and without shedding of blood is no remission.

So for you and me my friends, if it hadn't been for the shedding of Christ's blood, there will be no forgiveness for you and me. Well, I hope, therefore, that you and I can understand the relevance of this shed blood and recognise how important and how wonderful it is. That's why the Apostle Peter tells us about that, about the precious blood of Christ. He says, we're not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from our vain conversation received by tradition from our elders, but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, that was manifest in these last times for you.

Again, just realize that here we're again told, before the foundation of the world, this plan was in place. What a wonderful thought. But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb, without blemish and without spot, who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, that was manifest in these last times for you, who by Him do believe.

Well, how wonderful, if God gives us grace to believe. Oh, it's a great and wonderful favour. Who by Him do believe in God that raised Him up from the dead and gave Him glory that your faith and hope might be in God. It's not in ourselves, it's not in man, it's in God. Well, may you and I have the wonderful evidence that that's true for each one of us. that it is well with our souls and to praise and bless God for it.

And so we should be very thankful for these great and wonderful truths that we have. Revelation is a wonderful book and it has also some glorious truths in it and in the fifth chapter we read about the scene in heaven. We just get a little view. In the Word of God there's not very much heaven and what it will be like but we just get a little view of what heaven will be like and here is John and he's given this view and he says I wept much because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book neither to look thereon and one of the elders saith unto me weep not behold the lion of the tribe of Judah the root of David hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

Of course that is the Lord Jesus Christ. And I beheld, and lo in the midst of the throne, and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a lamb, as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God, sent forth into the earth and he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne and when he had taken the book the four beasts and the four and twenty elders fell down before the lamb having every one of them harps and golden vials full of odours which are the prayers of saints and they sung a new song saying thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof, for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue.

and people and nation and has made us unto our God kings and priests and we shall reign on the earth. You see the relevance and necessity of that shed blood and so where we could go on there's many examples in the Word of God I've touched on a few how needful it is for you and me to know that we indeed are blessed to be found under this blood, this shed blood of the Saviour, in whom we have redemption, redeemed from our sin.

And the price paid to redeem us was the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. and the evidence of that death occurring was the shed blood of the Saviour, His blood, the forgiveness of His sins, according to the riches of His grace. And this is what the Apostle says, wherein He hath abounded toward us in all wisdom, and prudence, prudence means understanding, in all wisdom and understanding, having made known unto us the mystery of his will, how humbling to think that God has shown to you and me his will with regard to our eternal soul and to believe with that living faith that the blessed Saviour shed his precious blood upon that cross at Calvary in order that we might be redeemed.

And to think that that was planned in eternity past, your name and my name written in the land's book of life. That in a dispensation of the fullness 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, 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.

Just note that, see how clear the wording is. We have obtained, no doubt, we have obtained an inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. that we should be, you and me, that we should be to the praise of His glory who first trusted in Christ.

Well, you and I stand before God. Have we trusted in Christ for our salvation? Have we trusted that here it is that has died for us upon that cross at Calvary? that we're redeemed through his most precious blood, and therefore we've received that forgiveness of sins, every sin washed away in the precious fountain of almighty God, the glorious Savior. What a blessing it is to realize, and he says, well, in whom we also trusted. And after he 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. No doubt, you see. to the Church of God those who have the evidence of that great and glorious gift of eternal life may have an inheritance an incorruptible inheritance which is reserved in heaven for us can't be taken away can't be given to anybody else from eternity it was reserved

well it's a very Humbling truth, isn't it? To recognize how kind and gracious and glorious the truth of God is. You know, so many wonderful statements in the Word of God. Let me just refer to the one in Corinthians, and in the first epistle of Corinthians, the sixth chapter. And the apostle gives a list of all those sins which are committed by the Church of God. And he tells us, Be not deceived, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers in themselves and mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

So it might appear that draws a line. There's no hope. But the word of God goes on. And such were some of you. And we have to say guilty, don't we? But ye are washed. But ye are sanctified. But ye are justified. in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of God.

Well, that's a great and wonderful blessing, isn't it? To think, therefore, these things are true and they have an application to you and me, unworthy as we are to receive these wonderful blessings and wonderful favours. Well, these are great truths, my friends, and it's a wonderful mercy If you and I can enter in to this great statement, to the praise of the glory of His grace.

Oh, what a glory it is. His grace to unworthy sinners. We're in. He hath made us accepted, not in ourselves, but in Christ. In whom we have redemption through His blood. Nowhere else. the forgiveness of sins so vital according to the riches of His grace. Amen.