Open your Bibles this morning
with me to 1 Corinthians chapter 1. We have spent several lessons in
this chapter 1 and the last few verses of the chapter. I would
like to read those this morning and a couple of other thoughts. You will see where we are headed.
1 Corinthians chapter 1. It says,
But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom,
and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption, that according
as it is written, he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. And
we've looked at several different thoughts here. And these four
things that it says in here, Christ is made unto us wisdom,
righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. important things
to us as believers and as saved sinners that those things that
Christ is to his people and it mentions these four things here
and we've looked at them in order some and today I'd like to look
at and the message title will be and is the Lord our Redeemer. That is the fourth piece. Redemption
is what he has made unto us. We are going to look at some
other things. I would like to read the first
few verses of 1 Corinthians chapter 1. By just picking these two
verses I don't mean to just take them out of a setting or take
them out of other thoughts, but for time and for those thoughts
that we did look at, it was necessary in that way, but I'd like to
read the first few verses of 1 Corinthians chapter 1, starting
with verse 4 actually. It says, I thank my God always
on your behalf for the grace of God which is given you by
Jesus Christ, that in everything you are enriched by him in all
utterance and in all knowledge. even as the testimony of Christ
was confirmed in you, so that you come behind in no gift, waiting
for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall also confirm
you unto the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our
Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful by whom you were
called unto the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."
And here's Paul speaking to them, and these were people that by
his knowledge and by his familiarity with them, knew who these people
were and some important things in here that he's talking about
to lead into the rest of the letter here. But as it says here, that in everything you are enriched
by him in Christ, in all utterance and all knowledge, even as the
testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, so that you come behind
in no gift waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. And
what he's speaking about here primarily is not those gifts
he's talking about isn't speaking in tongues or healing or those
type of things. It's speaking about those gifts and those things
that we have in Christ as it says we have all things. We have
all spiritual blessings in him in heavenly places. And he says
that that we shall be confirmed unto
the end that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus
Christ, God's faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship
of his son, Jesus Christ our Lord. And so again, as he does,
anytime that he's speaking to God's people and the gospel is
coming forth from him, the testimony of our Lord, is that God has
called his people into himself. God has done these things. He is the one that confirms these
things in his people that we may be blameless in the day of
our Lord Jesus Christ. Everything that we need is furnished
to his people. If you are familiar with the
book of 1 Corinthians, they had a few issues that he dealt with.
But as he starts out here and what his intention is, and by
God giving him these words, is that they're not a divided people,
that they're of Christ, not of Paul or of Crispus or Gaius or
others that they kind of gravitated together, apart to, and some
to Paul. And he says, we're not divided.
All the things we have are in Christ, not in, in another person. Not to say that we are not edified
by other people. Obviously we are, but where we
stand in is not of these other ones. We are not of this preacher,
that preacher, or the other preacher or teacher. We are in and of
Christ and as a body. Those are not the types of issues
that we need to be in is being divided because of these things. Paul goes on, like I said, and
speaks plainly to them a little later about some of their problems.
Down here he has made unto us these things. Wisdom, righteousness,
sanctification, and redemption. Each of those things can be opened
up as we looked a little bit at them. They are only There
are so many words that we have that we cannot fully explain
in words. God reveals himself to us and
makes these things so to us. A little bit at a time we are
given the eyes to understand some of these things that we
have in Christ. But these four things are not
the only four things. They each contain so much and
they are interwoven. They're not standalone and is
all things. He is made unto us wisdom as
we've seen, not physical, fleshly wisdom, but spiritual and righteousness,
that righteousness that we cannot have and do not have except it
provided for us, his righteousness. Sanctification, we've seen from
before the foundation of the world, he had a people that was
given to our Lord and those people set aside are not sanctified
as in the thought of being made better all the time. In Him we
have all we are going to have. Now, outwardly and in the flesh
we have a little bit of an issue still. We are going to have the
flesh with us always. That part is not sanctified as the world
would think. We are not going to reach perfection
in any way, shape, or form physically in this life. The sanctification
we have is set apart unto him, and set apart unto him that he
is our Redeemer. And we're gonna see that, I'm
gonna read that. A couple of verses to look at
that mention this. Isaiah chapter 47, and we're
gonna be in Isaiah a number of verses and other places, but
in Isaiah chapter 47 to start with, Verse 4 says, speaking of God's
people, As for our Redeemer, the Lord of hosts is his name,
the Holy One of Israel. Set thou silent and get thee
into darkness, O daughter of Chaldeans, for thou shalt no
more be called the Lady of Kingdoms. Our Redeemer, the Lord of hosts,
is his name. Norman went through quite a series
of of some lessons where the Lord of hosts was mentioned and
who that is. He is the Lord of everything
there is. He is not just compartmentalized
as a Lord in this area or whatever. He is the Lord and there is no
other. He is the one that is our Redeemer.
In chapter 49 of Isaiah, And here, start with verse 24
of Isaiah chapter 49. Shall the prey be taken from
the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered? But thus saith the
Lord, even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and
the prey of the terrible shall be delivered. For I will contend
with him that contended with thee, and I will save thy children,
and I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh, and
they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine. And all flesh shall know that
I, the Lord, am thy Savior and thy Redeemer, the Mighty One
of Jacob. The Lord am I. I am the Lord, and thy Savior,
and thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob. So the Lord himself
is the Redeemer. And then one more in Isaiah chapter
59 and verse 20 says, and the Redeemer shall come to
Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob,
saith the Lord. As for me, this is my covenant
with them, saith the Lord. My spirit that is upon thee and
my words, which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out
of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of
the mouth of thy seed, saith the Lord from henceforth and
forever. And here, The Redeemer shall
come to Zion, and to them that turn from transgression. And Jacob, saith the Lord." He
is his people's Redeemer. The thought and the meaning of
Redeemer is something that has either been sold, lost, or however
is into slavery or into another possession. To be redeemed has
to be redeemed by one that is able, and that's a whole other
study as we looked in Book of Ruth about the kinsman redeemer.
Had to be able and fit to do the redeeming. Had to be one
that could purchase back that that was lost. And the Lord himself
is the only one that can do that. In Isaiah 53, And I took a few notes and a
few thoughts on Isaiah 53, and I had just about all of Isaiah
53 written down that's having to do with our Redeemer and His
redeeming and bearing the sin and the things
for His people in Isaiah 53. And we're not gonna read all
that, like I say, time and devotion and study and many, many messages
have come out of that. But in verse four, he has borne
our griefs and carried our sorrows. He was wounded for our transgressions,
verse five, bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our pieces
upon him and with his stripes we are healed. Verse six, the
Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Verse eight, for the transgression
of my people was he stricken. Verse nine, and we'll look at
some of these other thoughts in just a bit in other places,
his soul and offering for sin. And 11, by his knowledge, my
righteous servant shall justify many for he shall bear their
iniquities. Verse 12, he made intercession
for the transgressors. In the chapter there, Isaiah
53 describes what was needed and what was
done to redeem the church. None of this could be done by
any other than the Lord and in no other way. He was the only
one that was a fit person to do this, that was able to do
this. He was the only one that had
to be flesh and blood like his brethren, that he could redeem.
And that sacrifice had to be one that, not like the pictures
we see in the Old Testament of the sacrifices, that were pictures
of what was needed, he was the only one that could provide those
things that was needed because of his perfect holiness, perfect
righteousness, perfect everything that he could not only live and
do those things that the law demanded and do those things,
but he provided all else. He could take on the transgressions
of his people. And it said, by his stripes we
are healed. And in verse 11, by his knowledge, my righteous
servant shall justify many, for he shall bear their iniquities.
And it's not just that he did that, but it says, by his knowledge
shall he justify many. His people, as in Corinthians,
where it said he was made those things to us, made redemption
to us. He here, as it says, by his knowledge, and it's not just
by, it's not just by the, here's the little card in the pew that
says, you know, I'm a sinner and I'm sorry for that and let's,
you know, I sign this and it'll take care of it. It's not that
kind of a knowledge that's speaking to him. It's that that is revealed
by God to his people that he, is the one that can do that to
justify his people. Many hours can be spent on chapter
53 of Isaiah. In Hebrews, we are going to move
along. In Hebrews chapter 2, we are going to be in several
places in Hebrews. as is said sometimes, keep your
finger there, but chapter two of Hebrews. In all of Hebrews,
it starts out by saying, he spake to us by the fathers and the
prophets of time past. And it says, now in these spoken
to us by his son, whom he hath appointed all things by whom
he also made the worlds and being the brightness of his glory and
the express image of his person. and upholding all things by the
word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat
down on the right hand of the majesty on high." As a little
bit of an introduction just there, he starts out by who the Lord
himself is. Not just speaking of some prophet
or some other, but God himself has spoken to us and It said
they express image and brightness of God's person in himself. And
then he goes on in the book of Hebrews, as we know, and tells
about how much better the reality in Christ redeeming his people
is over what they knew as religion and what they knew in the times
before, the sacrifices, all the priesthood, a lot of time spent
on those things. showing what they meant, what
the priesthood was, and how they did things, and saying, but here's
the true high priest. Here's what he has done. And
here's the true sacrifice offered once for this. These other things
were done a lot. And the book of Hebrews just
by God revealed so much to us about what the Old Testament
spoke about and that we've seen in much preaching and teaching
from the Old Testament over the years. That those things were
not just religious duties to do. There was a lot that saw
them and that was what they did do those things. But there were
those that God opened their eyes and revealed himself to them
and by his knowledge they were justified. And we're going to
follow that down a little bit farther. But the book of Hebrews
shows how Christ is our Redeemer. He is our Redeemer and our justification,
our righteousness, His righteousness that we have. And the same thing
here that He is our Redeemer. In chapter 2 Hebrews 5, for unto
the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come,
whereof we speak, but one in a certain place testifies, saying, What is man that thou art mindful
of him? Or the son of man that thou visitest
him? Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels. Thou crownest
him with glory and honor, and yet set him over the works of
thy hands. Thou hast put all things in subjection under his
feet. For in that he put all things in subjection under him,
he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not
yet all things put under him. But we see Jesus, who was made
a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned
with glory and honor that he, by the grace of God, should taste
death for every man. For it became him for whom are
all things and by whom are all things in bringing many sons
to glory to make the captain of their salvation perfect through
sufferings. For both he that sanctifyeth
and they who are sanctified are all of one. For which cause he
is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, I will declare thy name
unto my brethren in the midst of the church will I sing praise
unto thee. And again, I will put my trust in him. And again,
behold, I am the children which God hath given me. For as much, verse 14, for as
much as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself
likewise took part of the same, that through death he might destroy
him that had the power of death, that is the devil, and deliver
them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject
to bondage. For verily took not on him the
nature of angels, but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore,
in all things it behooved him to be made like under his brethren,
that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things
pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For
in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to
succor them that are tempted." Here is quite a piece that any
of these can be dwelled on for a long time. He is the fit one
and he is the one that was able to because he took on the seed
of Abraham, took on flesh and blood, and that he was made like
unto his brethren, except for sin. He knew all things that
we know physically. It says here that he might be
a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to
God to make reconciliation for sins of the people. That in himself
has suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are
tempted. But he was the one that could be.
He was that picture of the one that was able to do this. He
was like the picture in the Old Testament of the fit man, I believe
it said, that took scapegoat out into the wilderness
to release him. There is a picture of the sins
of his people being put away. In Romans chapter 4, and keep
these in mind, that he has made unto us
redemption. Romans 4, starting with verse
20. It says, He staggered not at the promise of God through
unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being
persuaded that what he had promised he was able to perform. Therefore
it was puted to Abraham as righteousness. Now if it was not written for
his sake alone that it was imputed to him, but for us also to whom
it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our
Lord from the dead, who was delivered for our offenses and was raised
again for our justification. And as Abraham believed God and
it was counted him for righteousness, and it says here, but not written
for his sake alone, that it was reputed to him for righteousness,
but for us also, to whom it shall be, if we believe on him, that
raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, delivered for our offenses,
and was raised again for our justification. And that we know
by several other passages that that belief, if we indeed have
that belief, that God has given that by his grace to us. That
it's not a, faith is not something mustered up of ourselves, or
mustered up of enough evidence seen, because think of the different
ones over the years that saw things that God did, miracles
or plagues or whatever, that did not save them because they
saw those things. And you'd think you'd see those
things that that would make a difference, but it does not. Only God's Spirit
makes a difference in him opening our eyes and making our Lord
those things to us. Going on in Romans chapter 5,
and we could obviously read the book of Romans again through
here too like we could Isaiah 53 or the book of Hebrews, a
few passages, but we are going to read a few out of Romans.
Chapter 5 of Romans in the first few verses says, Therefore, being
justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus
Christ. By whom we have accessed by faith into this grace wherein
we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not
only so, but we glory in tribulations knowing that tribulations work
with patience. And patience experience and experience hope. And hope
maketh not a shame because the love of God is shed abroad in
our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. For when
we were yet without strength in due time, Christ died for
the ungodly. And we're gonna stop there a
second and Part of that being made redemption to us are the
things that we have in that and part of them, and one of them
being justified by faith as we just saw that God gives us. It
says, therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ. And we're gonna see several other
things, but that's one of the things that redemption brings
to his people is a peace with God. that cannot be gotten any
other way. It's not gotten by believing
just the words of something. It has to be made that way to
us. And as it says there in Corinthians,
Christ has made those things to his people. He makes that.
He makes that to be so. It's not just a, a time spent in the Scripture
or anywhere else that magically does that. But by His Spirit
He reveals those things to us. Verse 9, going on a little bit
in chapter 5, much more than being now justified by His blood,
we shall be saved from the wrath through Him. That is the part
that mostly comes out when people think of redemption is, I don't
have to look to burning up in hell. That's part of it. That
is something that we're pretty glad of too. I mean, it's not,
that's not a light thing, but that's, there's so much more
than that. That is mean that's revealed
and made unto us when he is our redeemer. Uh, that's, that's
just part of it. Verse 10 it says, for if when
we were enemies, we're reconciled to God by the death of his son,
much more being reconciled shall be saved. uh, saved by his life. And not only so, but we also
joy in God, uh, through our Lord Jesus Christ, for whom we have
now received the atonement. Uh, so it goes on there. We saved
through his justified blood, blood saved from wrath through
him, through him being our Redeemer. And it says, uh, we're reconciled
to God, uh, much more by his life. we are saved by his life
and that we are now received the atonement for sins and have
been put away from his people. We have peace with God, justified,
saved from wrath, received the atonement. These are all, again,
things that if we unfold of what redemption is. It is such a big
package. Then we are going to finish up
verse 12 and following in chapter 5 of Romans. It says, Wherefore,
as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin,
so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned. For
until the law, sin was in the world, but sin was not imputed
when there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from
Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the
similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that
was to come. But not as the offense, so also
is the free gift. For if through the offense of
one many be dead, much more the grace of God and the gift by
grace, which is by one man. Jesus Christ hath abounded unto
many. And not as it was by one that
sinned, so is the gift. For the judgment was by one to
condemnation, but the free gift is of many offenses under justification. For if by one man's offense death
reigned by one, much more they which receive abundance of grace
and the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus
Christ. Therefore, as by the offense
of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation, even so
by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all unto
justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience
many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many
be made righteous. Moreover, the law entered that
the offense might abound, but where sin abounded, grace did
much more abound. That as sin hath reigned unto
death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal
life by Jesus Christ our Lord. And here again he speaks about
the things that, as in Hebrews, about where sin entered into
the world by one. And here it's an interesting
thought in here. that says the sin entered into the world by
one man, by one act of sin. But the second Adam from above
cleanses all his people from all their sins, manifold as they
be. It wasn't just one sin that brought
sin into the world. But, and as it's kind of saying
here, we've kind of multiplied that of our own doing. We didn't
just have a sample of fruit or whatever it may have been and
that we lived the life. And he says, one death of the
right one takes care of multitude and all that into righteousness
through our Lord Jesus Christ. One more spot in Romans. We are here, or we are nearby.
Romans chapter 8. Again, read these passages in
their totality because obviously we are taking a piece here and
there from them. I don't believe we are missing
what is said there, but read these passages. It is important
to see that. Romans chapter 8, starting with
verse 12. It says, Therefore, brethren,
we are debtors not to the flesh to live after the flesh. For
if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die. But if ye through
the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For
as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of
God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to
fear, but ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we
cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness
with our spirit that we are the children of God. And if children,
then heirs, heirs of God, and join heirs with Christ, if so
be that we suffer with him, that we may be glorified together."
And here, by the Spirit and putting life
in His people, we should never die in that way. And here, verse
15, is an important thought here. It says, for you have not received
the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have received the
spirit of adoption. You cry, Abba, Father. So in
redemption, again, it's not we believe that He paid for our
sins, but we're kind of apprehensive about about where we stand with
God, but here it says it is not a spirit of bondage to fear,
but a spirit of adoption whereby we cry, Abba, Father. We are
placed in that. We are adopted into that. no fear of God. The terror that
death has for people is not knowing or the fear of what is going
to happen in the end. In redemption, as it says, a
spirit bears witness with our spirit that these things be so.
We have no terror of those things. We don't like the thought of
death necessarily. That is still apprehensive to
us. We have some apprehension about
that physically speaking, but not spiritually speaking. Then turn to the book of Hebrews
one more time. There are a few places in Hebrews
that are pretty good for God's people. Hebrews chapter 4, starting with
the first verse, it says, Let us therefore fear, lest a promise
being left us of entering into his rest any of you should seem
to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached
as well as unto them. But the word preached did not
profit them, not being mixed with faith, and then that heard
it. For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said,
as I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest,
although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise,
and God did rest the seventh day from all his works. And in
this place again, if they shall enter into my rest, seeing therefore
it must, therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein.
and they to whom it was first preached entered not because
of unbelief. Again, he limiteth a certain
day, saying to David, Today, after so long a time, as it is
said, Today, if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts,
for if, it says Jesus, but Joshua, it's speaking about, had given
them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another
day. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from
his own works, as God did from his. Let us labor therefore to
enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example
of unbelief. But verse here, There remaineth therefore a rest
to the people of God. For he that is entered into his
rest, he also seeth from his own works as God did from his.
And when Christ is made, as it says, made unto us redemption
as our Redeemer, we enter into that rest that could not be given
by Joshua or any of the priests and stuff. They couldn't make
that real to the people. The Spirit of God always had
to reveal that and show him as As Job said, I know my Redeemer
liveth. The Spirit revealed that to Job
and to all his people. Here there is a rest. It says,
a rest that he also that hath ceased from his own works as
God did. We spoke about salvation based on works or based on Christ's
righteousness and redemption to his people. And when God reveals
that to us and by his spirit reveals those things to us, we
can rest and we do rest. We enter into that. We don't
have to, we don't have to figure out how to get there. I can remember
in religion, figuring out if you have this problem, how do
you get from where you are to where I knew the plan of salvation
and those words of that, but if it's not made real to you,
you don't have the, it's not much of an answer until God reveals
himself to us. And then we can enter indeed,
we can rest because we've, we're done trying to get somewhere.
It's based on Christ in all he has done for his people. So he
has a rest. And then in chapter six, I'm going to have to save some
of this for next time, some of the thoughts I have. Hebrews
6, starting with verse 13, it says, For when God made promise
to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he swore
by himself, saying, Surely, blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying
I will multiply thee. And so, after he had patiently
endured, he obtained the promise. For men verily swear by the greater,
and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.
Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise
the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that
by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to
lie, we might have strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay
hold upon the hope set before us. which hope we have as an
anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, which entereth
within the veil. Whether the forerunner is for
us entered, even Jesus, made in high priest forever, after
the order of Melchizedek. So not only do we have that peace,
but we have, as it says here, we have a hope. We have hope
in him that is, and it's not a wish and I sure hope something's
going to turn out right, but it's a hope. It is a hope based
on, we know our Redeemer, we know who He is and how we stand,
that we stand in Him completely and that, as it says, He has
entered in for us and we have a hope of that. Steadfast and
sure, it says. And then, in Revelation, in just two short
spots here in Revelation chapter 1. Chapter 1 of Revelation verses
4-6. It says, John to the seven churches
which are in Asia. Grace be unto you and peace from
him which is, and which was, and which is to come, and from
the seven spirits which are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ
who is the faithful witness and the first begotten of the dead,
and the prince of the kings of the earth, unto him that loved
us and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made
us kings and priests unto God, and his father, to him be glory
and dominion forever and ever. Amen. And as it says here, grace
to us and peace from him which is, which was, and which is to
come, from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness to his
people. And then in closing, Jude, the last couple of verses
of Jude, it says, verse 24, it says, now unto him
that's able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless
before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to only only
wise God our Savior be glory and majesty, dominion, and power
both now and ever. Amen. And here he is that one
that he's the one that's able to keep us. He'll keep us. And
that's kind of not the end of the story, but the end of of
the thoughts here that he's brought redemption, made our redemption.
It's not just a simple doing something and there you go, but
he sees it through to the end and he will see his people through
to the end. And in that way he is made unto
us, as it said, redemption. That's one of those things. And
as happens about this time every Sunday morning, be free. Thank
you. I hope I hit that button again
to stop it. Mike, do I hit that button again
to stop it? The mode button?