Pray: Humbly ask God for wisdom. Ask Him to teach you as you read the following section of the Bible.
Read: Ephesians 1:7-14
Have you ever wondered what God’s will is for your life? How about for the rest of the Universe? It’s a bit of a mystery isn’t it? One popular movie recently put it this way, “What is the meaning of life, the Universe and everything?” The answer is not 42 BTW! In this section of Ephesians, God pulls back the curtain and unveils part of His mysterious will for the Universe.
At the very center of all things seen and unseen is the gravity-like will of God; it ‘works everything in agreement with the decision of His will’ (vs. 11). Nothing happens by mistake. Everything has purpose. The sooner we get this, the quicker life begins to make sense.
Within this revealed will of God is His gracious plan to ‘redeem’ sinners through the blood of Jesus. So what is redemption? Why does it matter?
Redemption is closely linked with slavery. Really? Yep. When the Bible talks about “redemption” it is in the context of the rampant slave culture in ancient Greco-Roman times. Slaves in Roman culture could be set free (redeemed) by the payment of a hefty ransom price. A ‘Redemption’ price.
The great news for God’s chosen people (vs. 4-5) is that He already paid the ransom price for us through the blood of Jesus (vs. 7). No amount of money can save you or make you right with God, “For you know that you were redeemed... not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ…” (1 Peter 1:18-19), For we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
Everyone God saves through Jesus is given the Holy Spirit to live inside them (vs. 13). God inside us! How cool is that?! The Spirit of God is a down payment guaranteeing our heavenly inheritance in Christ (vs. 14). If Jesus has set us free then our salvation is imperishable, un-touchable, un-reversible, un-delete-able, un-debatable, sealed and kept for us in Heaven for God’s glory.
The great mystery of the ages, the cosmic secret of the Universe is this: God would enter His own creation, redeeming sinners through His own bloody ransom and bringing everything in the Universe together under the authority of Jesus Christ; to the praise of His glory. …And that’s what its all about!
Reflection Questions:
1. So are you redeemed? Do you have faith in Jesus and His redemptive work on the Cross?
2. How does your redemption bring God glory?
3. How should our lives be different as people redeemed from slavery to sin?
Memorize: Ephesians 1:7 –“ We have redemption in Him through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace”