★ MY SERMON NOTES
@ Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN)
Area 1, Garki-Abuja
21st December, 2014
* Speaker: Pastor Victor Amos
* Topic: Redemption as one of the Blessings of Doing the will of God
* Theme for 2014: Knowing the will of God (Colossians 1:9)
* Text: Ephesians 1:3-7
* Redemption is the basis of our lives as Christians
* We are Christians today because we have been redeemed by Christ
* Redemption cannot be separated from the Cross of Christ; without to Cross of Christ, there will be no Gospel; without the Gospel, there is no Christianity
* No man can say "I am free from sin" - we were all born into the sinful nature; the sin of Adam has contaminated all of us from birth
★Romans 3:23 → "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God"
* Sin separated man from God.
* God does not take sin lightly. Whenever God looks at man (pre-redemption), he sees a sinful entity
* Christ was offered up as an atonement for our sins in order to redeem us
* Redemption is salvation from sin
* "Redemption" may be defined as: "rescue (something or someone) upon the payment of a ransom".
* Redemption entails "buying back" what originally belonged to you; or what you are entitled to, subject to payment of a ransom
* The Biblical concept of Redemption: The firstborn child or an animal belongs to the Lord: To retain it, you must "buy it back" through an act of redemption.
★ Exodus 13:2 → " Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine."
★ Exodus 34:19-20 → “Everything firstborn belongs to me: all the males of your herds, the firstborn of both cattle and sheep. You are to redeem the firstborn of a donkey with a sheep, and if you don’t redeem it, you are to break its neck. You are to redeem every firstborn of your sons, and no one is to appear before me empty-handed."
* The stories of our lives changed when Christ went to the cross and paid the ransom for us with His blood in order to translate us from darkness into light.
8 Benefits of Redemption
1. We were translated from darkness into light
★ Colossians 1:13 → "God has rescued us from the power of darkness and has brought us into the kingdom of the Son whom he loves"
★ See also: Ephesians 5:8 and 1 Peter 2:9
2. You have eternal life in Christ.
3. You have forgiveness of Sins
4. Righteousness
- You have the Spirit of God to help you live right.
5. Adoption into God's family
- Redemption makes it possible for you to be adopted into God's family
- If you have not been redeemed, you cannot claim to a part of God's family
6. Deliverance from Sin
★ Titus 2:14 → "He gave himself for us to set us free from every wrong and to cleanse us so that we could be his special people who are enthusiastic about doing good deeds."
- Sin places you under the bondage of Satan. The atonement of Christ on the Cross of Calvary makes it possible to be delivered/liberated from the power of sin
7. Peace with God:
- When you were in sin, you were an enemy of God
- If you have no relationship with Christ, you have no peace
8. The Indwelling of the Holy Spirit
★1 Cor 6:19-20 → " You know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God, don’t you? You do not belong to yourselves, because you were bought for a price. Therefore, glorify God with your bodies."
- The Holy Spirit helps you to live a life that is pleasing to God
* NOTE: Those who have been redeemed must live differently from those who are still living in darkness
* At this Christmas Season, the redeemed in Christ will not do anything in the course of the celebrations that will grieve the Holy Spirit
* The freedom of the redeemed is not for his/her own benefit, but it is to be utilized to serve and glorify the Redeemer!
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