Redemption

The Redeemer: Jesus Christ

By Pastor Dan Kennedy

www.pastorkennedy.com

Introduction

Mountains and mountain ranges are often noted for their grand beauty. If you have travelled to Canada you may have seen the majestic Rocky Mountains at Banff, Alberta; or, in Colorado, you may have seen the rugged beauty of the Grand Tetons; or, still yet, other spectacular ranges across the continent, or world. Each of these majestic mountain ranges brings a beauty and glory of God that hushes the vanity of our self-centered, self-occupied world, when we enter into their vast domain.

For some time we had been told that a destination point in the Olympic National Forest is “Hurricane Ridge”. I have read that the Olympic National Forest is the third most visited park in America…that is quite a record considering all the National Parks, and Hurricane Ridge is a major destination point in the Olympic Forest.

The very word itself, “Hurricane”, fosters several imaginative ideals that may or may not be realistic to this popular observation point. Was it continually blasted by strong gusts of wind? Was it bitterly rainy? What made it so special?

One of the first things that may come to mind when one is making the decision on whether or not one wants to take the time, expend the cost and make the effort to drive all the way up to Hurricane Ridge, is if the trip is really worth the expense!

For my birthday, my family got me a pass (for $10, since I am at the right age :), which allows me to go to any National Park in the United States for free! So the financial part of Hurricane Ridge pass became a mute point!

So, not too long ago, we decided we would take the time and drive to this greatly touted and respected observation point in the Olympic National Park.

Winding our way the 18 or so miles up to over 5,000 feet elevation, from Port Angeles was beautiful, but not breathtaking, in the pristine forest. (Have I driven through too many forests and become desensitized?) We certainly enjoyed the drive. From time to time there were pullouts where an occasional tourist had stopped to snap a few pictures. But, as we drove, the point of view did not enamor us that much. It was nice, but not that nice. We were on a tighter time schedule, so we sped up to see the miles click away a bit faster. One pullout we noticed a couple taking pictures of an unafraid and friendly black-tailed deer. They looked up as we passed, as if to say, “This is our deer, we are taking its picture – don’t stop!”

I chuckled to myself, as if my perception were accurate. “Isn’t that just like we humans. We no more own one of these wild creatures than anybody else, but we possessively claim our territory – acting like we own it!” I shook my head as I considered the vanity of human beings – my own included.

As we drove higher we could tell that we were coming to the end of the tree line, as stubby, shabby trees with bare and angular limbs began appearing almost out of nowhere. We should be there soon, we thought. We began seeing glimpses of the glory of a dynamic mountain range. Should we stop and take a picture at this viewpoint? No, let’s keep going, certainly it was prettier at the top!

After a final surge, over the crest of the next rise we could see some buildings, where for 15 miles there had been none, which meant a parking lot, gift shop and most likely a restaurant to assure more revenue for the parks.

When we finally drove out on the clearing at the top we were stunned with the beauty of why this was such a respected destination. Hurricane Ridge: we were finally here! A dynamic, massive, gorgeous range of snow-covered Olympic Mountains shimmered around a full perimeter of our view, highlighted by an inset of ridge after ridge of majestically forested landscapes plunging valley after valley, like rolls of Evergreen lawns, plummeting downward from the stately mountains. This engulfed our sight!

We noticed how quiet the tourists were. We all were awe-struck with the beauty. It seemed that none of us had expected it and now we were in the midst of it.

Was it worth the time, money and effort to come? More than worth it, we decided. A family of black tailed deer grazed without anxiety on the grassy meadow nearby, seemingly pleased that they brought so much attention to themselves, in the midst of such grandeur.

The beauty and the “other-worldliness” of such a place touched me. I might have never tried to come, if the “cost” of such a trip had sidetracked me, in the middle of my busy schedule.

***

Today, we are embarking on the discovery of a passage that is “other-worldly”. Since most of us in the world are distracted by our helter-skelter lifestyles, we might consider it “too great a cost” to explore and search for the truth of what this passage is saying – but, more importantly, we must consider the final destination and goals spoken of by the passage, as being worth every ounce of our determination to succeed in finding it. One day each of us reading this page, will come to the first-hand conclusion that the nudging of the Holy Spirit to not ignore the truth found here, would most likely be of life-changing significance.

Ephesians 1 is a powerful passage.

The goal of this passage is to show us a glimpse of profound, other-world spiritual heights, that will one day be sharply in focus for each one of us. We should begin to understand this scope now, so that our preparation for eternity will be more complete.

Look at verse three... “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places”…can we even begin to comprehend this right now, or are we too consumed with the business of our life right now to even care? Does it take too much effort for us to want to understand it?

If we were to say right now, that God’s hope for us is to give us all sorts of spiritual blessings…the average person might say, “So - so what?”

Let’s evaluate some parts of our life and future that we normally do not look at so closely. Let’s see if the end of this journey will be beneficial for us. Are you and I willing to invest our energies and life into something, which we have never seen before – and that the world around us questions?

Today, let start with verse ten of chapter one and work our way back up to verse 3. If we took the verses in their natural order, we might miss the view of the destination!

What is God’s End Goal in His Plan for our World?

1. God’s Plan, for the Fullness of Time, is to Unite all things in Christ – things in Heaven and things on earth…

10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him (Jesus Christ), things in heaven and things on earth.

A companion passage in 1 Corinthians 15 also speaks about God’s “end goal”, but it begins with a problem that we all face!

1 Corinthians 15

21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.

Ah, death. We can finally understand that word! This isn’t speaking about some “spiritual blessing” that we may not understand…this word talks about something we want to avoid. Everyone has a problem with death – but we just don’t like to talk about it very much.

God’s end goal, as seen in this passage, is to bring all things together in Christ, but sin had posed a huge problem to that unity – death (spiritual separation from Himself and physical death).

You cannot have unity when there is rebellion, separation and death. God’s answer was Ultimate Sacrifice to reestablish unity between God and man: The Provision of a Redeemer.

Christ Conquered Death at His Resurrection

1 Cor. 15:22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.

Then Comes the End

24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.”

It is for those who are choosing to follow Christ, but who may not have glimpsed God’s final goal for life and the life of the universe!

In these passages we are being given an eternal “brochure”, if you will, at the gate of God’s everlasting “National Park”, to tell us all what God is going to do – what His final Goal is for us and for all things. When we read this “brochure” we can then decide how we want to enter His Destination: aware and growing in His final goal of unity with Himself, or simply getting in the doors of eternity, by the “skin of our teeth”.

God’s goal for our life is for us to be growing and maturing into Unity with Him, until that day when all things are brought together in that final unity in Christ and to the Father.

The ultimate goal of God is seen again in this companion passage: To bring all things together in Christ, to then be unitedly given back to God the Father, after Christ vanquishes every enemy, including death!

How does this relate to you and I?

If God’s goal is to have everything unitedly brought back to Him…are we ready to go to Him willingly? Is the primary goal in our Christian life to become closer and closer in our relationship to God?

“Draw near to God and He will draw near to us,” James 4:8 tells us.

There is still this problem…death. To deal with death there had to be a Redeemer provided for us – since we can’t redeem ourselves!

2. In Christ, We have Redemption through His Blood – According to the Riches of His Grace

Eph. 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ….

Colossians 1

13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

19 For in him (Jesus Christ) all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him….

3. God, Our Father Predestined us for Adoption as Sons through Jesus Christ – According to the Purpose of His Will

Eph. 1...In love 5 he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

Romans 8

15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

4. God, Our Father Chose us, in Christ, before the Foundation of the World – to be Holy and Blameless before Him

Eph. 1:4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.

Matthew 25

34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

5. God, Our Father has Blessed Us, in Christ with Every Spiritual Blessing – In Heavenly Places

Eph. 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,

This is the “vista” that we might not quite understand yet, but that God has waiting for us in its fullness – partially now, with the “down payment” of the Holy Spirit, but one day in the glory of its fullness!

Here are some of the blessings we might understand to a small degree, right now!

A. The Blessing of sin not held against us!

Romans 4

7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,

and whose sins are covered;

8 blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”

B. The Blessing of the Inheritance that Christ has given us!

Ephesians 1

11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

C. The Blessing of every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places!

Ephesians 1

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

Conclusion

We are on a trip…a life-trip to eternity. Are we ready to grow and mature in God’s Grace, to be fully part of God’s Goal of the Unity He wants us to have in Himself?