As you're seated, if you would turn with me to Paul's epistle to the Romans, chapter 3. We'll consider verses 21 through 25 briefly as we dive into our theme for this Lord's Supper. Following Chapter 1, verse 18 through to verse 20 of this chapter, the Apostle Paul has demonstrated that all humanity, both Jews as well as Gentiles, are under God's righteous judgment. Each one of us condemned as criminals, violators of God's laws. So as the backdrop of this paragraph, which I believe it was Martin Luther said, this is the most important paragraph in all of the Bible. If that doesn't get my attention, I'm not sure what would. Verse 25, but now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law. Although the law and the prophets bear witness to it, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. And verse 24 will be the focus, at least in part, of our meditation this night. And are justified by his grace as a gift through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation and atoning sacrifice by his blood to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness because of his divine forbearance, he had passed over former sins. Well, let's turn to our God now and pray once more. Father in heaven, we're delighted to be with one another this evening. We're delighted to be invited to your table, Lord Jesus, as we remember your death. We pray that you would please stir us up to zeal and love to you as we consider your truth this evening and administer grace to each of our hearts we ask in our Savior's name. Amen. So in our previous studies as we've considered the atoning work of Jesus Christ, we've learned together of the costliness of our salvation. Jesus and only Jesus could offer himself as the atoning sacrifice for our sins. He had to go to the cross or no one, no sinner would ever be forgiven of his sins. Secondly, more recently we learned together that Christ came as the servant of Yahweh, sent by the Father, only doing that which was pleasing to the Father to accomplish His will, not Jesus' own will. Now this evening we want to explore the cross of Christ in terms of one Bible term used to describe it, which is redemption, as you can see in your handout. I should say most helpful to me was Pastor Mitch's exposition of verse 24 in a previous study going through the book of Romans as well as John Murray's book, Redemption, Accomplished and Applied. So those were both excellent resources for me. First in your handout, Roman numeral one, the meaning of New Testament redemption. The meaning of New Testament redemption. First, the illustration of the specific New Testament meaning. By way of contrast, the word saved or salvation can be used in a variety of contexts. It could mean salvation from some temporary or temporal distress. by God. So saving is not really very definitive in its meaning. It really depends upon the context in which it's used. However, the meaning of ransom or redemption has a very particular meaning that we can see here. The word apolatrosis from the Greek specifically refers to the ransom price to purchase one who has been enslaved. And when this term is used, as you'll see, bondage or slavery is always the context of this term. And so briefly, a background to the New Testament usage of this term would be helpful at this point. Historical accounts of ransom price paid have been recorded on the walls of pagan temples. The ransom price is there specified. And so this word is used to describe money paid as a ransom, the purchase of a firstborn, for example, in the Old Testament, among the sons of Israel. Remember, they had that firstborn. had to be ransomed or redeemed. Beside the tribe of the Levites and the book of Ruth, we also see it used in, as well as the book of Job, as we heard read this morning, which we'll come back to briefly. Since the firstborn were the Lord's, they were to be ransomed and to be returned to their families by means of this payment. We could see passages, Numbers 345, the price is paid for the redemption, verse 49. The redemption money is referenced there. So the Old Testament usage, the basic idea is paying a ransom price to secure liberation. In fact, in Exodus, this is the very term that the Lord himself uses in referring to Yahweh's deliverance of the nation of Israel in their time of slavery in Egypt. And when you think of Job 19 verse 25, that Pastor Mitch had read this morning, it was very striking for me to refer to, that Job could refer to his Redeemer, his Gael, that same term that we saw used in the book of Ruth, to see him with his own eyes in the resurrection, that same term here used, as I said before, referring to the deliverance of Israel from Egypt. And here Job of ancient times referred to his own life being ransomed by Yahweh, even this ancient book. So it's very striking to me. Now in your outline part C, as we look at the New Testament usage, just one passage I think would be helpful. 1 Peter 1 verses 18 and 19, where Peter writes, knowing that you are ransomed from the feudal ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. Silver and gold were commonly used as the ransom price for slaves. And yet here you can see the usage is the same, but the price that's involved here is not silver and gold, but it's the very blood of Jesus Christ. Christ's life is the ransom for many. And so as a follower of Jesus, you and I are now dedicated to God as those slaves who are dedicated to, commonly dedicated to a God of one or another. The Lord Jesus bought and paid for our deliverance as we will see. And so how does this impact our devotion, our love for our Lord Jesus? Consider that. Roman numeral two, consider the great payment, the great payment made in New Testament redemption. We want to look at this briefly from two points of view. First, under A, it's value considered from the efficacy of the payment, or what that payment actually accomplished, for part A there. We have passages that we can see in Hebrews 9, for example, where the writer of the Hebrews can refer to the Lord Jesus, how he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves, but by means of his own blood. And then he goes on and says, thus securing an eternal redemption. So we can see the value of this payment made is that there is an eternity that is open before those who have been redeemed. An eternal redemption. Christ's own blood accomplished a redemption. And so that it worked. It accomplished that for the purpose for which it was intended. If we move down in this same paragraph in Hebrews 9 verse 15, we find these words, therefore he, that is Jesus, in verse 15, he is the mediator of a new covenant so that those who are called may receive the promised inheritance. Such a death has occurred and that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. And so believers of the Old Testament economy, they were redeemed by Christ, Job included, actually prior to that, who came after them. They died in anticipation of this great redemption. And so Christ's blood eternally redeems. He accomplished that redemption that he suffered and died for on the behalf of his brothers. Secondly, we consider the value of this payment, Part B, from the substance of the payment. We looked at 1 Peter, we'll come back to that in a moment. Typically, 5,000 to 6,000 denarii were used to purchase a common slave, each of that being a day's wages, a lifetime savings, you can imagine, for a typical slave. This many workdays, between 5,000 and 6,000 workdays, just for one slave. And yet the blood of Jesus purchased slaves of righteousness far beyond measure. When we see our Lord's words in Matthew 20, 28, where Jesus says, just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. There's that same word there, a ransom for many. Reflect back with me to the 1 Peter 1 passage in verse 18. You were not redeemed with the corruptible things like silver and gold, or from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish or spot. Such worth. How can we judge that? How can we value that? Consider that God himself could speak worlds of wealth into existence. And yet it is the precious blood of Christ that redeems the elect. Some kidnappings demand millions for one life. That's cheap compared to the blood of Christ. By contrast, we see the words from Romans 8.32. He who did not spare his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him freely give us all things? the costliness of this redemption, far beyond the value of worlds. The Father paid far more for this accomplishment. He could speak worlds into existence, and yet this redemption was far more costly than the creation of a world of wealth, his own son, it is beyond our ability to fully measure. And so as we look back to Romans 3.24, and are justified by his grace as a gift, as a gift through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his own blood to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, to fulfill his righteous demands, but his divine forbearance as he had passed over former sins. Justification, a free gift, a statement there proclaiming righteousness is free. and yet it costs the Godhead dearly. And so as we come to the table of remembrance this evening, recall the great value of our Lord's, the inestimable value of our Lord's sacrifice in accomplishing our salvation. Our Lord's life bleeding out of Him in the most graphic manner possible, fulfilling unmistakable prophecies so that we could not miss this ransom that was paid for us. Thirdly, consider its value in the teaching central gospel lessons that come to us. Redemption launches or teaches what Christ teaches in clearing our names. He paid for it all. And what did you and I contribute? Nothing. Verse 27 of the same chapter, then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. He paid for it. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by a law, the law of faith. Redemption teaches us what we contribute, and that is nothing. Jesus doesn't ask us to make a contribution toward our redemption. Jesus paid it all, and it is all to him I owe. Your participation in the Lord's Supper tonight itself contributes nothing to your salvation. We are here to humbly acknowledge the debt of gratitude and love that we owe to him. And so as we come to the Lord's table, we want to consider that broader context of the bondage from which believers are delivered. Roman numeral three, the bondage broken in New Testament redemption. the bondage broken in New Testament redemption. First, letter A, regarding the law. Now, in your outline, part one there is actually not a part. It's kind of a qualification, as it were, that just really needs to be said, because confusion has surrounded this meaning of regarding the law. We still have the obligation to love God, to love one another. That obligation still remains under the new covenant. Consider the words with me in Matthew 22, beginning at verse 37. And he said to him, you shall love, this is Jesus, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart. and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And the second is like it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and all the prophets. Now in Romans 13, as we'll get to that in Pastor Mitch's exposition, Paul is gonna go back to that, showing us that love does no wrong to a neighbor, therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. So as we go all the way back to Jeremiah 31 verse 33 and we look at the new covenant that our Lord instituted by this very ordinance, if you remember the Last Supper, God said at that point that he would write his law upon the hearts of his people. I will put my law within them and I will write it on their hearts. I will be their God and they shall be my people. And so as the commandments are the expression of the character of God and the very aim of the new covenant of this passage in Jeremiah 31 to write his law upon the heart of every participant in that covenant, his moral law shall ever guide our expressions of love which we owe to God. And now we want to look at, we really want to look at the bondage broken under point two here. First, the freedom from the curse of the law. Freedom from the curse of the law. We'd have to turn to the book of Galatians, which is really focused in on this. Galatians 3 verse 10. As you know, the book of Galatians is written toward a church that really got confused, sadly, about the freeness of their justification by faith. That they had to still relate to the law as a means of their justification. They're being pronounced righteous in God's sight. Galatians 3 verse 10, for all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse. For it is written, cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, and to do them. And so without a deliverance from this curse, there can be no salvation, no redemption. Now the first century Jew, this would be obvious to that kind of person. In the same paragraph, you look down to verse 13, Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. For as it is written, curse it is everyone who is hanged on a tree. So that in Christ Jesus, the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised spirit through faith. It was from this curse that Christ purchased his people, becoming a curse himself for us. So though your trial that you may be going through may be great, may be severe, let your heart lay hold of this reality. No more curse, but blessings instead. Blessings, not curses. the redeemed know. Though the tears and thorns of this world are yet around you, this season that they have will soon end. From a popular hymn in our day, one day you'll make everything new, Jesus. One day you'll bind every wound. The former thing shall pass away. No more tears. One day we'll be free, free indeed, Jesus. One day all the struggle will cease, and we shall see your glory revealed on that day. We shall weep no more, no more tears, no more shame, no more struggle, no more walking through the valley of the shadow, no cancer, no depression, just the brightness of your glory, just the wonder of your grace. everything as it was meant to be. All of this will change when we see you face-to-face, Jesus. Face-to-face. Love your Redeemer for this, because that is your destiny. Moving on to part three, freedom from the ceremonial law. In the same chapter, verses 23 and 24, Paul mentions this. Now therefore, now before faith came, we are held captive under the law, imprisoned, until the coming faith would be revealed. And so then the law was our guardian until Christ came in order that we might be justified by faith. And over to chapter 4 in verse 2, he continues, for he is under guardians and managers, he referring to the people under the first covenant, He was under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. And so the tutelage imposed on God's people under the Mosaic Covenant had to be fulfilled and set aside in order for all believers to receive the adoption as sons in Christ. This is what Paul's teaching in this passage. He himself is the embodiment of what was represented in that former economy. In this same chapter, four verses four and five, but when the fullness of time had come, we are no longer under the guardian for in Christ Jesus, you are all sons of God. through faith. And so to the Jews converted to Christ in the first century, this would be a fantastic realization. And yet to most of us sitting here as Gentiles, we might want to quickly pass over this blessing. And yet when you think about it, for Rahab, for Ruth, as you go through the New Testament, for that believing centurion of Matthew chapter 8 that felt himself unworthy for Jesus to enter into his home, for that Syrophoenician woman who was healed by Jesus in Mark 4, for the Samaritans that gathered together at that well outside of the town in John chapter 4, Or if you turn to the book of Acts, in Acts chapter 10, Cornelius. This would have been jaw-dropping for these Gentile believers. They felt the separation. If Christ had not come, that wall of separation spoken of by Paul in Ephesians 2 would still be intact even to this day. And yet as we turn to Ephesians 2, we find these words in 13 and following. But now, in Christ Jesus, you who were once far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances. that he might create himself one new man in place of the two, thus making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, therefore killing the hostility." So the words of Exodus 19.5 are fulfilled in us if we turn to 1 Peter. Chapter 2 verse 9, this is what Peter says of us, but you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession that you might proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness and into his marvelous light. Those words lifted from Exodus chapter 19 verse 5 now apply to us Gentiles as well because the ceremonial law is now, we have now been liberated from that by the blood of Christ. We have very simple elements as we worship God. In the emblems of the bread and the fruit of the vine to commemorate our Lord's death, Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed for us. All the Levitical images are fulfilled in him. I borrow the words from John Kent, a Reformed Baptist from the early 1800s, where he writes, in types and shadows we are told, Jesus was seen in days of old. before the gospel dawn came in, a glorious sacrifice for sin. The paschal lamb which Israel slew, ye seed of Jacob, speaks to you, holds Jesus forth from blemish free, whose blood's a peaceful sign to thee. If sprinkled o'er thy conscience now, how greatly loved and blessed art thou. Thousands there are who never see this peaceful sign made known to thee. Once Jesus, as thy surety bled, was crowned with thorns to Calvary led, from Sinai's curse to set thee free, his blood's a peaceful sign to thee. Then why, my soul, shits thou despair, And doubt the Saviour's constant care? Torn from himself thou canst never be, His blood's a peaceful sign to thee. We have been delivered from that ceremonial law. But also, fourthly, freedom from the works, the law of works, This is another way of referring to our justification, as we see. Most noteworthy, perhaps, in our minds is the requirement of law-keeping as the basis of our acceptance with God. And yet, apart from Christ's redemption, there is no possibility of our obligation being removed. And yet we say in Romans 3 24, going back a third time, and are justified by his grace as a gift through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. If you flip forward to chapter 5 of that same epistle to verse 19, for as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. So it is Christ's obedience, as we previously considered, His active obedience in fulfilling that law by a perfect life, and His passive obedience by taking upon Himself the due penalty of our sins. That is the ransom price required for our justification. That is in view. And so as we sang at the beginning of our service from stanza four of John Newton's hymn, let us wonder grace and justice join and point to mercy's store. When through grace in Christ our trust is, justice smiles and asks no more. He who washed us with his blood has secured our way to God. And so consider under part B, not only are we delivered in regards to the law, but regarding sin as well. Regarding sin. First, we are free from guilt. Freedom from guilt. We know that there is a close association with the power of sin and the law from 1 Corinthians 15 56. The sting of death is sin and the power of sin is the law. for Mormons 4 considering how Abraham was justified. Paul mentions the law brings wrath. That's what its power is to do, is to bring wrath. And so as we take a step back and we look at the work of Christ, the whole enterprise of our salvation, and granting to us such a redemption that we can freely be accepted by God in his presence forever. And thus the consummation of all things is really in view when we think of our Lord's words in Luke 21. Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads because your redemption is drawing near. Looking at the whole scope of God's redemption. In Hebrews 9, we consider the words that this is an eternal redemption that we're speaking of. But if you would turn with me to Revelation 5 verse 9, when we see the redeemed saints in the very immediate presence of God, John records, and they sang a new song saying, worthy are you to take the scroll and to open the seals for you were slain, for by your blood you ransomed people for God. There's that word again. From every tribe and language and people and nation. And so as we consider the large scope of Christ, work of salvation. It truly is a redemption. Think of Romans 8, 23. It also includes the redemption of our bodies as well. That's what Paul says. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, grown idly as we wait eagerly for the adoption of sons, the redemption of our bodies. Christ is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it to the praise of his glory. Or Ephesians 4 verse 30, And do not grieve the Spirit of God by whom you were sealed for that day of redemption, where that redemption is going to be completely and fully known to all the moral universe. But we can also see the connection of that grand plan of redemption, of that assembly of the redeemed, whom no man can number, and every specific case of every believer receiving the forgiveness of their individual sins as well, as it drills down to those details. Or Paul can say, in him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of his grace. Or Colossians chapter 1 verse 14, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. You see the repetition of that association between our redemption and the forgiveness of every one of our sins. And so we can see that we have a close association there in the new covenant that the death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under that first covenant that we saw earlier. Our legitimate guilt is taken away by Christ's redemption. Our bad record is once for all time removed. Through faith in this Redeemer alone, our consciences are really and truly cleansed. as Hebrews writes. This takes away our overwhelming sense of guilt and grants us a desire to serve Him. When you think of that picture of Isaiah in the temple in God's immediate presence, that joy that he experienced of his sins forgiven. And as we reflect upon the character of God, a willingness to do this, think of the words that we find in Micah 7 verses 18 and 19. Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever because he delights in steadfast love, which we saw in Psalm 107 recently. He will again have compassion on us. He will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins in the depths of the sea. This is the forgiveness of our God that's offered in Christ. I trust you all at one point or another know the pain of some former offense of yours being brought up. Perhaps even in this past holiday season, in one of those gatherings, how grievous that would have been for you had it taken place, let alone, just remembering it, let alone it being brought out in the open in front of other people. And yet in the court of heaven, Kevin, in the court of heaven, God is going to say, what sin? I know nothing of this. And the reason why that is is because this is a God of mercy. Mercy upon mercies that we have in Christ Jesus. The events that this table tonight commemorates accomplished this. God has no record of your sins because they've all been atoned for by your Redeemer. And yes, though we look back and grieve over our past failings, and a great many of them, Certainly in my case, God will never do so because of Christ's atoning work. We want to consider part two as well. Not only freedom from our guilt, but freedoms from sin's power. And we have to associate that with our union with Jesus Christ through faith in him. Freedom from sin's power. If that weren't enough, the redemption that we have in Christ sets us free from the law of sin and death actually working in our bodies. And really what we're trying to do is summarize where do we find this word redemption, redeem, through the New Testament. And here we find it again in Titus chapter 2 verse 14. Referring to Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who were zealous for good works. We heard about being zealous this morning from Romans chapter 12, didn't we? And so this reminds us of the great truths recently studied in chapters 6 through 8 in the book of Romans. Our record has been wiped clean, as wonderful as that is, but practically we ourselves are saved by Christ's life in us by virtue of our union with him. If we were to look at Romans chapter 6 and verse 4, we were buried therefore with him by baptism unto death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so too we might walk in newness of life. Further down in the same chapter, Paul is able to say this, so you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body to obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought back from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you since you are not under the law, but under grace. We know that in 2 Corinthians 5, all things are new in Christ. For the love of God controls us because we have concluded this, that one has died for all and therefore all have died. And he died for all that those who live might no longer live for themselves, but for him who for their sake died and was raised. And so we have been set free from the defiling influence of sin's power. And Christ's redemption via our union with Him has made this all possible. I think of the words there in Isaiah 40. where we are enabled by God's power to persevere in the faith. Isaiah writes, Why do you say, O Jacob, or speak, O Israel, my way is hidden from the Lord, and my right is disregarded by my God? Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might, He increases strength." Well, what is the purpose of that strength? It's to live a life that is pleasing to Him. Even you shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted. But they who wait for the Lord will renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint. We have been given power over our own members in order to serve the living God. We have been liberated from sin's power, as you can see. and part C in your outline as we move quickly on. Also, we have been liberated regarding Satan himself. First, freedom from his dominion, from Ephesians 2, and Paul is reflecting back on these Gentile believers, thinking over where they once were, where you and I once were, if you're a believer in Christ. where he says, and you were dead in your trespasses and sins. Verse two is really my focus. In which you once walked, following the course of the world, following the prince of the power of the air, this spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience. And so consider verse two, where Paul describes the relationship between Satan and really all of humanity apart from Christ. Since Adam and Eve's rebellion, all humanity has had a part in that alliance of our first parents that they formed with the devil. And yet it doesn't stay there. We don't stay there because of the liberation that we have in Jesus Christ. Think of Paul's words in 2 Timothy 2, as he reflects upon the unconverted, and he's speaking to his protege Timothy, and the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them, that is the opponents, repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil after being captured by him to do his will. And so consider how the mess of humanity is described in verse 26. And so you can see how this connects with our theme of redemption. We were captives once, following the course of this world, where Satan's dominion exists. And Christ liberated us, his elect ones, from the power of Satan's dominion. Now I do need to make a clarification here, and I'm sorry that I'm quickly moving on. Allow for this clarification. When we think of the ransom Christ that was paid by Christ, by his sinless life and crucifixion, it is never appropriate to think that it was paid to Satan, as some early church fathers had espoused. Some said it was clear that there is a significant connection between this paid ransom and And it was made in terms of the destruction of the devil, actually. When you think back of Genesis 3 and verse 15, where God says that I will put enmity between you and the woman, between your offspring and her offspring, and he shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel. So that payment is in reference really to the destruction of the devil, not to pay him off. And so, on the eve of the crucifixion, we find words from our Lord to this effect, where Jesus says at the Last Supper, now is the judgment of this world. Now is the ruler of this world will be cast out. Or Colossians 2 and 15. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, triumphing over them in him, in the cross. So it is among these dark forces against which the church still wrestles until Christ returns. Though defeated in the cross, their influence still rages against the saints until the end of this age. And yet Paul can say in Romans 16, the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. We are not only liberated from Satan's dominion, but part two, we have freedom from his terror. Freedom from his terror. And when you think back of what Hebrews 2 says about the work of Christ in relation to the devil. We find these words beginning at verse 14. Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. And so you can see this deliverance that is taking place from the terror of that one that had the power of death, that is the devil. And it causes me to reflect upon Martin Luther's hymn, the third stanza. And though this world with devils filled should threaten to undo us, we will not fear, for God has willed his truth to triumph through us. The prince of darkness grim, we tremble not for him, his rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure. One little word shall fell him." So Satan's power, that is, the terror of death, is now taken away. This slavery to him is over since Christ abolished him, and eternal punishment for every believer has been taken away. And so, as I close this evening, consider Jesus' ransom enables the Christian to live for God. We saw that in Titus chapter 2. For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope. and appearing, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us, why? To redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself. His own possession, who are zealous for good works. Christ's goal is that we would be godly, zealous for good works. Paul addresses several classes of members of the churches in that book in Titus there in Crete. And so in that context, there are very specific directives that he gives toward masters, toward slaves, towards older women and younger women, older men and younger men, to live in a way that is pleasing to God in their particular calling. But secondly, it also enables the imperfect Christian to live with peace, in peace with God. Peace with God, pardon me. I will still add nothing to the ransom price by my living. That is to be sure. How could I ever add to what Christ did? But I want to live better and even struggle, but all the while knowing that the ransom has been paid in full. Imperfect as I am, the greatest amount of sanctification still awaits us at our final redemption or our death. where we shall be among the saints of just men made perfect in Christ's immediate presence, freed from all sin. And so, finally, the liberation that we've just spoken briefly of here this evening, this applies to every Christian, every class of Christian, to those who sincerely believe and follow the Lord Jesus, and to them only. To those who don't yet follow Christ, these things are plainly not your possession, but they could be. Even today, they could be. Please consider your current situation, though your senses may not perceive that. Realize that you are currently facing the same judgment as Satan when you die, to be shut out of the eternal kingdom that we've mentioned, shut out from God's acceptance, and that community of saints with him, as we read in Matthew 10, 28, and do not fear those who will kill the body, but cannot kill the soul, rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. And as we turn to Revelation 21, we can see their end. but as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their person will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death. You face the prospect as sobering as it is, of continuing in Satan's service and that for eternity. Tormented by him and by his minions. Also bound to your sins, never to be freed from your bitterness. your inability to repent, for that will be taken from you, and yes, guilty, condemned, forever bound to your sins, their power, and their guilt, as we've seen that which Christians are redeemed from. We pray that you will, in the words of 2 Timothy 2.26, Pray that you will come to your senses and escape the snare of the devil now captured by him to do his will. Please take to heart the offer of full redemption offered freely to you in Christ Jesus this evening. I close with Peter's words from Acts 3. Repent, therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time of restoring of all things about which God has spoken by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. Amen. Let's go to our God. Our Father in heaven, we thank you for plainly revealing this plan of redemption, which was opened up and referred to so long ago. But in these last days, you have openly revealed it in abundant ways for us, that we may fully embrace that which you are doing in the lives of so many in every age, O Lord. We praise and thank you. We thank you that we can live free from our guilt. free from any means of trying to work our way into such a situation where we might be pleasing to you, but we are freely accepted in Christ. Dear Lord, we pray that as we partake of the elements this evening that there would be real benefit that comes to each one of us as we reflect upon the doing and dying of our Lord Jesus and the ransom that he paid for us all. In Christ's name we pray, amen.