Is that not my salvation? That Jesus Christ paid the price for me? And then he blessed me. With what? With all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in himself. Ephesians one three. That is, our redemption is so rich.
You're listening to Treasure Truth with pastor and author James Ford, junior senior pastor of the Christ Bible Church in Chicago. I'm Steve Hillard. Glad you're with us today as we continue the message. The richness in redemption. And, pastor, I'm glad we're going to spend a little time talking about what is ours in redemption in Christ, because I think sometimes we understand that it is the forgiveness of sins. So I am redeemed by Christ. I've been forgiven for
the sins I've committed. And then what? What else is mine?
Uh, well, I like what, uh, Doctor Lewis Sperry Chafer from Dallas said, you know, he's a great theologian, and he has a book out that talks about 34 automatic operations of the Holy Spirit the moment he comes into our life. So, for example, just take one, take adoption.
Okay.
And Paul was a plagiarist to the max. He took things from the Greek and elevated them and gave them a spiritual significance in many of the cases. And so very powerful stuff. Well, Roman adoption, you had to have things like, for example, your biological child could be disinherited. Your adopted child could not. Yeah. You see. And so we've been adopted, you know, and accepted in the beloved. And so God the Father accepts us as his children.
So we're adopted. We're sealed until the day of redemption. We're regenerated. We're baptized. And and so, I mean, our salvation is so rich.
Yeah. And, uh, wish we had time to get into the other 33, but we don't. So let's get into first Peter chapter one as we continue the message. The richness in redemption. Here is Pastor Ford.
Now, I want to see how many listen to me at Bible study. You have God's name and creation. What is it? Elohim. That's right. Elohim. That's his primary name in creation. In the beginning, Elohim created the heavens and the earth. What's God's primary name in redemption? Yahweh. That's right. Yahweh or Jehovah. So then in chapter one, when creation breaks open in the pages of Scripture, in the beginning, God notice God doesn't try to prove himself. He only
declares that he is. Alright. And so. But where does he reveal his name in redemption chapter two. Now, of course, I'm a Bible teacher and I want to know. Wait a minute. Man doesn't need redemption until chapter three. Why does he reveal his name in redemption in chapter two? Well, you all know it well, don't you? Yes. Because salvation was not an afterthought with God. It was a forethought with God. And God wanted everybody to know before you ever knew you needed a Savior, I provided you one.
Revelation says He's the Lamb of God that was slain before the foundation. Look how good God is. The richness of redemption is that he has provided this. This is supposed to be a true story. I tried to find out, uh, Brother Billy, if it was, uh. But I couldn't find out, so. So I just say I got it out of, uh, my today in the word. That's a moody publication. So, you know, Moody is the name you could trust. You
know what I'm saying? And so this prince of Dubai came over here and started getting coffee, and he would go to the coffee shop, and every day he would give them a $20 tip for a $5 cup of coffee. So after a while this went on for a couple of weeks. So finally they said, you know, can we just talk to him? Listen. Uh, you don't seem to be from here, but you don't give a $20 tip for a $5 cup of coffee, and you do it every day. We just don't want to be taking advantage
of you. He said no, I like the way you do. Coffee. And so I kept coming in and kept coming in. Uh, but you don't know it. I bought this place, and now what I want to do is not give you a $20 tip. I want to sign it over to you so that you own it. If you will come to Dubai and teach my people how to make coffee. That you know what? Is that not my salvation? That Jesus Christ paid the price for me? And then he blessed me. With what? With all spiritual blessings in heavenly
places in himself. Ephesians one three. That is, our redemption is so rich. Yes, we sometimes don't understand it. How God can be so generous with us, so gracious with us. So good to us. Okay, I'll speak for myself. Because I say to myself, I don't see how God could be so good to me and treat me like he treats me. When I treat him like I treat him. Alright. And no matter how I treat him, God always treats me better. And the old preacher said it this way.
He's better than me. You heard that old preacher too. Then I bend to my self. And so this plan of redemption, he says, listen, you, you need to understand. Calvary is man at his worst and God at his best. And let me just say this. Whenever you have your back against the wall, remember Christ's back was to the cross. So the Bible tells us that we have this plan that God has given to us. Here it is, here it is, here it is. Notice, thirdly, in the richness
of our redemption, notice the personalization of redemption. We find it in verse 18, verse 20. See verse 21. Uh, what does it tell us? Uh, that it's not automatic, uh, that we have to receive Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior. Well, pastor, aren't we all God's children? I heard we're all God's children. No. No. Now we're all God's creation. Yes. Okay, what if I said to you I made this pulpit? Now, don't think about the fact, you know, I don't have the skills. But what if
I really did? And I said, let me introduce you to my son. What would you say? The lights are on, but nobody's home. Pastor's elevator doesn't go to the top floor anymore. Clearly, that is not his son. He may have made it, but it's not his son now. Why is it not my son? Because it does not have my life in it. Alright. You and I must realize. Yes, you are God's by creation. Let me tell you the story. Let me tell you the story. Uh, two little boys, uh,
were up around the outer drive. Older brother was fishing. The younger brother was messing with his boat in the water. He had made this boat. It was really, really a nice looking boat. He had carved his initials in it, JK James Cooper. And he was playing with it. And a wind came up and started going out to sea. And he said to his brother, my boat. My boat is gone. His brother said, nothing I can do about it. Well, about a week later he was walking down 79th Street.
Walked past the pawn shop and in the window of the pawn shop was his boat. He ran inside. He said, Mister, that's my boat. I made it. See? Look, Jake. Those are my initials, I made that. Pawnshop owner said son. Uh, no. No. The only way you get this boat is you buy it. He said, but it's mine. I really I can't help that, son. You have to buy this boat. How much? He said that boat's $9. Little boy went home, broke over his life savings. His piggy bank. $9. Went back and bought
that boat. Here's what they heard him say as he was walking out the door. I have you back your mind, but your mind twice. You see, I created you and carved my initials in you. But you got lost. But I found you. And then when I found you, I had to buy you back. So you're my. You're God's twice. If you are a believer, you're his by virtue of creation. Because he created us and carved into us what is called in the Latin the imago dei, the image of God.
Every person has personality, intellect, emotion, will free more agency and trichotomy. Every person has that. But then when we go to Calvary, get washed in the blood, we're born again by the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit becomes resident with the privilege of being president when we make him Lord. And now his life is in us. And so some of us are his twice, once by virtue of creation, the second by virtue of Calvary. Praise God,
I'm his twice. See, every believer ought to have two birthdays. One, your mother told you about the other you tell your mama about. Yeah. Folks say to me, you remember when you got saved and you know, and I. Look, I'm not tripping. I'm not tripping. Did you hear what I said? I said I ain't tripping. Yeah. So if you say you don't remember when you got saved. Okay, I got to go along with that. As long as you know
now that you are saved. But for the life of me, I can't understand how you could get saved and don't know when you got saved. Yes. Alright, let me see if I can remember. Um. September 29th, 1974. Between 11:30 a.m. 12:00 pm. Uh, at 7372 from motorway Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15208I was on the right side. She was on the left side of the bed. I was on the right side of the bed, the side closest to the window. Alright, now I vaguely remember my salvation. Yeah. It's like I
met Jesus. My world was turned upside down. Yes. And so if you're here today, here's the good news. Come on. Can we do it together? Okay, so who is Jesus? Jesus. God in the flesh, who died, was buried, rose again, ascended into heaven, seated at the right hand of the father, making intercession for us according to the will of God.
Our soon coming King. Who is Jesus? He's God in the flesh, who died, was buried, but rose again the third day, ascended into heaven, seated at the right hand of the father, making intercession for us according to the will of God. Our soon coming King. Mhm. Yes he is. Yes he is. Yes he is.
You're listening to Treasure Truth with Pastor Ford. A message called The Richness in Redemption. And we'll get back to hearing more about the soon coming King in just a moment. If you ever miss a broadcast or part of one, you can come to our website and listen to each and every program in its entirety. Just come to Treasure Truth radio org. You can download MP3 order copies of this broadcast on CD, or simply stream the programs through your computer or mobile device. You also find links to
be able to listen through the Moody Radio app. You'll find that in a lot more when you come to treasure Truth Radio. Back to the message again. Here is Pastor Ford.
And so then. Born once, die twice, born twice, die once. Maybe. What's the maybe the rapture of the church? Everybody's not going to see death. Oh, Lord. All believers have wanted to be in that number. Yes. I'm no different. Here's the last one. Here's the last one. Here's the last one. Because he talks about several things the commitment necessary, the content and the confidence. And so he says, listen, we we have confidence in this. We are assured. I know
there's no other way. I know that if you say that you're going to heaven and you don't know Jesus. Liar, liar. Pants on fire. Hallelujah. You're not going to heaven without Jesus Christ. Amen. Now, here's the last one. The Practice of redemption. I want you to notice how he ties our eternal life with our temporal life. He's saying, if you have eternal life, you ought to be living a
certain way in your temporal life. Now, I had something put together, but I'm not going to say it because this morning, uh, you know, they got real quiet on me. I could tell it was offensive. And you know me, I don't like to offend anyone. And so I'm not going to say it, but if you're a Christian, there's some things that need to be straightened out. You say what,
Pastor Ford? Well, I said I wasn't going to say it, but if I was going to say it, I would have said stuff like, your name's written in the Lamb's Book of life, but you got two last names on your mailbox. That's not the practice of redemption. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You slept in a bed last night, but it wasn't your own. Yeah, I was going to say, but I'm not going to say that because folk get mad about that. Yeah, yeah, you got the Bible in your hand, but you got
lottery tickets in your pocket. In your purse. That's true. You talk like a Christian. You dress like a ho. Mhm. You shouting today. But you were shocking last night. Mhm. You aren't low down but you are on the down low. I'm not going to say it. You trying to encourage me. I'm not going to say you whispered a prayer this morning. But it was laced with the alcohol from last night. You didn't want to lift your hands in praise in the sanctuary, because you still got the stamp from the
red diamond. Come on, man. Say how you know about the red diamond. How many know what the red diamond is? Or ain't nobody going to raise your hand now? You know what the red diamond is one of the most popular strip clubs in Chicago. Say, how do you know about it, pastor? People be telling me about it. Yeah. Yeah. Mhm. So you say the Holy Spirit is in you and you're still buying hot merchandise. Alright, let me leave you alone. You say thank you. In other words, there is a
standard that you must have. And there's a life that you must live. Now listen, listen, listen. It would be okay. Uh, sister Cherise Jackson, she works at the UIC College of Dentistry. So? So, you know, on our Yahoo group, we send out, uh, notices of jobs. Like, this week alone, I sent out four different places hiring people. Now, this is what I. This is what this is what she sent. Free dental screening, UIC College of Dentistry. no appointment necessary and in the
date and time patients. Needed by dental students for licensing. Exam screening includes free. Faculty selected X-rays and limited screening exam patients selected. Qualify for treatment only on days of licensing exam so giving you the qualifications. You know this is the standard. Please bring one form of ID please bring current list of medications. Here's the next phrase and see I highlighted. If you can see it you see a little yellow mark I highlighted because when I got
it I said, oh no they didn't. Here's the next qualification. Must have teeth to qualify. Now come on. I mean isn't that a no brainer right? No, but but guess what? There were some people who actually came before who had no teeth. They didn't get it. Listen. Abundant life begins when you accept Christ. Here's what second Corinthians 517 therefore, if any man be in Christ, he's a new creature. Old things have old things. Old things have old things.
That old things have all. Come on, come on, come on. Hit me. You know, because I'm stuck. Old things are all things are. You got to come hit me. Old things are old. Things are old. Things are passed away. And all things have become new. If you've been saved for five years and nothing has changed. You may be professing salvation. I doubt if you're possessing salvation. Come on, man. See, people want to want to say they're saved and live like yard dogs. No no no no. Christ. Gotta be
doing something. Something's gotta change. Let me close. You've been so gracious. That's enough for today. Listen, when Oliver Cromwell was running England, they were in a war to seize that country and to put it back on its right track. Any soldier caught sleeping was executed. This young man fell asleep at his post and was brought to Oliver Cromwell. His mother and his fiancée came. He was supposed to be married. And they began to plead for his life.
And they said, please don't, don't, don't, don't, don't execute him. And Oliver Cromwell said, the morale of my army would be destroyed. I need to execute him. Everybody knows you fall asleep on guard duty. You're executed. And they begged and pleaded for mercy. He wouldn't give him any. He said when that town bell rings six times, signifying at 6 a.m. in the morning, he's going to be executed. Everybody's gathered there. His mother's there, but his fiancee's not there.
Everybody assumes she doesn't want to see this young man executed, and she can't bear to watch her fiance executed. So they're waiting, and at 6:00, and they're waiting for the ringing of the bell. But it doesn't ring. So they're waiting five after it doesn't ring. Ten after it doesn't ring. Finally Cromwell says, what's going on? Why didn't the bell ring? And the mother said, remember you said when the bell rings and the bell didn't ring? So he has to
be set free. And Cromwell said, you're right, and set the young man free. They watched, coming around the corner. His fiancee and her hands were limp and drenched with blood and bleeding, manacled, crushed because she had grabbed that clapper. And instead of that bell ringing to signal his destruction, she allowed that bell to crush her hands. And even as the pain, excruciating pain was going through her body, all she could think about. I'm saving the one that
I love. I'm saving the one that I love. And when she came around that corner, the evidence of her love was clearly seen in the blood that was dripping in the hands that were mangled. I just came to remind you today that Jesus Christ grabbed the bell of God's destructive wrath. And instead of it coming on us for our execution every time, the bell would toll. Jesus Christ is holding it. And he's saying, I'm doing it for the one I love, that if I don't go to the cross and shed my blood, my bride is
going to die. So Jesus Christ went to Calvary, shed his blood for you and for me. I want you to think about this, that whenever we die and go to heaven, mortal shall put on immortality. Uh, yeah. So there's no more death, and natural shall put on supernatural. So there are no more boundaries. And the the terrestrial shall put on the celestial. And so we will be
those who will be in a glorified body. But for all of eternity there's going to be one man with prints in his hands and nail prints in his feet, and a spear print in his side to say to you and I for all of eternity, as we worship him and praise him every time we look at him, the marks of the love of Jesus Christ will be seen throughout all eternity. And every time in heaven we look at him on the throne. He loved me. He loved me. He loved me. And he loved me so much that he died for me.
You're listening to Treasure Truth with Pastor James Ford Jr. And a message that he's called the richness in redemption. You know, for additional teaching and resources, you can come to our website, Treasure Truth Radio. You know, with so many competing truth claims out there, why trust the Bible? Chances are you've encountered a question like this from friends or coworkers who are skeptical about Christianity. But you know, there are satisfying answers to this question. But do you
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