Paid in Full

[0:00] Acts 20, 28.

[0:12] Welcome to the elders of the Church of Ephesus.! It's telling us here that the Church of God, He has purchased with His own blood.

[0:38] A purchase has been made. You are a blood-bought people. Every one of you that trusts Christ but love the Saviour, you are a blood-bought people. His very blood has made that purchase happen.

[0:51] A transaction. It's a heavenly transaction. A transaction. God's intervention on planet Earth. An exchange.

[1:02] A transfer. It's like when a payment is made. There's a transfer made, isn't there? Whether it's electronic or visa or check or cash.

[1:17] A transaction is made. A payment is made. And this is what happened at Calvary's Hill. This is what happened when the Lord Jesus shed His precious blood. A transaction, an exchange.

[1:29] A transfer was made. And you have been secured. You have been signed for. Just as if someone had signed a cheque and given it to you. Just as if someone had made an electronic deposit into your account.

[1:42] There's been a transfer of a payment. A payment has been made. A change of ownership has taken place. When that payment was made for you.

[1:55] When that purchase was made. You have been obtained by that payment. There's been a change of ownership. And when an ownership changes, everything really changes, doesn't it?

[2:07] You think of buying a house. I've seen a house lately. It had the big real estate sign. And it had sold on there.

[2:18] And there was a truck in the driveway. And there was an exchange taking place. The furniture was being taken out. And new furniture going in, no doubt. A change of ownership.

[2:30] A change of control. A change of use. And that's what happens when you become a Christian. There's a change of ownership. It's like I've seen a Christian t-shirt.

[2:43] How's it going now? Under new ownership. Under new ownership. And that's what happens when you become a Christian. There's a new master.

[2:54] And 1 Corinthians 6 verse 20. It tells us of this new mastery. This new mastership. In 1 Corinthians 6 verse 20. It tells us.

[3:06] And the context there is of your body being the temple of the Holy Ghost. Which is in you. Which you have of God. And you are not your own. And verse 20. For ye are bought with a price.

[3:19] Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit. Which are God's. That body and that spirit. It's not yours to do with as you please.

[3:31] It is His. Your body and your spirit are in His ownership. So therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit. Which are God's.

[3:42] For ye are bought with a price. Think of that price today. That's as we reflect on the Lord's first coming. We think of that price don't we. That payment made. That great value.

[3:54] And really it tells us. For you. For me. The value of every person. The value of the soul. How do you measure that? The worth of something.

[4:04] The worth of a person. There was a writer. A Roman writer. Some century before Christ. And he said this. He said. A thing is worth.

[4:15] What someone will pay for it. A thing is worth. What someone will pay for it. And that's how much you are worth. That's how much we are worth.

[4:26] That love the Lord. Moses. You're worth the very blood of Jesus Christ. Sophia. The very blood of Christ purchased you. That's how valuable you are.

[4:37] That's how precious you are. In His sight. That's how worthwhile you are. Brother. Sister. Here today. You are very valuable. Very worthwhile. And you know. Sometimes we discount how valuable we are.

[4:49] We put ourselves down. Maybe we've been put down. As a youngster. Through our lives. For different reasons. We might have felt. Like we weren't worth much. Like we weren't very valuable.

[5:01] As the world would esteem value. Whether it might be our education. Or learning. Or our income level. Our place of abode. Our family situation. Our background.

[5:13] Our circumstances. There might be all kinds of reasons. Why we might not feel. As valuable as someone else might be. In our eyes. Or in others eyes. But really. It's not about any of such things.

[5:24] The value that is your value. Is the value that Christ paid. To purchase you. The very precious one. Our Lord and Saviour. And this man Publius. This Roman writer.

[5:35] He knew what he was talking about. When he wrote. A thing is worth. What someone will pay for it. Because he was formerly. A slave. In the Roman days. This man Publius.

[5:46] Was a slave. A value had been placed on his life. And then someone else purchased him. And set him free. From his slavery. He was released from that slavery.

[5:58] And that's what. The purchase price of Christ does for us. Doesn't it? It sets us free from slavery. From enslavement. And society has determined. What different people are worth.

[6:10] We know. Somewhat. There's different classes. Or structures. Or you know. That kind of thing. In society. But really. As a Christian. As it's been said. The floor is level.

[6:22] At the foot of the cross. There's no one higher. Or lower. Than another. We're all of the same value. In his side. And the Lord Jesus says. You're worth something. So much so.

[6:33] That he paid for you. Like it says in 1 Peter 1. Verse 18. To 21. For as much as you know. You are not redeemed. With corruptible things. Such as.

[6:44] Silver and gold. From your vain conversation. Received by tradition. From your fathers. But with. The precious blood. Of Christ. As of a lamb.

[6:56] Without blemish. And without spot. Who verily. Was foreordained. Before the foundation. Of the world. But was manifest. In these last times. For you. Who by him.

[7:07] Do believe in God. That raised him up. From the dead. And gave him glory. That your faith. And hope. Might be in God. Don't ever. Discount yourself. You are very valuable. You are very precious.

[7:19] You are somebody. That matters. In the scheme of God. In the plan of God. In the heart of God. In the love of God. Everyone. That love him. And.

[7:30] I know sometimes. We might think. What am I worth. I might. Just. You know. Who would. Who would know. If I was to die. Who would care. But. Really and truly. Christ cares.

[7:41] And loves for you. He showed that love. He purchased you. Now there's a story told. This is a familiar illustration. You might have heard it. Some time before. Of a little boy one day.

[7:51] That he. Had. A little boat. He painted it beautifully. He decorated it. It was a beautiful boat. And. Yet one day.

[8:02] Someone stole that boat. It was stolen. And he was distressed. Then one day. He passed a. A porn shop. Like a cash converter shop.

[8:13] And he saw it in the window. And. And. He. Saw that it was his boat. And he was so. Overjoyed. That he found his boat again. He went into the shop owner.

[8:24] And he said to him. Sir. That is my little boat. In the window. It. It is mine. That is my little boat. And. No. The shopkeeper said. No.

[8:34] It's mine. For I bought it. Yes. Said the boy. But it is mine. For I made it. I made it. It. Then the shop owner said.

[8:45] If you will pay me two dollars. You can have it. That was a lot of money. For this young boy. Who did not have a penny. So what he did. He resolved. That he would earn that money.

[8:57] And he. Cut grass. He did all kinds of chores. Around the place. To save up the money. To buy back. The boat. And one day.

[9:07] He counted up his coins. And he had just enough. He ran down to the shop. And said. I want my boat. He paid the money. And received his boat.

[9:19] And he took the boat. Up in his arms. He hugged it. And he kissed it. It was his boat. And he got it back again. And he was so glad. He said. You dear little boat. I love you.

[9:30] You are mine. You are twice mine. I made you. And now I have bought you. And it's like Calvary. Isn't it? He made us.

[9:40] And he bought us. We are twice the Lord's. He made us as his creation. And yet we know. We blew it in sin.

[9:54] Adam. And the race. The human race. Has messed up. And we are in that cohort. We are all doomed in Adam. But we are saved in Christ.

[10:04] And Jesus came and he paid that awful cost of Calvary. Not silver and gold. But his own precious blood. Was that payment method. That purchased you.

[10:16] The very blood of Jesus Christ. And so. It should provoke us to question. How do I stand?

[10:29] Have I been born again? Have I been purchased by that blood? He has made you. And for you that trust him. And love him. And know him.

[10:40] He has bought you. He has paid the price for you. You are his. And he is yours today. Friends. We are going to partake of this time. And we welcome any believer that loves the Lord to partake here with us today.

[10:57] And perhaps Brother Joshua and Peter. Would you help at this time? And we will take the bread and cup and pass it together. And let's be prayerful as our brethren wait on us.

[11:09] And consider that. Please go ahead brethren. Consider that scripture. The purchased. Blood purchased people.

[11:22] Which he had purchased with his own blood. The church of God. Amen. Amen. The church of God wasn't a building.

[11:35] But a gathering. An assembly. Of blood bought people. Purchased. By his blood. And we can be in their number today. Consider the great value of his precious blood.

[11:53] It was given for you. Because you're so precious. You're so valuable today. Every one of you. That love him. You are very precious. To him. Purchased by his blood.

[12:06] For ye are bought with a price. Therefore glorify God. Glorify God. In your body. And in your spirit. Which are God's. They belong to him. Let's employ.

[12:18] Employ them. In his service. In his will. I was reading before. That familiar statement.

[12:31] That the chief end of man. Is to glorify God. And enjoy him forever. It's twofold. Glorify God.

[12:42] And enjoy him. Forever. There's a joy. In the Christian life. It's a joy for us to love him. A joy for us to serve him. A joy for us to be. In his. Family.

[12:54] To be in his service. To love him. To know him. To enjoy him forever. And it will be forever. It's not just in the here and now. But in the forever after.

[13:05] Glory to God. For as much as you know. That you are not redeemed. With corruptible things. Of silver and gold. From your vain conversation.

[13:17] Received by tradition. From your fathers. But with. The precious blood. Of Christ. As of a lamb. Without blemish. And without spot. Who verily was for.

[13:28] Ordained. Before the foundation. Of the world. But was manifest in these last times. For you. Who by him do believe in God. That raised him up from the dead. And give him glory.

[13:40] That your faith and hope. Might be in God. I'll ask our brethren. To praise. We think of the. Body. Of our saviour.

[13:51] Brother Peter. We thank you Lord. That. That great sacrifice. Was made. Made for each one of us here. That you bought us. With a price. A terrible price.

[14:02] Of suffering. Suffering. And being hung on that. For all. Cross. And we pray. At this moment. That you'll cast our minds back. To that time. And we'll. Really be mindful of.

[14:13] Of what all that means to us. As Christians. And. In our daily lives. And where we are heading. That we're not. We're only here for. On this earth. For a short time. And we thank you now. That we have this bread.

[14:24] Which represents. Our saviour's body. That was. Broken for us. Each one of us. And in his name. We pray. Amen. Amen. It says. Take eat. This is my body.

[14:34] Which is broken for you. This do in the remnants of me. Father Joshua Thank you Heavenly Father Lord we thank you, we praise you Lord for this morning Lord that you have given Lord thank you for this time Lord that you have given to for us to gather around and to remember your son's sacrifice for us Lord the perfect sacrifice for to atone for our sins Lord for the sins of mankind Lord Jesus we thank you we thank you for your for your sacrifice Lord and for the shed blood of the cross Lord we thank you Lord Lord we know your joy Lord because you have owned us twice Lord you have made us and you purchased us with your precious blood Lord

[15:39] Lord we indeed are Lord thankful this morning Lord for that Lord we give you thanks we give you praise we belong to you Lord and even as we partake Lord Lord we give you thanks that you've made us yours again we thank you we give you all the glory and honor Lord and we proclaim all the victory and the healing and the deliverance and Lord the victory Lord through this communion Lord until you come we thank you in Jesus name Amen thank you thank you thank you thank you Thank you.