Larry Siegle · Rev. 7:15, 16
Link to sermon video: The At-one-ment with God – L Siegle
THE PROCESS OF REDEMPTION
“The AT-ONE-MENT With God”
(Rev. 7:15, 16)
Series: The Process of Redemption
Thesis: The AT-ONE-MENT With God
INTRODUCTION
1. We begin a series of messages that takes us into the very heart of God and the redemptive work of Jesus Christ.
2. The title of the series is THE PROCESS OF REDEMPTION
3. Our goal will be a Biblical exploration of the of what is revealed in the Scriptures relative to what it means to enter into a genuine relationship with God through Christ.
a. This study is within the realm of what is referred to as Soteriology (the study of salvation).
b. In times past, there has been a great emphasis upon Eschatology (the study of last things) in order to have a
Biblical view of those things that were coming to take place at the “end of the age” (Matt. 24:3).
c. It is essential that an interconnectedness remain between what the Bible teaches about the relationship between
salvation and what was expected to take place at the end.
2. The apostle Peter understood the inseparable relationship the faith of believers and what was to be received at the
end (I Pet. 1:3-5, 9)
THE REALITY OF REDEMPTION IS UNDERSTOOD WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE “PROCESS” INVOLVED
1. A process is, “a series of actions or steps taken in order to achieve a particular goal or end”
a. Virtually everything we do each day of our lives involves some sort of process:
1) The alarm goes off and we awaken to face another day—“Morning Ritual”
2) We get dressed.
3) We eat something
4) Rush out the door go to work
b. Our muscle memory is so exact that, without thinking, we put the same leg in the same hole of our pants every
day and the same sock on the same foot and the shoes in a certain order.
1) Noted psychologist Dipti Tait suggests “Our subconscious dressing habits get ‘coded’ into our lives through
repetition” (thank you, please leave $50 with the receptionist on the way out).
2) Repeated thoughts and behaviors become comfortable and thus develop into a ‘preferred order’ that
conserves energy and saves time.
2. Relative to redemption, God who is omniscient (all-knowing) (Isa. 46:9, 10), set into motion a “purpose of the ages”
(Eph. 3:11), that would solve the problem of sin and death (I Pet. 1:20)
a. The work of Christ was “foreordained” … “before the foundation of the world” – proginosko ‘know beforehand’
b. Jesus as the “lamb of God” (John 1:29) had been “slain from before the foundation of the world” (Rev. 13:8).
3. The entrance of sin into the world did not take God by surprise (Rom. 5:12).
GOD’S NATURE AND INTEGRITY HAD BEEN CHALLENGED AND THEREFORE A “PROCESS” WAS NECESSARY
1. The example of Job teaches that a challenge related to God’s moral character and integrity had been made.
a. Job was awesome (Job 1:1).
b. In the heavenly realm there was a meeting between the “sons of God” (supernatural beings) and God (Job 1:6, 7).
c. God speaks up and brags about Job (Job 1:8)
2. The challenge is “Does Job serve God for nothing? He serves you because you have paid him off!” (Job. 1:9-11).
a. Job then loses everything (possessions, material things) (Job 1:13-19).
b. Job remains faithful (Job 1:22).
c. Next same conversation between God and Satan (the adversary) about Job (Job 2:1-3)
d. Job’s health is taken away from him from the challenge (Job 2: 4-9)
e. But Job remains faithful when even his wife is telling him to ‘curse God and die’ (Job 2:9).
ADAM AND EVE REFLECTED IN THE STORY OF JOB
1. God created “all things” (Rev. 4:11), and placed Adam and Eve into the Garden of Eden (Gen. 2:8, 9).
a. God had placed a hedge of protection around Adam and Eve, had given to them everything they needed.
b. If their love for God and integrity in upholding God’s Word was challenged, what would they do?
c. We see the results of the entrance of sin into the world (Rom. 5:12; Gen. 3:23, 24).
2. God could have just destroyed Adam and Eve and started over again, but that would not have answered the challenge
of whether or not God was “paying them off” with the Garden of Eden (what they could get from God instead of
simply loving and honoring God for who He is).
3. Thus began the redemptive historical process of redemption, in order to answer the objection of the Nachash
(serpent) whose appeal to Adam and Eve was related to what they could get from the disobedience (Gen. 3:1-4).
a. What a person gets as some ‘reward’ never equals the amount of anxiety and suffering that comes along with it.
b. God wanted to prove His own integrity and faithfulness in the challenge that had been made by Satan.
c. The Kingdom of God has been prepared “before the foundation of the world” (Matt. 25:34).
d. The process would vindicate the nature of God and His purpose would forever stand!
THE “PROCESS” OF REDEMPTION WAS TWO-FOLD
1. Redemption was to take place in history (John 1:29; Heb. 9:226)—on the ‘grand stage’ for all who question the
motives of God to fully and completely understand what was happening!
2. The second aspect of redemption is personal, intimate for each one of us (Psa. 55:16-18; 57:3)
a. When Peter was out walking on the water with Jesus, he took his eyes off of Jesus and began to sink and cried
out, “Lord, save me” (Matt. 14:22-33).
b. The apostle Paul saw his daily walk with the Lord moving him in a specific direction (Phil. 3:12-15; II Tim. 4:6-8).
THE MICROWAVE SYNDROME
1. The problem today is that we are living with the “microwave syndrome” (everything is instant) and is wanted ‘right
now’
a. There once was a time when you had to wait to watch your favorite TV program…
b. If you wanted to hear a certain song on the radio, you had to call in and request it…
c. If you wanted to have the song, you had to go down to the music store and buy it…
d. People ordered various things through the mail because there was no “online”…
2. In terms of what we are going to consider in this series, we will see the longsuffering and patience of God manifested
in the demonstration of HIS will and purpose for our lives.
a. Believers were told to “wait on the Lord” (Psa. 27:14; Isa. 8:17; 40:31).
b. Believers were told to “be patient” in looking for the Lord (James 5:17, 18) who was “at hand”
THE “PROCESS” OF SPIRITUAL GROWTH HAS A DESTINATION
1. Every day with God is an adventure…
a. From the moment we become a child of God, the whole picture begins to change and we begin to see ourselves
and our life from a totally different perspective…
b. Enoch and Noah “walked with God” and were blessed because of it (Gen. 5:22, 24; 6:9).
1) Enoch “pleased God” (Heb. 11:5).
2) Noah was blessed (Heb. 11:7)
2. Abraham was promised an “inheritance” (Gen. 12:1-3; Heb. 11:8-10).
a. What would our verse in Hebrews 11 say about us and our faithfulness to God and walking with Him each day?
CONCLUSION
1. God is calling us to understand some things about who were are, and where we stand in our relationship with God.
2. Somehow the “church” is now portrayed as an organization when the Bible instead teaches it is a living organism
created and protected by the power and goodness of our Heavenly Father.
3. God wants the church to increase not only in knowledge but also in love for one another.
4. The first step in this exciting journey is that of obedience to the gospel of Christ, to believe and to accept Jesus as Lord
(Rom. 10:9, 10).
5. Today is the day to begin and to continue in our love for God and appreciation for redemption that has been provided
for us.
Outline (Word document): THE_PROCESS_of_Redemption.docx