What Was Jesus Doing On The Cross?

# 15 (He was) purchasing the Church 

When the Apostle Paul met with the elders of the Church of Ephesus, he encouraged them to pastor, Acts 20: 28 ‘His (Jesus) church, purchased with His own blood’ NLT 

Please notice that the Apostle Paul said that Jesus purchased His church with His own blood – that is the blood that He shed for us on the cross! 

Right at the start of this Message we need to be reminded that the Church is NOT a building – the Church is the people of God, believing Jews and Gentiles that belong to Christ 

The word ‘Church’ in the New Testament’s original language is the Greek word ‘ekklesia’ and means ‘called out’ 

The question is of course ‘called out’ of what? 

When the people of God, that is, Israel, were in their final years of captivity in Egypt (430 years in total) God called them to come out of Egypt and begin their long journey of return to the land promised to them by God through Abraham 

And as they were on their journey the Lord referred to them as, Acts 7: 38a ‘the church in the wilderness’ KJV 

However, before Israel could be freed from their slavery in Egypt God had to force the Egyptian Pharoah to let them leave and that wouldn’t be easy! 

God had to force Pharoah to release them by bringing a series of 10 plagues upon Egypt with the last plague being the worst 

The last and the 10th plague that God would bring upon Egypt was the death of the first-born from every household – this final plague would also include the firstborn of Israel 

Exodus 11: 1, 5; Exodus 12: 12, 29 

To escape God’s judgement the Lord told Israel that they must kill a blemish free lamb and collect its blood and then smear the blood on the door frames of their houses, the Lord said, Exodus 12: 13 ‘the blood on your doorposts will serve as a sign, marking the houses where you are staying. When I see the blood, I will pass over you. This plague of death will not touch you when I strike the land of Egypt.’ 

The lamb became known as the Passover lamb, Exodus 12: 46 ‘Each Passover lamb must be eaten in one house. Do not carry any of its meat outside, and do not break any of its bones.’ 

When God eventually sent the angel of death to Egypt, he brought judgement upon the Egyptians, but seeing the smeared blood of the lamb on the door frames of the people of God, he passed over their homes, Exodus 12: 23 ‘For the Lord will pass through the land to strike down the Egyptians. But when He sees the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe, the Lord will pass over your home. He will not permit His death angel to enter your house and strike you down.’ 

God also commanded Israel to repeat the sacrifice of the Passover lamb every year so that they would be reminded about how God called them out of Egypt and saved them  

Numbers 9: 11-12; Deuteronomy 16: 4: 2 Chronicles 30: 15, 17; 2 Chronicles 35: 1, 6-9, 11, 13; Ezra 6: 20 

In theological terms the shed blood of the Passover lamb provided a ‘ransom’ so that the people of God would be spared God’s judgement and leave Egypt 

The blood of the Passover lamb was the ‘ransom’ price of freedom for Israel 

Israel’s journey from Egypt to the Promised Land also represents our journey of salvation, 1 Peter 2: 9b ‘for He called you out of the darkness into His wonderful light.’ 

Now for us, the Old Testament Passover lamb is not OUR Passover lamb, it was though the foreshadowing of the promise of God to save us by the ‘ransom’ that was paid in Jesus' blood through His suffering and death on the cross, 1 Corinthians 5: 7b 'Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us.’ 

And as Israel was held as slaves in Egypt and needed a ‘ransom’ to set them free, we too are in need of a ‘ransom’ - in our ‘fallen’ sinful condition we are as the Apostle Peter said, 2 Peter 2: 19a ‘slaves of sin’  

Captivity, ‘ransom’ and freedom are a serious business 

On October 7th 2023 hundreds of people from the Negev in southern Israel were captured by the terrorist group Hamas and held hostage underground in Gaza. 

Hamas only let some of them go for various ransom prices but many of the hostages were killed and some of them are still held captive today. Hamas even refused 5 million NIS for each of the hostages still held in captivity by them 

And likewise, I am reminded that all the resources of this world are not enough to ransom us from the captivity of sin, 1 Peter 1:18-20 ‘you weren’t set free from the worthless life handed down to you from your ancestors by a payment of silver or gold which can be destroyed.  It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. God chose Him as your ransom long before the world began, but now in these last days He has been revealed for your sake.’ GW, NLT combo 

Here’s a good question: 

If Jesus paid the blood ransom for our salvation, then who did He pay the ransom to? 

Hebrews 10: 11-12 ‘Under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins. But our High Priest (Jesus Christ) offered Himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then He sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand.’ 

Jesus Himself said, Matthew 20: 28b ‘the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give His life as a ransom for many.’  

So, who are the 'many’ that Jesus gave His life for? 

Firstly, ‘many’ does NOT mean that most will be saved 

As we read the Book of Revelation we find that the ‘many’ that are saved, though NOT the most, are described as a ‘multitude’, Revelation 7: 9 ‘After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.’ 

Secondly, ‘many’ does NOT mean all will be saved 

Someone once asked Jesus, Luke 13: 23 ‘Lord, will only a few be saved?’ And in another place Jesus said, Matthew 7: 14 ‘the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.’ 

So, as we come to the end of this Message let me ask you a question, are you saved – have you received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? 

1 Peter 1:20 ‘God chose Him as your ransom long before the world began, but now in these last days He has been revealed for your sake.’ 

And if you are saved let me remind you that, 1 Corinthians 6: 20 ‘You have been purchased at a price. Therefore, glorify God in your body.’ NCB