Acts 20:28–Christ our Redeemer Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. In his farewell address to the elders of the church at Ephesus the apostle Paul reminds them that they have their position not from men but from God. The Holy Spirit had equipped them and called them to the work of the oversight or care of the church on earth. In undertaking this work, which would be threatened by enemies from both without and within the church (vv.29,30), they were, like all God’s shepherds, firstly to watch themselves and then to give attention to the flock. Those who hold office in the church must know the doctrines of Scripture and be persuaded of them in their own souls. Only then will they make a necessary stand for the truth in an evil day. Only then will they be able by preaching and teaching to feed the hearts and minds of the Lord’s people and strengthen them in their faith. What should be the great theme of preaching? None other than Paul refers to in this very verse – the Person and work of Christ. We are introduced here to Christ the Redeemer. We should recognise the mystery of His Person. The Lord Jesus Christ is not mentioned here directly by name. We learn however of a purchase which God made with his own blood. This can refer to none other but Jesus Christ. “God was manifest in the flesh” (1Tim.3:16) when the eternal Son of God, the Second Person of the glorious Trinity, took our nature. The result was a Divine-human Redeemer. The union between the two natures in the one Person is mysterious, but it is such that the properties of each nature belong to the whole Person and so the blood He shed was in that sense the blood of God. Whatever He did in His human nature was therefore of infinite value. Secondly, we should understand the payment He made. Redemption in the Bible is the recovery of a possession by the payment of a ransom. Sin is a debt, for we are taught to pray to our Father, “forgive us our debts” (Matt.6:12). We are the debtors and God is the creditor. Unpaid debts may land a man in prison. The debt of sin has caused a holy God to shut men up in a condemned cell, liable to the punishment of eternal death. Satan is the warder of this prison; he makes use of temptations to sin to hold his charges fast. The work of Jesus Christ was to redeem sinners. All men, elect and reprobate alike, are “children of wrath” (Eph.2:3). We have offended divine justice, which must be satisfied if God’s anger is to be averted and we are to enjoy liberty from our bondage to sin. Today we often find “pity” or “compassion” offered as the basis upon which a criminal should be pardoned and released. This can never be so with a righteous God. There must be a ground in law before forgiveness can be granted. Sin must be atoned for. Jesus Christ as the Surety of His people has paid off their debts to God by rendering perfect obedience to the divine Law, through a holy life and suffering death. The blessed result is that “we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sin” (Col.1:14). Finally, we should note the possession He gained. For whom did this Redeemer become incarnate, bleed and die? What was the purpose of His atonement? Scripture is clear. It was to purchase “the church of God.” He died for an elect people, who were His in the eternal Covenant of Redemption. They fell in Adam and became lost in sin. By His obedience He has secured for them redemption from sin and all its evil consequences. The Spirit of Christ works by the gospel to apply the benefits of the cross to the church. Remember, Christ died for the church of God. You may be a member of a church on earth, even a sound and faithful church, but that does not make you a Christian and a member of the church of God. You need an interest in the precious blood of Christ, for it alone can wash away your sin. May you know its power to cleanse and the peace of soul that follows.