As you prepare your hearts for Lord’s Day worship this Sunday, let me encourage you to reflect upon Hebrews 9:11-14. This will serve as the text for our message, which is entitled, “ Redemption Accomplished and Applied.”

Some of you might recognize that I have respectfully borrowed this sermon title from the wonderful book by the late Scottish theologian Dr. John Murray, Redemption: Accomplished and Applied (Eerdmans, 1955). In this book, Dr. Murray presents a detailed argument for the absolute necessity of our Lord’s death upon the cross. And he shows that the Bible makes it undeniably clear that our Lord’s atoning death is the very center, the heart and soul, of the Christian faith.

In the opening chapter, he states that the Biblical evidence demonstrates conclusively that it is,

“ impossible for [God] to save sinners without vicarious sacrifice and inherently necessary, therefore, that salvation freely and sovereignly determined, should be accomplished by the blood-shedding of the Lord of glory” (p. 13).

Salvation, then, is all about the blood of Christ!

As you consider our sermon text, you will see that the author of the inspired Epistle provides the evidence that Dr. Murray has referred to. Redemption may be secured only by the death of Christ, by the shedding of His blood.

On Sunday, we will prayerfully explore this passage from Hebrews 9, trusting the Spirit of God to open our eyes so that we might stand in awe of God’s mercy and love, and then become the faithful servants of His kingdom that we must be.