Ps 130:7-8

7               Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is
plenteous redemption.

8               And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

1 Pet 1:18-20

18                        Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and
gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;

19                        But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

20                        Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in
these last times for you,

Eph 1:7

7       In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Gal 4:3-7

3               Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:

4               But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman,
made under the law,

5               To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

6               And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts,
crying, Abba, Father.

7               Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through
Christ

Job 19:25

25     For I know that my redeemer tiveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:

       Acts 2:21-24 
        
        21                        And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be
                            saved.


        22                        Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among
                    you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye
                    yourselves also know: 


        23                        Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have
                    taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: 


      24           Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible
                    that he should be holden of it 

        Eph 3:9-11 

        9               And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning
                of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: 

        10                        To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be
                known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, 


        11            According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Rev 13:8 

 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life o
f the Lamb slam from the foundation of the world.

IV.    The End Result:

Was Jesus there from the very beginning? Yes. As Colossians told us "all things were created by him, and for him". Think about that for a moment What a glorious thought - not only was the world created by Him (all 3 in the trinity) but FOR Him! In other words this entire universe, creation of man, salvation plan, etc. was all put in place by God FOR Jesus - FOR HIS HONOR & GLORY!! Jesus is the center of it all! He is the focal point of the Bible, the focal point of salvation, the focal point of our service, the head of the church, our example, AND now we realize it was all done for Him. Truly God loves His only begotten son and it all centers around God the Father glorifying the name of Jesus. Now we can understand better Philippians when it says:

Phil 2:6-11

6                     Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

7                     But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was
made in the likeness of men:

8                     And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto
death, even the death of the cross.

9                     Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every
name:

10                                    That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth,
and things under the earth;

11                                    And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the
Father.

God had a master plan before our world was made. Isn't it wonderful to look at the "big picture" and see the purpose in God's will?

Rev 22:13

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

... and everything in-between. It's all about Jesus - that's why HE will be the focal point of Heaven for ail of eternity.

Rev 21:23

And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did

lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

V.   Summary -

A.     Plan of Redemption: God's orderly way to achieve His end purpose of delivering man from sin
paid for by the precious blood of Christ.

B.     It is God's plan that was established BEFORE the foundation of the world in order to satisfy His
law and reconcile man back to Him.

C.     The plan is only effective through JESUS CHRIST and is humanity's only hope.

D.    It's a perfect plan! It doesn't need revising; there are no flaws or loopholes. It's good for all
time.

E.    Think of it as a ransom - we were captives of sin and God had to pay the price / ransom money
(Christ's blood) to meet the demand (law) and now we are FREE.

F.     Without it, we would get what we deserve (eternity in hell) -justice; with it, we have access to
eternal life (eternity in heaven) - mercy. Thank God for it!!