Saturday, March 31, 2018

REDEMPTION

What exactly does it mean to be 'redeemed'. Simply, redemption means to have paid the price for a wrong committed. A person can rob a bank, go to jail for a period of time and then be set free because the price for the crime (a jail sentence) has been paid.

Biblically, redemption means deliverance from the enslavement of sin and a release to a new freedom by the sacrifice of the Redeemer, Jesus Christ.

There is one consistent theme throughout the Bible, God redeems His people.  I wrote the following poem a few years ago using words from the Bible.

Redeemed
John 1, Matthew 27, Isaiah 52:14, Psalm 22

In the beginning was the Word
and the Word was with God
and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.

Through Him was life, and that life 
was the light of men.
The light shines in darkness,
but the darkness has not understood it. 

At the appointed time in history
foretold by prophets of old,
a bloodied and beaten body
marred beyond human likeness,
was nailed to a cross.

The mid-day sun was replaced by 
darkness over all the land.
He was heard to cry out,
"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
Then, He gave up His Spirit.

At that very moment the curtain of the temple
was torn in two from top to bottom.
The law had been fulfilled.
Now we have free access
to God the Father through
the living Word, Jesus Christ.

The earth shook that day, the rocks split,
tombs broke open
and bodies were raised to life.
Those present exclaimed, 
"Surely this is the Son of God!"

It is finished.
I've been redeemed.
To God be the glory!


Thank you Jesus for being our Redeemer, for giving your own life so that we can be forgiven, and experience new life in heaven in the presence of the God.