Do You Have A Favorite Redemption Story?
Good Morning Friends,
There are many stories in the Bible and some of the best are along the common theme related to today’s question. You see God wants to communicate to us by giving us illustrations of the wonderful truth provided through Jesus in the Bible. The whole book is about what God has chosen to purchase for us and the shocking cost. Do You Have A Favorite Redemption Story?
Scripture: 21But now, irrespective of law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, 22the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ* for all who believe. For there is no distinction, 23since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; 24they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement* by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed; 26it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus.*
Romans 3:21-26 (NRSV)
7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace
Ephesians 1:7 (NRSV)
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18The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2‘Come, go down to the potter’s house, and there I will let you hear my words.’ 3So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. 4The vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as seemed good to him. 5 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 6Can I not do with you, O house of Israel, just as this potter has done? Says the Lord. Just like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. 7At one moment I may declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, 8but if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will change my mind about the disaster that I intended to bring on it. 9And at another moment I may declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it, 10but if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will change my mind about the good that I had intended to do to it.
Jeremiah 18:1-10 (NRSV)
19Thus said the Lord: Go and buy a potter’s earthenware jug. Take with you* some of the elders of the people and some of the senior priests,
Jeremiah 19:1 (NRSV)
Message: One of the greatest stories of redemption is the story of Noah and it has the tension of a massive storm. The whole world was on track to be destroyed. But redemption was offered to all who were willing to repent and believe. Unfortunately only a few accepted. Only eight were saved on the Ark even though there was room for many more. And they got to view the most beautiful rainbow in the history of the world…a new covenant.
Then there is the story of Abraham and his only son. The whole process of the preparation for the sacrifice of Isaac was about the hope that God could raise a child from the dead. After all God had promised to make Abraham a great nation. But the story changes from what Abraham was anticipating…again something new. God redeems Isaac with a ram. That is some drama.
The story of the Hebrew nation’s redemption from slavery in Egypt is one of the greatest of stories, for it is told and retold by so many. The Exodus has such amazing characters and the plot of the plagues and the Passover…the sign of the cross on the door post and the parting of the waters. Then the journey to the Promised Land. Wow!
And then there is the book of Ruth. The overall story of the book is one of redemption. It is a love story too. Under the law Ruth and Naomi, who had lost their husbands, were the responsibility of the nearest kinsman, but this man was not interested. So Boaz approached this man to purchase the right to care for and to love these women. The man accepted the offer and Ruth joined Boaz in marriage putting them in the linage of King David and the Lord Jesus Christ.
The list of redemption stories goes on and on. In the New Testament we have the stories of the Lost Sheep and the Prodigal Son and the whole life of Paul… Yes there are some amazing stories about redemption but none greater than of the story of Jesus…of the birth, life, death and resurrection of Christ. And the beauty is that God is continuing to write it on our hearts and in our lives right now reforming us into something of usefulness. Yes, Jesus lives on in our lives as perhaps the greatest redemption story of all.
Pray we seek redemption in Christ. Pray that we be agents of this redemption to the lost humanity of this world. Pray
that we help each other with our spiritual stories of redemption. Pray that in sharing them we become one in the Spirit…that in sharing our love we embrace a process of healing and redemption to the life God intended for us. Pray we realize that although there are many stories there is only one plan. Pray then that we would be molded into what God would have us be and not thrown on the trash heap of broken pottery. Pray we are molded into God’s continuing plan of redemption. Pray we realize that Jesus paid the price to purchase us. Pray we realize that He paid it forward for all of us. Pray creation itself is redeemed.
Blessings,
John Lawson
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