GOD:  OUR REDEEMER

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   The term “redeem” is not a word that is used in everyday speech very much.

1.    When I was growing up, I would here about redeeming your coupons.

2.    Now, we might talk about redeeming our credit card points for an airline ticket or hotel stay.

 

B.   Redemption, however, in Bible times was something very familiar to all members of society. 

1.    Redemption involved much more than coupons or credit card points.

2.    Redemption usually involved the lives of human beings.

a.    Prisoners could be redeemed.

b.    Slaves could be redeemed.

c.    Family members could be redeemed.

 

C.   The Bible teaches us that God is our redeemer.

1.    David referred to God as his Redeemer in Psalm 19:14.

 

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.

 

2.    Jeremiah 50:34

 

Their Redeemer is strong; the Lord of hosts is his name…

 

D.   This morning let’s look at the subject:  “God:  Our Redeemer.”  This is our second lesson in a series entitled:  “A Better Understanding of God.”

 

I.             THE SYSTEM

 

A.   Redemption is a system that involves several elements.

 

B.   There are five main components of redemption.

1.    The desires of man.

a.    Man has desires that he longs to be satisfied.

b.    Some of these desires, like hunger, are natural.

c.    Some desires, like a large home or jewelry or “toys” just appeal to the flesh.

d.    In order to satisfy these desires, individuals make purchases.

2.    The debt to fund desires.

a.    Sometimes an individual does not have the cash necessary to fund his desires.

b.    He finds a way to satisfy his needs, however, through debt.

c.    He quickly learns some things about debt.

1)    It can be a very heavy burden.

2)    It increases with interest.

3)    It does not magically go away.

4)    It can grow so large that the person is unable to pay it off.

3.    The debtor becomes the slave to the lender.

a.    The lender does not simply forgive the individual’s debt.  He expects payment.

b.    The person may be enslaved by the lender and forced to work off the debt.

c.    There were times when the debtor was put in prison because of his inability to pay his debt.

4.    A redeemer

a.    A redeemer is one who is willing to pay off the individual’s debt.

b.    It could be a loved one, a friend, a business associate, etc.

c.    A redeemer manifested many qualities:  love, compassion, kindness, mercy, grace, and benevolence to name a few.

d.    Redeemers were often few and far between.

5.    The payment

a.    The payment involved the totality of the debt, including any interest owed.

b.    Remember, the amount was so great that the debtor had no ability to pay.

 

II.           MAN’S SIGHS

 

A.   Every human being has a host of desires he longs to fulfill.

1.    Some desires are positive.

2.    Some desires are evil.

3.    Some positive desires can be exploited and turned into evil.

 

B.   When the Bible speaks of sinful desires, it often uses the word “lusts.”

1.    Mark 4:19

 

And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

 

2.    John 8:44

 

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do.

 

3.    Romans 1:24

 

Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves.

 

4.    Ephesians 2:3

 

Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

 

C.   Satan knows we have these desires.  He seeks to entice them and cause to us yield to them (Jam. 1:14).

 

But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

 

III.         MAN’S SIN

 

A.   James tells us “Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin…” (Jam. 1:15).

 

B.   Important points about our sins.

1.    All men sin (Rom. 3:23).

2.    Man never stops at just one small sin.  His sins eventually pile up like mountains of debt. (Ex., Matt. 18:24).

 

And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.

 

3.    We have no way to pay for transgressions in order to remove them from our life. 

a.    The parable continues (Matt. 18:25).

 

But forasmuch as he had not to pay…

 

b.    The eventual outcome is death.

1)    Romans 6:23

 

For the wages of sin is death…

 

2)    James 1:15

 

…and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

 

IV.         MAN’S SLAVERY

 

A.   More of the parable (Matt. 18:25)

 

But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.

 

B.   Our sins put us into slavery.

1.    Verses:

a.    John 8:34

 

Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.

 

b.    Romans 6:16

 

Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servant to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness.

 

2.    As a slave,

a.    Sin is our master.

b.    We do not resist it.

c.    We seek to fulfill its will in our lives.

d.    If often punishes our lives.

 

V.           MAN’S SAVIOR

 

A.   There was only one being in the entire Universe who could redeem man from the bondage of sin.

1.    This being was God.

2.    But, it was this being that man had rejected and sinned against.

3.    Man had made himself into an enemy of God.

4.    QUESTION:  Why would God want to redeem man?

B.   Paul gives us the answer in Ephesians 2:4-5.

 

But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved).

 

1.    God’s mercy, love, and grace are mentioned in these two verses.

2.    In Ephesians 2:7, he also refers to God’s “kindness toward us.”

 

VI.         JESUS’ SACRIFICE

 

A.   A price had to be paid in order to free us from the bondage of sin.

 

B.   The price was high.

1.    It would involve the shedding of blood.

2.    It would involve death.

3.    It would involve a perfect sacrifice.

4.    It would, therefore, of necessity, involve deity, that is, the Son of God.

 

C.   A body was prepared for Him.

He came and lived the life of a human being.

The life he lived was perfect, flawless, free from sin.

He yielded Himself as a Lamb for a sacrifice.

He suffered, shed His blood, and died for the sins of man.

 

D.   Jesus was the payment.

1.    Paul wrote:  “For ye are bought with a price…” (1 Cor. 6:20).

2.    Peter penned these words in 1 Peter 1:18, 19.

 

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; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb, without blemish and without spot.

 

3.    In the Revelation, John saw the Lamb of God.  In Revelation 5:9, he described him.

 

…for thou wast slain, and has redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.

 

VII.       OUR SALVATION (Freedom)

 

A.   Romans 3:24

 

Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

 

B.   Galatians 1:4

 

Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father.

 

C.   Ephesians 1:7

 

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

 

D.   Titus 2:14

 

Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity…

 

E.   Hebrews 9:12

 

Neither by the blood or goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   If we had physical debt and had been incarcerated because of this debt, we would truly appreciate an act of redemption to free us from bondage.

 

B.   In the spiritual realm, debt and bondage are spiritual. Thus, we might fail to truly understand and appreciate what has been done for us.

1.    We must embrace our redemption by faith.

2.    That faith will then respond to the price that has been paid for our freedom (1 Cor. 6:20).

 

For ye are bought with a price:  therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

 

C.   NOTE:  Christianity is the only religion that has deity shedding His blood in order to free mankind from the penalty of sin.  (See Acts 4:12)

 

Neither is there salvation in any other:  for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.