Monday, September 26, 2011

September 26, 2011

"Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect."  I Peter 1:17-19 

A story told by Paul Lee Tan illustrates the meaning of redemption. He said that when A.J. Gordon was pastor of a church in Boston, he met a young boy in front of the sanctuary carrying a rusty cage in which several birds fluttered nervously. Gordon inquired, "Son, where did you get those birds?" The boy replied, "I trapped them out in the field." "What are you going to do with them?" "I’m going to play with them, and then I guess 'll just feed them to an old cat we have at home." When Gordon offered to buy them, the lad exclaimed, "Mister, you don't want them, they're just little old wild birds and can't sing very well." Gordon replied, "I'll give you $2 for the cage and the birds." "Okay, it's a deal, but you're making a bad bargain."

The exchange was made and the boy went away whistling, happy with his shiny coins. Gordon walked around to the back of the church property, opened the door of the small wire coop, and let the struggling creatures soar into the blue.

The next Sunday he took the empty cage into the pulpit and used it to illustrate his sermon about Christ's coming to seek and to save the lost paying for them with His own precious blood. "That boy told me the birds were not songsters," said Gordon, "but when I released em and they winged their way heavenward, it seemed to me they were singing, Redeemed, redeemed, redeemed!"

You and I have been held captive to sin, but Christ has purchased our pardon and set us at liberty. When a person has this life-changing experience, he will want to sing, "Redeemed, redeemed, redeemed!"

Sin is the rusty cage and you are the bird. You are trapped in the cage and under the control of one who plans to torment you, use you and then do away with you. Such is the lot of every person born on this planet - born a prisoner to sin, condemned in life and doomed for eternity.

Is there no escape? Is there not hope? Is there any chance that anyone might purchase you and set you free?

Jesus did! He redeemed you! The price was His life's blood, but He paid it on the cross to purchase your salvation - your freedom - your pardon from guilt - so you can be set free! Through His painful death on the cross He paid a price for a debt He didn't and one you could not pay.

That is what redemption means! When you repent of your sins and when you prove that repentance by making restitution, you enter into relationship with Jesus through faith. The gift of salvation brings the blessing of redemption!

Do you know the joy of redemption? Would you like to? The price has been paid!

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