Blog - Redeemed
Have you ever gotten to a checkout line in a store only to realize you don’t have enough money to pay for what you need? Or have misplaced a credit card? Or didn’t realize how much something cost?
Disappointment, shame, frustration, and sadness may follow an incident like this. You may wish that someone kind would come along and pay the bill for you.
700 years before Jesus was born, Isaiah the prophet prophesied that such a Person would come and pay the price for our sin, our mistakes, our shame, and our suffering:
Isaiah 53:4-12 NIV
4 Surely he took up our pain
and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
stricken by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
Yet who of his generation protested?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was punished.
9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.
11 After he has suffered,
he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.
What a debt we owe to the One who willingly became a perfect sacrifice for us. What confidence we can have to be reconciled with the Father Himself, able to approach His throne with love and joy.
John the apostle received a revelation from God 95 years after the birth of Christ, 62 years after Jesus’s death and glorious resurrection. God sent messages to 7 churches – one of them being the church in Laodicea in Revelation 3.
Revelation 3:14-22 NIV
To the Church in Laodicea
14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
21 To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
We could never pay for our own salvation. We could never pay for our own freedom, our own faith, our own fervor for Him. Not only did Jesus sacrifice Himself for us, He made us and then bought us back to Himself. He has redeemed us! He also disciplines us in love. He shows us what true riches are – Him! He counsels us to buy from Him gold refined in the fire – our refined purity and Christ-likeness before Him. What a treasure He is, and in Him, we become rich through His own life, death, and resurrection. We are indeed redeemed.
Q: Do we still hide from God when we have sinned? What do these passages tell us about accepting His redeeming work in our lives?
Q: Do we think that we are in good standing with God with our sometimes lukewarm spiritual lives? What would happen if we asked God to bring a fire on the inside of us for cleansing and excitement for Him?
Prayer: Lord, may we never take Your perfect love, effort, suffering, and intercession for granted. You are the reason we are here, and You are the reason we have a way to forgiveness and life. Draw us closer to You, fill our hearts with grateful thanksgiving for all that You are and all that You have done for us. We thank you that You never give up on us. We thank You that You are always available to us and that your faithfulness never ends. We bless your name, Jesus. Amen.
Disappointment, shame, frustration, and sadness may follow an incident like this. You may wish that someone kind would come along and pay the bill for you.
700 years before Jesus was born, Isaiah the prophet prophesied that such a Person would come and pay the price for our sin, our mistakes, our shame, and our suffering:
Isaiah 53:4-12 NIV
4 Surely he took up our pain
and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
stricken by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
Yet who of his generation protested?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was punished.
9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.
11 After he has suffered,
he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.
What a debt we owe to the One who willingly became a perfect sacrifice for us. What confidence we can have to be reconciled with the Father Himself, able to approach His throne with love and joy.
John the apostle received a revelation from God 95 years after the birth of Christ, 62 years after Jesus’s death and glorious resurrection. God sent messages to 7 churches – one of them being the church in Laodicea in Revelation 3.
Revelation 3:14-22 NIV
To the Church in Laodicea
14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
21 To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
We could never pay for our own salvation. We could never pay for our own freedom, our own faith, our own fervor for Him. Not only did Jesus sacrifice Himself for us, He made us and then bought us back to Himself. He has redeemed us! He also disciplines us in love. He shows us what true riches are – Him! He counsels us to buy from Him gold refined in the fire – our refined purity and Christ-likeness before Him. What a treasure He is, and in Him, we become rich through His own life, death, and resurrection. We are indeed redeemed.
Q: Do we still hide from God when we have sinned? What do these passages tell us about accepting His redeeming work in our lives?
Q: Do we think that we are in good standing with God with our sometimes lukewarm spiritual lives? What would happen if we asked God to bring a fire on the inside of us for cleansing and excitement for Him?
Prayer: Lord, may we never take Your perfect love, effort, suffering, and intercession for granted. You are the reason we are here, and You are the reason we have a way to forgiveness and life. Draw us closer to You, fill our hearts with grateful thanksgiving for all that You are and all that You have done for us. We thank you that You never give up on us. We thank You that You are always available to us and that your faithfulness never ends. We bless your name, Jesus. Amen.