Redemption
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“The Father has delivered and drawn us to Himself out of the control and the dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in Whom we have our redemption through His blood, which means the forgiveness of our sins” (Colossians 1:13,14 Amp).
Do you remember saving S & H Green Stamps? For years, S & H’s stamp redemption centers were a favorite place to shop. Sperry and Hutchinson made money by selling their stamps to retailers. Wise business owners gave stamps with customer’s purchases, a great incentive to shop their stores.
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At home, shoppers gathered the kids around the table to lick and paste stamps into stamp books. Later, they were turned in for free goodies at redemption centers. Stamp books magically morphed into merchandise, some ordinary, some exotic. School kids in Erie, Pennsylvania, saved 5.4 million stamps to buy two gorillas for the local zoo!
Competing companies and colors even sprang up to give S & H competition. It’s said that 80% of all U S households collected redemption stamps of one color or another from 1896, when they first appeared, until they faded away in the recession of the 1970’s.
Redeeming stamps is one kind of redemption. Redeeming mankind is altogether different. Saving men and women from sin cost the Father a lot more than 5.4 million S & H green stamps. The price was the life of his Son, Jesus. Webster’s Dictionary says to redeem is: “to buy back, to regain unrestricted ownership; to save from damnation.”
Separation from the Father and “damnation” first occurred when the root of sin sprang up in Adam and Eve. They carefully tended the ugly plant of rebellion in the Garden of Eden instead of ruthlessly pruning it back. Habitually, men and women choose independence and self-will over fellowship with God and obedience to Him. All mankind nurtures rebellion’s ugly roots and becomes entwined in its strong tendrils. Captured, we struggle helplessly in darkness, unable to free ourselves.
Then light broke through! Jesus, the Light of the world, came to live among men and die for our sin. Counting us as His great treasure, He gathers us to His breast, weeping over us, soothing our sin wounds with His own tears. Through the blood of Christ, God has rescued His wayward children. Finally, we’re redeemed, restored, rejoicing!
The apostle Paul states: “The Father has delivered and drawn us to Himself out of the control and the dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in Whom we have our redemption through His blood, which means the forgiveness of our sins” (Colossians 1:13,14 Amp).
Christ first appeared to redeem mankind from sin. He will appear a second time to redeem His church and take us away to Heaven. “And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with great power…. Now when these things begin to occur, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:27&28, Amp).
Our prayer: Father, help those of us who’ve found redemption through the blood of Your Son become redeemers, drawing men from the kingdom of rebellion and darkness into your wondrous light and love. Thank You. Amen.
TAKE THE NEXT STEP: Do you know how to forgive yourself?
http://powertochange.com/experience/spiritual-growth/forgiveself/
Questions: How does the word “Redeemed” apply to your life? Having been redeemed how can you help others to be redeemed also?
Tags: business owners, companies, Father, garden of eden, Green Stamps, Jesus, kingdom, merchandise, Petey Prater (La Von), rebellion, redemption, son of man, Webster’s Dictionary
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Kewl you should come up with that. Exleclnet!
Redeemed to me means that I can look forward to eternity with assurance and freedom! By walking and living in the light of Christ we/I can draw others to that redeeming light of Christ! Redemption is a blessing.
It’s so paradoxical that the more we are enslaved to Christ, the more we are truly free to be ourselves…that is who he created us to be. “He whom the Son sets free is free indeed”. However when we set ourselves free and begin to live in sin, because we are “free” to, the thing that represented freedom to us becomes our taskmaster, and a cruel one at that. I know this firsthand!