Cornerstone Mission Church, Sunday Sermon, May 3 2009
Today, I would like to focus on one of the many facets of the gospel, the good new of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our focus will be on redemption. You find this important term “redemption” twice in Ephesians 1:1-14.
- Ephesians 1:7-8, “In him [in Christ] we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.”
- Ephesians 1:13-14, “the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession-to the praise of his glory.”
To understand redemption, an important facet of the gospel, let me tell you a story of a baseball hero, Lou Johnson, better known as Sweet Lou Johnson:
Lou Johnson was the hero of the 1965 World Series for the Los Angeles Dodgers. In the seventh game of the series against the Minnesota Twins, Johnson hit a home run that won the game, and the championship, for the Dodgers. That was the last time he was a hero for a long time.
Johnson became a drug addict and alcoholic. Within a few years of hitting the winning home run in the World Series, he had sold or given away his uniform and glove from that season, and the bat he used to hit that home run. In 1971, he gave his World Series ring to drug dealers in exchange for drugs.
Eventually, Johnson straightened out his life. He got clean and sober, and eventually his history with the Dodgers got him a front-office job with the club. But he was never completely free of his past. He had no World Series ring to show his grandchildren, nothing to remind him of his moment of glory. He tried to track it down and recover it, but wasn’t able to. A part of his life was irretrievably lost.[1]
The Major League championship Lou Johnson clinched for Dodgers was the shining moment for his career. All the hard and disciplined practices and countless games finally paid off big time for Sweet Lou; he fulfilled his childhood dream by not only winning the World Series championship, but winning it with his home run. And, his most fulfilling, shiniest moment of his baseball career was all captured in his baseball bat he used to hit a home run, his uniform, gloves, and most of all, his World Series championship ring. He had it all. But, he lost it all.
His shiniest baseball career moment was ever tarnished, irretrievably lost and overshadowed by his struggle with drug and alcoholic addictions. He tried to regain the big part of him he lost, but the captivity in addictions made it hopelessly irretrievable.
1. Redemption presupposes inescapable bondage in sin.
This real life story of Lou Johnson reminds me of the fate of humanity. When God created very first humans, Adam and Eve, he placed them in the Garden of Eden where everything was just right and plentiful. If there was ever a perfect environment, this was it! But, it was short-lived; the eternal perfection they enjoyed was abruptly and woefully interrupted when they decided that God given perfection wasn’t good enough for them. Trust, relationship, blessing, perfection, all were shattered when they fell into the temptation to mistrust God, that God wasn’t enough and all that he provided for them weren’t good enough.
Forsaking God and his gift of perfect world for a temporary fix for a piece of fruit, does it make sense to you? Sin never makes sense; it is illogical to choose flaws and dramas over perfection and peace. Sin of rejecting God and his gift of life in order to gain what we think would make our lives exciting, meaningful, fun, and fulfilling apart from God and his plan imprisons us.
We cannot fully appreciate what redemption means to us unless we face this ugly reality of human condition in captivity to sin, which we are all part of. Redemption presupposes that something has gone terribly wrong with us that even the greatest riches in the world would not be enough of payment or ransom to get us out of trouble.
Death epitomizes the inescapable depth of trouble. According to God’s word, the ultimate result of sin is death. Death came about because of sin, both physical death and spiritual death of separation from God. Romans 3:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death…” It is the powerful reality that even the richest person would not be able to pay his way out of death. Psalm 49:7-8 says, “No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him- the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough.”
Do you feel this way about your life? Are there things about your life that binds you, chokes and suffocates you, things that keep popping up, keep you out of control, seemingly impossible to get rid of? You try your best, but it just is not enough. As Lou Johnson tried his best to recover what his lost, but it only seemed irretrievable, does it seem like you are stuck making no progress at all or worse digressing and feeling trapped with no way out. There is a good reason why solitary confinement is one of the worst punishments for crimes.
As terrible and depressing it may be to feel and think this way about your life as being trapped, confined, out of control, and irretrievable, it is actually far better than having no self-awareness about reality of sin. If you know what it is like to be oppressed by the force of sin, evil, broken and massed up world we live in, if you know what it is like to stare at death and smell the woeful stench of death and crushed by its inescapable weight, you are in better shape than many who march at the drumbeats of self sufficiency and self confidence. If you know what it is like to struggle through the spiritual desert of dryness with little motivation and relief in sight, if you know what it is like to struggle to fight for the faith even though you may find yourself defeated and dejected, you are in better shape than the people with little or no sense of urgency to fight. If you know what it is like to carry the heavy weight of oppressive guilt and shame, you are only few steps away from experiencing redemption.
When you are honest about yourself, your limitation or rather, inability to deal with the oppressive weight of temptations and trials in your life, when you are honest about the damages you sustain from exerting your self will against God’s will, thinking and acting as though you are smarter than God, you be well in your way to experience redemption.
2. Redemption- yesterday
Here are few verses from Isaiah out of many references in the Old Testament where God was known as the Redeemer of Israel.
- Isaiah 41:14, “Do not be afraid, O worm Jacob, O little Israel, for I myself will help you,” declares the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.”
- Isaiah 43:1, “But now, this is what the LORD says-he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.”
- Isaiah 44:23, “Sing for joy, O heavens, for the LORD has done this; shout aloud, O earth beneath. Burst into son, you mountains, you forests and all you trees, for the LORD has redeemed Jacob, he displays his glory in Israel.”
- Isaiah 54:5, “For your Maker is your husband-the LORD Almighty is his name-the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth.”
- Isaiah 54:8, “In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you,” says the LORD your Redeemer.”
- Isaiah 59:20, “The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,” declares the LORD.”
3. Redemption- today
Redemption speaks to gaining what would be irretrievably lost without a payment of ransom. Going back to Psalm 49:7-8 which says, “No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him- the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough.” It means sins that mar our body, our soul, our spirit, sins that mar our whole being, who we are as a person cannot be dealt with any other mean than the payment of blood. Hebrews 9:22 speaks to this truth, “In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”
One of the benefits of reading through the books of the Bible that deal with the sin offerings and guilt offerings for atonement of sin is understanding that atonement requires blood sacrifice. No amount of wealth can wipe way sin, only blood would do. Isaiah 1:18 says, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” What can make Isaiah 1:18 a reality?
Only the blood, not any kind of blood, but the blood of Jesus Christ can transform scarlet, crimson stain of sin to white as snow, as wool.
Jesus the ransom for atonement: Jesus said about himself in Matthew 20:28 and Mark 10:45, “… the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom (lytron) for many.” The Old Testament predicted Jesus as the suffering servant who gave himself as a ransom, a guilt offering. Isaiah 53:10-12 speaks of Jesus as the suffering servant, “Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand. After the suffering of his soul, 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. 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.” Psalm 130:8, “He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins.”
Here are more biblical references that speak to the reality of Jesus Christ as one who gave himself to redeem us from our sins. Paul describes Jesus in 1 Timothy 2:6 as, “who gave himself as a ransom (antilytron) for all men.” Galatians 2:20, Jesus Christ is “the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” And in Ephesians 5:2 Paul exhorts us to live a life of love because Jesus giving himself as ransom sacrifice to set us free from our sins. He “gave himself up for us as fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Galatians 1:4, Jesus “gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.” Colossians 1:14, “in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” which echoes our passage, Ephesians 1:7. Romans 3:24, “and are justified freely by his grace through redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Hebrews 9:15, “Christ is the mediator of a new covenant… he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.”
Redemption of yesterday cannot be envisioned any longer today outside of the realm of Jesus Christ.
Jesus the ransom price: Ransom speaks to buying at a price. Jesus paid the price with his own life. Jesus is the price, the ransom to atone for our sins. 1 Corinthians 6:20 tells about us, “you were bought a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” And, 1 Corinthians 7:23, “You were bought a price; do not become slaves to men.”
Jesus the ransom for reconciliation: Jesus is the ransom that reconciles us to God: 2 Corinthians 5:18-21, “God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ… that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them… God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
Jesus the ransom for deliverance from empty life: We are redeemed from the empty way of life and by the blood of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:18-19, “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.”
4. Redemption- tomorrow
One of the important aspects of Christian life is that we live in between now and what is yet to come. It is true that we get to experience the redemption today. But, evidently we all know that what we have is not complete yet, because the call to fight for the faith assumes progression, growth and change. This is where faith defined by Hebrews 11:1 is required, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what do not see.”
I may not see the drastic effect and change from redemption today. I may have to struggle and fight for motivation in the climate of spiritual desert. I may fail and fall today. But, what God’s been pressing me lately is that I don’t loose my heart because of what I see today. So, I’ve been praying that I will be able to grab hold of God’s purpose, his plan, his path, his outcome for me, for my family, for our church, for our nation. And, as follow his lead to look to him and to consider his promises for his future kingdom, what I experience is hope rising and strength for today to fight harder. God of redemption for yesterday and today is God of redemption for tomorrow.
- Romans 8:23, “we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.”
- Ephesians 1:14, “[the Holy Spirit] a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession- to the praise of his glory.”
- Luke 21:28, “When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
- Titus 2:13-14, “…we wait for the blessed hope- the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem (lytrousthai) us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.”
The history will be consummated by the return of Jesus Christ and when he establishes his kingdom. Then, full redemption will take place. No more spiritual desert, no more apathy, no more fights, no more struggles, no more temptations, no more trials, no more death… it will be as it should be, our hearts filled with ever deepening gratitude, praise, awe and love of amazing God, his Son and the Holy Spirit. Jesus is going to take us there. And, the day is drawing near. Your job is to learn to trust his promise, his plan, his leading for tomorrow. Your job is to trust that today God is working in your life although you may have hard time seeing God at work. God was at work yesterday, God is at work today and God will be at work tomorrow. This is the story of redemption. So, dream with me where God’s going to take us tomorrow in his Son. Let’s dream together how God is going to change our character, our relationships, our families, our church, our nation, our world tomorrow.
5. Conclusion
Going back to the story of Lou Johnson:
Sweet Lou had no idea that someone was working behind the scene to recover the irretrievable piece of his identity. He had no idea that his World Series ring had come up for auction on the internet. It is the ring that 30 some years ago he traded in for a quick fix. When Dodger president Bob Graziano learned about the auction of Lou’s ring, he wrote a check for $3,457 and bought the ring before any bids were even posted. When he presented the ring to Lou Johnson, this 66-year-old ex-baseball player broke down and cried. “It felt like a part of me had been reborn,” he said. [2]
This is what redemption is all about. What you and I could not do yesterday, cannot do today, or will be able to do tomorrow, God has done it through his Son paying the ransom with his life on the cross. God has set the history in motion for full redemption in Jesus’ blood. God will accomplish what he has started; nothing can thwart his purpose, his will, his plan. Whether you know it or not, God has redeemed you yesterday, is redeeming you today and will fully and completely redeem you in Christ Jesus.
[1] http://www.faithsite.com/content.asp?CID=28005
[2] http://www.faithsite.com/content.asp?CID=28005
No comments:
Post a Comment