I AM REDEEMED!

Many years ago a young boy went around his community collecting parts and pieces; a bent wheel here, an old fender there, and eventually he had all the makings of a bicycle.  He worked hard to develop a design that his parts would accommodate and he pieced together a mechanical work of art.  He labored many hours straightening bent parts and reworking others.  He saved his allowance and eventually applied a paint job to the bike that was a work of art.

One day the young boy walked out to the shed behind his house expecting to find his bicycle but it was gone.  Someone had come in the darkness of night and stolen his prize possession.  He was heartbroken and couldn’t believe his eyes.

A few days later he walked past a local pawn shop and to his surprise, he saw his labor of love sitting inside the store.  He rushed in and told the man behind the counter that the bicycle was his.  He had worked many hours collecting the parts and then many more building the bike.  The man behind the counter smiles smugly and told the boy that it belonged to him now because he paid for it.  The boy made his best argument as to why it belonged to him and the man finally told the boy if he could pay him $10.00 he could have the bicycle.  To a young boy this seemed to be a fortune but he decided then and there he would find a way to redeem what was rightfully his to begin with.

The boy worked at any job he could find to make a few dollars.  Cutting grass, raking leaves, whatever he could do to raise the money to recover his property.  While it wasn’t easy, the boy eventually had the $10.00 required to purchase the bike.  He hurriedly ran to the shop after he counted the money one more time to be sure it was all there.  He paid the man behind the counter the $10.00 and he embraced the bicycle as if it were a dear relative.  The boy spoke aloud and said “Bicycle you are once again mine.  I made you with my own hands and then you were gone but now I bought you back and you are mine again!”

This story parallels what God did for us, doesn’t it?  He made us with His own hands yet sin stole us away.  Because of His great love for us He sent His one and only Son Jesus Christ to pay the price to once again have us in His possession.  The word often used is “redeemed” and it means “to buy back; to free from captivity by payment; or to release from blame or debt.”[1]

God’s Word tells us “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, ¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.”[2]  God paid a great price for something He already owned but had stolen from Him.  Jesus Christ, The lamb without blemish or defect, was crucified to pay for something our Heavenly Father created with His own hands but had taken from Him by our nature to sin.  Satan wanted to claim the victory but even he cannot compete with the precious payment God made on man’s behalf.

Contemporary Artist Big Daddy Weave sings a beautiful song entitled Redeemed[3] and the lyrics are a wonderful message of what being redeemed by Jesus Christ is all about.  Being redeemed means being set free, shackles removed, and all debt forgiven.  Read the powerful lyrics of this song:

 “Seems like all I can see was the struggle haunted by ghosts that lived in my past
Bound up in shackles of all my failures wondering how long is this gonna last
Then You look at this prisoner and say to me ‘son stop fighting a fight that’s already been won’

I am redeemed, You set me free
So I’ll shake off theses heavy chains
Wipe away every stain now I’m not who I used to be
I am redeemed

All my life I have been called unworthy named by the voice of my shame and regret
But when I hear You whisper, ‘Child lift up your head’ I remember oh God, You’re not done with me yet

I don’t have to be the old man inside of me cause his day is long dead and gone
I’ve got a new name, a new life I’m not the same and a hope that will carry me home”

Luke tells us in his gospel, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people.”[4]    God has given us a new name, a new life and a hope that we can rely on now and forever!  The Psalmist tells us, “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.  Let the redeemed of the Lord say this— those he redeemed from the hand of the foe, those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south.”[5]

It is time that God’s men claim their redemption!  What an incredible love God has for you and me that He would redeem us with such a huge price.  Our ransom has been paid in full and it is time for us to start living like free men. Free from being controlled by sin and proclaiming that freedom through Jesus Christ to those who need to hear the Good News!  Let the redeemed of the Lord say so and never forget that His love endures forever!  AMEN AND AMEN!