Pastor Yon's Blog

For We Are the Redeemed of Christ!

5 Mins read

For We Are the Redeemed of Christ!

1 Peter 1st Chapter
18 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.

As we approach the Easter celebration, I would like to bring to your attention the word “redeemed.” Quite often, we use words not fully as they were meant to be used but instead as catch phrases that roll off of our tongues with little thought as to what they truly mean. Well today my challenge for all of us is to mediate on the word redeemed to grasp a greater understanding of what Christ did for us.

A few weeks ago Veronica and I purchased a color laser printer. Being a person fascinated with technology this was one of those things that has been on “my list” for quite some time. After purchasing it, the sales people placed it in our SUV and we brought it home. Naturally, I set it up and begin to use it. However, I noticed that it was not operating properly. I did some troubleshooting and discovered a minor problem. Because it was mine, I took the appropriate steps to have it repaired so it could finally operate the way it should.

Now, let’s talk about this word “redeemed.” This word comes from the Greek word agorazo which means the buying or acquiring possessions, as in a marketplace. You see, when you buy a thing, you have rights to do with that thing whatever you desire. We could have purchased our color laser printer, got on the highway, drove 90 miles per hour, open the back gate and then kicked it out even though it would have been ludicrous to do so. Instead, I chose to take care of the thing I purchased and ensured that it worked at its optimal level.

Now let’s talk about the purchase that Jesus himself made. Out text tells us that He purchased us with is precious blood. That purchase did not come easy. He endured great torment not only upon the cross but beforehand as well to redeem/purchase us as his own. The thing I want to share with you is that He purchased us so that He could do with us as He desires. When I began to mediate on the word “redeemed” I thought back to when I was owned by satan. I remembered the lifestyle I used to have and at time it felt worse than being kicked out of the back of an SUV going 90 miles an hour. I remembered the emptiness and the feelings of loneliness and nothingness. I thought back to when I believed that life was just a haphazard journey that ended with death. It was as the 18th verse of our text puts it “an empty way of life.”

But then Jesus, the redeemer, came and paid in full the price to have me. What does that mean? It means that He now has the rights to do with me as desires. He can ensure that the broken pieces are now whole. He can ensure that the malfunctioning parts are discarded. He can ensure that I will always be cared for and that my best days are not behind me but ahead of me. But for Him to die to redeem me was not enough, HE HAD TO GET BACK UP AND CLAIM HIS PROPERTY!!!!! You probably aren’t “feeling me” right now so let me explain.

When a person dies, they lose control of their property. Sure they can leave a will and tell the living what they want done with their things after they have gone. But after death, they ultimately lose control of their stuff. Even if they work out the specific details as to how to take care of the property, if those instructions are not met, then the property may change hands to the state or another individual. But once again, it’s not up to the deceased to take care of the property, it’s up to the living. The deceased loses control of the property regardless of the price, but Jesus paid too much for you to lose control over what He purchased. He had to rise and come back to make sure that we were properly cared for.

This is why I’m here to tell you that because your redeemer lives, He still has the rights to heal you the way he wants to because He lives. He still has the rights to prosper you the way He said he would because He lives. But the thing that I really want to share with you is this. Because He lives, the devil doesn’t even have any right to speak to you. That’s right! I said it and now I want you to live it! Stop letting the devil tell you what you can’t do, where you can’t go and what you can’t be. Because you are the redeemed, the devil no longer has the right to bring doubt, fear or disbelief to you.

I want you to see yourself in a new relationship with Jesus as your new spouse. Yes, the old spouse (the devil) abused you, beat you up, said that you were a loser, oppressed you, depressed you, and left you for dead. But a new spouse (Jesus) came along, picked you up, cleaned you up, restored you, revived you, paid the price for you and in doing so revoked the rights of the old spouse. Now the old spouse is not only restricted from touching you but talking to you as well. Whenever he tries to put fear or doubt on you, all you have to tell him is, “You don’t even have the right to talk to me.” Yes beloved of God you can now shut the devil down and shut him up as well.

To conclude I will share this. A few years ago I was talking to a deputy of the Leon County (Tallahassee, Florida) Sheriff’s Office about theft. The deputy told me that theft is when a person is denied rights to their personal property. By accepting what Christ did for us on the cross we become the property of the Lord of Lord and King of Kings. And once that transfer occurs He has full access to us to do as He desires to do with us and we have full rights to the benefits. Because of such we are the healed, the whole, the delivered, the blessed, the head and not the tail, the over comers and the victorious. The only way that we can get back into the enemy’s hands is through theft. This is done by deception, trickery and ignorance of the word of God. Once you know whose you and are and what is entitled to you he cannot steal from you. The enemy can’t steal your healing when you know you’ve got healing. The enemy can’t steal your peace when you know you’ve got peace. And he definitely can’t steal your joy when you have joy.

You are the property of Jesus Christ, blood bought, and paid in full. This day, we remind the devil that his rights to our lives have been fully revoked by what Jesus did on the cross. So devil we remind you that you can’t say to us what you used to say to us. You can’t do to us what you used to do to us. You can’t hold us back or hold us up! You can’t shake us up or shut us down! You can’t delay our destiny or destroy our lives. For we are the Redeemed of Christ!!

If you have not accepted Jesus as your Savior here is a simple prayer to pray to accept Him:
Jesus, I acknowledge what you did for me on the cross. I know that you paid the cost to save my soul by dying for me and rising again from death. I ask now that you become my savior and redeem me from an eternal life away from you. I also invite you to be the Lord of my life so that I can stop living a life that is empty and incomplete. Thank you for being my savior and thank you for being my Lord!

Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

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