APPROACHING EASTER As we begin our walk toward Easter...I would like to share thoughts and devotions from my daily readings which may help us reflect on the meaning of this season, reflect on the life of Christ and his ministry and teachings and how He redeemed us. REDEMPTION--It started as Gods plan long before Jesus shed His blood for us and defeated death so that we may have eternal life. Gods plan started even before He created the world. He knew all about us and that we would need Christ to die for us. Our need for a Redeemer began in the Garden and we see the (symbolic) plan of redemption in Exodus in the Passover: Every firstborn son of the Egyptians died, but the Israelite children were spared because the blood of the lamb had been placed on their door frames. So begins the story of redemption, the central theme of the Bible. Redemption means “to buy back” or “to save from captivity by paying a ransom.” That is the way God chose to buy us back—he offered his Son in exchange for us. In Old Testament times, God accepted symbolic offerings. God accepted the life of an animal in place of the life of the sinner. When Jesus came, he substituted his perfect life for our sinful lives, taking the penalty for sin that we deserve. Thus he redeemed us from the power of sin and restored us to God. Jesus’ sacrifice made animal sacrifice no longer necessary. For us to be freed from the deadly consequences of our sins, a tremendous price must be paid. But we don’t have to pay it. Jesus Christ, our substitute, has already redeemed us by his death on the cross. Our part is to trust him and accept his gift of eternal life. Our sins have been paid for, and the way has been cleared for us to begin a relationship with God (Titus 2:14; Hebrews 9:13-15, 23-26). Respond Thank God that when he sees you, he sees the sacrifice Christ made for you. You are forgiven, redeemed. You were bought back so that you could be with God. -From Bible Gateway
Posted on: Mon, 10 Mar 2014 16:40:14 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015