Renew 2021 - Redemption Good Friday Series

Good Friday Service: Redemption

Introduction to the message of Redemption:

Today is Good Friday and the reason we are here to celebrate tonight is all about Redemption – the action of God clearing our debt to sin – the action of recovering us from the heartbreak and bondage of sin – the action of reclaiming God’s creation back to Him – the action of setting in motion a plan to restore our relationship with God the Father. Yes, this is why we celebrate Good Friday and call it good even in the midst of all the pain, betrayal, anguish, torture and bloodshed. It’s all about Redemption!

Our Easter Week Theme is Redemption!

• What does this (Re) word mean again? Redemption is a noun!

a. Definition 1: “The action of saving or being saved from sin, error, or evil.”

i. "God has plans for the redemption of this world – which was set in motion at the fall of Adam of Eve!"

1. Good Friday and Redemption was God’s plan from the beginning even when mankind fell in the Garden of Eden! God immediately instituted a new plan to redeem us - to buy us back! Did you hear that? God set a plan in motion to deliver the human race from sin and death at the moment of the fall. Listen to God’s plan for Redemption back in the Garden of Eden – right at the Fall:

a. Genesis 3: 12The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”

i. Notice Adam blames God for His sin – people still blame God for their sins today – no one wants to take responsibility for choosing to sin – it’s always some else’s fault!

b. 13Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” 14So the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, “Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. 15And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

i. The Devil thought he had won deceiving Adam and Eve and getting them to sin against God the Father. Satan’s breaking the relationship between God and His creation mankind was his crown and joy of rebellion against God. But God instantly implemented a new plan of action to buy back mankind from sin and death.

1. Truth you cannot outwit God – not even the Devil can!

2. Video clip from the Passion “Jesus in the Garden Prayers and struggles but He crushes the serpent!”

a. The Devil thought He won when Jesus died on the cross but the truth is he lost when Jesus died – Jesus’ death on the cross and His resurrection fulfill the plan of God set in motion at the Fall and this is what we celebrate tonight!

ii. Redemption meaning: The act of saving – saving and freeing from sin – vindication – absolution from a wrong.

b. 2nd part of the definition - The action of regaining or gaining possession of something in exchange for a payment, or the clearing of a debt.

i. Meaning: the act of retrieval – recovery – reclamation – repossession!

1. This is what Jesus did for us on the cross on Good Friday 1,000 of years ago!

a. He retrieved us out of the grip of sin! Paul calls this the spiritual blessing: Ephesians 1:3-10: Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ:

i. 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

ii. Ephesians 2:13: But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.