A God Of New Beginnings

In December of 1934, John and Betty Stam, a young American missionary couple assigned in China, were captured by Communists and eventually martyred for their faith. Captured with them was their baby daughter. One of the other prisoners, as he was being released from Jingde Prison, overheard the soldiers discussing what to do with the Stams’ baby. The men didn’t want to listen to her constant crying, and could see no use in preserving her life, so they decided to kill her for their own convenience.

The prisoner, whose name remains unknown, stepped forward and said, “Why kill her? What harm has she done?” “Are you a Christian?” shouted one of the Reds. “No, I am not,” was the answer. “I am a prisoner you just released.” “Will you die for this foreign baby?” they asked. “I will,” answered the strange prisoner. And as the Stams hugged their baby tighter, they saw this prisoner hacked to pieces before their eyes. Thus little Helen Priscilla’s life was spared because of the sacrifice of the life of this Chinese prisoner.(1)

She was given another chance at life, a new beginning; and this is a picture of the new beginning that we receive in Jesus Christ, because Jesus took our place in death so that we might live. I have entitled our message for this evening, “A God of New Beginnings,” and there are many people who wish they had a new beginning and a new lease on life; to those experiencing trials and hardship, and those who are suffering from poor choices; to those who are lost and dying in their sin.

The Lord Is Our Redeemer (v. 1)

1 But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine.”

We see something significant in this verse, which is the fact that God wants to “redeem” Israel. So, what does the word “redeem” mean? It means, “to buy back,” “to recover,” “to fulfill a pledge or promise,” and “to obtain the release or restoration of, as from captivity, by paying a ransom.”(2) The Lord wanted to restore Israel from some kind of wayward path or bondage, and to give the people freedom and victory. So, why did Israel need redeeming? Well, it’s a long story, so I’ll spare you the details. Suffice it to say that Israel was invaded and placed under control by the Assyrians around 721 B.C. The root cause was that Israel, under poor leadership (such as King Ahab and Jezebel), was worshiping foreign gods and idols.

The Israelites made some poor choices which led to bondage. A similar thing happened to Israel around 587 B.C. when the people were taken captive into Babylon. In Psalm 137:1-2 and 4, we can hear the cry of a people trapped in spiritual bondage, when they declared, “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept when we remembered Zion. We hung our harps upon the willows in the midst of it . . . How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?” Israel was held in bondage and the people felt lost without hope; however, the Lord was gracious and wanted to show His favor and kindness to His people and give them a chance to repent and be restored.

The Lord is still in the redeeming business today, and He wants to give us a new lease on life. In Job 19:25, we see where Job spoke a prophecy concerning the coming of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, whenever he stated, “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth.” In Galatians 4:4-5, the apostle Paul said, “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons,” and then in Titus 2:13-14, we are told about, “Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people.”

God wants to redeem us as He wanted to redeem Israel; and just as He called Israel by name, He addresses us by name. In John 10:3-4, our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, told us concerning our relationship with Him, “The sheep hear His voice; and He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out. And when He brings out His own sheep, He goes before them; and the sheep follow Him, for they know His voice.” Wherever you are right now, and whatever bondage you presently find yourself in, your Redeemer is calling you out by name. Will you listen to His voice and run to Him?