Praise The Son!

"Redemption" means deliverance from bondage by means of a price paid. The price paid is called a ransom.

Another word for "redeemed" is "liberated."

Illustration: Sometimes when a child is kidnaped, the kidnaper will demand a ransom payment in exchange for the child’s freedom.

In New Testament times, the word "redemption" usually had to do with slavery. In that day the Roman Empire had as many as six million slaves, and the buying and selling of them was a major business. If a person wanted to free a loved one or friend who was a slave, he would buy that slave for himself and then grant him freedom.

Did you know that every person born into this world is born a slave?

Jesus declared, "Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin" (John 8:34).

We know from God’s Word that "All have sinned" (Romans 3:23).

"There is none righteous, no, not one" (Romans 3:10).

No human being is free of sin or free of its consequences, the ultimate consequence for which is death.

"The soul that sinneth, it shall die" (Ezekiel 18:4).

"The wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23).

Sin is man’s slave owner, and it demands a price for his release. Death is the price that had to be paid for man’s redemption from sin. Biblical redemption therefore refers to the act of God by which He Himself paid as a ransom the price for sin.

Jesus once proclaimed, "The Son of man came . . . to give his life a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28).

I. JESUS CHRIST IS THE PURCHASER OF OUR REDEMPTION.

"IN WHOM we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace."

"Of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption" (1 Corinthians 1:30).

"Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity" (Titus 2:14).

"The Son of God . . . loved me, and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).

Someone has said, "It is curious that people who are filled with horrified indignation whenever a cat kills a sparrow can hear the story of the killing of God told Sunday after Sunday and not experience any shock at all" (Perfect Illustrations for Every Topic and Occasion, p. 55).

At the heart and center of the Gospel stands the truth that there is no salvation at all apart from the Lord Jesus Christ.

II. WE ARE THE OBJECTS OF REDEMPTION.

"In whom WE HAVE REDEMPTION through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace."

Read Ephesians 2:1-3, 12b.

Here was your condition before you were redeemed:

1) You were "dead in trespasses and sins";

2) You were walking "according to the course of this world";

3) You were a child of wrath;

4) You were without hope;

5) You were "without God."

Little Tom carried his new boat to the edge of the river. He carefully placed it in the water and slowly let out the string. How smoothly the boat sailed! Tom sat in the warm sunshine, admiring the little boat that he had built. Suddenly a strong current caught the boat. Tom tried to pull it back to shore, but the string broke. The little boat raced downstream.

Tom ran along the sandy shore as fast as he could. But his little boat soon slipped out of sight. All afternoon he searched for the boat. Finally, when it was too dark to look any longer, Tom sadly went home.

A few days later, on the way home from school, Tom spotted a boat just like his in a store window. When he got closer, he could see—sure enough—it was his!

Tom hurried to the store manager: "Sir, that’s my boat in your window! I made it!"

"Sorry, son, but someone brought it in this morning. If you want it, you’ll have to buy it for one dollar."

Tom ran home and counted all his money. Exactly one dollar! When he reached the store, he rushed to the counter. "Here’s my money for the boat." As he left the store, Tom hugged his boat and said, "Now you’re twice mine. First, I made you and now I bought you" (SermonIllustrations.com).

III. THE BLOOD OF CHRIST IS THE PRICE OF REDEMPTION.

"In whom we have redemptions THROUGH HIS BLOOD, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace."

We "were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold . . .but with the precious blood of Christ, as a lamb without blemish and without spot" (1 Peter 1:18-19).

"The life of the flesh is in the blood" (Leviticus 17:11).

Thirty-five hundred years ago, God told us, "The life is in the blood."