Theme: Privileges of the Redeemed
Text: Psalm 107:1-2
Greetings: ‘The Lord is good and his love endures forever.’ Welcome to All Saints. This month we will learn together the privileges given to the redeemed. Happy is the nation, happy is the chosen (Psalm 33:12, Psalm 144:15).
Psalm 107 lists the following privileges; He lists the Providence, provision, and Protection of God. He provides their settlement (Psalm 107:7), satisfies the Thirsty, and fills the Hungry (Psalm 107:9), He Saves them from distress, darkness, and the deepest gloom and broke their chains (Psalm 107:13), He sends forth his word and heals them (Psalm 107:20), He guides them to their desired haven (Psalm 107:30), He blesses them to increase their numbers (Psalm 107:38).
We would limit to three privileges today. The Privilege of Sonship, the privilege of Friendship and the privilege of Stewardship.
1. The privilege of Sonship - Luke 3:38
Adam was created out of dust. God breathed into his nostrils and he became a Son of God. But his sin made him lose the sonship. Yet, he was guaranteed. a redemption (Genesis 3:15). The fall of Adam is the beginning of Sin that resulted in separation from God. Sin brought sweat instead of sweetness of life, hurting thorns instead of plants of corn, pain instead of pleasure, strife instead of life.
God rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption and the forgiveness of sins (Colossians1:13-14). We are Justified by faith; we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1-2). Redeemed to become a new creation, old things passed away and new things have come (2 Corinthians 5:17). Jesus redeemed us and lead us to the adoption of Sonship (Galatians 4:4). Those who believe in Christ are given the authority to become the Children of God (John 1:12).
Children of Adam refers to death. But the children of Abraham are children of life. Jesus adopted and redeemed the family of Abraham Zacchaeus, a crippled woman (Luke 19:19, 13:16).
The overcomers in Christ are given the privilege of eating from the tree of life that is in God's paradise (Revelation 2:7), to sit down with Christ on the throne (Revelation 3:21). God will dwell among them -Restoration of relationship and communion with (Revelation 22:3).
2. Privilege of Friendship -
We are friends of Jesus Christ (John 15:5).
Abraham was a friend of God (James 2:23, 2 Chronicles 20:7). God was looking for a faithful person on the earth to share his vision, mission and revelations. Abraham became a friend of God who God trusted and shared with him.
Moses was a friend of God (Exodus 33:11, Numbers 12:8, Deuteronomy 34:10). He spoke to God as friend face to face. He had personal time with him. He had received the law for the world societies.
Lazarus was a friend of Jesus (John 11:11). Jesus visited his friend Lazarus and he accepted Lazarus' sisters as his own sister. He used to take care of them. He never crossed the limits of friendship.
Judas was a friend but betrayed, and sold. He followed Jesus with the carnal mind (Matthew 26:50). Till death, Jesus called him as friend. He never treated him as his enemy though Judas misused the friendship.
2. Privilege of Stewardship
We are promoted as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God (1 Corinthians 4:1-2). Our additional identities are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a people for God’s own possession (1 Peter 2:9-10). We have the anointing of the Holy One (1 John 2:20).
Added to that we are no longer strangers and aliens, but are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord (Ephesians 2:19-22).
We are the temple of God (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Finally, eternal life is assured to the believers in Christ (John 17:3). 1 Timothy 1:12-17 he counted me as faithful.
There is no other nation like Israel whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people and to make a name for Himself, and to do great things for them and awesome things for their land (2 Samuel 7:22-24).
So that the Israelites would Know that the Lord their God is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments (Deuteronomy 7:7-9).
Conclusion: We are privileged. We are children of God, Friends of God and Stewards of the mysteries of God.
