Introductory Considerations
1. "Stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." These words were spoken by Jesus to His disciples nearly 2,000 years ago and are spoken by Him to us today.
2. This day is has come, is coming and will come - and we should hear these words with a sense of expectation.
3. What is this day of redemption, why can we lift up our heads and when will it come?
4. Today we begin a season of expectation - 1st Sunday of Advent - 1st candle burning and we begin countdown to the day on which we celebrate birth of Christ.
5. Advent means "to come to", time when we remember how God in Jesus came to us, yet also a time when we consider how Christ comes to us today and how He will one day come again.
Teaching
1. To understand what the day of redemption is we must first understand the idea of redemption.
2. A concept that began in the OT.
3. First found in Exod 6:6-7 when God promise to redeem the people of Israel from the Egyptians.
4. Means to RELEASE OR SET FREE FROM BONDAGE OR A DEBT OR OBLIGATION.
5. Redemption means to free someone or something by means of a payment on its behalf or by taking its place.
6. In Exod 13 that the firstborn male of every womb belonged to Him, whether man or animal.
a.They should be consecrated to Him for His use as He sees fit.
b. All first-born male animals were to be sacrificed to Him - consecrated by their death.
c. vs. 13 God says redeem donkey with lamb. Lamb takes place of donkey because donkey needed to carry their possessions.
7. Also, the firstborn of woman were to be consecrated by their life not their death.
a. Here again God applies a rule of redemption. (Num 3)
b. Rather than take the firstborn God chose the Levites in their place. He had Moses count all firstborn older than a month old. There were 273 more firstborn than Levites and the difference made up by a payment of 5 shekels for each of the 273. Called redemption money.
8. The idea of a redeemer or redemption is seen elsewhere as the next of kin could redeem one’s property that was lost because of unpaid debts. (Boaz, Jeremiah).
9. Yet main concept is that God is the Redeemer to the people of Israel, the one who rescued them.
10. In Jeremiah’s passage God promises to again redeem or restore the fortunes of people, from Babylon rather than Egypt.
11. Jer 33:14-15. Promises to keep promise of that house of David would rule forever.
12. God knew the problem was not just of rescuing them from Babylon but rather from themselves - for they were the problem - their disobedience - and so the redeemer would not just save them but He would redeem them from the cause of their bondage.
13. Seen in vs. 16 "The Lord Our Righteousness" - Jerusalem and its people called that because God would substitute the righteousness of this Branch or ruler for that which the people did and could not have.
14. Their righteousness fell short and was as filthy rags and so He would be their righteousness for them.
15. Pss 49 tells us no man can redeem the life of another and Pss 130 says that God will redeem Israel from her sins.
16. Only a perfect man could do this and only God can - and that is our Redeemer, Jesus Christ our Lord.
17. Jeremiah tells us that there will be a day of redemption - when I would be freed from its bondage - day when Christ took on our sin for us on the cross.
18. He paid the ransom for sin that we could not pay unless we died - that is the reason we should stand up and lift up our heads - to rejoice and give thanks to God His inexpressible gift. He took our place. We have been redeemed.
19. Redeemed from:
a. The curse of sin - death. (Gal 3:13)
b. The power of sin in this life. (Titus 2:14)
c. An empty way of life. (1Pet 1:18)
20. Illustration of little girl asking Santa for many toys. How pay? "Charge it". We charge our sinfulness to Christ’s account.
21. Day of redemption is only for those who believe - unless you ask Christ to be your righteousness, unless you trust in Him, you are not redeemed.
22. the day of redemption is the day when we confess our need for Christ. Then we can we stand up lift up our eyes with confidence for the day of redemption.
23. But it is also that day that still has to come.
a. Jesus says He will return to complete what He started on the cross - a day when He will destroy the sinfulness of
this world and take His own to be with Him in heaven.
b. For although we have the victory guaranteed we do not yet have the full benefits of that victory - still struggle with bondage and sickness, sin and death.
24. When we do not know? Some say soon and there may be many signs that it could happen soon.
25. Mat 24:14 says it will happen when the gospel will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations.
26. When you see Christ in clouds, will it be a day of redemption for you? Will the fear you feel be fear of judgement or a great awe of seeing Him in His glory?
27. Will you be ready?
28. Christians in Thessalonica were eagerly waiting for the day of redemption.
29. Paul give them two ways they can be prepared for that day. Not giving conditions of salvation, since he they are believers, but rather how we may have evidence of that salvation and therefor live in hope.
a. Their love is to abound and overflow for each other and for everyone else.
b. They are to be blameless and holy through strengthened hearts - hearts that are unmovable from God’s word, through His Spirit.
30. Friends - look ahead. Christ came but will come again and what a glorious day that will be.
31. "Stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."
