Redeemed — Exchanged for Value

I loved the First Sunday of Advent message brought by Fr Bryan Brooks.  He said, “This was before recycling.  Many of you youngsters won’t remember when we took our glass soda pop bottles to the store to “redeem” them for some change.  But you mature folks will remember.”

And, I add to that thought — many of you won’t remember the S&H Green Stamps that we put into little booklets that we “redeemed” for merchandise.  But, again, those of us who are “mature” will remember.  In fact, you still might have something around your house that you redeemed your stamps for.

REDEEM:  to buy back, to get or win back, to free from captivity by payment of a ransom, to release from debt, to remove the obligation of payment, to exchange for something of value. (Source, Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

But here’s a redemption story that tops them all!   The reason for all the carols, and nativity scenes, and Christmas programs, and candlelight services, and the feeling of awe and wonder about a baby being born in a manager is that  Jesus Christ, Son of God, humbled Himself and became a man so that He could redeem us from our mistakes and the messes we make of our lives.  He came to redeem us from our sins.  Jesus paid the price for our salvation.

We used to sing a song, “He paid a debt He did not owe, I owed a debt I could not pay, I needed someone to take my sins away. And now I sing a brand new song, Amazing Grace.   Christ Jesus paid a debt that I could never pay.”   That is the good news. That is the debt we could never pay. God did it through His Son Jesus Christ coming to this earth to take our sins upon Himself.  And He did that, when He died on the cross for you and me.

Doesn’t that give you a huge reason to give a sigh of relief.  IT IS FINISHED.  From the Manager to the Cross — he paid the ultimate price for you and me!  He REDEEMED us.  Doesn’t that make you feel that you’re worth a million?