"For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or
gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to
you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.
He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.
Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God" 1Peter:1:18-21
After a Roman general would conclude a successful campaign or series of battles, often they would return to Rome at the head of their legions leading a procession that contained gold, sliver, objects of interest and trains of captives bound and chained. Often the soldiers of conquered people, taken from their home lands were brought home to Rome or another imperial city to be auctioned off and sold as salves, all of this was done with great fanfare. This was a humiliation to a defeated people.
Auction
For the elite , the rich and powerful of Roman society the slave auction was a high anticipated event here they could buy items of conquest or the captives that were brought in tow. The chained captives were put on display and sold in the slave market, perspective buyers would examine and consider if the "merchandise" would fit their need.
For those who found themselves in this situation life held few prospects with little or no freedom, they were at the mercy of their conquers and "owners" .
There was little hope unless someone showed them mercy and redeemed them from the slave market and granted them their freedom.Often a slave would be sold off several times over the years, often leading to the separation of families and friends.
In the ancient culture of Israel , under the Old Covenant , a bound slave or one indebted to another , could, if they could not purchase their redemption be redeemed by a kinsman, that is relative if the kinsman was willing to do so, that is to pay the price of redemption of thirty pieces of silver. Exodus 21:32, 30 pieces of silver was the price of a slave, this was the amount that our Lord was betrayed for, Matthew26:15 :
this was the amount, yet it still speaks to us of our Lord's willingness to redeem us as our kinsman. The whole idea of a kinsman redeemer is portrayed in the Book of Ruth when Boza redeemed Ruth out of his love for her. Boaz was willing, how much more Jesus .
Jesus is our Kinsman who shares our humanity yet is completely without sin, yet understanding each of us completely, Jesus know just who and what we are, He is not shocked by our brokenness , He is fully aware of the true condition of us all yet loves us each with out condition.Hebrews:2:14-15 ,Hebrews:4:15
This word means that we are set free, the chains are gone, we are liberated. It shows us that a Redeemer was needed , that we, like the conquered ones, had no means to redeem ourselves. We could save our selves.He saw our need took pity upon us and acted for us.
Jesus entered the market place and redeemed us. that is Jesus came to us and found us shackled and forlorn living under bondage. This was and is part of the divine commission of the Son of God.
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised," Luke:4:18
This act of redemption on humanities behalf is part of the praise and adoration we see in the hymn sung to our Lord in Revelation:5:9
"And they sung a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for you were slain, and have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;" Rev:5:9
All that we were redeemed for awaits us, all that is our Lord's except his deity , He as our Kinsman Redeemer He will share with us . All glory to that One who has entered into the slave market , took piety upon us and Redeemed us all .....Amen.
Rev.Todd Crouch, Pastor
For those who found themselves in this situation life held few prospects with little or no freedom, they were at the mercy of their conquers and "owners" .
There was little hope unless someone showed them mercy and redeemed them from the slave market and granted them their freedom.Often a slave would be sold off several times over the years, often leading to the separation of families and friends.
All in Slavery
This condition of slavery is how the Holy Scriptures present the state of humanity as they live unaware of Who Jesus Christ is and what He has accomplished on all of our behalf. Humanity is for many living in an oppressed state of slavery, and it does not halve to be that way. Many are following along in that helpless procession toward the auction block where they will be sold to another master that will dominate their lives with little or no freedom.
In this unnecessary condition they are poked at and on display being used by forces over which our Lord Jesus Christ is victorious. Many live life styles that are harmful and destructive to themselves and others.
It is not spiritually "politically correct" in today's world to remind people of the problem of sin that many find themselves living under, yet this how many live. All, in desperate need of being redeemed out of this condition, even if they do not realize it.
Slaves Redeemed
For the poor unfortunate ones who were, and still are, in slavery could find redemption if one, that is a Redeemer would take pity on them show them mercy , pay the price remove the chains and shackles and set them free.They could go free.
The Apostle Peter addressed this issue of each of us as being redeemed, set free from the chains of sin.
"For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or
gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to
you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.
He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.
Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God" 1Peter:1:18-21
Jesus Our Redeemer
Jesus has taken pity on all humanity, who knowing it or not all were held in cruel bondage to to the master of sin. It was as if all of us sat being examined by a master who wanted to uses us for their purposes. We all as a whole sat in such a state, this is were Jesus our Redeemer found us and took piety on us paid the redemption price, and offers us all who will but freely receive it. As Peter wrote:
"but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect."
This was the price of our redemption, His blood, His perfect sinless life. The value of the blood is found in the value of the life it sustains. The blood of Jesus is worth the sum total of all humanity because it sustained the life of God in the flesh. There fore being fully God his life is worth more than the sum of us all and being humanity Jesus could die for us and buy our redemption.
Kinsman -Redeemer
In the ancient culture of Israel , under the Old Covenant , a bound slave or one indebted to another , could, if they could not purchase their redemption be redeemed by a kinsman, that is relative if the kinsman was willing to do so, that is to pay the price of redemption of thirty pieces of silver. Exodus 21:32, 30 pieces of silver was the price of a slave, this was the amount that our Lord was betrayed for, Matthew26:15 :
this was the amount, yet it still speaks to us of our Lord's willingness to redeem us as our kinsman. The whole idea of a kinsman redeemer is portrayed in the Book of Ruth when Boza redeemed Ruth out of his love for her. Boaz was willing, how much more Jesus .
Jesus is our Kinsman who shares our humanity yet is completely without sin, yet understanding each of us completely, Jesus know just who and what we are, He is not shocked by our brokenness , He is fully aware of the true condition of us all yet loves us each with out condition.Hebrews:2:14-15 ,Hebrews:4:15
His Redemption Action and Our Condition
Redemption is the English translation of the Greek word Agorazo, meaning "to purchase in the marketplace." It offers us the understanding that it refers to an action that leads to a new condition. For us all, it speaks to and of the Redemptive action of Jesus which provides us the condition of freedom that we experience when we come to believe in Jesus as our Redeemer and freely receive it.
This word means that we are set free, the chains are gone, we are liberated. It shows us that a Redeemer was needed , that we, like the conquered ones, had no means to redeem ourselves. We could save our selves.He saw our need took pity upon us and acted for us.
Jesus entered the market place and redeemed us. that is Jesus came to us and found us shackled and forlorn living under bondage. This was and is part of the divine commission of the Son of God.
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised," Luke:4:18
This act of redemption on humanities behalf is part of the praise and adoration we see in the hymn sung to our Lord in Revelation:5:9
"And they sung a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for you were slain, and have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;" Rev:5:9
Jesus make redemption for all to experience regardless of which nation we come, just as Roman would buy and sell persons from many lands, Jesus has redeemed persons from all lands.
Jesus could do this because He is one of us, therefore He could redeem all of us.His life for all of ours.
In the Romans system there was one provision, if by some means a slave could over time acquire the money such a one could buy their freedom, this was not an option for most.
For some the reselling of their lives to multiply masters, the slaves who were subjected to this resell, could be traumatic they could never be a rest not knowing the temperament of the new master.
But for we who have come to receive what is ours in Jesus need not fear that our lives will be cast off to another , for our Lord has secured us to Himself out of love for each He will never let you go.
"I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all ; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” Jhn:10:28-30
Jesus could do this because He is one of us, therefore He could redeem all of us.His life for all of ours.
In the Romans system there was one provision, if by some means a slave could over time acquire the money such a one could buy their freedom, this was not an option for most.
For some the reselling of their lives to multiply masters, the slaves who were subjected to this resell, could be traumatic they could never be a rest not knowing the temperament of the new master.
In His Hand
But for we who have come to receive what is ours in Jesus need not fear that our lives will be cast off to another , for our Lord has secured us to Himself out of love for each He will never let you go.
"I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all ; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” Jhn:10:28-30
All Awaiting Us
All that our Lord has redeemed us for we receive but just a glimpse of in this life, what awaits us beyond the confines of this life in retardant is beyond the descriptive powers of any of us, yet is is ours and our lOrd will make good on it.
God has given us the Holy Spirit as the secure of what awaits us all that is ours: "who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory." Eph:1:14
All that we were redeemed for awaits us, all that is our Lord's except his deity , He as our Kinsman Redeemer He will share with us . All glory to that One who has entered into the slave market , took piety upon us and Redeemed us all .....Amen.
Rev.Todd Crouch, Pastor
The
Fountain of Life Church a Congregation of Grace Communion http://www.youtube.com/user/IfItIsNotAboutJesus
Washington,
Pennsylvania.
www.gcfountainoflife.org
The
Fountain of Life is heard on the RKP Radio Network 1710 and 1670 AM in
Washington and North Franklin ,and 1790 AM in the Arden Fair Grounds area
of Washington Pennsylvania, and on 1710 AM in Bentleyville and Monongahela,
Pennsylvania. And online around the world at www.rkpradio.com
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