Redemption

I sure don't want to spoil it for any of you who didn't get a chance to watch 24 last night, (it is coming to DVD on Tuesday) but I am amazed how the world misses the point so much. Just the title let's us know that Jack is looking for redemption. Does he find it? Have you? Are we all looking for the same thing - redemption? Some of us just know where to find it.

Jack helps save the precious lives of kids, hoping to find redemption. Many of us spend our lives trying to find redemption when Christ is the only way. How do we redeem the past, the mistakes, the failures? How do we make up for lost time living for ourselves?

6 "Therefore, say to the Israelites: 'I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. 7 I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. 8 And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the LORD.' "

Just like God offered the Israelites a way out of their slavery, God offers us the same thing. He is the only one who can redeem us. Who can free us from the slaves of this world.

Read Psalm 34 slowly and look for all the things the Lord wants to do for you. Look at the way the psalmist praised the Lord, sought the Lord, and how the "Lord redeems His servants; no one will be condemned who takes refuge in Him." Do you feel condemned today? I can easily go there and I can easily start condemning myself of a life of sin. I must repeat the scriptures over and over in my head "therefore is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Rom. 8:1) And "Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame."

Psalm 34

I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. My soul will boast in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together. I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. This poor man called, and the LORD heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. Fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing. The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing. Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry; the face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all; he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken. Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned. The LORD redeems his servants; no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him.

This world offers lots of things, but redemption is not one of them. There are lots of things that need to be done here on this earth, taking care of the orphans being high on the list. But true redemption will only be found at the cross of Christ. Christ is the only one who can redeem the sins of the past and future. He is our True Redeemer.