Communion With the Christ:: Redemption

"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" 1Pet:1:18-21

After a Roman general would conclude a successful campaign or series of battles, often the general would return to Rome at the head of their legions leading a procession that contained gold, silver, 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 Imperial elite, the rich and powerful of Roman society, the slave auction was a high anticipated event. Here, in the market, the Roman elite 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 needs.

For those persons who found themselves in this situation, their lives held few prospects with of 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 presents the state of humanity as they live unaware of who Jesus Christ is, and what he has accomplished on all of our behalf's. Humanity is, for many, living in an oppressed state of slavery, but it does not have to be this 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, those who are enslaved are poked at and on display being used by forces over which our Lord Jesus Christ is victorious. Many live life styles which are harmful and destructive to themselves and others.

It is not spiritually "politically correct” in today's world to remind people of the problems of sin which many find themselves living under, yet this is 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 and remove the chains and shackles and set them free. They then could go and live free.

The Apostle St. Peter addressed this issue of each of us as being redeemed, set free from the chains of sin.

Jesus Our Redeemer

The Great God, the Holy Trinity through Jesus has taken pity on all humanity, who knowing it or not. all were held in cruel bondage 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 where 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 St. Peter wrote:

"but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect."

This was the price of our redemption, Jesus' 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. Therefore, 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, 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 redemption amount of thirty pieces of silver, 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. If Boaz, the kinsman of Ruth was willing to redeem her, how much more is Jesus willing to redeem us all.

Jesus is our Kinsman who shares our humanity, yet is completely without sin, yet understanding each of us completely. Jesus knows just who and what we all are. Jesus is not shocked by our brokenness, he is fully aware of the true condition and nature of us all, yet loves us each without 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 which 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 not save ourselves. Jesus saw our need took pity upon us and acted for us.

Jesus entered the market place and redeemed us. Jesus came to us and found us shackled and forlorn living under sins' 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," Lk: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 Rev: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.

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 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. as our Kinsman Redeemer Jesus will share with us.

All glory to that One who has entered into the slave market, took piety upon us all and redeemed us.

Benediction: May we each and all give thanks and glory to Jesus who has redeemed us from the slave market place of sin and has set us free, today, tomorrow and forevermore. ...Amen.