Soccer, Rio, Redeemer (1)
Wednesday July 2, 2014
The world's attention is focused on Brazil and the World Cup of soccer there. Maybe, like me, you don't even know very much about the game of soccer so you enjoy things like the opening ceremonies more. Whether it is soccer games being played or something else, many people are looking at the city of Rio de Janeiro. When I look at Rio, I often think about the special landmark that has been there since 1922. It is the statue called "Christ the Redeemer" which sits high upon a mountain and overlooks the city. No matter where you are in the city you can look up and remember that Jesus Christ has come to redeem you from your old life and give you eternal life.
What does this actually mean though -- that Jesus Christ is a redeemer? What is a redeemer? That's a person who buys back something that was once theirs but for some reason it's been sold away or given away to someone else. I remember once when someone who lived in my house stole my television and took it to the pawn shop. Even though it was mine, I had to pay money to get it back. I redeemed my television.
Jesus Christ is considered to be our living redeemer because he came to save and deliver us out of sin by paying a great price for us. The price that Jesus Christ paid for our deliverance from sin was his life. He died upon the cross for our sins so that we could be saved from hell and separation from God. When we accept Jesus’ payment for our sins we are redeemed to our Heavenly Father and will live with Him forever.
Thanks be to God that Jesus Christ is our living redeemer who saves, delivers, and redeems us from going to hell.
Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. (Isaiah 53:4-5)
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