Redemption

Redemption

  • Mission: Sent to Speak & Respond to God’s Work of Redemption.  
  • Sent to Send, Speak God’s word of freedom, Respond to God’s Grace, It’s good news because it’s God’s work
  • And my main idea today is… 

“Your Redemption is being redeemed”

  • What is Redemption? It comes from the root word Ransom 
    • Ransom: n: the means or instrument by which release or deliverance is made possible.    Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament
      • For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”  Mark 10:45
    • Redemption: to release or set free, with the implied analogy to the process of freeing a slave—‘to set free, to liberate, to deliver, liberation, deliverance. Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament
      • “Fundamentally our mission means our committed participation as God’s people, at God’s invitation and command, in God’s own mission within the history of God’s world for the redemption of God’s creation.”      Christopher J.H. Wright, “The Mission of God
    • God’s Mission is REDEMPTION… and that’s our mission too. 
    • Is “redemption” just salvation? A ticket into heaven? 
      • “Redemption is much more than simply saving souls. It will ultimately entail the complete healing of creation, including social justice, the reunification of all humanity, and the end of physical decay and death. But even now it means bringing the health and coherence of Christ’s lordship back into every aspect of human life. The Christian church is to be a new society in which the world can see exhibited what family, business practices, race relations, and all of life can be under the kingship of Jesus Christ.” Tim Keller 
  • “Your Redemption is being redeemed”
    • #A. Your redemption 
      • Ransomed by Jesus 
      • Justification, Already
    • #B. Is being 
      • Who you are. 
      • Identity in Christ
    • #C. Being redeemed 
      • Sanctified, not yet, healed, forgiven 
  • In your
    1. Fears  
    2. Relationships
    3. Circumstances 
  • John Mark
    • Shows up on the scene in Acts 12
    • James had just been killed, Peter was miraculously set free hours before his death, and he goes to John Mark’s moms house. 
    • Redeemed to redeem
      • Read vs. 12
        • In Col. 4 Paul writes “Mark, the cousin of Barnabas”  Mark’s mom is Barnabas’ aunt. 
        • Paul & Barnabas take $ to the Apostles based on the prophet Agabus foretelling a famine, and on their way back they bring John Mark. 
      • Read 12:25
      • Sent Read 13:2 and John Mark goes with them vs. 5
        • Island of Cyprus, before the Procounsel, Paul blinds a guy, 
      • Read vs 13. John Mark abandons them and goes back to Jerusalem. Basically, he runs back to mom. 
        • Not sure why, sickness maybe, but the bottom line, ministry was not what he expected. 

“Your Redemption is being redeemed”

#1. In Fears

  • What are you afraid of? Failure? Success? Being unprepared? 
    • Revival breaks out in Galatia, Paul gets stoned in Lystra, they return to Antioch to testify and continue Pastoring at their sending, home church. Issues about the law and circumcision come up. Back to Jerusalem to remind every one of the Gospel, that it’s good news because it’s God’s work (Last week). Thank you to those who sent me e-mails about how the message brought some healing and encouragement! 
    • Read vs. 35-37 
      • John Mark must have come with them from Jerusalem
      • He’s there in Antioch, and ready to try again! 
    • STORY- Backslide in Las Vegas and how I felt. Failure. 
      • Strong relationship with Peter. The Apostle Peter refers to John Mark as his “son” (of the faith) in 1 Peter
      • Wrote the Gospel of Mark and became a famed church planter in Alexandria. 
  • Your Redemption is being redeemed in fears!

#2. In relationships   Read vs. 37-39. 

  • Barnabas and Paul split over John Mark. 
    • Dad’s relationship. 
    • Years later, Paul writes from prison to the church in Colossi and  sends greeting from Mark. 
      • In 2 Timothy 4 he says to Timothy to “Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry.”
      • God redeemed Paul and John Marks relationship 
  • Your Redemption is being redeemed

#3. In Circumstances  Read 16:1-4

  • Lystra, Paul was stoned and left for dead. In the record of his visit there he barely was able to preach the Gospel. BUT, enough of a seed was planted so that another Pastor/church planter was saved and discipled… 
    • It would be easy for Paul to say, “I don’t want to visit there, they threw rocks at me until they thought I was dead… not cool” 
    • When we believe our Redemption / is being / redeemed 
    • We come to the table… Lead into Communion. 
Previous
God's Work
Next
Rejoice