Salvation, 8

Who are the Redeemed? Are you one of them?

Today, let's talk about the folks who love the Lord Jesus.

Redeemed: (W)Ransomed (rescued from captivity, by the payment of an equivalent.); delivered from bondage, distress, penalty, or from the possession of another, by paying an equivalent.

Remember the preacher we had recently? I told you he love to sing this song:

I am one of them today

1 How I came to love these pilgrims, Is to me a great surprise; And the way the Lord has led me, Is a wonder in my eyes;
No, I never thought I’d be one, But I’m happy now to say, That, although I used to hate them, I am one of them today!

Refrain:
I feel constrained to tell it, I love this narrow way; O glory, hallelujah, I am one of them today.
2 Well I knew the world despised them, So I said ‘twould never do; I would lose my reputation If I join that noisy crew;
But I heard in Sinai’s thunder “You must surely go that way;” I am not ashamed to own it, I am one of them today.
3 Oft I sneered when they were telling That they felt no foe within, That the grace of their Redeemer Daily kept them free from sin;
But conviction seized my spirit, Took my hatred all away; Now I know this great salvation, And I’m one of them today.

Who are “the redeemend?”

Exo 1:19 - “lively people.”

“And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them.”

Paul told wrote as an encouragement to the church at Corinth that:

(2 Cor 4:8-10) “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; (WHY?, because we are) Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.”

So, “the redeemed” are happy all the time? No, of course not. They just look at life through God's eyes instread of their own.

How do the “redeemed” respond to life?

Look at what the Psalmist said of God's chosen earthly people: He told us by unction of the Holy Spirit, that:

• he was committed to the Lord because of redemption (31.5) Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.
• redemption caused him to sing (71.23) My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed.
• recalled that he was part of a promised “inheritance” (74.2) Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old; the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed;...
• praised the Lord for redemption from their enemies(77.15) Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.
• Have an understanding of the enemy beyond what the eye can see (106.10) And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.
• had the privilege to “say so” (also known as grace) as one of the redeemed (107.2 )Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;
• rejoiced in the Lord's mercy that endures forever for the redeemed (136.24) And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth for ever.

The prophet, Isaiah reminded us of where the redeemed would end up:

(Isa 35.9) “No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there:”

What place does this sound like, according to scripture? Yes, heaven

Only in this passage, another group of “redeemed” have been included, the Gentiles.

• What about “the other” chosen people, the Gentiles?:

(Lk 1.68) “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for He hath visited and redeemed his people”

• Who are “His” people? From this verse it would seem that only Israel are counted as “His people.”
• But what about Jn 3.16? Who is considered “a believer?” “whosoever believeth”
• Would that be Jew or Gentile? Yes – let's look further

(Lk 24.21) “But we trusted that it had been He which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.”

• What had been done after “the third day?” the Resurrection

How is one “Redeemed?”

(Gal 3.13) “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us:”

• What did His death accomplish? Redemption from the curse of the law
• How? He was made “a curse for us”
• He was made a curse for whom? “us” or “whosoever believeth” (Jn 3.16)

(Eph 1:7) "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace"

• How are we “redeemed” according to this passage? “through His blood”

Paul writes, “in whom WE have redemption...”

If He is writing to the church at Ephesus and they are Greeks,

• would you say he is talking to Jews or Gentiles? Gentiles

(1 Pet 1:18) “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;”

• What could not “redeem” us? Silver, gold, vain conversation, tradition

(Rev 5.9) “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

• Who are “they” that “sung a new song?” the redeemed
• Where did they come from? “every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation”

(Rev 14.3) “And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.”

• Who are the only ones that could “learn that song?” 144,000
• Would you say this is everybody? Nope
• If it isn't everybody, then who is it? “the redeemed from the earth”

(Rev 14.4)”...These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.”

• Who is “the Lamb?” The Lord Jesus
• One more time, who are classified as “the redeemed?” “...they which follow the Lamb withersoever He goeth...”

Last question, are you one of “them?”