I am Redeemed (Part II)
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (Jn. 3:16). God gave His Son, Jesus, to live as a man anointed by the Spirit, to live in obedience to the Father, to die, and to be raised from the dead, and to destroy the works of the devil. Jesus was the “Lamb of God” (Jn. 1:29). God offered his perfect, spotless, “without sin” Lamb as a sacrifice for all men’s sins. “…without shedding of blood is no remission (of sin)” (Heb. 9:22). It took the blood of this Lamb to pay for the complete sin debt for all people. All we have to do is to call upon His name, Jesus, as our personal Lord, and our sins are washed away. We receive the forgiveness of sin. There is no more reason for guilt, shame, or sorrow. We are fully forgiven; justified – “just as if we had never sinned.” Amen!
“We have redemption through His blood even the forgiveness of sins” (Col. 1:14). Jesus, the sacrificial Lamb redeemed us from depression, oppression, and anxiety; from sickness and disease; from the punishment of sin; and from satan’s bondage. The lambs we read about in the Old Testament were sacrificed for an individual’s sin. The following year, another sacrificial lamb would be offered. These sacrifices were only symbolic of the Lamb to come, Jesus Christ. The thousands and thousands of lambs lost their lives, but this Lamb would be different. Jesus, the Lamb of God, was in the grave for three days, but was raised from the dead on that Easter morning. His body was no longer wounded nor bruised. He had a glorified body; a perfect body.
An angel appeared to Mary Magdalene and the other Mary and said, “Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead…” (Mt. 28:5-7). Jesus was raised from the dead by the Holy Spirit. This same Holy Spirit lives within us; and if we have been born again, the Spirit will one day quicken (make alive) our mortal bodies (Rom. 8:11). We will receive a glorified body like our Lord Jesus.
Jesus was seen by many people for 40 days after Easter (His resurrection). He ate, drank, and spoke of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. He instructed around 500 people to wait for the promise of the Father (1 Cor. 15:6) and commanded them to be witnesses throughout the world. One hundred and twenty waited as Jesus commanded them and experienced this infilling of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 1:15; 2:4). The Word says that they went forth proclaiming Jesus, and He confirmed the Word preached with signs and wonders following.
The Bible tells us that Jesus was “taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:9-11). Easter…? We celebrate Jesus, His resurrection. Our God is not dead! He is surely alive, and He is coming again!! “Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Rev. 22:20).