Scripture Reading
- Luke 24:1–12
- 1 Corinthians 1:26–31
Questions
- What does it mean to redeem something?
- How does the resurrection redeem your life?
Plan of Action
- Take a bad experience or situation in your life and consider how you can redeem the experience. What can you learn from that experience? If we look hard enough we can find value in every experience we encounter.
- Consider a possession you own which is taking up space. Consider selling it or donating it. At the very least, throw it away to redeem the space. If you sell it consider how you might use the money to benefit others. Consider all the possessions around you that might be used for a better purpose.
Reflection
Today is part 4 of our series on the Significance of the Resurrection. The Resurrection gives us a redemptive view of suffering.
Redemption is a complicated word. It is a word that is used in a theological context, but is also used in a more everyday way. We redeem coupons. To redeem something is to take something that has little value and assign it value. A coupon in itself has no value. It is only when you apply it to a certain product or service that it now has value.
One significance of the resurrection is redemption. Jesus takes death which is a wall. It is an ending. There is nothing beyond. But when Jesus conquered death, he redeemed it. He made something “not good” and made it “good.” Instead of being a wall, death now becomes a door. It provides us entry to life immortal. It opens to us the life God intends. The Book of Revelation describes this life as one where there is no more tears, no more pain, and no more suffering. The old order of things – the order of things as they exist today – will be no more (see Revelation 21:4).
It’s not only about our eternal life, it is also about our present life. Your past may be something less than flattering. You may be loaded with guilt. You may feel you are not qualified or accomplished enough to be used by God. But Jesus is in the businesses of taking that which is broken, overlooked, and hopeless to craft it for his good purposes. It’s not about the fullness of my life, but the fullness of Christ in my life that makes my life significant.
You may have made some poor decisions in the past. You may have been victimized. You may have more than a few failings. You may be wrestling with a difficult and painful relationship. There may be great pain caused by suffering. But you need to know if Jesus can transform death from a wall to a door, he can transform past and present experiences. With Jesus that dead end now becomes an opportunity. It is the resurrection that assigns your life value.
I know that my Redeemer lives.
What comfort this sweet sentence gives!
He lives, he lives, who once was dead.
He lives, my ever-living Head.
He lives to bless me with his love.
He lives to plead for me above.
He lives my hungry soul to feed.
He lives to bless in time of need.
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