From the Pastor - "Redemption" April 2015
What is the church? I've previously explored the church in terms of its location (the people gathered in Jesus’ name in a particular place, as well as every time and place) and its nature (sinner and saint). According to Everist and Nessan in Transforming Leadership , the church may also be described in terms of redemption. Easter is the story of redemption. It combines the Passover celebration of God’s delivering the people from slavery in Egypt and the Paschal celebration of Christ’s victory over sin and death. In the Easter story, we celebrate Jesus Christ as our redeemer. One of the great sayings of Easter comes from the lips of Job: “I know that my redeemer liveth” (Job 19:25, KJV). Before every sermon, I pray in the name of the Lord, our strength and our redeemer (Psalm 19:14, KJV). What does it mean that Christ is our Redeemer? Well, if you buy Oberweis milk, you have to pay a deposit and then return the empty bottle in ord...