This message is primarily for those who call on the name of Jesus Christ as their own Lord and Savior from sin, and serve as a Chaplain or a gospel minister in a jail, prison or a follow-up ministry such as a rescue mission – in the United States.

All Scripture quotes are usually taken from the New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible, copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. When quoting a text, any deviation from the NKJV text is placed within parenthesis signs (). These usually occur as direct translations from the original languages, or as notes from the original setting to help apply the text to today’s culture.

ALL CAPITAL LETTERS are sometimes used to emphasize words in a text, or to make a comment about a biblical text, or emphasize a statement.

Greetings Christian Chaplains and volunteers. Continuing our 2011 theme of reminding ourselves and teaching inmates WHO JESUS IS, this month I want to say TO YOU that - Jesus is a Shepherd. That word “shepherd” is the same as PASTOR. Scripture calls Him the Great Shepherd, the Good Shepherd and the CHIEF SHEPHERD.

I want to briefly speak of the first two titles given to Jesus, the Great Shepherd and the Good Shepherd. THEN, I want to spend the rest of the time on Jesus as the CHIEF SHEPHERD over all like you – in Christian ministry. He is your CHIEF PASTOR.

First then, as the Great Shepherd (the Arch-Shepherd, the Arch-Pastor) in Hebrews 13:20-21, we read this final blessing from the human writer of the Book of Hebrews.

20 Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

21 make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Here, Jesus is called the GREAT SHEPHERD of the sheep because by virtue of His blood sacrifice unto death, He confirmed the irrevocable everlasting covenant with all the believers. They are His sheep. That forever covenant is all about salvation from sin.

The adjective “great” is given to His Pastoral role over believers, because He is to be large in their lives and they are to be small. The subsequent pronouncement of this benediction is that the sheep or believers, would be complete in every good work doing HIS WILL. The power of the risen Great Shepherd is the only thing that can make that happen!

Next, we should consider Jesus as the Good Shepherd in John 10:7-16.

There He spoke of His role as the Good Shepherd of God’s sheep - in contrast to bad, false shepherds that did not care for or love God’s flock. Note these verses:

7 Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.

8 All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.

9 I am THE DOOR. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.

In ancient Israel real shepherds protected their sheep. When they would lead them to high pastures they carried a portable fence rolled up on their back. When they wanted to bed down the sheep they would encircle the sheep with the portable fence.

But the fence had no hinge or constructed door. The shepherd himself would sit or stand in the opening and be a human door. No sheep could get in or out of the sheepfold EXCEPT through the shepherd who knew each and every one of his sheep.

As the Door for His Sheep, Jesus protects them from harm and proves He is their true Shepherd. Ultimately in protecting true believers, true sheep, Jesus as the GOOD SHEPHERD gave His life to save them. Note it in verses 10-16

10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

11 “I am the good shepherd. THE GOOD SHEPHERD GIVES HIS LIFE FOR THE SHEEP.

12 But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them.

13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep.

14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.

15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR THE SHEEP.

16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.

This passage is stressing that - in contrast to bad, false shepherds like the religious leaders of His time, Jesus was the real true Shepherd that saves His sheep by dying for them

Having said all of that, I want you, as ministers and Christian Pastors to inmates to remember two things that relate to Jesus being your Chief Shepherd.

The first is that Jesus is the MODEL SHEPHERD you are to copy. You are a shepherd or pastor of inmate believers, and your leadership of His sheep should follow His example. Jesus Himself was the greatest example of the instruction on how to pastor given in verses 2-3 of our main text below.

The second thing about Jesus as your Chief Shepherd is that one day He will judge all the under-shepherds on HOW THEY PERFORMED THEIR PASTORAL DUTY OR HOW THEY SHEPHERDED HIS FLOCK! He will hold each of you accountable for how you as an under-shepherd handled His sheep.

Note it in our MAIN TEXT for this month, 1 Peter 5:1-4.

1 The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed:

2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;

3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;

4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.

Examining this passage, I want you to understand something important about the New Testament teaching on church leaders. According to the God-breathed out Scripture, there are three different words that describe the same man, and the same office.

The words or various names for the same person and the same office are: Elder, Pastor (Shepherd) and Overseer (sometimes translated ‘Bishop’).

These terms all apply TO THE SAME MAN. As a Christian minister of the gospel to inmates (ESPECIALLY Christian inmates) who look to you for leadership and direction in the Christian life, THEY APPLY TO YOU! I have said this before but THIS IS IMPORTANT TO YOU, a Chaplain (volunteer or paid) IS TO BE A PASTOR TO INMATES.

Forms of these three NT words are all in this passage. Two are verb forms of the nouns (Pastor and Overseer) and the third, which occurs in verse 1, is the name of the office, “Elders.” So, said another way, according to the New Testament, a Christian Pastor is an Elder and an Overseer (Bishop).

This is a serious and heavy calling. You need to make sure you qualify biblically for the office according to 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9. Now look with me a bit closer at this main passage for this month’s message. Verse 1 says:

1 The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed:

In Verse 1, the Apostle Peter related to local church leaders as simply a “fellow elder.” Another way to translate that is a “co-elder.” Peter was an Apostle, which meant he was given some special things to do, like laying down the NT doctrine. But in terms of church function, he was not ABOVE other men that led local bodies of believers.

The main thing Peter started to do in verse 1, was then TO EXHORT all other Christian elders (pastors and overseer-bishops). This word, exhort, means to encourage to action. The Holy Spirit even gave Peter this word as a present tense verb, meaning He wants to continually exhort elders (pastor-overseers) to the actions and attitudes described in verses 2-3. Here then is what the Holy Spirit through Jesus’ Apostle is saying to you too -

2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;

3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;

You are to shepherd or pastor, and oversee God’s flock. The main thing here is the COMMAND to shepherd Christians where you serve. As you do that, you are to be constantly overseeing the believers.

The concept of shepherding includes feeding them God’s word, helping them when they are sick (spiritually) and protecting them from spiritually dangerous people (wolves).

There are three positives involved in doing this and there are three warnings, or negatives, about how NOT to do it.

Look at the positives first. In verse 2, you are to shepherd Christ’s flock WILLINGLY and EAGERLY, then in verse 3, you are to BE A GOOD EXAMPLE.

Willingly means ‘of one’s own accord.’ It pictures a heartfelt desire. The earliest copies of the original manuscript adds the following to willingly, “according to the will of God.” So altogether the idea is to have your own will line up with Christ’s will in caring for His flock! Eagerly carries the idea of a readiness to do something rather than a feeling of not even wanting to prepare to do something because you really don’t want to have to do it.

A pastor-elder-overseer needs to be with their people. They need to exemplify the Christian walk to the believers under their care. Verse 3 says you are to be an EXAMPLE TO THE FLOCK.

A comparison to a similar passage in 1 Timothy 4:12 (NASB), calls Christian pastors to “show yourself an example of those who believe.” Part of your responsibility is to model for the inmates just HOW a Christian is to behave. Those are the positive ways of shepherding the Chief Shepherd’s flock.

Now verses 2-3 also call Chaplains and Christian leaders in correctional ministry - to NOT BE DOING some things. These verses warn you against the following things which I will EMPHASIZE by looking at the passage again.

2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, NOT BY COMPULSION but willingly, NOT FOR DISHONEST GAIN but eagerly;

3 NOR AS BEING LORDS OVER THOSE ENTRUSTED TO YOU, but being examples to the flock;

The things you are commanded as an under-shepherd not to have as attitudes and then actions that come out of those attitudes - are sadly, things that too many in “Christian ministry” have had and have done.

First, shepherding “not by compulsion,” means not with a feeling of being FORCED to do it against your will. If God has truly called you to pastor inmates, He will change your heart so that you really WANT TO DO IT. No one should ever be in the ministry to inmates that does not have a God-given deep desire to do it.

The remaining two prohibitions in this text on shepherding the Chief Shepherd’s flock, are in other Scripture passages shown to be characteristics of FALSE TEACHERS. They are into ministry for money and as an opportunity to serve their own pride.

Pastor them with eager readiness but NEVER ”for dishonest gain.” One of the qualifications for elders listed in both 1 Timothy 3:3 and Titus 1:7 is “not covetous (not with a love for silver)…not greedy for money.” As a minister of the gospel, according to

passages like 1 Corinthians 9:4-14, you have a right to be paid a living for your gospel ministry, BUT THAT SHOULD NEVER BE YOUR MAIN FOCUS.

I know many involved in biblical chaplaincy are under-paid. At the same time God promises to supply your NEEDS, when you serve as His ministers according to biblical direction. So, the application of not being in the ministry JUST for money, or as a covering for getting a lot of money by scamming people (like the ancient Chief Priests and Pharisees did) is to TRUST GOD to give you what you need. Never put a price tag on your ministry. If people ask your needs, then tell them, but AVOID hiring yourself out for a heavy fee.

Not “as being lords over those entrusted to you,” is a prohibition against manifesting pride in pastoral ministry. Jesus taught the disciples on this in Mark 10:42-45 which reads:

42 … Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.

43 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.

44 And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all.

45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

The pastorate including chaplaincy should NEVER be for your own aggrandizement. When the Apostle Paul spoke of gospel ministers he said this about what their motive and attitude was, “Not that we have dominion over your faith, but are fellow workers for your joy;” (2 Cor. 1:24).

In first century Jewish religion, the Chief Priests and Pharisees were guilty of pride and out of that pride lording their ministry position OVER the people. Jesus taught His followers NOT to be like them in Matthew 23:6-13. Note the following words He spoke against them in Matt. 23:6-8.

6 They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues,

7 greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’

8 But you, (Jesus’ followers) do not be called ‘Rabbi’; …”

Now all of 1 Peter 5:1-3 builds up to verse 4, which in conclusion to the instruction given to elders about their pastoring says:

4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.

That means when Jesus returns He will EXAMINE all those in church leadership. He will examine all of you that are in chaplaincy. Those that have followed the teaching and obeyed its commands on how to shepherd and HOW NOT to shepherd Christian believers will receive a reward from Him – because HE IS THEIR CHIEF SHEPHERD.

If Jesus would return today or next week, would you receive the unfading crown of glory from Him? If not, you MUST change the way you do ministry to fit the biblical instruction given in 1 Peter 5:1-4.

Rich Hines, Minister to Chaplains, Aurora Ministries’ - Chaplain Help Ministry

Chaplain’s Corner – May 17, 2011 Rev. Rich Hines Jesus Our Perfect Righteousness

This message is primarily for those who call on the name of Jesus Christ as their own Lord and Savior from sin, and serve as a Chaplain or a gospel minister in a jail, prison or a follow-up ministry such as a rescue mission – in the United States.

All Scripture quotes are usually taken from the New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible, copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. When quoting a text, any deviation from the NKJV text is placed within parenthesis signs (). These usually occur as direct translations from the original languages, or as notes from the original setting to help apply the text to today’s culture.

ALL CAPITAL LETTERS are sometimes used to emphasize words in a text, or to make a comment about a biblical text, or emphasize a statement.

It is important that inmates get what I will call the other side of the gospel message.

Normally, most of us and even FEWER OF THEM only get the part where Jesus bore our (that is, true believer’s) sins in His own body on the tree, or the wood of the cross (1 Peter 2:24).

That is a wonderful, powerful truth that will set them free from guilt. BUT there is another part, HE ALSO GAVE TRUE CHRISTIANS HIS OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS. Just think of how that can give believing inmates a new personal identity!

According to the Bible, no sin will be in heaven. One must be completely righteous to enter in there. Since we could not ever be right enough in ourselves to have access to heaven, Jesus gave those that truly are committed to Him as Lord and Savior, His own righteousness. This is the other side of the gospel message.

Show and teach your inmates and residents this truth from these few passages.

1 Corinthians 1:30-31

30 But of Him (God, the Father) you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—
31 that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.”

This verse is telling true believers that Christ Jesus became for them everything they need. He brings them the supernatural wisdom of God. He sets them apart and makes them appear as holy before the Father. He is their entire redemption from sin (see the Chaplain’s Corner from March 15, 2011).

But don’t miss it, just like Jesus bore away the believer’s sin by substituting for them and paying their penalty at the Cross, HE ALSO AS A SUBSTITUTE - HAS BEEN COUNTED TO THEM FOR A REAL RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Just like Christians have a substitutionary payment for their sins, THEY ALSO HAVE A SUBSTITUITIONARY RIGHTOUENESS GRANTED TO THEM. It is the very righteousness of Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (in the ESV) says:

“For our sake he (God the Father) made him (Jesus, the Son) to be sin who knew no sin, so that IN HIM WE MIGHT BECOME the righteousness of God.”

I want to come back to this verse a bit later, but for now, I want to encourage you to teach inmates that anyone truly united to Christ is “in Him.” God the Father sees all those who are in Christ as having HIS true righteousness.

Here is yet another way to come at this important truth with inmates. Jesus taught His disciples in Matthew 5:20, the following words:

“For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.”

You should regularly point out to inmates that they need MORE than a good record in religion! They need a righteousness that exceeds the strictest observers of religious rules.

From where then does anyone obtain THAT KIND OF RIGHTEOUSNESS? Jeremiah pointed prophetically to Jesus, when he was caused by the Holy Spirit, to write Jeremiah 23:5-6, which says:

5 “ Behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD, “ That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.
6 In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell safely; Now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

This prophecy looks forward to a time when the King whose name is Jesus will reign from Jerusalem over all the earth. It is also a time when the descendants of Jacob (Judah and Israel) will be true believers and be saved.

But, just like now, to be saved from our sin and have a promised home in heaven forever, people need a perfect righteousness. So, this prophecy is saying that the LORD Jesus Himself will count as that needed righteousness.

To obtain the needed righteousness to go to heaven a person needs to get it from Christ, the righteous Branch of David. The man who started life as Saul of Tarsus, was lost in the sin of man-made religion, but by God’s grace he finally found the righteousness he needed.

It was not from within himself, but it was IN CHRIST JESUS ALONE, who became His Lord and made him the Apostle Paul. He wrote about this in Philippians 3:8-9

8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ
9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that (righteousness, implied) which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;

Just ask your inmate Bible students to think about this: Christ’s righteousness is a total complete, perfect righteousness – because He never ever once sinned! Wow, the true believer has the very, perfect righteousness of Christ – his sinless record, credited to their account!

Show them Christ’s righteousness from the following five passages that speak of the completely sinless life He lived on earth.

1. Start with John 8:45-47. Here Jesus was speaking to His enemies, the religious leaders of the Jews. He said to them,

45 “But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me.
46 Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? “
47 He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.”

These proud self-righteous men hated Jesus. When He even challenged them to show or point out one sin in His life, in verse 46, they could not do it!

Next, show your inmates these two wonderful verses from the writer to the Hebrews.

2. Hebrews 4:14-15
14 … we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

The Jesus that all believers are united to, bore every kind of temptation to the fullest strength of the specific temptation, and never ever yielded to it. He was truly WITHOUT A SINGLE SIN.

3. Then, Hebrews 7:26 says,

26 For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy (morally pure), harmless (without any evil), undefiled (not soiled morally in any way), separate from sinners,

4. 1 Peter 2:21-22 a passage that deals with suffering, says,

21 … Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:
22 “ Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth”;

5. And 1 John 3:4-5, a passage that teaches about sin, says:

4 Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.
5 And you know that He (a reference to the Son of God, in v. 8) was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. (literally, ‘in Him sin is not!’)

So, the Holy Scriptures teach the absolute sinlessness of Jesus, the Christ. Tell the true believers that you minister to that the sinless record of Jesus has been credited to their account, before the throne of God above!

Also, explain to them that rather than being a license to then live here below in sin any longer, this is a great motivation to live now like they will live in heaven forever.

In closing, I want to go back to 2 Corinthians 5:20-21, which speaks of the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus Christ that reconciled and will reconcile believers to God. It says,

20 … be reconciled to God.
21 For He (God, the Father) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that (in order that) we might become the righteousness of God in Him

That puts it all together! The sinlessness of Jesus is accounted to the moral record of the people that are in Him. They are united to Him and are in Him, because they have believed on Him to be saved from their sin.

Finally, I want you to look again at the great hymn “Before The Throne of God Above.” I quoted from this hymn last month as well. Note these words from the third verse:

“Behold Him (Jesus) there the risen Lamb,
My perfect spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
The King of glory and of grace,
One in Himself I cannot die.
My soul is purchased by His blood,
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ my Savior and my God.”

Dear Chaplains and gospel ministers to inmates, I am reminding you of these things, not only to encourage you to teach them to the inmates - but to be blessed by them yourself, personally. Thank God, that Jesus is our perfect righteousness.

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless (a synonym for righteous) before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, Who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.” (Jude 24-25)

Rev. Rich Hines
Minister to Chaplains, Aurora Ministries’ Chaplain Help Ministry

Jesus Our Passover and Our Propitiator

This message is primarily for those who call on the name of Jesus Christ as their own Lord and Savior from sin, and serve as a Chaplain or a gospel minister in a jail, prison or a follow-up ministry such as a rescue mission – in the United States.

All Scripture quotes are usually taken from the New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible, copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. When quoting a text, any deviation from the NKJV text is placed within parenthesis signs (). These usually occur as direct translations from the original languages, or as notes from the original setting to help apply the text to today’s culture.

ALL CAPITAL LETTERS are sometimes used to emphasize words in a text, or to make a comment about a biblical text, or emphasize a statement.

In the Hebrew language, Yĕehowshuwa (Jesus) is Mashiyach (Messiah). The New Testament equivalent of “Messiah” is “Christ”. Jesus is the Christ. The Christ is an OFFICE, not a personal name.

The words Messiah and Christ mean the Anointed One. He is anointed by God the Father, to three offices in one. He is Prophet, Priest, and King.

As true believers’ High Priest, Jesus both offers sacrifice for the sins of His people, and IS the SACRIFICE Himself. This month I want to ask you to teach believing inmates about Jesus as OUR PASSOVER AND OUR PROPITIATOR. Both of these words relate to what He alone did in His sacrificial death for His people, including inmate believers.

Going back to the Jewish celebration commanded by God in Exodus 12, as the first celebration of their calendar year, the word "Passover" as used in the Bible can mean one of three things depending on its use in the context of a sentence.

It could refer to the whole feast season (the feast of unleavened bread), or to the special meal to be eaten on the fourteenth day of the first month (equivalent to our March-April) now known as the Seder, OR TO THE ACTUAL LAMB THAT WAS SLAIN IN SACRIFICE AND THEN EATEN. (See John 2:23 and 6:4, then Mark 14:12-15 and lastly, Luke 22:7)

In 1 Corinthians 5:6-8, a passage that deals with purity in the fellowship of believers, we read:

6 … Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?

7 Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.

8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Although this passage that links Christ’s sacrifice to believers purity, has the only New Testament verse that refers to Jesus as the believers sacrificial Passover, the NT also refers to Him as the sacrificial (Passover) Lamb no less than thirty-one times. Twenty-seven of those times are in the book of the Revelation alone. That is so because believers will worship Him throughout eternity, in heaven, as their Passover Lamb.

Note these verses in Revelation 5:8-12.

8 … the twenty-four elders (symbolic of the redeemed church in heaven) fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

9 And they sang a new song, saying: " You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,

10 And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth."

11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands,

12 Saying with a loud voice: " Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!"

Note also Revelation 7: 9-14.

9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands,

10 and crying out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"

11 All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and WORSHIPED God,

12 saying: "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honor and power and might, Be to our God forever and ever. Amen."

13 Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, "Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?"

14 And I said to him, "Sir, you know." So he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

As the believer’s Passover Lamb, He is the One that delivers them from death and judgment. For inmates that have repented and believed the biblical gospel - to have Jesus as their Passover, means the SENTENCE of God against their sin, does not fall on them. Tell them that they will not be eternally judged by God for their sins, and that - that judgment fell on Jesus, who is their Passover!

Thinking of Jesus in this way and then worshiping Him, relates to an appreciation of God’s grace (we did not deserve it) and MERCY, for believers did not GET THE JUDGMENT THEY DESERVED. Camp on that with the inmates. It would be good to take them back to Exodus 12:1-30 and teach that passage to them. Especially show them verses 12 and 13, which say:

12 ‘For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. (the judgment of an all holy God against their sin of idolatry)

13 Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.

When the Israelites obeyed and put the blood of the sacrificial lamb on their doors it was an act of faith in what the true God said. They had a choice, believe in the false worship of the Egyptians all around them OR believe in the God of the Bible, and do what He says.

Similarly today, we all have a choice: believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ so that righteous judgment passes over us - OR go along with a Christ rejecting society all around us. Your inmate population must be confronted with this faith choice.

Now in addition, Jesus as the one that provided PROPITIATION for believers, also centers on His giving up His life at the cross of Calvary. But, with Him being the PROPITIATOR, comes another important fact.

Whereas Jesus as our Passover sacrifice looks more at the benefit experienced by the believer, namely that they are not judged because Jesus shed His blood for them, Jesus as the Propitiator, relates to how that believer stands before God’s holy perfect law.

As the Passover Lamb, Jesus took the judgment due to believers for their sins. But in PROPITIATING the Father, He SOOTHED AND APPEASED GOD’S HOLY WRATH against those sins. Believing inmates’ appreciation should be in the idea that God is no longer angry at them for their sins. His rightful anger has been satisfied and soothed by Jesus.

There are four New Testament passages that speak of Jesus’ death as the believers’ propitiation. I want to show you two of them that I want you to teach your inmates from.

The first is in Hebrews 2: 9, 14-17

9 … we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.

14 Inasmuch then as the (human) children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, (Because Satan tempts sinners - and sin brings death)

15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. (In bondage to the fear of death and impending judgment)

16 For indeed He does not give aid to angels, (who are spirits) but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. (This ultimately refers to Abraham’s spiritual descendants - true believers)

17 Therefore, in all things He had to be made like HIS BRETHREN, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make PROPITIATION for the sins of THE PEOPLE.

The antecedent to "the people" in verse 17, are "His brethren." They are the ones that God the Father gave to Him. This is clear from verses 11-13 in the preceding context of Chapter 2, which say:

"For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He (Jesus) is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying: (This is what Jesus says to God the Father and about Himself) "I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You." And again: "I will put My trust in Him." And again: "Here am I and THE CHILDREN whom God HAS GIVEN Me."

Compare that last part of Hebrews 2:13 with what Jesus said to His Father in John 17:6-12.

6 “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You HAVE GIVEN Me out of the world. They were Yours, You GAVE THEM to Me, and they have kept Your word.

7 Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You.

8 For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and THEY HAVE BELIEVED that You sent Me.

9 “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You HAVE GIVEN Me, for they are Yours.

10 And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them.

11 Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You HAVE GIVEN Me, that they may be one as We are.

12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You GAVE Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. (Notice five times here, believers are referred to as a gift).

Explain to believing inmates that THEY ARE A LOVE GIFT from God the Father to God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ! That fact will go a long way in countering the low image of themselves they are faced with almost every day!

Then, the second passage that speaks about Jesus as the believers’ PROPITIATOR, that I want to bring out is in 1 John 4:9-10. It says,

9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.

10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the PROPITIATION for our sins.

God’s LOVE IS SHOWN as He sent His Son as a Lamb to be put to death in the believers’ place, so that judgment would pass over them AND so that His full holy wrath against their sin would fall on Him so that He (God) would be appeased, or propitiated.

The words of the fourth verse of the old hymn, recently made popular by the Vicki Cook melody, "Before The Throne of God Above" state it clearly.

"Because the sinless Savior died, My sinful soul is counted free;

For God, the Just, is satisfied To look on Him and pardon me."

The sinful believer’s soul is COUNTED FREE FROM JUDGMENT by God, BECAUSE Jesus, the perfect sinless Passover Lamb died for them. Then too, those same believers are to know that God’s rightful wrath against their sins HAS BEEN SOOTHED, SETTLED DOWN, SATISFIED, AND PROPITIATED! Therefore, they do not have to go around being weighed down by the thought of facing God’s wrath, like unbelievers should!

Praise God for providing Jesus as our Passover and our Propitiator.

Rich Hines

Minister to Chaplains, Aurora Ministries’ Chaplain Help Ministry

Jesus Our Risen Savior

This message is primarily for those who call on the name of Jesus Christ as their own Lord and Savior from sin, and serve as a Chaplain or a gospel minister in a jail, prison or a follow-up ministry such as a rescue mission – in the United States.

All Scripture quotes are usually taken from the New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible, copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. When quoting a text, any deviation from the NKJV text is placed within parenthesis signs (). These usually occur as direct translations from the original languages, or as notes from the original setting to help apply the text to today’s culture.

ALL CAPITAL LETTERS are sometimes used to emphasize words in a text, or to make a comment about a biblical text, or emphasize a statement.

In continuing this year’s messages about Jesus, I want to suggest you regularly teach that He is a RISEN SAVIOR for believers. If you would like my recommendation on what to teach inmates about His resurrection, probably the Chaplain’s Corner from April, 2001 covers it the most extensively. You can read it from the text archive section on this web site. In Revelation 1:18, Jesus said: "I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. " I want you to preach and teach that!

For unrepentant, unbelievers according to Acts 17:30-31, Jesus’ resurrection only means one thing, JUDGMENT. These verses read:

30 Truly these (former – before Christ’s death and resurrection) times of ignorance God overlooked (He did not move in final judgment), BUT NOW (meaning after Jesus’ resurrection) commands all men everywhere to repent,

31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness BY THE MAN whom He has ordained, He has given assurance (or, a guarantee) of this (day of judgment) to all BY RAISING HIM FROM THE DEAD."

By way of contrast, for true believers Jesus’ resurrection has real POWER and TREMENDOUS BLESSINGS both now and in the future. In His physical resurrection from the dead, which believers really should celebrate every Sunday (the day of the week He rose from the dead) all Christians should be encouraged BY THE VICTORY HE WON FOR BELIEVERS.

This month we do extra celebrating and call April 24, 2011 "Easter Sunday." I like the term "Resurrection Sunday" better. That term is cleaner and forces the issue without conjuring up mental ideas of egg hunts and chocolate rabbits.

The FIRST thing I want to remind you to tell your inmates and residents about Jesus’ resurrection is that IT IS THE DISPLAY AND GUARANTEE OF GOD’S POWER. A power that relates directly to the ultimate salvation of INDIVIDUAL sinners when they truly believe.

1 Peter 1:3-5 says:

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope THROUGH THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST FROM THE DEAD,

4 to an inheritance (this looks forward, to the future) incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,

5 who are kept by the power of God THROUGH FAITH for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.(again - in the future)

Verse 3 links the new birth to the future final stage of salvation through the RISEN SAVIOR. The final stage of salvation, often referred to as the believer’s final glorification is referred to as the "living hope." Salvation and the new birth would not be possible IF JESUS HAD NOT RISEN FROM THE DEAD. God can save and begin new spiritual life in a believer because Jesus rose from the dead after paying for the believers sins in full by dying on the cross.

In verse 4, the final stage of salvation is stressed by the compiling of wonderful words. It is INCORRUPTIBLE, which means it cannot die or decay. It is also UNDEFILED, meaning totally clean and unsoiled. It does NOT FADE AWAY, which is to say it is always blossoming! And - it is RESERVED or GUARDED in heaven - for true believers.

The POWER of the Risen Savior’s resurrection will accomplish these wonderful promises. Tell inmates that. Help them with all that is in you (from the Holy Spirit) to grasp hold of this salvation guaranteed by the power of the risen Savior for those that repent and believe.

Jesus IS the true believer’s Savior. The word "savior" means deliverer. But Jesus does more than save believers from the eternal judgment of their sins in hell fire, HE ALSO delivers them from the practices of sin daily, while they remain on earth awaiting perfect union with Him in heaven some day in the future.

Now SECONDLY, I want to urge you to teach inmates and residents something else about the biblical, Risen Savior. When they think about Jesus (which for believers, should be daily,) they should be motivated towards thankfulness and praise and to LIVING A LIFE OF PRACTICAL PROGRESSIVE SANCTIFICATION.

I bring this up now BECAUSE the POWER of Jesus’ resurrection in the life of believers born of His Spirit, ALSO HELPS deliver them from the practices of sin in their daily living. There are many verses that teach this. To begin teaching this, I would suggest you explain to your inmates and residents Romans 5:10. It says:

10 ...if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, it is much more (certain) now that we shall be saved (or daily delivered from sins dominion) through His resurrection life. (this is from The Amplified Bible)

That is saying the POWER of the risen Savior IN the believer here and now, before their ultimate glorification, DELIVERS them from the practices of sin.

Next, teach them daily progressive sanctification from Romans 6:4-14, which says:

4 …just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,

6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we SHOULD NO LONGER BE SLAVES OF SIN.

7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. (a dead slave no longer has to serve their master)

8 Now if WE DIED WITH CHRIST, we believe that we shall ALSO LIVE with Him,

There it is, true believers have a true union with Jesus in his DEATH and RESURRECTION. This theme is also touched upon in Galatians 2:20.

20 I have BEEN CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST, it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

And again in Colossians 2:20 and 3:1

20 Therefore, if YOU DIED WITH CHRIST, …

1 If then YOU WERE RAISED WITH CHRIST, seek those things which are above …

I will end with the passage in Colossians 3, but for now look back to Romans 6 –

8 Now if WE DIED WITH CHRIST, we believe that we shall ALSO LIVE with Him,

9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him.

10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.

11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.

13 And do not present (this is a command to stop constantly offering) your members (your bodily parts) as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God (another command at specific points in time) as being ALIVE FROM THE DEAD, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.

The same command to present or offer at specific points of time your members (or bodily parts) as instruments for righteousness TO GOD, comes across the word "and," here in verse 13. Verse 14 tells believers WHY.

14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, …

That’s practical and progressive sanctification. Professing Christian inmates need to be constantly urged on in the pursuit of it. This should be where true biblical Christianity in the facility stands out and STANDS APART from all other religious systems. Man-made religions have no power to live a holy life. Only in Christ, by the power He gives can it happen. That power is His resurrection power.

Lastly, consider and teach them, Colossians 3:1-5.

1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek (a command to keep on seeking) those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.

2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. (this is also a command to continue to practice – keep setting your mind on the things of God in heaven)

3 For you died, (at a specific point in time, when by faith you were united with Christ in His death and subsequent resurrection) and your life is (now) hidden with Christ in God.

4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: …"

What follows in verse 5 and verses 8, 9 is a long, but not exhaustive list of 12 sinful acts and attitudes. These are things which your Christian inmates have in most cases, been slaves to in the past. The command at the beginning of verse 5 is for the specific times of temptation to sin that a true Christian (inmate or free) faces.

In verse 5, these sins include: FORNICATION – which covers all forms of sex outside of male-female marriage. UNCLEANNESS - meaning impure thoughts, PASSION, which is strong vile urges. EVIL DESIRE – which means lustful craving.

COVETEOUSNESS – greediness, desire for what another has. And IDOLATRY which is the ultimate fruit of coveting, also includes anything put in the place of the true God, either mentally or as a physical object of worship.

Verse 8 adds ANGER – this word means a settled seething as in hatred. WRATH - which is outbursts of rage, and MALICE – a desire to hurt or injure others. BLASPHEMY – speech intended to defame another’s character. FILTHY LANGUAGE – dirty words. The list ends in verse 9, with LYING.

You see all of these things and more in a jail or prison facility. But the power of the risen Savior of believers helps men and women puts these things to death with Christ.

The power of the RISEN SAVIOR also helps them put on practical progressive works of true righteousness. Some of these are listed in Col. 3:12-16. They include: tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving others. Added to those righteous acts and attitudes believers are commanded to love, to let God’s peace rule in their heart, to be thankful, to worship and to immerse themselves in the word of God.

In closing, I want to go back to where we began this month’s message. Saving faith in the Risen Jesus brings a salvation that will conquer all sin and death. The crisis of physical death is always related to sin. People die because sin in God’s world brought death into reality. BUT the One who died for the believers sin, said to a grieving woman whose brother had just died the following words in John 11:25-26.

25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.

26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. DO YOU BELIEVE THIS?

That is what you need to constantly challenge your residents about. Do they really believe in a Risen Savior, Jesus? Do they believe that through His death and resurrection all their sins and even their death problem is conquered?

Ask them, “Do YOU BELIEVE, ‘…the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us (that believe) and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in CHRIST JESUS before time began, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, WHO HAS ABOLISHED DEATH AND BROUGHT LIFE AND IMMORTALITY (eternal life) to light through the gospel,’ ?” (2 Timothy 1:8-10)

Rich Hines

Minister to Chaplains, Aurora Ministries’ Chaplain Help Ministry

Jesus Our Redeemer

This message is primarily for those who call on the name of Jesus Christ as their own Lord and Savior from sin, and serve as a Chaplain or a gospel minister in a jail, prison or a follow-up ministry such as a rescue mission – in the United States.

All Scripture quotes are usually taken from the New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible, copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. When quoting a text, any deviation from the NKJV text is placed within parenthesis signs (). These usually occur as direct translations from the original languages, or as notes from the original setting to help apply the text to today’s culture.

ALL CAPITAL LETTERS are sometimes used to emphasize words in a text, or to make a comment about a biblical text, or emphasize a statement.

Continuing our series on Jesus in this year of our Lord, 2011, I want to remind you and by extension call you to teach about Jesus OUR Redeemer.

When I began this endeavor to refocus on Jesus in January, I said, “mostly they (the coming messages) only apply to those that are truly born of God’s Spirit. They will help you in discipling Christian inmates. Only two of the twelve messages, January’s and February’s, hold current truth even for the unsaved.”

As I now continue with the subject of the redemption of sinners and the One who redeemed them, I want to say that Jesus has ALREADY completely and fully paid for, and in that sense REDEEMED, all those that WILL EVER BE SAVED.

In other words, the unsaved, un-regenerated people that will one day in the future be saved - because God planned and willed their true salvation, from His eternal perspective already have their sins paid for. BUT, that does not mean they are the beneficiaries of salvation’s blessings in their life experience right now. Those blessings, will NOT BE EXPERIENCED by them - UNTIL they truly repent and believe the gospel.

As I bring you this message I want to speak of Jesus the Redeemer in THREE WAYS. 1. What it COST Him to redeem His people. 2. What THE BENEFITS of the redemption He provided to His people are, and 3. JESUS’ HEART as the Redeemer.

1. The COST to the Redeemer:

In 1 Peter 1:17-21, the Apostle was directed by God to write these wonderful words FROM HIM - to true believers, to those in the habit of calling on God as their Father.

17 … if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear;

18 knowing that you WERE not REDEEMED with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers,

19 but (you WERE REDEEMED) with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

20 He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you

21 who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

The basic biblical meaning of all the words translated “redeem” is: to deliver by the payment of a price. The word for “redeemed” in verse 18, means to release or to set free by the payment of a ransom. The grammar means this actually has happened to the subjects (here, the ones that have called on the Father in faith) at a point in time in the past. That is a wonderful truth. One to praise and continually thank God for, as Psalm 107:2 says: “Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy,”

The heart of this 1 Peter 1 passage focuses not so much on the benefits of redemption but rather on Jesus, the Eternal Redeemer, and THE PRICE He paid to ransom believers. According to verse 19, it was with HIS PRECIOUS BLOOD. The preciousness is His blood’s exceedingly great value.

When the Bible so speaks of blood, it is another way of saying violent death though bloodshed. The actual physical human blood of the God-Man did not pay the ransom, it is His death that paid for it. Truly, the value of Jesus’ violent death is much, much higher than silver or gold, or all the valuable things on earth.

The second part of verse 19 heightens the idea of preciousness and value by stating Jesus’ unsurpassed moral quality as “a lamb without blemish and without spot.” To the Jewish minds of the original recipients of what we call 1 Peter, a slaughtered “lamb” always conjured up the idea of a substitutionary sacrifice. Jesus’ human life was so excellent that once He paid with it, there was absolutely no more balance to be paid.

In comparing the animal sacrifices that symbolically purified the places of worship on earth with God’s throne in heaven, Hebrews 9:23-26 (English Standard Version) says:

“… it was necessary that the copies of the things in the heavens should be purified with these (animal sacrifices) but the heavenly things themselves (are purified) with BETTER sacrifices than these. For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he (a reference to Christ, Jesus) has appeared (or ‘has been manifested’) ONCE FOR ALL at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.”

The words of the Keith Green song “There Is A Redeemer,” remind us of the great price Jesus paid. They help believers worship their Redeemer.

“There is a Redeemer, Jesus, God's own Son, Precious Lamb of God, Messiah,
Holy One, Jesus my Redeemer, Name above all names, Precious Lamb of God, Messiah, Oh, for sinners slain.”

I strongly urge you to exegete and teach and then have your group sing that song in worship of Jesus! The words of 1 Pet.1:18-19, must have been on Keith’s mind when he wrote that song.

Verses 20 and 21 again focus on Jesus. He was “foreordained (or predestinated)” to pay for the redemption of the sinners He would save before the foundation of the world, but His coming to earth as a human being – His “manifestation” in the first century, was to die and rise again so that His people could believe, and truly be saved.

Now I want to go a little further with the definition of redemption by focusing on Galatians 3:10-14.

2. Here I will also focus on the BENEFITS of the redemption to believers.

10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under THE CURSE; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.”

11 But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.”

12 Yet the law is not of faith, but “the man who does them shall live by them.”
13 Christ has redeemed us from THE CURSE of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”),

14 that THE BLESSING of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

The heart of this redemptive passage is on the benefits, or BLESSINGS, of being redeemed to those that have truly believed. Verses 10-12 focus on the curse brought by trying to save yourself through perfect and complete obedience to the law of God. Nobody can do it! Therefore to be in that system or that kind of religion, is to be CURSED.

BUT, the Redeemer, Christ Jesus came to redeem His people. That’s where the BLESSINGS all begin. Hear it again in Gal. 3:13.

13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”),

The word for “redeemed” in verse 13, is actually a different word from the one used in 1 Peter 1:18. Although in meaning the two words are somewhat synonymous, the word in Galatians 3:13 really focuses on BUYING something OUT OF THE MARKET.

Actually, this word pictures BUYING A SLAVE OUT OF THE MARKET BY PAYING FOR THEIR LEGAL FREEDOM. In other words, the price paid was so much that it bought the one redeemed out of slavery, and legally removed them from the threat of EVER BEING SOLD AS A SLAVE AGAIN!

Furthermore, the grammar of this verb means Jesus has actually completed that kind of purchase at a point in time. That point was when He became cursed and died in the believer’s place ON THE CROSS (made from a TREE). I will come back to this later.

Please teach the benefits of being redeemed by Jesus to your inmates or residents. In Christ Jesus, they are no longer the slaves of sin. They no longer have to serve their old slave master, Satan. By the power and price of His redemption, they will never again be owned by the devil to do his will in sinning! They are set free from a lifestyle of sinning! This truth is real for those that have repented and believed the gospel.

Now, I want to point to JESUS’ HEART as our Redeemer.

I think a great place to see this is from the dramatic story found in the book of Ruth. There we learn about two women, Naomi and her daughter-in-law, Ruth. Because of sin, they had fallen on hard times. They were both widowed. Sin had led Naomi and her husband Elimelech, to leave the land they were not supposed to leave, and move to a place that was forbidden by God.

In the foreign pagan land of Moab, Naomi’s son Mahlon, against God’s directions, married a pagan unbeliever, Ruth.

After being bereft of their husbands and financial support, Naomi and Ruth decided to go back to Judah. There, under Old Testament law, a rescue might be provided for these widows. There were laws that allowed a kinsman to redeem their relative from slavery or debt, another to buy back their lost land for them, and yet another to marry the widow and raise up children, who would bear the name of the deceased husband.

Ruth 2:1 says, “There was a relative of Naomi’s husband, A MAN OF GREAT WEALTH, … His name was Boaz” Another Old Testament law provided food for the poor by allowing them to follow grain reapers and pick up what was dropped. By God’s design, Ruth just “happened” to end up in a field of grain belonging to Boaz! There he took notice of her.

When Ruth came to Naomi with the food she had gathered, she told her about the man named Boaz. Then in Ruth 2:20 we read: “… Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, ‘Blessed be he of the LORD, who has not forsaken His kindness to the living and the dead!’ (the meaning is God’s lovingkindness to them as widows and to Ruth’s deceased husband). And Naomi said to her (to Ruth) ‘This man is a relative of ours, one of our close relatives.’ ”

Here is where you can evangelize the yet unsaved. Tell them, the one that needed redemption had to ask the potential redeemer to do it. In Ruth 3::9, Ruth asked Boaz to be her redeemer. In faith, the unsaved must ASK Jesus to save them.

From the tradition and practice of being the kinsman redeemer – as Boaz became in the book of Ruth. The redeemer had to:

1. Be a CLOSE KIN.

2. Be ABLE to pay the full cost.

3. Be WILLING to pay.

Many good Bible teachers therefore see Boaz, who became Ruth’s kinsman-redeemer as A TYPE (or foreshadow) of Jesus Christ. In the story of Ruth, God’s providential care for Naomi and Ruth through the kinsman, Boaz is truly dramatic. You see, the right to buy and redeem the land that had belonged to Naomi’s deceased husband was firstly reserved for the nearest of kin.

Boaz was able financially (cf. 2:1) to rescue Naomi and Ruth. He was even willing to marry Ruth so that the name of her deceased husband Mahlon, would not be cut off and forgotten. BUT, Boaz WAS NOT THE NEAREST kin. There was another that was a closer relative who had as it were, “first dibs.”

Boaz said to Ruth, “Now it is true that I am a close relative: HOWEVER, there is a relative closer than I.” (Ruth 3:12).

As the drama unfolds, the nearer kinsman was financially able to redeem, BUT he was not WILLING to take Ruth as his bride. We read about the conversation that took place between Boaz and the nearer kinsman, in Ruth 4:3-6.

3 Then he (Boaz) said to the close relative, “Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, sold the piece of land which belonged to our brother Elimelech.

4 And I thought to inform you, saying, ‘Buy it back (redeem it) in the presence of the inhabitants and the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if you will not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know; for there is no one but you to redeem it, and I am next after you.’” And he said, “I will redeem it.”

5 Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also buy it from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance.”

6 And the close relative said, “I CANNOT redeem it for myself, LEST I RUIN my own inheritance. You redeem my right of redemption for yourself, for I cannot redeem it.”

The Second Person of the Godhead became one of us – totally HUMAN. His name was and is, Jesus. As such, He is our Brother. He became our NEAR-KINSMAN.

He is ABLE to redeem us because He lived a perfect holy human life.

But unlike the closer kin in the drama of Naomi and Ruth, and LIKE Boaz, JESUS WAS WILLING to actually redeem us at an incredibly HIGH PRICE. In redeeming us, He had to bear all our sins in His own body on the cross!

That’s it! Jesus’ heart really WANTED TO redeem us, even at so high a price!

The words of the Southern Gospel song, “He Grew The Tree,” written by Chuck Lawrence in 1982 focus on Jesus as God and as a Man, WILLING to redeem believers at such a great price. It was a price, ONLY HE COULD PAY. Listen to the words of the song.

“He molded and built a small lonely hill that He knew would be called Calvary. Then He made the seed that would grow to be thorns that would make His Son bleed. Then He made a green stem gave it leaves and then gave it sunshine and rain and sheltered it with moss. He grew the tree He knew would be used to make the old rugged cross.”

“… Nothing took His life, with love He gave it. He was crucified on a tree that He created. With great love for man, God stayed with His plan. He grew the tree so that we might go free.” That verse speaks of Jesus truly WANTING to redeem believers and of the benefit of redemption!

Additionally, these God-breathed words from a believer, 4,000 years ago, also focus on the historical Jesus. They are still true for all believers today. Job 19: 25-27 says:

25 … I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth;

26 And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God,

27 Whom I shall see for myself, And my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!

Another benefit and blessing of being redeemed is having a future resurrection body, as Job affirmed in verses 26-27. That fact connects to where we will go next month as we look at Jesus, our Risen Savior.

Rich Hines

Minister to Chaplains, Aurora Ministries’ Chaplain Help Ministry