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

Jesus Our Lord

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.

Jesus is Lord. One day in the future, ALL WILL SAY SO. The NASB in Philippians 2:10-11 says:

"so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ IS LORD, to the glory of God the Father."

The fact of Jesus’ being Lord is connected with the fact that He is fully God. His Deity suggests His Lordship. Since He is the “over all .... God” (Romans 9:5), or to use jail/prison lingo, "He calls all the shots," eternally. To truly understand and believe that Jesus is God implies that the believer should be willing to submit to His Lordship.

True believers and followers of Jesus the Christ say so AND ACT ACCORDINLY NOW. Jesus is THEIR Lord. But before continuing, I think this is one Bible word you MUST DEFINE.

The New Testament words translated "Lord" mean the owner and controller, the master and ruler over OR, THE SOVEREIGN ONE. Calling Jesus our Lord means we are willing to submit to Him as the decider over everything that applies to us. It means we recognize His power and AUTHORITY over all our life.

There are human lords that are masters over some sphere of influence – but they are never for one split second, supreme Lord. That One is Jesus. He is the King of kings and LORD of lords. He is Lord over all kings, and lords, and masters, and bosses.

The Bible says Jesus is Lord. In fact, Jesus is referred to as Lord in every New Testament book except 1 John and 3 John. The NT calls Him "Lord" about 600 times!

We don’t make Him Lord, HE IS LORD. Whether we actually submit to Him as our Lord, or rebel against His rule in our sin, He – not we, has the final word and way. If we are at odds with His will – we lose. This is true for the unsaved now. If they continue in their unbelief and die in their sin, they LOSE FOREVER. They are losers, because they assume they are the lord of their own life.

On the other hand, for the solid believer and confessor of Jesus the Christ these words of the great new Irish Hymn - by Keith and Kristin Getty, "In Christ Alone" which speak of His Lordship, hold true. Being absolute Lord, He has both supreme authority and the power that accompanies it.

"From life's first cry to final breath, JESUS COMMANDS MY DESTINY. No power of hell, no scheme of man, Can ever pluck me from His hand; Till He returns or calls me home, Here in THE POWER OF CHRIST I'll stand."

Four passages to consider and teach inmates about the Lordship of Jesus from are: Romans 10:6-13; Ephesians 6:23-24; John 14:21-23 and Luke 6:46-49. The words used in each of these passages for "Lord" are definers of Jesus.

1. Romans 10:6-13 – The context is about salvation and the inability to achieve it and righteousness through the law of Moses. Verse 6 begins the alternative and true way of attaining salvation and righteousness – through FAITH in Christ as LORD AND SAVIOR.

6 But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, "Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’" (that is, to bring Christ down from above)

7 or, "‘Who will descend into the abyss?’" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). [the quotes in verses 6 and 7 are from Deut. 30:12,13]

Dr. John MacArthur says: "Paul speaks of the righteousness based on faith as if it were a person and puts in its mouth a quotation from Deut. 30:12,13. His point is that the righteousness of faith does not require some impossible odyssey through the universe to find Christ" (ascend... descend).

8 But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach): [the quote is from Deut. 30:14]

According to verse 8, the journey of verses 6 and 7 is unnecessary because God has clearly revealed the way of salvation: it is by faith. The "word of faith" is the message that faith is the way to God. It is spelled out as the theme of the preaching that Paul and others were doing in the 1st Century - in verses 9 and10. You too should always preach faith in Jesus as the only way of salvation.

9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus (more literally, ‘Jesus as Lord’ and so rendered in the ASV, NASB and Darby translation) and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Commenting on verse 9, MacArthur says: " ‘Jesus as Lord’ - Not a simple acknowledgment that He is God and the Lord of the universe, since even demons acknowledge that to be true (see James 2:19). This is the deep personal conviction, without reservation, that Jesus is that person's own master or sovereign."

This phrase "confess ... Jesus as Lord" includes repenting from sin, trusting in Jesus for salvation, and submitting to Him as Lord. This is the volitional element of faith. (Other referenced note): "the sinner submits his will to Christ and trusts in Him alone as the only hope of salvation. Genuine faith will always produce authentic obedience." (MacArthur)

The words of Jesus (Mark 1:14) "Repent and believe in the gospel," and the words of the Apostles (Acts 20:21) "testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ" mean more than just believe who Jesus is and trust in what He did. They mean the moral rebellion against the Sovereign Lord’s will expressed by His law is ended, turned from, repented of.

To confess that Jesus is YOUR OWN LORD implies repentance. In doing so the believer/confessor is saying they are through with running their own life and being their own lord and master. THEY ARE SAYING THEY ARE NOW SUBMITTING TO Another – even Jesus - as their Lord.

The end of verse 9 mentions belief in the resurrection from the dead. "Belief in Christ's resurrection is necessary for salvation because it proved that Christ was God and that the Father had accepted His sacrifice in the place of sinners (See Romans 1:4 and 4:24). Without the resurrection of Christ, there is no salvation." (MacArthur).

One other thing is important here in verse 10. It says:

10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Saving faith in Jesus must be from the depths of the inner life, from THE HEART. But it also will always express itself outwardly with the mouth. Confession of salvation is made outwardly and publicly in believers’ baptism.

The passage continues on the theme of SALVATION THROUGH AN ACTIVE FAITH IN JESUS AS LORD, in verses 11-13.

11 For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." [quote is from Isa.28:16]

12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him.

13 For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved." [quote is from Joel 2:32]

The "whoever" in verses 11 and 13 include everyone from every background IF THEY BELIEVE (not just Jews or those who are first "religious.")

In verse13 to call on the name of the LORD, does not refer to some desperate cry to just any deity but to the one true God as He has revealed Himself - a revelation that now includes recognition of Jesus AS LORD and the One who raised up Jesus from the dead.

2. Now look with me at Ephesians 6:23-24. As the Apostle closes his God-breathed letter, he says:

23 Peace to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (This is a benediction, a prayer for the true Christians)

24 Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.

This blessing closes with a definition of who true Christians are. They are those that LOVE Jesus AS THEIR LORD in all sincerity, or with undying incorruptible love. The Apostle John said of Christians "We love Him (a reference to Jesus) BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US" (I John 4:19). Jesus is a LOVING LORD, not a capricious dictator.

3. In John 14:21-23, Jesus defined how true love for Him is demonstrated. He said:

21 He who has My commandments AND KEEPS THEM (which is to say, obeys them), it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him."

22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, "Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?"

23 Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he WILL KEEP My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.

Jesus’ answer to Judas, the son of James, in verse 23, means that the manifestation, or evidence of His presence (and even the Father’s presence) will be internal rather than external. (Compare "Christ IN YOU, the hope of glory" - Colossians 1:27).

4. But what about people who say Jesus is their Lord and do not EVER obey Him? They never, according to Jesus’ words in John 14, "love" Him. This brings us (and YOU, to teach) Luke 6:46-49

46 "But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and NOT DO the things which I say?

47 Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and DOES THEM, I will show you whom he is like:

48 He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. (This is an illustration of a truly saved obedient believer.)

49 BUT HE WHO HEARD AND DID NOTHING is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great." (This illustrates the doom of disobedient unbelievers.)

Here are some application points. Inmates often fall into the error of thinking they can make a deal with Jesus. You don’t make a deal with the supreme Lord, you must submit to whatever He wants, not try to get Him to use His power to do what you want. People, especially inmates really need to hear and understand this. So, you need to be regularly reminding them of this truth!

We have a great problem in the realm of what claims to be Christianity in our society today. Many people think you only have to say you believe in Jesus and that is what makes you a Christian – no matter what you do after that public confession. The result is we have a lot of fake, PRETEND CHRISTIANS.

Pretend Christians are people who talk the talk but do not walk the walk (consistently, as the normal direction and bent of their life). This has always been a problem in jail and prison with inmates, BUT NOW it is on a much larger scope of society today. From top to bottom, politicians, entertainers, top athletes, right on down to people that live on the streets and are in and out and in jail again. You need to speak to your inmates and residents about this a lot.

The John MacArthur quote, "the sinner submits his will to Christ and trusts in Him alone as the only hope of salvation. Genuine faith will always produce authentic obedience," has a lot of opponents. They call this "Lordship salvation" and say it is part of a "works salvation" gospel. The AGRM has sponsored teachers with this view. It is not working for salvation but rather the EVIDENCE OF GOD’S GRACE AT WORK in the life of a truly saved person.

In closing, look at Matthew 7:21-27 with me. For many contextual reasons, I side with those scholars that believe Jesus said this at the same time or occasion of Luke 6:46. That means the sermon in Luke 6:20-49, also know as "the Sermon on the Plain," is one and the same with what is called "the Sermon on the Mount," recorded in Matthew 5-7. If so, then Jesus’ question in Luke 6:46, "…why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and NOT DO the things which I say?" most likely comes RIGHT BEFORE Matthew 7:21-27, which says:

21 "Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’

23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Much could be said about these three verses. Jesus our Lord spoke them. Note this: those that were pretend Christians calling Jesus “Lord” did not DO the Father’s will. They were disobedient to the Lord Jesus and PRACTICED, as a general direction of their life, LAWLESSNESS. According to 1 John 3:4, that’s another word for “sin.” I believe the key to not being one of them is mentioned BY JESUS, in verse 23. It is in KNOWING HIM – in having a right relationship with Him as your own personal Lord.

Now notice how verses 24-27 here in Matthew 7, are virtually the same as Luke 6:47-49.

24 "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock

25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.

26 "But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand:

27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall."

If we call Jesus our Lord and say that we love Him, it HAS TO BE MORE than just words. We have to want to obey Him, and by the power His Spirit supplies - ACTUALLY OBEY HIM AND DO WHAT HE SAYS, at least as the normal direction of our lives.

Therefore, we must listen to His directives. Then we must obey Him, not only because we love Him, which is the best motive, but also because we have to answer to Him BECAUSE HE IS THE LORD OF ALL. This is why 1 Peter 4:17 says "For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; (a title for the saved church) and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? " (NASB)

Romans 14:10 also says to Christians: "But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we (Christian believers) shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ."

All true believer’s works will be judged by their Lord, Jesus. Some of us will receive rewards. The key to that is consistent, loving obedience from the depths of our hearts. Apply that to yourself first, then demonstrate it and teach it to the inmates and staff!


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