REDEEMED: The Rescue

One of the great aspects of going though the season of Lent personally before heading straight to the resurrection is that we have a chance to slow our lives down and really contemplate the full life and death of Jesus Christ before we witnessing him rise from the dead, defeating it’s power forever.

We have been going through scripture to help us see how God has been redeeming people, and the world. A couple weeks ago, we looked at the interesting story of Hosea (Chapter 3) to see God’s unconditional love for us and how the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ gives us a great glimpse into this vast love. Last week, we talked about the Prodigal Son parable in Luke 15, looking at it from the father’s point of view. This week, we’re looking at being rescued by talking about the story of Abram (later Abraham) rescuing his nephew Lot from captivity.

I invite you to read the passage for this week, Genesis 14:1-16. If you would like further context, feel free to read chapters 12 and 13 also.

Abraham gets word his nephew Lot is in danger and is being held captive as a prisoner in a war. Without missing a beat, he gathers his men to go rescue Lot. He is not really concerned about what it will take to get Lot back. He is more concerned for Lot’s safety. What makes this story really good is that Lot went on his own way after getting too big (with all of his possessions) to stay with the safety and security of Abraham and his people. Abraham goes with just a little over 300 men to go against armies much larger and completes the mission of “Operation Rescue Lot.”

Does at least sound somewhat familiar to you? I hope so, because what I just described is what happens to our lives as well. Think about it for a second. Lot and all of “his” possessions got too big for them to stay with Abraham. Starting to see? When we allow what we know, what we have, what we desire to be too big to stay following God, we go off on our own to find “more space” and more things for us to do and get. The safety and security of being in God’s presence no longer satisfies when we think about our stuff more than Him.

The beauty about all of this is, God does not leave us alone when we get ourselves deep in danger, deep in sin. He comes to the rescue. He finally sent Jesus Christ to release of from the power of sin and death and the grip they held over us. Lot could have said he did not want to be rescued, that he would rather stay in captivity and go with the people who were taking him away. We can choose to stay in love with ourselves, our stuff, our intelligence instead of being released from the burden they carry.

Here’s what I see happen when we allow God to rescue us. We become free! This freedom means we use what we have, and have been given, for God’s glory instead of our own. We are no longer bound to the power the “stuff” has over us. We see everything as a gift and use our lives more wisely.

Jesus did not die on the cross so we could say, “oh, that’s cool he died for me. I’m glad I’m saved.” No, when He died on the cross and rose from the grave, He did so to show us a life that we can enter. A life that is fully in the presence of God. What a gift.

As we go through this season of lent, consider how much of a grip our “stuff” really does have on us and hold us back. Then take time to ask Jesus to release that “stuff’s” power over you and give you true freedom.

Three more weeks until Easter. How are you preparing your heart to fully grasp the incredible love, power, and majesty of Jesus Christ? Are you truly free?

NOTE: This is a sermon series concept posted on www.seedbed.com called “Redemption.”