"...and he saw in Jesus the world's redeemer."
The words hit me. Do I see in Jesus the world's redeemer? The question may seem a little odd. Of course I believe that; if I didn't, why am I working to tell others about Jesus? Maybe that isn't the right question. A better question would be what does it mean for Jesus to be the world's redeemer? I get it that we have sold ourselves, rather cheaply, to sin and we are so deep in bondage that Jesus through his death got us out of bondage and now through Jesus we are free. But has that understanding impacted how I relate to people? Is my character being changed day to day because Christ is the world's redeemer? All of these thoughts were going through my mind.
I believe with all my heart that Jesus is my redeemer. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus has redeemed me. Without him I would be empty, broken, and lost. As I work with people who are just that (empty, broken, and lost) how does that translate? Jesus loves those people so deeply. I am coming to believe that a true understanding of Jesus as our redeemer will translate into sacrifice so that others will know that they too can have freedom. It is modelling Jesus to others so they can see that there is hope in this world. Not only that but coming to love those people wanting nothing but to see them in the kingdom of heaven the man or woman that God intended them to be. It translates into death of self so that others too can have salvation. Being a Christian is so much more than believing in Jesus; being a Christian means death to self.
The sentence I started with is from Acts of the Apostles and it is referring to Nicodemus. Though he was wealthy and respected he gave up all of that to follow Christ. He gave all his wealth to further the Gospel. Those who hed respected him ridiculed him. Though he died poor he died faithful. Believing Jesus is the world's redeemer has to be more than intellectual.
