Last Sunday we shared the story of Oscar Schindler, the German businessman who literally “redeemed” over 1200 Jewish prisoners from death in German concentration camps by bribing guards and bringing the prisoners in to work in his business. The picture you see on the screen is the grave of Oscar Schindler. As we mentioned last week, Schindler’s redemption was limited, as he could only redeem the 1200, and he literally bankrupted himself by redeeming them, and ended up being supported by the Jewish community in his old age. It was his request to be buried in Jerusalem, and Schindler’s grave is one of the most visited in the holy city. But despite all the good that Schindler did, he will never redeem anyone else, for he lies still in his grave. But today we celebrate that as Christians, we have a Redeemer who LIVES and who is able to come to our aid today!
Last Sunday, we looked at Job’s confession of faith in Job 19:25, where the suffering saint cried out: “I know that My Redeemer lives.” We saw how Job knew that despite all he was going through, that He had the “Umpire” that he longed for, who could put his hand on both God and man and bring them together. That “umpire/Redeemer” is Jesus Christ, who was both 100% God and 100% man, and who brought us together with His redeeming death on the cross.
Today, we are going to continue this theme as we consider how Job did not just confess a “Redeemer”, but a Redeemer who “LIVES”! Job did not know Him by name, but we do: Job’s Redeemer came to earth in the person of Jesus Christ; He lived a perfect life, died on the cross to pay for our sins as our Redeemer, and He rose from the dead on the 3rd day, which we celebrate today. “My Redeemer Lives” Job said — and we can confess the same thing today. Let’s look together for a few minutes at what Job’s faith in the Living Redeemer has to teach us us today: Continue reading
shawnethomas 