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We are nearing the conclusion of our series on "The Lord is My Shepherd," using the word "Shepherd" as an acronym for characteristics of Jesus. Along with the "S" of Shepherd, we’ve looked at Jesus as Holy, as Equipper, as Prophet, Healer, and Everlasting. Today, the "R" in Shepherd reminding us that Jesus is Redeemer. Our Scripture passage for today is from Galatians 3:26-4:7. Before reading, I’d like to point out something regarding the language of this passage. Paul uses the language of adoption, particularly the language of adoption in his time and place, first century Palestine. That is to say Paul speaks of receiving the right of "sons" through adoption. I encourage you to hear that inclusively, as Paul intended it which will be clear in his language about there now being neither "Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female" in Christ. He is simply addressing the adoption practice of his time in which firstborn sons, no matter how many daughters were born previously, receive the full inheritance. The good news in Paul’s words are that all of us, male and female, firstborn or later born, receive the full inheritance rights in the family of God, through Christ, that in Paul’s culture only went to firstborn sons. So, with that in mind, listen to the word of God as it comes to us in Galatians.

How many of you remember green stamps? S&H green stamps I believe they were called. Remember them? What I recall is that your grocery purchases merited a certain amount of green stamps. We would take the green stamps home and paste them in a booklet. When we had saved up enough green stamps we would go to a store—an S&H Green Stamp store, or redemption center, I suppose—and "redeem" our green stamps for selected products. No online purchases in those days! I remember one of my first baseball gloves was purchased with green stamps. I’m not aware of a specific program like green stamps existing anymore, but the modern day equivalent is certainly reward points with credit cards. There you go online to the particular credit card site, go to their rewards section and explore towards what you might "redeem" your points. They’re still using the word "redeem," or "redemption center" today.

Consequently, sometimes the word "redeem" reminds me of the days of S&H Green Stamps, or the world of credit card points today. It is, of course, a word we use to describe our Good Shepherd Jesus. Jesus is our Redeemer. What does that mean for us in this season of Advent?

First of all, it might be helpful to consider the dictionary definition of redeem. Several meanings for the word "redeem" are given in the dictionary. I want to share a few of them with you this morning.

The first definition given for the word "redeem" is to buy back: REPURCHASE, to get or win back. A second definition is to free from what distresses or harms as, and then three examples are given of which I want to share two: a. to free from captivity by payment of a ransom and c. to release from blame or debt. Finally, there is a third definition I want to share with you today. It is, in fact, the sixth and last definition given: 6.b.(2) to make worthwhile: RETRIEVE. Now, what does all of that mean for us when applied to our Redeemer Jesus?

To begin with, using the first definition, Jesus "wins us back." From what? From the separation from God that sin has brought to our lives, from the claim on our lives that sin demands. Recall the story of the Garden of Eden. In the perfection of God’s creation, Adam and Eve knew no sin. They knew only the good of God’s creation. But, they had free will to obey or disobey God and eventually chose disobedience, opening them up to the evil that runs counterfeit to God’s good in creation. Intimacy with God was lost and the consequences of sin became a part of human life. Yet, God’s redemptive activity began at that point. It is God who provides a covering for Adam and Eve’s suddenly shameful nakedness. More than that, God promises future redemption for humanity through an offspring of the woman overcoming the offspring of the serpent. That offspring of woman we know is Jesus Christ, born of the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem. His purpose will be to win back humanity from the distortion sin has brought to our lives. This fulfilling redemptive activity of God in Jesus Christ is recognized by Zechariah, John the Baptist’s father, about whom we learn in the first part of Luke’s gospel is a priest struck mute by an angel of the Lord upon receiving and questioning the news the he will have a son who is to prepare the way for the Lord. When Zechariah’s voice returns on the day of John’s dedication, he speaks these words, "Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them," (Luke 1:68, underline mine). What was lost in the Garden of Eden is going to be bought back by the baby to be born in Bethlehem.

That baby will do that through the payment of a ransom, if you will, that will free us from the distress and harm of sin—referencing the second definition from the dictionary: to free from what distresses or harms as a. to free from captivity by payment of a ransom, c. to release from blame or debt. "The wages of sin is death," the apostle Paul writes in Romans, "but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord," (Romans 6:23). Sin demands its payment of death, but Jesus will pay that penalty through his death on the cross, paying a ransom that frees us from sin and death. The redemptive act spoken of by God at the moment of disobedience by Adam and Eve has come in the offspring of Mary, Jesus, born in Bethlehem.

Then, finally, the third definition of redeem: 6.b.(2) to make worthwhile: RETRIEVE. It seems to me that the redemptive work of Christ we’ve been speaking about up to this point has to do with our salvation and that one-time, once for all redemptive act of Christ at the cross. That’s important. That is the starting point, or better said, the culminating point of God’s redemptive activity begun in the Garden of Eden. Yet, while that was a "once for all time" act of redemption, Christ’s redeeming work is more than that. For while the redemptive act of Christ at the cross is what marks us as "Christians" saved by grace—Jesus Christ as Savior—it is Christ’s ongoing redemptive work that retrieves us Christians from moments of unworthiness—Jesus Christ as Lord. Whatever activity, whatever event of our past; whatever has taken place in our lives the fills us with a sense of unworthiness, Jesus redeems. There is nothing we have done, nothing we can do that places us beyond the redeeming reach of our Good Shepherd. Again, the words of the apostle Paul in Romans, "there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus," (Romans 8:1).

If you are here today with some sense of unworthiness, carrying the guilt or shame of something that you know is outside the boundaries of God’s will for your life, know without a doubt that Jesus redeems it. Jesus sees you as worthwhile. I’ve heard it said that if I…or you were the only person on earth, Jesus still would have come and died for me…or for you. Jesus sees you as worthwhile and his redeeming love "retrieves" you from whatever event, whatever activity makes you feel unworthy and declares you worthy. No one is beyond the redeeming reach of Jesus.

Now, Shepherd of the Hills, what does that mean for our role as shepherds in the community? First of all, we bring the message of redemption to those who need it. Those who are without Christ and missing the inheritance the Redeemer brings. They need to know about Christ’s redemption for us and be invited to receive Christ as their Redeemer. And, while we do not bring the level of redemption that Christ does, we are called to bring redemption—a restoration of worth—to those around us who feel unworthy. We are to "retrieve" those who feel so far removed from God that they believe the arm of Christ’s redemption for them cannot reach them. We are to make it clear that no one, no one is unredeemable. And the worthiness that Christ sees in everyone we are to likewise see and bring to everyone. Is there someone in your "sphere of influence" who feels rejected, lost and alone? Redeem them. Let them know of Christ’s unconditional love for them…and your unconditional love for them as well. Restore to them a sense of worthiness in their life. The Lord is my Shepherd…and he is a redeeming Shepherd…and so must be his followers.

This table is a table of redemption. At this table we are reminded of the redemptive acts of Jesus Christ: Here is a reminder of the woman’s offspring crushing the power of the serpent’s offspring; here is the sacrifice of a life in order to provide a covering for sin; here is what Zechariah saw, the promise of God’s redemptive activity in the baby to be born in Bethlehem; here is the redemptive act of Christ going to the cross to pay the ransom for our sin; and here is Christ’s redeeming love that proclaims us worthy and beckons us to come, taste and see that the Lord is good.

Let us prepare for Holy Communion…and our mission as bearers to the world of Christ’s redeeming love by spending a moment of silent reflection, pondering the image of Christ as our Redeemer.