Redeemed – How I Love To Proclaim It

As we open to Revelation 5:9, we are analyzing the words of the first song we see ourselves singing in heaven—the song of our redemption. We who were slaves to sin, and lost sinners: were purchased by Christ’s blood. The God who so loved the world that he gave His Son to die on a cross; and shed His blood to pay the price of our sin! The message of this verse could be reduced to the simple phrase:

Redeemed: How I Love to Proclaim It. In Revelation 5:9 we see ourselves the way we will be—singing the new song of our worthy Redeemer. Please stand and follow along as we read these words:

Revelation 5:9 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. Redemption is so important, that is what we sing about as soon as we are given the opportunity to express our gratitude in Heaven. So, redemption is a big subject, and one we each need to more fully understand. How about this morning we all become redemption-focused, and ask the Lord to open our hearts to the blessings we will be singing about in Heaven, while we’re here on Earth?

The only way for us to really focus upon understanding redemption, is to see and hear Christ as He redeemed us. Turn back with me now to John 19:30.

In John 19:30 we witness the climactic end of Christ’s redemption as the Lamb of God. This summary, of the work of redemption, was captured by John, as he stood at the foot of the Cross. While looking up through the darkness, John heard and recorded Christ’s one word explanation of the work of redemption.

John 19:30 So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

In English we would say: “it is finished”; but in Greek those three words are summed up in the single word that John heard Christ gasp on the cross—tetelestai.

TETELESTAI Means: It Is Finished. “Tetelestai” was Jesus declaring to God His Father that the price of salvation was paid; and the debt of the sin of the world was paid; and the work of redemption was complete.

This word that Jesus gasped from the Cross, was a word that was very familiar to those of the New Testament times. This word “tetelestai” should burn into our hearts and minds because it was exactly the same word that a Roman judge would write on a criminals certificate of debt when he was released from prison—“tetelestai”: your debt to the Roman law is now paid in full. That meant there was no further condemnation or penalty that ever needed to be paid.

It is the same word that would be written on the certificate of a slave who was redeemed. After he had been enslaved to pay off a debt—“tetelestai” meant, your debt is paid in full, you may now go forth as a free man!

Those two historic usages help us to understand the implications to each of believers who have become followers of Christ, when:

JESUS DECLARED: Paid in Full

Think of the wonders of the Cross. Think of the meaning of Christ’s words that the price of our redemption as born-again believers had been paid in full.

Paid in full is what Jesus cried from the cross of our redemption, as the work of salvation was once and for all time completed.

Paid in full is what He declares each time we come to Him confessing our sins.

Paid in full is what Jesus our advocate says while standing before God the Father as Satan the Accuser points out yet another time we have sinned.

Paid in full is the reality that Christ’s payment of our redemption has made us forever free, forever forgiven, and forever His child.

Redemption involves the blood of Jesus shed as He died on the Cross to pay the purchase price of our salvation.