By Malinda Lough
Jesus Christ has many names. The Promised Anointed One, Savior of the World, Deliverer, Messiah,The Chosen Leader, Prince of Peace, Holy One, King of Kings, Good Shepherd, Light of the World, Alpha and Omega-He is the beginning and the end, Bread of Life, Lamb of God, Mediator, our Lord, Immanuel-meaning God with us, the Way, the Truth, and the Life…and many many more names and definitions.
I want to focus my thoughts on Jesus Christ and His name, as REDEEMER. What does it mean that Jesus Christ REDEEMS us? Redeem means being set free from a state of captivity, rescued from bondage, to recover or to restore. Our Redeemer is someone who saves us, liberates us, buys back something or someone for us, often paying a price to do so, He pays off obligations and our debts, and He pays our ransom.
In the bible dictionary it says Jesus Christ is the great Redeemer of mankind because He, through His Atonement, paid the price for the sins of mankind and made possible the resurrection of all people. Do we fully understand this? This should bring us so much true JOY!
In the hymn… “I Know That My Redeemer Lives” it says,
He lives! All glory to His name!
He lives, my Savior, still the same.
Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives:
“I know that my Redeemer lives!”
I want to testify that I know my Redeemer lives!…and your Redeemer lives!
We cannot pay the price required to return to God’s presence or to overcome death and sin without Jesus Christ. As our prophet President Dallin H. Oaks has said, “He is the Way.” We all know about Job in the Old Testament and the many trials/sufferings he had to go through. He is a great example of being redeemed by Christ and being patient in afflictions. He was a righteous man who lost his children, wealth, his friends didn’t believe in him, and had difficult health challenges. Job proves his integrity by remaining faithful to God despite all his trials. In the book of Job chapter 19 verse 25 it says, For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. Job did not say “the” redeemer…he said “my” redeemer. This helps us to know that they have a personal relationship and Job witnesses of Him. We need to have a personal relationship with Christ too. Do you have a personal relationship with Christ? We all go through challenges in life. Sister Camille N. Johnson (president of the General Relief Society presidency) said in a worldwide Relief Society devotional recently…”You can do hard with Jesus or you can do hard alone. That is your choice. But when you do hard with Jesus Christ. The hard becomes Holy. You become Holy!” I want you to think of a time in your life that was hard/challenging? How did it make you holy? Did you let Christ redeem you?
I’m grateful for the experiences in my own life that have been hard that have helped me come to KNOW, BELIEVE, and TRUST, in JESUS CHRIST. He is my friend. He is your friend too. Let Him Redeem you!
This Redeeming power is for Everyone. It is for YOU. You have a name. Jesus Christ knows your name and He knows all about you. He has already paid the price for your heartaches, your hurt, your sorrows, your pain, mistakes, worries, unfairness, sins, fears, sadness, your brokenness, your inadequacies. I felt redeemed just this week. I have been going through a difficult heartbreaking circumstance for a while now. As the weight of this just seemed to be added upon by others’ agency and choices (at an especially hard week for me) I prayed for Christ to take it from me…I cant do it anymore it’s just too much. I have prayed about this so many times before, but this time a peace came over me and the thought came I have already paid the price-I did it for you. Jesus Christ did it for me and he does it for you. He loves YOU. He wants to help you. He will succor you. Succor means to run to. He was willing to sacrifice everything for YOU. It is up to you if you want to access this redeeming power. Being redeemed is a daily invitation. It is a choice to allow Christ to heal and strengthen us. Living daily with Christ means letting Him reclaim, recover, and rescue the lost/challenging parts of our day to day lives. It is a privilege available to all of us to seek to follow Jesus Christ and to hear Him.
You have infinite value. We do not have to earn our value. It is already there. We are daughters and sons of Heavenly Father. The adversary wants you to question your identity as children of God. He wants you to believe that you are not good enough and that you cannot be forgiven from your sins/mistakes or the actions of others. This is a lie. Jesus Christ wants nothing more than to help You. To Redeem You! That is what He came to do. Let Him…
We are all subject to physical death, which is a separation of the spirit from the body. Because of Jesus Christ all people will be resurrected and saved from physical death. In Alma chapter 22 verse 14 it says, “He breaketh the bands of death , that the grave shall have no victory , and that the sting of death should be swallowed up in the hopes of Glory.” I know that we will be Redeemed by Christ. I know we will see loved ones again. I look forward to a joyful reunion with those that have passed away in my life. Oh how I miss them. I know you miss your loved ones too. I want to testify that families and loved ones truly are Forever. These relationships continue and are eternal.
What a blessing it is to have the opportunity to take the sacrament. In the sacrament prayer each week we are making a covenant to be “WILLING” to take His name upon us. This is a choice we make. Just as we take on a family name, we take Christ’s name to show we belong to Him and are His disciples.
When we take his name upon us we are becoming His representatives, embracing His character, aligning our will with his daily, keeping our covenants made at baptism and in the temple, loving as he loves and ministering to others one by one. Some of the blessings of taking His name upon us include having access to His power of the Atonement to overcome burdens, addictions, and despair. We are witnessing that we will always remember Jesus Christ. He promises us that we may have his spirit to be with us as we take it worthily. Having the Holy Ghost to be with us as a constant companion is essential. We live in a world full of noise, distraction, and temptation. The Holy Ghost can guide our choices, heal our souls, and bring comfort and happiness.
We owe EVERYTHING to Christ. He truly is our Redeemer! Let HIM REDEEM YOU! I know this to be true.