Redemption

This Sunday we are kicking off a new series entitled, "Redemption".  It won't last long, so don't miss it.  Redemption is a key doctrine of the Christian faith.  Christianity teaches both righteousness and redemption.  Redemption teaches us about the love of God, forgiveness, grace, brokenness, lostness, and restoration and reconciliation.

There is a favorite story about redemption and forgiveness which preachers use from time to time.  The story takes place near Mexico City.  It seems a father and son had a falling out.  After cross words, the son left home and didn't return.  a year went by and the father longed to find his son, so . . . he placed an ad in the local paper.  It read something like this, "Hose, all is forgiven.  come home.  If you read this, meet me at the city square on Saturday at 12 noon."  That Saturday, when the father went to the square more than 100 "Hoses" were waiting in the square.  -- the story itself is most likely make believe, but the point is not.  Most of us are looking for forgiveness, restoration, and an opportunity to return "home".  God gives us this opportunity in Christ Jesus.

There are many stories of redemption in the Bible . . . 

Joseph’s story in Genesis is certainly one story of redemption—not only the redemption of his own life, but the redemption of his family as well.  Even though, Joseph was sold into slavery, mis-treated as a slave, and spent time in prison, he was later able to declare, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” (50:20) 

Exodus records the story of God’s deliverance of his people from slavery in Egypt.  God called Moses (Exodus 3) to lead his people out of slavery.  Following numerous miraculous signs (Exodus 7-11), God delivers his people out of bondage.  In the process, God’s people begin the practice of the Passover Feast which points to the blood of the lamb as the means of redemption for God’s people (Exodus 12).

The OT year of Jubilee — The year of Jubilee is best described as a “Sabbath year of Sabbath years”.   It occurred every 50 years.  The Sabbath year had four provisions: 1) the freeing of all slaves, 2) the cancellation of all debts, 3) the land would lay dormant, and 4) a return of all land to the original owners. (Exodus 21:2-6; 23:10-12; Leviticus 25:13-17)

Ruth 4 tells of the story of Naomi's redemption through Ruth and Boaz.  Ruth was a Gentile woman of Moab, who became an ancestor of King David and the Messiah.  Because of a famine, a Jewish man with his family went to live in Moab.  While there his sons married Moabite women—one of them was Ruth.  Not long after, the man as well as his two sons died, leaving Naomi, Ruth’s mother-n-law destitute.  Naomi with Ruth by her side returns to Bethlehem. It is then that Boaz meets Ruth and later marries her fulfilling the duties of the kinsman-redeemer.  In this way, Ruth became a grandparent of the Israel’s greatest king—king David.


In the New Testament, there is Nicodemus (John 3), Lazarus (John 11), and Zacchaeus (Luke 19), and don’t forget Mary and Martha (John 12), the prodigal son (Luke 15) or the repentant man crucified with Jesus (Luke 23:43).

And what about you?  Are you allowing God in Christ Jesus to redeem you and restore you to God's promises for your life.  Join us Sunday as we consider this important Christian truth.

DATE NIGHT at New Life

The DATE NIGHT Conference is this Friday and Saturday (March 15-16).  Hope you can make it.  We are looking forward to loads of fun, food, and fellowship.  Ministry to your children is provided.  There is still room for a few more to register, so go to http://www.newlifecolumbia.org/date_night.aspx.  You can register online and then just bring a check for $30.00 with you to the event.  We will enjoy dinner on Friday night and breakfast snacks and lunch together on Saturday.  Food will be provided for the children as well.

At the DATE NIGHT Conference you will be encouraged to enrich your marriage by accepting the Date Night Challenge.  See you there.

Daniel - a great man with a great vision

Daniel is an exceptional character in the Old Testament, and like all great heroes of faith, Daniel’s character was forged in the fires of adversity.  As we look back at Daniel’s life, we also look up to him because of his humility, his sense of responsibility for wrong doing, his hopefulness, and his faithfulness to God—all of these characteristics made for a truly great life.

Don’t get me wrong, Daniel lived a great life, but his life was certainly not great like “celebrity great”.  His greatness would probably be ignored by our standards today.  His life was in many ways quite difficult.  He was an exile for 70 years in a foreign land.  His homeland lay in ruins and his people had been scattered by Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians.

Like all the heroes of the Bible, we admire Daniel because of his faith and faithfulness to God even though his immediate circumstances were not what he wanted them to be!  Hebrews gives us other examples of faith—people like Abraham, Noah, Moses, and Rahab who believed God even though they often didn’t see the results of their prayers or faith-filled lives.  Here’s what Hebrews 11:39 says, “These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.”

That something better was Christ Jesus.  The heroes of faith looked forward to the day when Messiah would arrive, we look back and by faith await his second coming.  The crucial question is . . . how will we live in the meantime?

Daniel lived a great life focused on God's plans and purposes.  As a result he received insight into dreams and visions.  Daniel saw what God saw even before it happened.  I wonder how much more we could see, if we lived a little closer to the Lord through prayer and the study of scripture.  

Join us this week as we take a look at what Daniel saw in the vision of the Seventy Weeks (Daniel 9).
See you at 10:15 AM at our new location (1300 Blue Ridge Road).

Daniel 6 - Daniel in the lion's den

I thought I would share some thoughts on Daniel 6 which records the miraculous story of Daniel in the lion's den.  Daniel was an exceptional character and he served an exceptional God!  Daniel was successful; he was envied; and he was targeted by his enemies.

Most of us know the story from Sunday school.  If you haven't read the story, take a few minutes this week and read Daniel 6.  Daniel was successful for three reasons: 1) he chose character over comfort (1:8), 2) he chose discipline over disorder (6:10), and 3) he chose love of God over love of life (6:10, 13).  But, his success and his love for God eventually got him thrown into the lion's den.  This trial in Daniel's life has a happy ending, because God sent an angel to close the mouths of the lions.

I believe in miracles and I hope you do too.  So, It's not difficult for me to believe that the God of the universe could close the mouths of lions or protect Daniel's friends in the fire.  What is of interest to me is Daniel's situation in Babylon.  Here's what I mean . . . .

Daniel, along with his friends, came to Babylon as an exile; a slave.  He was chosen to serve in the king's court and received special training.  The city and the culture was foreign and alien to Daniel's beliefs, values, and religious practices.  Jerusalem was only a memory and the Temple was long gone.  And yet, here's Daniel serving with success and continuing to believe and live for his God in a city and a culture which does not support his beliefs or behaviors.

In America today, I hear numerous Christians bemoaning the fact that America has changed and is no longer a Christian nation. As Christians, we tend to bemoan prayer-less schools and yet we live in prayer-less homes.  We bemoan the lack of morals in our society and yet, statistics demonstrate that Christians get divorced as commonly as non-believers.   Daniel's story is a reminder to believers today that it is possible to faithfully live for God in adverse situations.  God never promised us a "rose garden" or easy situations, but He did promise to be faithful to us as we faithfully walk with Him.

Daniel's story reminds me of God's faithfulness and challenges me to live for God in difficult situations.  Go for it . . . you can do it!  See you Sunday!  Pastor Tom

The Greatest lesson learned

In Daniel 4:27, Daniel gave some good advice to king Nebuchadnezzar.  The New Living Translation reads like this, "'King Nebuchadnezzar, please accept my advice. Stop sinning and do what is right. Break from your wicked past and be merciful to the poor.  Perhaps then you will continue to prosper."  

Daniel chapter 4 is a great reminder of the greatest lesson in the Bible - God rules in human history and in our lives today.  The main message of Christianity is just that--that God rules and his heavenly kingdom has come to earth in His Son, Christ Jesus (Matthew 3:2; 4:17).

And yet, we often resist God's heavenly rule in our daily lives (Romans 3:23).  In fact, the pathway of human history is paved with kings, kingdoms, and ordinary people like you and me who have turned away from God's paths, purposes, or promises to live as they please.  Sadly, this other way leads humanity into darkness and destruction.  Our prized human independence without God's shining light leads us nowhere.  The Bible calls this sin, not to condemn us, but to point us to a better way!

The real message of Christianity is not simply that God is sovereign in his rule over creation and human history; it is the message that in Christ Jesus we can invite God's heavenly kingdom into our hearts and live for the advancement of that kingdom.  This is why Jesus taught us to pray, ""'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven . . . " (Matthew 6:9-13)

What we often fail to understand is that living for the glory of God's kingdom is at first sacrifice and self-denial, but in the end abundance, joy, and victory!  That's why the same advice which Daniel gave the king in Daniel 4:27, Jesus gave to us as he launched his public ministry more than 2,000 years ago, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near." (Matthew 4:17)

I remember the story of the Chinese musician who just couldn't "face the music".  It goes something like this - "Many years ago a man conned his way into the orchestra of the emperor of China although he could not play a note. Whenever the group practiced or performed, he would hold his flute against his lips, pretending to play but not making a sound. He received a modest salary and enjoyed a comfortable living Then one day the emperor requested a solo from each musician. The flutist got nervous. There wasn’t enough time to learn the instrument. He pretended to be sick, but the royal physician wasn’t fooled. On the day of his performance, the impostor took poison and killed himself. The explanation of his suicide led to a phrase that found its way into the English language: “He refused to face the music”. (As cited by Max Lucado’s Just Like Jesus. Nashville: Word Publishing, 1998, pp. 110-11, from the following source: Paul Lee Tan. The Encyclopedia Of 7700 Illustrations. Rockville, Md.: Assurance Publishers, 1979, pp. 562-63). 

I know that is a somewhat dismal story, but I share it because I'm convinced that we will destroy our very lives if we refuse to "face the music".  God has a heavenly kingdom which rules in the world today.  He can rule in your heart and mine, only when we repent and turn from our destructive ways to walk in his light and life.  I hope you will.  Let today be the day you choose to humbly invite Jesus Christ into your life and live for His kingdom rather than your own. (1 Corinthians 10:31)

Have a great week.  Pastor Tom