“Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it!” we often sing. But what does it mean to be redeemed? Think about two New Testament words that our English versions usually translate “redeem.”

One word means “to buy out” (Gr. exagorazō, from agorazō, to buy). It was used, for instance, when someone purchased a slave in order to set him free. It is this word that Paul uses when he says, “You have been bought with a price” (6:20; 7:23). Having been redeemed from slavery to sin, we must not allow ourselves to become…

CAN THIS BE THE CHRIST?
(Jim McDonald)

The Samaritan woman, leaving her waterpot by the well, rushed to her village, urging the people, “Come, see a man who told me all things that ever I did. Can this be the Christ?” (Jn. 4:25).

The invitation of this woman, with perhaps Jesus’ supernatural revelation of the woman’s past life, coupled also with the question, “Can this be the Christ?” aroused the interest of the villagers and Jesus did not disappoint them. The Holy Spirit’s comment of these was, “And from that…

A Lonely Ember

A member of a certain church, who previously had been attending services
regularly, stopped going. After a few weeks, one of the elders decided to visit
him. It was a chilly evening. The elder found the man at home alone, sitting
before a blazing fire. Guessing the reason for the elder’s visit, the man welcomed
him, led him to a big chair near the fireplace and waited.
The elder made himself comfortable but said nothing. In the grave silence, he
contemplated the play of the flames around the burning logs. After some
minutes, the elder took the fire…

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“It’s Just Singing”

Years ago the church we were a part of would occasionally devote a service to
hymn singing. One good, knowledgeable brother who was usually faithful to
attend the assemblies, would choose not to come then, because, as he put it, “It’s
just singing.” I have also heard people say, “Some people like to sing, but that’s
just not my personality.”
How would you answer this question: “Why should we sing in worship to God?”
A quick answer could be, “Because He has commanded it.” However there is
much more involved than that.
God created us with the capacity…

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Rehoboam was King Solomon’s son and heir. When Solomon died, the leaders of the people made a request of Rehoboam before they would submit to his rule: they asked him to lighten the burdens (taxation, forced labor on government projects, etc.) that they had endured under Solomon.

Before answering, Rehoboam consulted the older men who had served his father. They told him that if he would be a servant to the people and grant their petition, he would win their loyalty. But Rehoboam rejected their advice and went to his younger peers.…

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