Psalm 111:9 "He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name."
"He sent redemption unto His people." We read in verse 2 of
this Psalm, "The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all them that
have pleasure therein." You and I can take great pleasure in the
sovereign works of our Lord. Studying the Word of God teaches us that in the
last week of Christ's time on earth, there were many highs and lows.
We read of His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. We call that Palm Sunday. We
read of His cleansing the temple of the moneychangers. The Pharisees and
Sadducees attempted to entrap Jesus by their questions; which, He would turn
them around to confound those who asked the questions. Jesus observed
that last Passover Supper after which He humbled Himself and bowed down
to wash the disciples' feet. We hear the prayer of Jesus in the Garden of
Gethsemane, "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me:
nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt." (Matthew 26:39) The Roman
soldiers came. Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss. They bound Jesus and took him
to the judgment hall where the mockery of a trial took place. We hear the same
crowd who earlier cried out, "Blessed is he who cometh in the name of the
Lord," now they cry out, "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!" We
hear the spikes being driven through His hands and His feet.
In all that, we hear Jesus saying to the one thief, "Today, shalt thou be
with me in paradise." (That was not a question, but a definitive
statement.) We hear, "Father, forgive them for they know not what
they do." Then the blessed words that seal our redemption, "It
is finished." All this happened according to God's holy and divine
plan. "But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his
Son, made of a woman, made under the law, (5) To redeem them that
were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons."
(Galatians 4:4-5) Again, our text: "He sent redemption unto His
people." Jesus came to this earth. He lived an absolutely perfect
and sinless life. We are told the wages of sin is death, but Jesus did not sin.
Why did He die? May I tell you this morning that Jesus died because of MY sin
and because of YOUR sin? He who knew no sin became sin for us that we might be
made the righteousness of God IN HIM. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
That is more beautiful than any heart or mind could ever imagine; and yet it is
truth and "He hath commanded His covenant forever." Do we
realize what that means? Nothing, absolutely nothing, can separate us
from the love of God in Christ Jesus. See Romans 8. "Holy and
reverend is HIS name."
"Praise ye the LORD. I will praise the LORD with my whole heart."
(Psalm 111:1) I'm reminded of that wonderful old hymn, "Was it for
me, my Saviour died?... It was for me, yes all for me."
"Oh! How I love Jesus! Because He first loved me."