“Redeemed in the Pawnshop of Hell”
What is a pawnshop? It’s a place
where you take what you own and put it
up as collateral to borrow
money.
What do you get? You get what is known as a pawn
ticket.
Do you get what it’s worth? NEVER!
Why? Because if you got what it’s worth
the pawnbroker wouldn’t be able
to sell your property for more
than he loaned you if you don’t redeem
it. If you don’t redeem it they sell it.
There is absolutely no control over the difference
(spread) between the amount you get and the amount you have to
pay for the item to redeem it.
What is a Title loan office? It’s a place where you take
your vehicle title and put it up as collateral
to borrow money.
What do you get there? You get what is known as a title
loan document.
The title you have given is the ownership of that vehicle and
as long as they hold it you can drive the vehicle but you do not
own it until you pay back the loan. If there’s any question
in your mind, try not paying the loan and see how fast they come
and get “their” vehicle.
Will they lend you what the vehicle is worth?
NEVER! Why? Because if
you got what the vehicle is worth the lender
wouldn’t be able to sell your vehicle
for more than he loaned you if you don’t
redeem it.
The difference between what you borrow and what you have to
pay back is called the spread or interest.
In the Bible God calls it usury. In the
old days when you borrowed money from the mafia it was called
vigorish.
Presently the going rate for such a loan is about 22% per month.
That’s 264% per year. Some places go as high as 391% a year.
I can’t believe that’s legal and not called stealing
from the poor because that’s who goes to those places.
Listen! While the pawnbroker or title lender has possession
of your property that property is confined or imprisoned
to them and cannot be released (redeemed) without payment.
Now all this is to get to the point of God’s message for
today.
Each of us is God’s property. Each of us has a title.
The Scripture calls it our birthright. As God’s creation
in His image our spiritual birthright is of God and from God.
When a person is living in sin, that person is confined or imprisoned
to the sin and to the devil. Effectively, he or she is locked
up in the devil’s pawnshop and cannot get out unless and
until someone comes to redeem him. His title is in the devil’s
possession.
I John 3:8 says: “He that committeth sin is of the devil;
for the devil sinneth from the beginning.
Now listen carefully, for here’s the promise
of God: The second half of that same verse, I John
3:8 says “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested,
that he might destroy the works of the
devil.” It is Jesus Christ who was manifested to destroy
the works of the devil.
Manifested means shown to us physically
when He came to earth.
John 14: 21 says “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth
them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be
loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest
myself to him. Jesus came to earth and was seen.
I want to give you five verses of Scripture and then I’ll
close.
Luke 1:68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath
visited and redeemed his people.”
The Lord God of Israel visited us in the
person of Jesus Christ and if you will trust Him as your personal
Savior, He will redeem you from hell.
Luke 24:21 “But we trusted that it had been he which should
have redeemed Israel: and beside all this,
to day is the third day since these things were done.” Jesus
died to forgive our sins, but He came alive on the third day to
defeat the devil and hell and to free us and our title from eternal
damnation.
Galatians 3:13 “Christ hath redeemed
us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it
is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:”
The law is not a curse, but breaking the laws of God, in other
words sinning, brings a curse upon our head. Jesus took the curse
for us at Calvary’s cross.
1Peter 1:18 “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed
with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation
received by tradition from your fathers;” You cannot be
redeemed from the devil and hell with money, but only by the shed
Blood of Jesus Christ.
Revelation 5:9 “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou
art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for
thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out
of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;”
This verse from the last book of the Bible describes Jesus only:
“WORTHY, SLAIN, REDEEMER.”
If you remember nothing else I ever teach, remember this.
I was a filthy sinner. For 50 years of my life.
Jesus died on the cross for my sins two thousand years ago, long
before I was born, because He knew me and He knew how rotten I
would be even then.
He searched for me as any Good Shepherd would for one lost sheep.
He found me at Fort Worth, Texas on Christmas Sunday, 1982.
The Holy Spirit convicted me there of my sins.
I asked God to forgive me.
Jesus was my advocate, interceded for me and became my Redeemer
with the Father.
And God forgave me.
And He promised me a place in heaven with Him for eternity.
And I believe Him and trust Him with my eternal soul.
Every head bowed and every eye closed.
Now I ask you, if you want to receive this Jesus as your Redeemer
from hell?
If you do, in your heart confess that you’re a sinner, ask
God to forgive you, promise Him you’ll turn from your sin(repent)
and accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior this moment.
Then slip up your hand as public confession of your salvation
in Christ, and Jesus will see it and intercede on your behalf
with the Father.
And you will be saved.
