The Greatest Story Ever ToldSample

Act 3: Redemption 

“The crucifixion was the shocking answer to the prayer that God’s kingdom would come on earth as in heaven. It was the ultimate exodus event through which the tyrant was defeated, God’s people were set free and given their fresh vocation, and God’s presence was established in their midst in a completely new way …” – N.T. Wright

Rebellion isn’t the end of our story. From the beginning, God has promised redemption. 

God picked a specific family to become a set-apart nation that would bring salvation to the world. Salvation has a name. His name: Jesus. 

Jesus was not what anyone expected. What people expected was a conquering king with an army of soldiers! What they got was a traveling rabbi with twelve disciples. This unexpected Jewish rabbi did what no one could have guessed. He altered history, transformed lives, and changed the world. 

He wasn’t what anyone expected, but He was what everyone needed. We rebelled against God, and Jesus came to redeem us—to cure us of our sin and make us right with God so that we could once again fulfill the purpose that God created us for. 

Jesus came with a clear message. A message that the time had come for prophecies to be fulfilled and promises to be kept. The message that God wasn’t done with His good creation. That God hadn’t abandoned humanity. 

Jesus introduced an entirely new way of being human. A new way of connecting with God. A new way of living. No longer defined by the rules and regulations of the past, but defined by a true relationship with God. 

He healed the sick, helped the lame walk, gave sight to the blind, and forgave sins. He announced that God’s Kingdom was being established on Earth as it is in Heaven, and He invited everyone to come and be a part. He started a movement that gained momentum. 

He disrupted the existing powers of the world—and they did not appreciate it. So they came up with a plan to have Him killed. Not just any kind of death, either. Death on a Roman cross. Crucifixion—a humiliating way to die. A death that was meant to send a message. The message that Jesus was a fraud full of empty promises. 

Jesus’ death did send a message, but it wasn’t the message they intended. Because Jesus wasn’t what they expected. 

The message that Jesus’ death sent? Our God is a very different king. Other kings would send their people to die for them, our King went to die for us.  

An even louder message was sent a few days later, when the tomb they buried Jesus in was found empty. The news broke out that Jesus wasn’t dead, and in fact He had conquered death and was alive again!

That message has been ringing loud and clear for the last 2,000 years. In fact, we celebrate it every year. It’s called Easter. 

We rebelled against God, but Jesus redeemed us on the cross.