Church Planter Anthems | Redeemed to Redeem

We've been pursued to pursue Your Kingdom – Church Planter Anthems Part 3 of 3

Recently, I have been sharing songs that God is using to humble and shape my heart right now. This series of posts is called: "Church Planter Anthems". So far I have included:

• Church Planter Anthems Part 1 of 3 | Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)
• Church Planter Anthems Part 2 of 3 | God I Look to You

Now here is the third and final post (including a pretty impressive video):

"Redeemed to Redeem"
by Austine Stone Worship featuring Propaganda

(c) 2013 

Verse 1

We have come too far, beloved, 

Than to sway this path we tread. 
We have nothing else to boast 

Than the cross where Jesus bled.

Chorus

           We've been redeemed to redeem the world around us.
   We have been loved to love one another.
We've been pursued to pursue Your kingdom. 

Redeemed to redeem. (x2)

Verse 2 

Yes we know what is to come:

A home where men no longer thirst.
For our souls were made to love,
Nothing of this passing earth. (x2) 

(Chorus repeat) 

Break 
There's no rewind, only redeem.
He's shown me the promised land, its beautiful scenery.
You've been made alive.
But if you're like me, you think God's probably only tolerating you.
Aren't you tired of running?
Like that one more failure and the Father pushes the eject button?
But there's no rewind.
There's only redeem. 
Grab your buckets and draw from this stream.
The mountain-sized pile of the putrid mess you've made,
Things you can't change, only redeem.
They say our nation's on our way to hell 
As if it was ever in heaven in the first place.
But you can redeem solely because you've been.
I reminded my soul this isn't your home no more.
You're from a land where the sun doesn't fail us or burn us.
Nail us to this realness.
Redeem.
Due to the omnipotent time keeper,
I'm immune to dying of thirst.
My soul was never made to crave the dust of this earth.
There's no rewind, only redeem.

 Bridge

To You our lives, we surrender now.

Our hearts are Yours, we surrender now.

All for Your name, we surrender now. 
Redeemed to redeem. (x2)

(Chorus repeat) 

These lyrics rocked me the first time I heard them at Verge 2013 in Austin, Texas. Verge was not only the best conference I've participated in, it was a seminal moment in time God decided to use to help imprint the vision for Emmaus City Church. And singing these lyrics with others helped me understand more deeply not only what I had been redeemed from by my Redeemer, but what He also had redeemed me for.

While I think the lyrics speak for themselves – especially Propaganda's break mid-song – in reflecting on my passion for this anthem, I'm going to include an excerpt from Austin Stone's Theology for "Redeemed to Redeem" followed by verses that lead up to a passage in Titus I recently preached on. The sermon was entitled, "Gracious Godly Service."

" ... We’ve been redeemed to redeem the world around us.  We have been loved to love one another. We’ve been pursued to pursue Your Kingdom. ... "

Until that great day when Jesus returns to take us home, we have the undeniable privilege to bear the name of God and go out into the world entreating those who remain enemies of God to lay aside their rebellion and be reconciled to God. "(He) gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation" (2 Corinthians 5:18b-19).

We have been entrusted with the message of reconciliation. We are called, commissioned, made ambassadors to bring the truth of the gospel to those around us. We are called to authentically show a life that has been transformed by the power of the cross. We are called to see the world around us through the lens of the gospel of peace and grace. We are called to live now as Jesus did then, bringing the truth and freedom of reconciliation to others.

With our reconciliation to God comes the indispensable duty to share the love, life, and freedom in Christ with others. We are sent out to the world around us to live in love and grace with our eyes set on the kingdom before us and our feet established on the earth below. What a joy and mystery it is that God would allow us to be a part of His plan of redemption for others. ... "

" ... To You our lives, we surrender now. Our hearts are Yours, we surrender now. All for Your name, we surrender now. ... "

"The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned. ... Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from trouble" (Psalm 34:22; Psalm 107:2).

"'I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you.' ... 'You have taken up my cause, O Lord; you have redeemed my life'" (Isaiah 44:22; Lamentations 3:58).

"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works" (Titus 2:11-14).

– Sully

If your curiosity is piqued, or something inside you is being stirred, feel free to connect. For other updates, like and follow Emmaus City on Facebook.