Jesus the Redeemer: The One Who Makes All Things New

I found myself in the dentist’s chair this morning—one of those long appointments where you stare at the ceiling, listen to the whirring of tiny instruments, and quietly wonder why human teeth insist on breaking down. As the numbness set in and my jaw ached, I had this simple but honest thought:

I am so ready for a world where things don’t decay.
Where nothing hurts.
Where everything is finally made right.

And it struck me—this longing isn’t just about teeth. It’s about being human.

We live in a world where things fracture, where bodies wear out, where relationships strain, where our own hearts slip into patterns we wish they wouldn’t. And every time something breaks, a small ache rises in us for something better. For wholeness. For restoration.

For redemption.

Which is why the New Testament’s description of Jesus as Redeemer (and today’s advent name) feels so right for today.

Jesus Doesn’t Just Fix Things—He Enters the Story

When the Bible talks about a redeemer, it’s describing someone who steps into your mess and pays the cost to restore what’s broken, not from a distance, not with a shrug, but with personal investment and deep care.

This is what Jesus does.

He steps into the middle of human decay—our sin, grief, fear, shame, and death—and takes it onto Himself. Paul says, “In Him we have redemption through His blood.” And the Gospels show us what that looks like: Jesus freeing people, healing them, restoring dignity, lifting their eyes to Heaven.

Redemption isn’t just forgiveness of sin (though it is wonderfully that).
It’s God saying, “I’m not leaving you in the state I found you.”

Redemption Touches Every Broken Place

The more I read the New Testament, the more I see that redemption isn’t small-scale. It’s not just about my spiritual life being tidied up.

It is God’s plan to renew everything—me, you, our communities, our bodies, creation itself.

Romans says creation is “groaning” for redemption. Revelation gives us the last chapter: every tear wiped away, death undone, everything made new.

So that longing I felt in the dentist’s chair—the longing for a world with no decay (and no screechy noises)—isn’t just wishful thinking. It’s a sign that eternity is written into us. It’s a sign that Jesus, our Redeemer, is already restoring things now and will one day finish the job completely.

The Cost of Redemption—and the Love Behind It

Redemption always comes at a cost. Someone absorbs the loss so someone else can be free. Peter says we were redeemed “with the precious blood of Christ.” Jesus pays what we cannot pay. He takes on our brokenness so we can receive His wholeness.

Tim Keller said it beautifully:
“You are more flawed and more loved than you ever dared imagine.”

A Redeemer for Our Everyday Ache

So if today you find yourself aching—for healing, for hope, for a relationship to mend, for a part of you to change—know this:

That ache is not the end of the story.
It’s a reminder that a Redeemer has come.
And He’s not finished yet.

One day, even toothaches won’t exist.
Decay won’t have the last word.
Everything broken will be restored.

Jesus is the Redeemer who pays the price, heals the wounds, and makes all things new.

And He starts with us—right where we are, even in a dentist’s chair.