From the early 1900s through the 1980s, trading stamps were a big deal.

Grocery stores and gas stations gave stamps to their customers as a loyalty program based on the amount of money the customer spent. The customer would fill their stamp books, waiting until they had enough to redeem the stamp-filled books for merchandise.

Small appliances, strollers, toys, coffee tables, lawn furniture, lamps, dishes — you name it — you could get practically anything with Top Value, S&H Green Stamps, Plaid Stamps, or any of the other regional trading stamps.

But when credit cards really hit the economic “scene,” the popularity of trading stamps quickly declined. In 2008, the last trading stamp company in America closed. Today, they are completely extinct from society.

Thankfully, the same cannot be said for the Redeemer who came over 2,000 years ago. He came to redeem each of us from our sins.

We don’t have to buy anything to get His redemption. We don’t have to save up for it, either. All we have to do is trade our old life for a new one when we accept Jesus as our Savior in baptism so our sins will be forgiven and we can receive the Holy Spirit to live in us. We are redeemed!