Last Sunday morning, I brought
you a message on the subject, Peace with God. And today, I'll
be speaking on the subject, Redeemed with His Blood. Now, these two
messages I'm going to put on the same cassette tape, one on
one side and one on the other. And I believe they're messages
that everybody needs to hear. Church members, those who are
not church members, believers, unbelievers, those who claim
to be saved and know God, those who lay no claim to knowing God.
But I believe these are messages that everybody needs to hear.
You can call them evangelistic messages or appeals to the lost
or call to the unconverted or whatever. But these two messages
I'd like you to have. If you'll listen to the whole
program, I'll tell you at the end of the broadcast, how you
can secure these two messages on the same cassette tape. Last
week, Peace with God. Today, Redeemed by His Blood. In 1 Peter chapter 1, verse 18
and 19, the Apostle wrote, For as much as you know that you
were not redeemed with corruptible things such as silver and gold
from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers,
but you are redeemed with the precious blood of Christ as of
a lamb without blemish and without spot." Now there are many things,
many, many, many things about the living God and his redemptive
glory that I do not know. I don't mind answering questions
this way, I just don't know. Someday I'll know, someday God
will reveal it to me, but right now I just don't know about many
things. The Apostle Paul said, I count
not myself to have apprehended, to have arrived. He said, I'm
not already perfect. And again, he said in 1 Corinthians
13, we know in part, we prophesy in part, we see through a glass
dimly or darkly, And Moses wrote this in Deuteronomy 29, the secret
things belong to God. There are a lot of secret things
about God and redemption and eternal life, heaven and hell,
the future, that I do not know. And a lot of things about the
past I do not understand. I can't comprehend God. If I
could comprehend God, I'd be God. But we receive the Word
of God by faith. Without faith, it's impossible
to please God. God doesn't have to explain Himself
to us. He doesn't have to explain His
will. He does what He will, with whom He will, when He will. And
the secret things belong to God. But those things, Moses wrote,
which are revealed, which are revealed, they belong to us and
to our children. Let's don't play smart. Let's
don't try to act smart. like we know everything there
is to know about God. But let's state those things
we do know. There are many things we don't
know. Let's quit speculating and delving into things for which
there's no answer yet. Then, face to face, I shall know
as I am and have been known. But right now, in part. But there
are some things, there are some things which are as clear to
me as that Noonday sun. They're just that clear. And
the Apostle Peter writes about those things right here in verse
18 of 1 Peter 1. Do you have your Bible open?
Look at it. Verse 18 of 1 Peter 1. He says, We know. We know. We know this. We're not redeemed. We're not saved. We're not justified
by corruptible things such as silver and gold. I don't know
all that Peter was talking to the Jews about, their vain conversation
and Judaism and all their ceremonies and rituals and legalism and
how they were not redeemed from those things and from those ordinances
by silver and gold. They were nailed to the cross.
But this is what I know as Peter speaks to me. I know that by
the deeds of the law, no flesh shall be justified in God's sight.
I know that. Any man trying to be justified
before God by his morality is a fool, because we have no morality
in God's sight. There's none good, no, not one.
Any man that tries to be reconciled to God by his deeds of religion
and by his works of religion and these things is a fool, because
Paul said this after Paul wrote about the condition of all men,
Jews and Gentiles, pagans and and religious men. He said, therefore,
Romans 3, 28. After summing the whole thing
up, he said, therefore, we conclude, this is our conclusion, that
a man is justified by faith without the works of the law. Without
them. And he said again, if righteousness
comes by the law, Christ died in vain. That's pretty serious. So I know that. I don't have
to I don't have to back up one bit on that statement. We know
we are not saved by the works of the flesh and by the deeds
of religion and by the works of the law. That's a fact. That's
a fact. If Abraham was justified by works,
he hath whereof to glory, but certainly not before God. For
the Scripture says, Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him
for holiness. All right, here's the second
thing. I know, I know, verse 19, we know we were not redeemed
by the works of the law. And I know that we are redeemed
by the precious blood of Christ. That's what it says. We are redeemed
by the precious blood of Christ. What does redeemed mean? Redeemed. You see it all the time. We have
redemption through His blood. We are redeemed through the blood
of Christ. It means to be ransomed. It means
to be restored. It means to buy back. One of our missionaries in the
Yucatan of Mexico told a story when he preached here one time.
He said there was a little Mexican boy. He and his dad had made
a kite, a very good kite, beautiful kite, put a long string on it
and a tail on it, and took it out, and they were flying it
in one of those little Pueblos down in Mexico in the Yucatan,
and the string broke. And his kite got away, and he
looked for it and never did find it. Never did. Well, a few days
later, he was in another village, another Pueblo, near his own,
and he passed a little shop, one of those little outdoor shops
that they have on the corners of the street down there, and
there was his kite right there in the window. And he went inside
and told the man in the shop, said, that's my kite in the window.
The man said, no, son, that's not yours. I found that kite,
and I put it in my window to sell it, and I'm going to sell
it for three pesos. The little boy said, but it's mine. He said,
but it's not yours. It doesn't have your name on
it. There's no way you can identify it. If you want it, you'll have
to buy it. You'll have to redeem it, because there's a price on
it now, and it'll cost you three pesos. Well, he got three pesos
from his daddy, and he bought his kite. And on the way out
the door, he's holding the kite in his arms, and he said, well,
you're twice mine, little kite. I made you, and I redeemed you. I bought you. And that's what
the Lord Jesus says to us. He made us. It's by His strength
and power we live. But He also redeemed us. How
did He redeem us? There was a price on us. The
law and the justice of God had a price on my head, and Christ
came and paid it with His own blood. And He redeemed me. He restored me. He bought me
back. And it says we're redeemed with
His precious blood. The priceless blood. Unspeakable. That's the way the scripture
talks about him. An unspeakable gift. An unsearchable riches
of Christ. His blood is precious because
it's the blood of God. Paul said to the church at Antioch,
the elders, he said, feed the church of God which he purchased
with his own blood. This is precious blood. It's
the blood of God. It's precious because it's the
blood of the God-man. Never been but one God-man. That
was Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It's precious because it
was shed one time. One time. By one offering He
hath perfected forever them that are sanctified, and it's precious
blood because it's holy blood. It's without spot or blemish. What do I know? I know this,
and you better hear this, preacher. We are not redeemed by works
and deeds of religion. No, sir, we are not restored.
But we are redeemed, we are restored, we are bought back with the precious,
precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Precious is the blood
of Jesus, who can hath its worth unfold, far beyond our understanding,
sweetly sung to hearts of gold. Okay, now here's the third thing
I know. This is as clear to me, like
I said, as the noonday sun. I admit, a lot of things I don't
know. You say, I bet I could stump him with a question. That
wouldn't be too difficult. That wouldn't be too difficult.
There are a lot of questions I'm asking too, and I can't find
the answer to them either. I will someday know. But here's
something I know, verse 20, that this Christ, this Lamb without
spot or blemish, by whose blood I'm redeemed, was verily, you're
reading it, verse 20, foreordained before the foundation of the
world, but was manifest in these last times." Is that what it
says? That's exactly what it says.
You know what it's saying? That's saying that Jesus Christ
is not only the Redeemer now, He was not only the Redeemer
in David's time and Abraham's time and Moses' time, but Jesus
Christ has always been the Redeemer. There's no new gospel. Moses
wrote of me, Abraham saw my day, and Abel's blood sacrifice typified
Jesus Christ. He is the Lamb slain, ordained,
and sent of the Father, yea, before the foundations of this
earth were ever laid." That's exactly right. He was chosen
of the Father and slain in the mind of God and the purpose of
God before the world was. Before there was a sinner, Christ
was the Savior. Before there was guilt, Christ
Jesus was the gracious substitute. He was promised to our fathers
in the Word. He was pictured to our fathers
in the sacrifice. And He came in the flesh, manifest
in person in these last days. This is a faithful saying and
worthy of acceptation by all men that Jesus Christ came into
this world to save sinners of whom I'm the chief. Yes, sir,
I know. I know. I'm not saved by works. I know. I'm saved with the precious
blood of Christ, and I know that anybody else, after me or before
me, clear to the millennium or back to the creation of this
world, every son of God is saved by the same Redeemer who was
the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world, some by looking
to his coming expecting, awaiting, believing in His coming, and
some say by looking back to His sacrifice on the cross. All right,
here's the fourth thing. Look at verse 21. I know for
whom Christ came and died. I know. I know exactly the people
for whom Christ suffered and died. It tells us right here.
Let's look at it again. Verse 20 and 21. who verily was
foreordained," this Lamb without blemish and spot, "...before
the foundation of the world, but was manifested in these last
times for you," for you, and there's no period there, that's
not the end of that sentence, "...for you who believe in God."
who raised him from the dead. That's the folks for whom he
suffered. That's the folks whom he came to save. Thus the folks
for whom he died. For you who believe in God. That's exactly right. Our Lord
Jesus Christ said in John 10, 11, I'm the good shepherd. The
good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. I'm the good shepherd. I know my sheep and am known
of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even
so know I the Father. And I lay down my life for the
sheep and other sheep I have which are not of this particular
foal, and them also I must bring, and they shall be one foal and
one shepherd." He gave his life as a lamb without blemish or
spot for you who believe in God, who raised him from the dead.
That's the people he came and died. Do you believe? You say,
I don't believe that. I don't believe that foolishness.
That's to the unbelievers foolishness. But to the believer, to those
who are being saved, the cross of Christ, the gospel of Christ
is the power and wisdom of God unto salvation. And those are
the folks for whom he came, and those are the folks for whom
he obeyed the law, and those are the folks for whom he suffered,
and those are the folks for whom he arose, and those are the folks
for whom he intercedes, and those are the folks for whom he's coming,
for you who believe in God. who raised him from the dead.
All right, here's another thing I know. Knowing that salvation
is not by works, and you can drive a peg there because it's
going to stay. It's going to stay. Knowing that salvation,
redemption, forgiveness, pardon, life is through the precious,
precious, priceless, unspeakable, unexplainable blood of God, the
blood of the God-man. who was ordained before the foundation
of this world, who was manifested in these last days, who was our
Redeemer from all eternity, who came to earth to redeem all who
believe, effectually, sufficiently, and eternally. All right, so
we know this, that last line, verse 21, our faith and our hope
is only in Him. Isn't that clear? Therefore,
our faith and hope is only in Him. I don't know how to make
the gospel any clearer. Why do we keep reaching for something
else when it's free? Why do we keep trying to get
people to do things that they can't do, and produce things
they can't produce? God doesn't require you to produce
a righteousness, but to receive one. God doesn't require you
to earn salvation. He requires you to receive it
in Christ. That's clear as I can make it.
My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and His righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest
praise, but wholly lean on Jesus' name. His oath, His covenant,
His blood support me in the overwhelming flood. And when all around my
soul gives way, everything, He then is all my hope and stay. In God, my hope and faith is
in God who purposed my redemption. My hope and faith is in God the
Son who purchased my redemption. My hope and faith is in God the
Holy Ghost who applies effectually, irresistibly, invincibly that
salvation. Now brethren, we don't boast
of our knowledge I'm not coming to you as an idle boaster. What
we have, we have by the grace of God. What we are, we are by
the grace of God. But I do rejoice in the Lord
Jesus Christ. I do. I rejoice in Christ, who
of God is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification,
and redemption. By his knowledge shall my righteous
servant justify many, for he shall bear their iniquities. Let me give you in the remaining
time that we have, four tremendous themes regarding the precious
blood of Christ as it is typified and pictured in the Old Testament.
I love Old Testament pictures, Old Testament types. Someone
said that the Old Testament is the New Testament concealed.
All of the New Testament is hid right there in the Old Testament.
Spiritual eyes can see it, and spiritual eyes back then could
see it. And the New Testament is the Old Testament unfolded
or revealed or in full bloom. Oh, this is what David was saying.
Paul said, this is what Joel was saying. This is what Moses
was writing. This is what Abraham was saying.
Yes, the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed. We have
one Bible and two covenants. But look at this. The Old Testament
The typical blood of the Old Testament, and there were rivers
of blood, so many lambs and turtledoves and heifers were slain on altars. The typical blood of the Old
Testament and the Day of Atonement was shed and applied to deliver
Israel from judgment and wrath. Now, do you understand that back
in the Old Testament, God said in Egypt, put the blood, slay
a lamb, put the blood on the Lentil and on the two side posts
when I see the blood of Passover you see death was judgment and
Wrath upon Egypt the anger of God the wrath and judgment of
God fell upon Egypt and that blood Delivered Israel from God's
judgment and from God's wrath even so the blood of Christ Delivers
us from the judgment and wrath of God Christ hath redeemed us
from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. There is
therefore now no judgment to them who are in Christ Jesus.
Just like in Egypt there was therefore now no judgment upon
the firstborn, no wrath and death for the firstborn who were in
the house under the blood, typical blood. Picture, you say, So Christ's
blood, so Paul said, who is he that lay, who can lay anything
to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies. Who
is he that condemneth? It's Christ that died. Yea, rather
is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who intercedes
for us. On him eternal vengeance fell
that would have sunk my soul to hell. All right, secondly,
that typical blood of the Old Testament, was shared to make
an atonement, the word atonement is at-one-ment, to at-one-ment,
to make reconciliation between God and the people because sin
had separated you and your God. God is angry with sin. In Leviticus
4 it says, the priest who shall slay the bullock And the priest
shall make an atonement, an atonement for the people. In Leviticus
17, the life of the flesh is in the blood. I have given it
to you upon the altar to make an atonement, an atonement. We use the word atone. How are
you going to atone for that? How is a person going to atone,
make good, reconcile? It is the blood that makes up
the atonement for the soul. You see that? Well, even so,
Christ, by shedding his blood, hath reconciled us to God by
his blood out of every kindred, nation, tribe, and tongue unto
heaven. Look at Romans 5.10. If then,
when we were enemies, and an enemy needs to be reconciled,
an enemy needs an atonement to be at one month with the one
offended, so if when we were enemies, We were reconciled to
God by the death and blood of his Son. Much more than being
now reconciled, we shall be saved by his life with joy in God through
our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we now have received an atonement."
I don't see how I could make that any clearer. Anyone who
doesn't see that doesn't want to see it. That's exactly right. Anyone who doesn't see it just
doesn't want to. An atonement. The typical blood
of the Old Testament made atonement for Israel. Reconciled. And even
so, the blood of Christ is our atonement. Without the shedding
of blood, there's no atonement. There's no remission and no forgiveness. The typical blood was shed to
cleanse and purify the unclean. In Leviticus 14, seven verses
there, the unclean leper came before the priest. And the priest
would slay the turtle dove. And then he would sprinkle the
man with the blood. And then he would examine the
man and pronounce him clean. Even so, the blood of Christ,
now that's typical blood. That's typical, but even so,
the blood of Christ cleanseth us. That's what Scripture says
in 1 John. The blood of Jesus Christ, God's
Son, cleanseth, cleanseth the unclean. Though your sins be
as scarlet, I'll make them white as snow. Though they be red,
double-dyed like crimson, they shall be as wool, white. Husbands,
love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself for
it, that he might sanctify it and cleanse it. He sanctifies
and cleanses. He makes pure by His blood. Justification is by the blood
of Christ. Sanctification is by the blood
of Christ. By one offering He has perfected
forever them that are sanctified. I'm perfectly sanctified, wholly
sanctified by the blood of Christ. And God says there are sins and
iniquities that I remember no more by one offering He perfected
them that are sanctified. You see, that Old Testament blood
is a picture. And when that unclean leper came
before the priest, it had to be sprinkled with blood. And
the priest pronounced him clean. And I tell you, we unclean lepers
are going to have to be washed in the blood of the Lamb. That's
what they're saying in heaven, under Him who loved us and washed
us. All right. Fourthly, the typical blood of
the Old Testament was shed to confirm and ratify the covenant
of God with Israel. God made a covenant with Abraham
and Israel, and that blood ratified it and confirmed it. Exodus 24,
listen. And Moses took the blood and
sprinkled it on the people, and he said, Behold the blood of
the covenant which the Lord hath made with you, concerning all
these words, this blood ratifies and confirms that covenant. Even
so, the blood of Christ is called the blood of the everlasting
covenant, and he took the bread and the wine and gave it to his
disciples, and he said, this is my blood of the new covenant
testament, which is shared for many for the remission of sin. This is the blood that ratifies
and confirms and makes good this covenant. A testament is a will. It's called a last will and testament.
And for a will and testament to be enforced, there must be
the death of the testator. So men die and leave a will and
a testament. They leave their riches and goods
to others, and that testament is not enforced till they die.
Even so, Christ in his covenant and testament left us all the
treasures and riches of grace, but he had to die. Now these
two messages, Peace with God and Redeemed of the Blood, are
on a cassette tape. We'll send them to you if you
send two dollars. Now here's something special I want you
to see. The announcer will show you on the screen. I have three
books, and in these three books I have six of Paul's epistles
from the New Testament. I have been writing Sunday school
lessons, Bible class lessons and commentaries for our church
people, and I have these six epistles in three books, verse-by-verse
commentaries, and if you want them, if you'll send five dollars,
I'll send these books to you in return mail. There are three
books, the book of Romans, the book of Galatians, and then the
other book has four of the epistles in it, and we'll mail it to you.
by return mail, if you'll send five dollars. Send it to the
address on the screen. Until next Sunday at this same
time, I bid you a very pleasant good day.