Sunday Worship - March 27, 2022 - 11:00am

Worthy of our worship. You certainly is a such a joy again to see every one of you here with us this morning. We're glad to have our visitors with with us as well. And if you have not filled out, a visitor's vizards car, that it there is a tear out in the bulletin. We love to have you fill that out. And if you would place it in one of our offering boxes, they're in the back, would love to have a record of your visit. If you would take him, I wasn't with me to 1st Peter. 1st Peter, chapter number one, we have just finished our series and preaching on and through the letters that were written from the Lord Jesus, to the seven churches of Asia, Minor in Revelation, Chapter 2 and 3, and I certainly enjoyed preaching. Those passages of scripture, not have heard from you that you have enjoyed listening and growing. From those passages of scripture in Revelation Chapter 2. But this morning we looking at First Peter chapter, number one. In verse 18, the title of the message this morning is redeemed. How I love to Proclaim. It redeemed, how I love to Proclaim it. If you have been in church for many years, you recognize the title of my message is also a title of a him that we often sing redeemed. How I love to Proclaim. It was written by Fanny Crosby in the mid-1800s. A Fanny Crosby wrote hundreds of him's many of those hymns. We still sing very often today. If any Crosby was a blind lady. She was physically unable to see But if you sing some of her him you found that she was may not been able to see physically, but my could she see spiritually redeemed. How I love to Proclaim it. The first verse. Goes like this redeemed, how I love to Proclaim. It Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb redeemed. Through his, through his infinite, Mercy, his child. I forever a.m. Of course, the theme of that song is the theme of redemption and that is also the focus of this message this morning, as we will partake of the Lord's supper and just a moment. But Redemption is a beautiful, beautiful word. Let's read our scripture, 1st Peter, chapter 1 verse 18 says, knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things like silver or gold from your aimless, conduct received by tradition from your father's, but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb, without blemish, and without spot, Indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was what was manifest in these last times for you who threw him? Believe in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory. So that your Faith and Hope are in god. Let's pray, Our Father Lord. We once again, for your presence Lord. We thank you all ready for the songs that have pointed us to Calvary songs that I pointed us to your great love. For us. Your mercy and your grace and father. I praise. We look at this passage of scripture. Father. I pray that even those who have heard the gospel, many, many times in Happily the gospel. Father. I pray that through the working of the Holy Spirit. It would be as if they had this was the first time they heard the gospel. Because it's so beautiful. Lord help us not to take the gospel for granted. And father, I pray for those who are here, who are lost. They have never been saved. No father. I pray that the holy spirit of God would bring about conviction and draw them to your son. Jesus, father. May we rejoice and what you have provided for us and sending us your dear son, the Lord Jesus to take our place. Father, help us to live, as you would have us to live. Help us to listen. And help us to apply this teaching of your word to our hearts and lives. We ask all of these things in Christ name and all of God's people said, amen. And amen. One of the best-known Puritans was a man by the name of Thomas Watson. He was born in 1620 and lived until 1686. He said this about Redemption which he described as God's greatest work. He wrote this great was the work of creation, but greater the work of redemption. It cost more to redeem, has been to make us. In one, Speaking of creation, there was, but the speaking of his word. And the other speaking of the Redemption of man, there was the shedding of blood that great. I love reading the old Puritan writers. What is redemption exactly? Maybe you have heard the word, many times growing up in church. If you learned it in Sunday school, you're hurt and Vacation Bible School. You have something about Redemption for many years. Possibly. But what does it mean? Well, I want to look at that word in the Greek word, translator redeem refers to paying a price to purchase the release of a prisoner or to purchase the release of a slave. In this message are application of the word redeem or Redemption, describe the cost of our salvation and the means by which the cost was paid. That here's here's the thing that we must understand is that we were all proved Guilty by the law of God. When we look at the law of God, which in, which he has provided for us? We understand that we're guilty because every one of us has broken the laws of God. And by the way, the law of God, he is actually a Grace to us. It is actually a grace even though we're broken upon it. Because if God had not provided for us the law that we would never know that we were ever broken. So even by the law of God are we can realize that. Yes, we are broken. Therefore we stand in need of God's Redemption. We standing need to be redeemed and so are measuring stick of our Holiness. It is not looking to our neighbor and comparing ourselves to our neighbors. Say hey, look better than he is. No, no. No, you look at the Holiness of almighty God, you compare yourself to the Holiness and his demand that he has required of us. And when you do that, you find out that the scripture is Perez. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. There is none righteous. No, not one. Every one of us has broken the laws of God, so we are in great need of our salvation. We were also prisoners of Satan. I before we were say we were prisoners of Satan unable to set ourselves free from sin bondage.

So, therefore today's greatest need for mankind. It's not wisdom. We don't need just education. We don't need to know how to be a better person. A greatest need is someone who can pay the price be deserved penalty for for our seeing. We don't need anyone to teach us a lesson on how to be a better person. We need someone who will stand in our place and take the punishment that we deserve. And so our need is to be reconciled with a holy God that we have sinned against in the cause of that. Seeing we Face eternity being separated from him in from all that is pleasurable. And from all that is good. and so, when Peter focuses on Redemption, He emphasizes the tremendous, the tremendous cost of redemption. And to do this Peter explains the cost of our Redemption by primarily used in the Old Testament picture of a lamb that was sacrificed for the sins of mankind. Now, this picture of a lamb sacrifice, as a substitute for a person goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden after Adam and Eve were placed there in the Garden of Eden and because they disobeyed God's command. They send it when they send the Bible tells us that after Adam and Eve, sinned. They were filled with shame. And what do they do? They soft to try to cover themselves?

Which mankind has been doing ever since? Mankind has been trying to somehow redeem themselves. Somehow cover up their sins. But I'll listen it's only God who can do this and it was God who did this for Adam and Eve God in his Rich Mercy. Took the life of an animal that was sweet. It was a lamb. That was slain and Adam and Eve shame was covered. It was covered. We see these pictures later, when we look at the book of Exodus. As the X as the Jews were leaving. Egyptian captivity reading, Exodus chapter 12 in verse 1.

Says, now the Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, verse three towels to speak to all the timer gation of Israel. Saying, on the 10th of this month. They are each one to take a land for themselves, according to their father's household, a land for each household. Your Lambs shall be an unblemished mail a year old. You shall keep it until the 14th day of the same month. I've been the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel is to kill it at Twilight. Versus 11 says, now, you shall eat it in this manner. When your loins, girded your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. You shall eat it in haste. It is a Lord's Passover for. I will go through the land of Egypt on that night. And I was right down all the first born in the land of Egypt. Both man and Beast, and against all the gods of Egypt. I will execute judgment. I am the Lord. The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you and no plague will befall you to do to destroy you. When I strike the land of Egypt. You do not have to be an Old Testament scholar to see that at Lambs, life was the prize that was required to cover the shame of sin. That was started with Adam and Eve and passed down to them. And that Lamb's blood was also there to save the first born child, when Israel was getting ready to leave the promise of getting ready to leave for the Promised Land. But understand this, that the Passover Lambs were nothing more than a picture. They were a shadow. They were a foreshadowing. They were an object lesson. You could say, pointing to the day, when John, the Baptist saw the very one. He came to prepare the way for when John saw the Lord Jesus Christ coming to be baptized in the Jordan River. John saw him and said, Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. I'll listen. All of the thousands of lambs that was sacrificed. We're pictured of the one who was God in human flesh, who would be born of a virgin, who would live a perfect sinless life and he himself will be slain on the cross. Not so that sand could be discovered. No, but that seeing might be paid for paid in full. Are those all of those who come to Christ and are redeemed? That was a fulfillment. It's over with that background of redemption. I want us to focus on Redemption today. Notice first of all, our predicament. Our predicament. What we were? What we thought? What we were redeemed from? What were we redeem promise should read?

1st, Peter tells us. From your aimless conduct. Received by tradition from your father's. We were redeemed from the futile way or the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers. You see all true Christians were at one time under the bondage of sin. Every one of us was at one time under the bondage. That was the empty feudal way of life. You may have been saved as a child and praise the Lord. If you were, if you were saved as a child, but even as a child, you were at one time living in the bondage of seeing, you may have been a moral person. Who was not a Christian, you may have been a kind person and did Good Deeds, but in truth, if you did not know the Lord Jesus Christ, you were still in the bondage of sin, and you were spiritually dead.

Listen to seeing of some. It's not as obvious as it is, and others. The Apostle Paul shares the same truth and Titus 33. He says for we all For we also once were foolish ourselves disobedient, deceived enslaved to various lusts and Pleasures, spending our life, in Malice and envy Hazel hating one another.

Again, most of that. Can be pretty well hidden. I asked humans were pretty good at hiding some things. Alba. Listen to me. We may seem to be and be from the world's point of view. A good citizen. We may be a good neighbor.

Metal things that people see from the outside. We seem like a pretty good person. But if we're without Christ We are of most men, most miserable. If you are not saved. It doesn't matter how good I'll have moral a life. You might thank you live.

You stand in need of a savior? Whenever a person may look like on the outside, they are living a futile way of life, apart from Christ. There are illustrations, many illustrations. Concerning people in the world who do not know Christ and yet they seem to have it all together, right? You see those these folks too and maybe and Hollywood. They do not know Christ, but it seems like I have everything all together. That seems like nothing is wrong with their life, but they don't have it all together.

They lead as what verse 18 talks about a feudal way of life apart from Christ. So that's our predicament. Notice. Secondly, our payment Notice our payment Verse 18 tells us.

Knowing that you are not redeem with corruptible things like silver or gold from your aimless, conduct received by tradition from your father's. But with a precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish. And without spot, as I said earlier earlier, the word redeemed means to pay a ransom to release someone primarily hear from slavery. If you understand the Roman Empire at this time in the New Testament times, there were Millions upon millions of people who were enslaved. The difference between slavery in the Roman Empire and the slavery in America is earlier years, is that America's history of slavery was racial. However, slaves in the New Testament times, were often doctors or teachers that have been captured and that have been captured from the countries. In addition to war, some became slaves through that and some were slaves through being sold as children. And so in that culture, a relative then or a friend, could pay the purchase purchase price for the slave and set them free. And that is what the word. Redemption meant somebody. Pay the ransom, somebody redeem them. Listen to Under Christianity that were took on a different Focus. We were not slaves in the physical sense, but we were slaves in the spiritual sent. And if you don't know Christ right now, you are a slave to Satan. You are a slave to sin.

We were enslaved to sin Satan and also and slave to our own sinful nature that we received from Adam. However, Jesus Paid the price of our Redemption. Amen. Jesus, Paid the price as the old song says Jesus. Paid It All and he did so through, and by his blood.

We were in a hopeless predicament. We were dead in our trespasses and seeing we were totally depraved and slave to sin. But God took the initiative. He took the initiative to redeem us to buy us out of the slave market. He didn't buy us with gold or silver. Knows much more precious than that. He bought us with his blood, not just any blood. It was the blood of Christ.

Peter makes it very clear that the blood of Christ. So I filled all of the Old Testament sacrifices and offerings. The Old Testament sacrifices and offerings were the picture. But Jesus Fran was the reality. He was the Fulfillment of the all those sacrifices.

This begs, the question will. How will? How were the Old Testament? Saints saved in the Old Testament? Well, they were saved the same way you and I are saved. By grace, through faith, by grace, through faith way. And always has been one way to be saved as not to waste Old Testament way in a new testament way. Listen, the only way, a person can be redeemed in and saved is by grace and through faith. The difference is in the Old Testament Saints looked ahead. They looked ahead to the coming Messiah where we today looked behind us and see that the Messiah has come. The Savior has come. But either way you go, the Old Testament Saints and us two days in the New Testament are saved by grace through faith.

Miss Truth is made abundantly clear Psalm 49 verse 7. speaking of the precious blood of Christ,

the song that says no man can by any means redeem his brother or give to God a ransom for him for the Redemption of his soul is costly. And he should cease trying forever. All listen. Only Jesus only. Jesus could provide the Redemption. All human effort. I'm trying to earn. It is absolutely futile. The only thing that could have ran some us. The only thing that that could redeem us is the precious pure blood of the Lord, Jesus Christ, his perfect life alone, could not save us his teachings, as well as good as they were, could not save us. Only his Precious Blood could save us. This is also driven home and Hebrews chapter 10. And verse 4. He says, for it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins. Therefore, when he came into the world he said and now he's quoting from Psalm 40.

Sacrifice and offerings. You did not desire but a body. You have prepared for me and burnt offerings and sacrifices were seeing you had no pleasure. Then I said, behold I have come and the volume of the book. It is written of me to do your will or God previous previously, saying sacrifice and offerings and burnt offerings and offerings. For seeing you did not desire nor had pleasure in them, which are offered according to the law. Then he said, behold I have come to do your will or God. He takes away the first that he may establish the second. By that will we have been Sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all this a brother way, that's some deep stuff. It is deep. It is the listen, Jesus is saying that all of this all of his teaching and everything else. As important as those things are, listen, the only way that we are saying this, as he said buy this, I have been Sanctified. I have been set apart through the offering of his body once, for all it is, through the blood of Jesus Christ. And that alone that save sinners from hell. I love the old song that was written by Philip Bliss in 1876. I will sing of my redeemer seeing a single, My Redeemer with his blood. He purchased me on the cross. He sealed my pardon. He paid the debt and made me free. Hallelujah to that noticed quickly, our provider. Notice our provider redeemed US 20. It says he indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who threw him, believe in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your Faith and Hope are in God. And these verses Peter focuses on the uniqueness, the uniqueness of the Lamb of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. And what we see here, is that Jesus death, Was not an accident. Jesus Dash was an appointment. God, did not. Come up with this Redemption playing as a plan B because somehow seeing entered into the world and he had to go back to the drawing board and and somehow right in this Redemption, Plano. Jesus death was not an accident. It was an appointment. Jesus said himself many times and his Earthly Ministry for this time. I have come. He said that over and over and over again. It's always see and verse 20, that Jesus and his work on the cross was for known. It was for ordained that is before he spoke the Stars into existence before he formed the planets before he created this Earth, the shedding of Christ blood was foreordained. God ordained, his dad, and our Redemption before Man was created. And therefore before Adam, and Eve ever sinned in the Garden of Eden blood, listen to me this this morning. The payment was provided before the need even a rose in time. The mind and in the providential plans of God, the sacrifice of Christ was determined before, man was even created. Revelation, 13:8 tells us that the Apostle John saw the lamb that was slain before the foundation of the world. It sounds very plain to see that God determined to send his son. The Incarnate Redeemer before the world was ever created. So the father did not react to the fall of Man into sin with a some type of a hastily device plan know, he pre predetermined to manifest his glory. True sending his son to be the savior of all who would believe in him and he did all of this before this universe was even spoken into existence, the Mason. The notice, the end of verse 20. You see that phrase in these last time, the indeed was 404 or before the foundation of the world. But with manifest in these last time for you, that was referring to the. Of time between the birth of Christ and the second coming of Christ. What God had for ordained in eternity past was now made manifest. It was now revealed and made known in these last times. And so, at calvary's Cross, what was in the mind of God from eternity past was brought about in history. In verse 21, will you read who threw him? Believe in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory. Listen, the one who redeemed us is the one who received all the glory. We don't receive any Glory. We didn't do anything in earning, our Salvation is all of God. He paid it all and all to him, we owe. What's that phrase who raised him from the dead and gave him glory that phrase refers to the Ascension of Christ back to heaven? And all of the glory that he had enjoyed in eternity past. He will enjoy for all eternity future and I believe this is what the Apostle John had in mind and Revelation chapter 5 of, as he has a vision of Heaven. Revelation 5 verse 11 tells us. Then I looked and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders. And the number of them was Myriad of myriad's and thousands, 1000, sing with a loud voice Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might, and honor and glory, and blessing, and every created thing, which is in heaven and on Earth and under the Earth and on the sea and all the things in them. I heard saying to him who sits on the throne and to the lamb. Be blessings and honor and glory and Dominion forever and ever. And the four living creatures, kept saying a men and the elders fell down and worshipped. I'll listen you want to save what heaven is going to be like that, right there. We're going to be praising him for all eternity. We're going to be giving him all the glory. but he, Rightly deserves. Notice. Lastly. Notice our purpose. For what? Or we redeem. Peter. Now, make sure that we understand that this Redemptive work. Was as he says for you. For you, he speaking of all the redeem, their inverse went in the last part. Of all the redeemed and then verse 21 is one of the greatest blessings and all the Bible. It says, again who threw him believe in God who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your Faith and Hope are in God. Listen Faith enables us to trust in him. It enables us to rest in him. Have you put your faith and trust in the Lord? Jesus Christ. Are you resting in Christ today? Hope. Is that confidence that what he has promised will come to pass in his perfect timing. He has to filled the promise of the cross. We see that. And therefore we know that he is going to fulfill every other promise that he has made in Scripture. For the present. Then our faith is in this. One who has redeemed us, and for the future, that is unknown to us, but totally known and controlled by him. We trust in his promises, we trust in him wanting, because as we learned in our class, this morning. Is true. He is faithful. And he will do what he has promised. So, with that being said, what are we so worried about today? Are we so concerned about those things that so often worry has I'm going to close by. Reading the testimony of a Salvation Army officer. And really his testimony. Could be My Testimony as he thought about redemption in the Lord. Saving his soul. He said this, I deserved to be condemned to hell. But God interfered. I love that. I deserve to be condemned to hell but God interfered. I'm thankful that God interfere in my life. I'm thankful that God revealed himself to me through the spirit.

And change. Not only my description from a sinner to a saint but he changed my destination. Eye Center. Who was bound for hell? Now, Bound for Glory, all because Jesus Paid It all with his Precious, Precious Blood. I remind you today, that you are responsible. For what you hear? Over and over and those letters that Jesus wrote to the churches, in Asia, Minor. He always finished those letters by thing. This he, that hath an ear. Let him hear what the spirit says. You're responsible for what you hear. If you're here today, and you have never trusted Lord, Jesus Christ as your lord and savior. I plead with you trust him today. Trust him even now. Believe. At what he did upon the cross of Calvary was sufficient to save your soul. Follow the lord Jesus. If you here today, and you know, that you're saved.

It's very easy for us to forget the gospel. It's very easy for us to take, for granted the price of our Redemption, the precious blood of Christ.

I asked you before we partake of the Lord's Supper. Would you examine your life?

And would you once again be reminded of the great price? A Jesus paid for all of us who have been saved. Let's pray together. A gracious and kind Heavenly Father Lord. We are.

Most Blessed. Father, just to be reminded.

Have what? You have come to do for us that we cannot do for ourselves. How that we are reminded of what our predicament was and how that we were all Sinners undone. We were lost and dad in our trespasses and seeing, but . Who is rich in Mercy?

You sent your only begotten son. The Lord Jesus.

And your work promises us that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord. Shall be saved. And Lord. I pray to that end.

And Lord, I pray as we pray for taking just a moment, the Lord's Supper. I pray father that it would not just be a religious tradition, but Lord it would be A memorial. As we remember and reflect upon your death. That has given us eternal life. West, all these things in Christ name.