THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIST                 I Peter 1:18-19

                                                                           Date unknown/no outline

 

Intro: It is easy to fall into the habit of preaching about the gospel, but not the gospel itself.  It is easy fall into the habit of preaching about the Bible, but not the Bible itself.  It is easy to fall into the habit of preaching about salvation, but not salvation itself.  This text brings us back to the very soul of the gospel.  It is called (Greek) timios, translated Precious. Could be translated (of great price or of great value).  Blood, from the beginning was regarded by God, as most precious.  Even that of a beast.  Gen.9:3,4  the flesh with the life, with the blood, is not to be eaten.  Things strangled were interdicted and the sacrifices, the blood was paramount in atonement.  Lev.  17:11

(1) The blood of men

            Gen. 9:6 and 8

            Num. 35:31, 33

It is strange indeed that the thing that defiles the land {blood} also cleanses the man.

            John 3:14 the serpent kills and the serpent heals.

            Num. 35:11 the cities of refuge save one who had been guilty of shedding blood.

            Matt. 27:3-6 Even among the spiritually depraved, the regard for human blood was paramount.

(2) The blood of Jesus

            Acts 20:29. Verse 28 refers to it as the blood of God.  Of all things that do not lend themselves to evaluation, Calvary is the most defiant.  None of the ransomed ever knew how deep were the waters crossed.  Nor how dark was the night the Lord passed though ere He found the sheep that were lost.  The transcendent value of the Cross is indescribable but these things we can see, say, and know. 

The blood of Christ brings to us:

            1. Redeeming grace.  The Law says, "This do and live," but in us there is ceaseless failure.  There is endless treadmill for us to climb.  One bullock is offered for sin, but we must bring another.  A lamb is offered in the morning, but another must be offered in the evening.  The high priest within the veil makes appeal for the forgiveness of our sins, but he must go back again and again.  His appeal is never final.

Rom. 10:4 Christ is the end of the law, for righteousness to everyone that believes.  We were slaves to the tyrant of sin, Christ paid the ransomed price.  The judgement of the law is a dreaded curse, our shelter beneath the Cross, where the thunder loses its terror, where the lightning  loses its fury.  We look upon the law as in the Ark of God, which is covered with the mercy seat.  Our victory is slain, our priest, within the veil, has brought expiation and atonement for us.  This redemption is achieved, not with corruptible things as silver and gold.  We can redeem many things, pawned articles, but not doomed souls.  Mortgages, notes, and liens, but not wrecked lives.  We can buy, secure, farms and mines, and properties, but not character or godliness, love, and grace.  Being corruptible, we can produce only corruptible things.  As you can not measure love by the yard, or weigh spirit by the pound, so you cannot redeem your soul with corruptible things.  Silver and Gold are not legal tender in heaven...Man says with money, buy, sell, and gain.   God says without money, without price.  Man says by my wealth and by my power, but God says by My grace.  Man says by Dunn and Bradstreet, but the Lamb’s book of life is the only way to heaven.  God does not look for bank notes, financial records, baptismal certificates, but God looks only upon the blood.  "When I see the blood I will pass over you,"  Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Not morality, reform, resolution, philosophy, social uplift, sacraments, birth, heritage, the Golden Rule, good intentions...in time or in eternity are the instruments of our salvation.  What can wash away my sin?  Nothing but the blood of Jesus.  Our hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus' blood and righteousness.  Just as I am, without one plea, but that Thy blood was shed for me. 

            2. The Forgiveness of our sins.

God spoke the worlds into existence by fiat, but to redeem us, it cost the life of His only begotten Son.  Only by the shedding of blood is there remission of our sins.  We are forgiven, we are saved, not by the birth of Christ, virgin and miraculous as it is, did He ransom us, not by His sinless life and spotless, pure ministries did He ransom us.  Not by His wondrous works, changing the course of nature, but by His blood He redeems us.  Not by His preachings, teachings, though none ever spake as He did, but by His blood we are redeemed.  Only by the blood of Christ are we saved.  Not as example to inspire us did He die.  Not, as a lesson, to teach us, did He die.  Not by an accident of His coming into the world, but I Peter 1:20, by His coming into the world which was determined in the courts of Heaven.  Declared at the gate of Eden and displayed in the sacrifice of the ages. 

By the blood of Christ, He redeemed us from the curse of the law, Gal.  3:13.

By the blood of Christ, Christ redeemed us from all inequity, Titus 2:14.

By the blood of Christ, we are justified before God, Rom. 5:9.

By the blood of Christ, the Lord purchased His Church, Acts 20:28.

By the blood of Christ, He gave meaning to the riddle of history, Rom. 8:9.

By the blood of Christ, He was found worthy to receive honor and glory, Rev 5:12.

By the blood of Christ, He presents a redeemed people to God. Rev 7:14

In the shedding of blood, Jesus quenches all the fires of all the altars of all the earth.   He fulfilled all the Levitical law.  He wrote finis on all priestly orders. He made the all sufficient sacrifice for all the human race.  Living our Lord met the ethical standards of the law, dying He satisified Divine justice and paid the penalty for our unrighteousness.  Buried, He became the scapegoat to bear our sins far away.  Rising, He vindicated His claim to deity and justified us, before God.  Coming again, He brings our full final salvation to view.

           

            3. The Promise and Power for a new life.

a.      He opens Heavens resources of blessing for us.  Poured out in the sufferings of Christ are all the blessings that magnify the good and hope in our lives.  The blood shed and poured out...look at Moses’ sacrifice at the base of the altar.  The outpouring of life in grace and forgiveness. 

When they smote the Savior, they struck the rock, which flows the fountain of life.

When they nailed His hands to the cross, they opened the strength and resources of Heaven.

When they pierced His side, they penetrated the heart of mercy, love, and forgiveness of God.

The wounds of Jesus are doors of grace, through which flow divine love.  It is the great at-one-ment.

 

            4. The cleansing power.  I John 1:7, Is. 1:18, Rev. 1:5; 7:14