Tag: Redemption

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Understanding Redemption: The Costly Blood of Christ (1 Peter 1:18-19)

On By Ben JenningsIn DevotionalLeave a comment

(18) Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; (19) But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: (1 Peter 1:18-19)

Explanation

Talk about seeing transformation happen! Jesus prophesied in a sense what he was going to do with Simon Peter in changing his name. In John 1 there is a declaration of Jesus Christ as the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. Andrew witnesses this truth to Peter who hears it (Simon) and meets Jesus.

One of the amazing things to study in the New Testament is the life of Peter with Jesus in the Gospels, God using Peter in the book of Acts, and the thoughts of Peter in 1 and 2 Peter. In 1 Peter, he writes to a dispersion of believers in Asia Minor who were their because of persecution that they were facing persecution. They had been and were being transformed as well.

In this text Peter reminds them of what they already knew. They were not redeemed, a word that means bought back, with perishable things. Their sin debt wasn’t paid by things that are subject to decay. It was paid already, but not with gold or silver. It wasn’t paid by the “vain conversation”, the empty lifestyle and pagan religion that they were taught outside of Christ. The religion of their familes didn’t give them forgiveness of their sin.

So, what price was paid for their redemption? The blood of Jesus Christ was the currency of their ransom and redemption. It is called “precious blood”. It is costly, valuable, honored blood. Peter states that this blood is “as of a lamb without blemish and without spot”. He’s making the same comparison that Andrew heard, and by which he was likely introduced to Jesus Christ in the first place. Jesus is the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. 

[11] For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. (Leviticus 17:11)

He was like the lambs of the sacrificial system who were required to be without spot or blemish. They had to be perfect. This redemption has already been paid for by Christ. Christ was without sin. His blood was precious because it was the blood of the only begotten Son of God. It was precious because He was without sin. His sacrifice was the sacrifice of a Savior who had merited righteousness.

Application

Simon Peter was transformed by Jesus. He went from an uneducated, salty fisherman, to an imperfect but wise leader who was used among other apostles to help establish the early church and get the Gospel to us. His challenge to those he wrote and to us is to believe in this lamb that was prophesied, who came, and died for our sins. He wants us to live a life that endures persecution, and pursues righteousness in light of the cost of our redemption and salvation- the precious blood of Christ. He encourages us to leave the vain, empty, false beliefs of who we were before we were saved. We live a life that honors Christ because the substitutionary and atoning work has already been done on the cross so that we can live.

Response

  1. Have you heard and believed (Simon)?
  2. Are you being transformed and used by God to reach others (Peter)?

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Luke- Week 2- Day 5- How should we respond to God’s plan of redemption?

On By Ben JenningsIn DevotionalLeave a comment

And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her. 

Luke 1:38

Explanation:

One last detail of this passage gives us an example of how to respond to God’s plan of redemption.  There is a third “behold” in this passage.  The first “behold” was told to Mary by Gabriel when she was told how she was favored by God to carry Jesus.  The second “behold” was told to Mary by Gabriel when he was sharing with her about Elisabeth’s conception in her old age. 

This time Mary says “behold” to Gabriel and declares herself “the handmaid of the Lord”.   The word translated “handmaid” is the female form of the word for “slave”.  Mary describes herself as the slave of the Lord.  She is fulling submitting to the task that has been assigned to her.  Her response to God is complete surrender to what He wants her to do.

Taking on the responsibility would not be easy.  You have the normal burden of childbearing that is challenging enough.  Mary would also have to do this in a culture where unwed pregnancy was the source of all kinds of shame in the community.  Certainly, her relationship with her betrothed would be at risk.  She must have had so many questions.  When I start to show, what do I say?  What will my parents think?  What will Joseph think?  Will he end our engagement?  How will I raise the Son of God without a husband and father?

It is not wrong for her to have these kinds of questions, especially when her first response in those questions having is “Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.”  All the other concerns were coming under the umbrella of her submission to God.

Application:

What an incredible example to us!  We can certainly see evidence in the life of Mary that she was a wise choice for this task.  If it is true that God initiated the plan of redemption, became flesh so that he could purchase our redemption, and does the impossible as part of his plan, then we He calls on us to be used in that plan the only right response is submission.  That God would choose to use any of us is evidence of His incredible grace and mercy in our lives.


Response:

  • If you are lost, know that God is calling on you to be redeemed.  God sent Jesus to die for you and rise again.  Submit to His plan and be saved today!
  • Believer, God wants to use You.  Who is God asking you to talk to about Him?  Let us submit to God’s will for our lives.
  • May we respond to God today in this way:  “Behold, the servant of the Lord.  Be it according to Your Word!”
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Luke- Week 2- Day 4- Our God does the impossible.

On By Ben JenningsIn DevotionalLeave a comment

“(36) And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.  (37)  For with God nothing shall be impossible.”  

Luke 1:36-37

Explanation:

Mary’s question was certainly an understandable one. When Gabriel announced the birth of John, Zechariah also had a similar question. How can these things be…? One child born to parents well past the childbearing years seems highly improbable. A child born from a woman who was a virgin is humanly impossible. The angel let Mary know that God was also at work in her cousin’s life. Why did he bring it up? He makes it clear in verse 37. “For with God nothing shall be impossible”.

When it comes to our redemption so much could seem impossible.

– We were God’s enemies.

– We deserved God’s wrath.

– We deserved hell.

But God in His mercy became like us. He took on flesh so that He could pay our debt. To make it happen He did things that our impossible for us, His creation. But for Him, our Creator, nothing shall be impossible.

Application:

God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. He gave up the comfort and splendor of heaven to enter into His Creation. There have been times where I have spoken to people about the Gospel and their response to it is that they feel like it is impossible for God to forgive them. God loves you and will forgive you of your sin if you call on the Lord to save you.

There have been some that seem so far from God that we may think “they are too far gone.” I want you to know that God is a God who is in the business of doing the impossible. With God nothing shall be impossible.

When it comes to God’s gift of redemption, we must think the way He does. We must have faith and believe that with Him nothing shall be impossible.

Response:

Who have you not shared the Gospel with because you thought that they were too far gone or would never respond to it?

Have you believed that forgiveness from God is impossible? Remember, God does the impossible.

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Luke- Week 2- Day 2- God uses people.

On By Ben JenningsIn DevotionalLeave a comment

(28)  And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.  (29)  And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.  (31)  And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.  (31)  And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.

Luke 1:28-31

Explanation:

God iniated this part of the plan of redemption by sending an angel to a virgin named Mary.  Notice how the angel greeted her.  He called her “highly favoured” and “blessed”.  God was choosing to use Mary for this incredible responsibility, and in doing so the angel is pointing out the honor that is being given to her in being chosen.

He also said that “the Lord was with” Mary.  God is omnipresent.  He is everywhere.  This presence though spoke of God’s working in Mary’s life.  Gabriel certainly would have understood and experienced God’s presence.  In Luke 1:19 he said about his own experience:

And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.

 Luke 1:19 

God was choosing to use Mary for this incredible task, and she was taken back by this kind of greeting. 

(29)  And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. 

Luke 1:29

Just as was the case with Zacharias when he saw the angel, the sudden presence of this supernatural being “troubled” Mary.  But she was not just troubled at his presence, but in what he said.  What did all this mean?  It’s a natural question.

Just as was the case with Zacharias, Gabriel told her not to be afraid.  He told her the specifics of the task for which she was chosen. What was this honor and favour leading to for Mary?

Well to answer that we see the first of three times that the word “behold” is used in this passage.

(31)  And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.

Luke 1:31

Mary was being chosen by God to supernaturally conceive and birth the son of God.  What an incredible task!

Application:

Much more can and will be said about this conception and birth, but it is right at this point to say that God chose to use people in His plan of redemption.  To be clear, Mary did not and can not redeem anyone.  Only Jesus can save.  Yet, God chooses people to play the part that they can in sharing his plan of redemption with the world.  We do what we can do, and in God’s plan of redemption He does what only He can do.  The scripture says this important truth:

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

2 Peter 3:9 

That God would use any of us is not because we are so deserving, but because He is so loving and gracious to us.  We are truly highly favored to take on this responsibility of participating in this plan of redemption.

Response:

How can you be used specifically today to share God’s plan of redemption with someone?