1. The great evangelist, D.L. Moody, was approached one day by a fellow preacher. The preacher said to Moody, "Mr. Moody, you are either all right and I am all wrong, or else I am right and you are all wrong."
2. Moody asked the preacher to explain what he meant, and the man said that whereas Moody preached salvation through the blood of Christ, this man preached salvation by good works.
3. Moody replied that the man had a good point -- they both could not be right, but that the Bible clearly teaches salvation through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.
4. Later on D.L. Moody said this, "I tell you the moment a man breaks away from this doctrine of blood, religion becomes a sham, because the whole teaching of the Bible is of one story, and that is that Christ came into the world and died for our sins."
5. I would like to preach this morning on one of the most important doctrines in the Bible -- the precious blood of Christ (1:18, 19).

1. THE BLOOD OF CHRIST IS REDEEMING BLOOD
2. THE BLOOD OF CHRIST IS INCORRUPTIBLE BLOOD
3. THE BLOOD OF CHRIST IS PRECIOUS BLOOD

I. THE BLOOD OF CHRIST IS REDEEMING BLOOD

1. "Redeem" means, "to set free by paying a price."
2. The Lord Jesus Christ came into this wicked, sin-loving world with one specific purpose -- to redeem sinners.
3. Titus 2:14 says Christ "gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity."
4. Our Lord said in Mark 10:45, "For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many."
5. "Ransom" (Mark 10:45) means a price paid to recover a person being held in bondage. "Who gave himself a ransom for all" (I Tim. 2:6).
6. All sinners are in bondage to sin and the devil, whether they realize it or not. And all sinners need to be redeemed. They need to repent and believe in Christ.
7. "Redeem" means, "to set free by paying a price." Our Lord said He came "to give his life a ransom for many." "Ransom" means a price paid to recover a person being held in bondage.
8. Last week it was reported that a young woman from California was abducted and was being held for a ransom of $8,500.00.
9. A few days later the woman showed up at her father's house, and the police say the whole abduction and ransom demand was a hoax orchestrated by the woman and her boyfriend.
10. The woman and her boyfriend have hired lawyers, and they deny the abduction was a hoax.
11. This particular ransom story may be a hoax, but unfortunately most are not hoaxes. For example, Kayla Mueller was a young American woman captured in northern Syria in 2013, and held hostage by ISIS terrorists.
12. Her family said ISIS contacted them, threatening to kill her unless the family paid them a $7 million ransom.
13. The ransom was not paid and Kayla Mueller was killed.
14. But those of us who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ have been redeemed. And the price of our redemption was the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ (1:18, 19).
15. Ephesians 1:7 says, "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace."
16. First Corinthians 6:20 says, "For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."
17. And the price was the precious blood of Jesus. It is a price we could never pay ourselves.
18. Only the Lord Jesus Christ could die on the cross as our perfect Substitute (I Peter 1:18, 19).
19. Those of us who are saved can sing:

I have a home prepared for me,
Since I have been redeemed,
Where I shall dwell eternally,
Since I have been redeemed. -- Edwin O. Ex­cell

20. Have you been redeemed? Are you sure of it?
21. First Peter 1:18 says we can "know" that we have been redeemed.
22. We know Christ died for our sins on the cross (I Peter 2:24).
23. We know that those who believe in Christ are forgiven, redeemed, justified, sanctified, and saved for all eternity (John 3:16).
24. Romans 8:16 says the Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God (cf. I Peter 1:22). Do you have this assurance?

II. THE BLOOD OF CHRIST IS INCORRUPTIBLE BLOOD

1. We have been redeemed with the incorruptible blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, not with anything connected with this transient, corruptible world, such as silver or gold (1:18).
2. We were redeemed by the blood of God Himself (cf. Acts 20:28).
3. This sounds strange to some people because God is a Spirit, and spirits do not have blood. But Jesus Christ is both God and man, and He died on the cross for our sins.
4. "Silver and gold" (1:18) are the two most valuable and most highly treasured things here on earth. Many people are hoarding silver and gold because they are afraid that some day the banks are all going to collapse, and paper money will be useless.
5. But when the Lord returns, their silver and gold will not do them any good. Revelation 18:16 and 17 says the worldly merchants will weep and cry and say, "Alas, alas, that great city that was...decked with gold...For in one hour so great riches is come to nought" (cf. Rev. 6:12-17).
6. Silver and gold are the two most valuable and most highly treasured things on earth, but they are only "corruptible things" (I Peter 1:18).
7. We are told Peter wrote this epistle about 60 AD. Many years before, this same Peter stood outside the temple in Jerusalem with John, and he said to a certain lame man, "Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee" (Acts 3:6).
8. Silver and gold will perish. Everything in this world will perish.

Only one life, a few brief years, 
Each with its burdens, hopes, and fears; 
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, 
Only what’s done for Christ will last. -- C.T. Studd

9. Silver and gold will perish. The most important thing in this world is having your sins forgiven, and knowing you are going to heaven.
10. Have you been redeemed?
11. The children sing:

I’ve been redeemed
By the blood of the Lamb

All my sins are washed away,
Praise the Lord!

III. THE BLOOD OF CHRIST IS PRECIOUS BLOOD

1. This means the blood of Christ is of great value -- far more valuable than silver and gold (1:18, 19).
2. A church called a new pastor. On his first Sunday, a woman said to him, "Our last pastor preached too much on the blood of Jesus. I hope you're not going to preach too much on the blood of Jesus."
3. He said, "No ma'am, I will not preach too much on the blood of Jesus." The woman smiled, and then the preacher said, "One cannot preach too much on the blood of Jesus! It is the great theme of the Bible."
4. Many years ago, W.A. Criswell preached a four hour message entitled, "The Scarlet Thread of Redemption." Dr. Criswell referred to the scarlet-colored (the color of blood) thread that Rahab hung out of her window in Jericho: "The scarlet line of Rahab is a symbol of her faith that God will provide deliverance in the time of judgment. Throughout the Bible 'scarlet' speaks of sacrifice made on the behalf of the believer, and it is seen in the vestments of the tabernacle and in the priestly garments in Exodus."
5. In that lengthy sermon, Dr. Criswell traced this scarlet thread back to the Garden of Eden. God Himself killed an animal and clothed Adam and Eve with the animal skin. Therefore, blood had to be spilled for Adam and Eve to be covered. "Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them" (Genesis 3:21).
6. Next comes Abel's offering in Genesis 4, and all the way through the Bible to the book of Revelation, where we see the scarlet thread of redemption's ultimate and final consummation in the blood-washed throng before the throne of God in glory.
7. Revelation 1:5 says, "Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood."
8. Revelation 5:9 says, "And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation."
9. Revelation 7:14 says, "These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."
10. The Lord Jesus Christ is called "the Lamb" 26 times in the Book of Revelation, emphasizing His blood atonement.
11. The Bible teaches that there can be no forgiveness of sins apart from the blood of Christ. Hebrews 9:22 says, without the "shedding of blood is no remission" (no forgiveness of sin).
12. Leviticus 17:11 says, "For it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul."
13. In John 1:29, John the Baptist introduced the Lord Jesus by saying, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."
14. For our Jewish friends, Passover will start this Saturday, April 4th. But the New Testament refers to Christ as our Passover lamb. First Corinthians 5:7 says, "For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us."
15. For the first Passover, the LORD told the Israelites, "Your lamb shall be without blemish" (Exodus 12:5; cf. I Peter 1:19; 2:21-25; Acts 8:32-38; Isaiah 53:7).
16. Only the sinless Son of God could die as our Substitute -- "the just for the unjust" (I Peter 3:18).
17. Revelation 13:8 says the Lord Jesus Christ is "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (cf. I Peter 1:20).
18. Note the words "Forasmuch as ye know" (1:18). Those of us who recognize what our redemption cost -- "the precious blood of Christ" (1:18) -- are obligated to order our lives accordingly (1:14-19).
19. Those who do not appreciate what Jesus did for them when He died on the cross are obligated to repent and turn to Jesus before it is eternally too late (cf. Acts 2:36-38).

CONCLUSION:

1. There is an old story about Cyrus the Great, the king of Persia. He had a certain general who came home from a battle, and discovered that his wife had been arrested for treason.
2. She had been in prison for some time and her trial was scheduled for that very day.
3. The general rushed to the courtroom and watched the trial. He saw that his wife attempted to answer the charges brought against her, but all to no avail.
4. Finally, King Cyrus stood up to declare the sentence. She was said to be guilty and would be immediately beheaded.
5. The guards grabbed her and were about to drag her off, when her husband jumped up and pleaded with King Cyrus.
6. The general threw himself at the king's feet and begged him to spare her life.
7. "Oh king," he cried. "Let me give my life for hers. Put me to death. Execute me, but let her live!"
8. As King Cyrus looked at the general, he was greatly moved. He was touched by the man's deep devotion to his wife, and his heart was softened.
9. He remembered, too, that this general had been a faithful and loyal servant for many years. So he decided to let them both go free.
10. The wife received a full pardon.
11. As her husband led his wife out the door, he said, "Did you notice the kind look in the eyes of King Cyrus as he pronounced the word of pardon?"
12. His wife replied, "I did not see the face of King Cyrus. The only face I could see was that of the man who was willing to die for me!"
13. Beloved, when we get to heaven, we will see the face of the man who willingly went to the cross and died for us.
14. It will be the face of our blessed Lord and Saviour, who shed His precious blood so that you and I might receive pardon from sin and eternal life.

Face to face with Christ, my Savior,
Face to face—what will it be,
When with rapture I behold Him,
Jesus Christ Who died for me? -- Carrie E. Breck