Redeemed

[0:00] This morning we've got communion, so something we haven't done for a long, long time. It's almost getting up to an anniversary of COVID. Is it March or somewhere? But we've kind of been a bit wary of that.

[0:12] So naturally we're going to be passing the bread and cup as the Lord leads you to partake. If you're a saved one this morning, you're very welcome to do so.

[0:23] Understanding if you prefer not, for whatever reason, if COVID might be a concern, we try to hygienically provide these things for you and spread the bread such that you don't touch someone else's bread and such.

[0:36] So God helping us, we'll undertake that. So we trust your understanding. And we just thank the Lord we can partake in tangible form this morning.

[0:47] It's been something I know I've missed and I'm sure many have missed that. So we're glad to have been able to do that together shortly. So just as we enter that time, if you've got your Bibles, 1 Peter 1.

[1:00] Just some thoughts on this theme of our Lord's work at the cross. 1 Peter 1. A lovely scripture to take to heart today and every day.

[1:22] 1 Peter 1. We'll get there shortly. Redeemed. Redeemed is the point that I'd like to drive home today.

[1:37] Redeemed. From what? With what? So what? To be redeemed. It means to be set free. It means shackles shaken off of hands and fetters broken off of feet.

[1:51] It means ransomed, set free. As you would picture a prisoner with the bars torn open. With the jail door swung wide. Redemption.

[2:02] It's all about God setting free of God's redeeming life. Redemption. It's the kind of word that might be unfamiliar to some. What does it mean?

[2:12] It means to be redeemed. You know, when you go down to cash converters and you put something in, they give you some money for it. And then if you want to buy it back, you give them some money and you redeem it.

[2:25] You buy it back. You get it back. And that's what God's done for us. Amen? We've been redeemed. We've been bought back. We've been bought. We've been bought by means of a payment. Set free by means of a payment.

[2:38] That's redemption. Redemption. It means a repurchase. It means a buying back. It means a repayment. And the picture is of a slave or a prisoner of war that is someone who could not free himself from his own captivity.

[2:58] Imagine yourself in a prisoner of war camp. You're held captive as this slave, not free. And then a ransom payment brings release.

[3:10] Think of, as it were, a hijack, a plane being hijacked and they demand a ransom. And at the payment of the ransom, they are set free.

[3:27] Redemption. It's the story of this book. Amen? It's the story of the book of God from cover to cover. Redemption. Friends, there's 1,189 chapters in your Bible.

[3:42] Only four of them don't involve a fallen world. The two at the front and the two at the back. Before the fall, the two chapters before the fall and after the creation of the new heaven and the new earth.

[4:03] The two chapters at the back of the book. And in between is the chronicle of the tragedy of sin. Sometimes people write things off as beyond redemption.

[4:16] Now you hear of these old ships, these vessels that they scuttle and they go glug, glug, glug down to the bottom of the sea. And they become a haven for coral and aquatic life.

[4:29] They do that because they say it's beyond redemption. You know, this ship is not worth putting out to sea again. You know, you see, I've seen lately on the, is it Gumtree and Facebook marketplace, you can buy or you can be given a boat to be maybe a plant pot because it's beyond redemption.

[4:49] It's just too many holes. It's too rusty. It's a rust bucket. They say it's beyond redemption. In other words, there's no, there's no hope for it. It's beyond hope. It's beyond saving.

[5:00] But friends, God's arm, it says, is not shortened that it cannot save. There is no soul alive that is beyond redemption this morning. No living soul is beyond redemption.

[5:13] No one is beyond redemption while they have breath and life, a heart to believe and to receive. You can be redeemed. That's God's grace, isn't it?

[5:25] Redeemed. So let's consider briefly, redeemed. 1 Peter 1 verse 18. Redeemed, number one, from what? 1 Peter 1 verse 18, it says this.

[5:36] For as much as you know that you are not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold from your vain conversation, received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ.

[5:56] As of a lamb, without blemish and without spirit. Redeemed from what? The Bible says we're redeemed from sin's brokenness. We're redeemed from that vain course of life.

[6:08] Redeemed from this empty, meaningless, futile life without God. Friends, our sin is an offence to God. And we need redemption. We must have it to be redeemed from sin.

[6:24] And this is the work of God. It's his deliverance from sin and from judgment. Redeemed from what? From sin. Redeemed with what? Redeemed.

[6:35] Redeemed. It says that we are redeemed, set free by means of a price. Redeemed with what price? Let's not lose sight of that this morning. That's what we want to underline and emphasize and put in block letters.

[6:50] This was not cheap grace. This was heavy duty. This was the precious blood of Christ. This redemption, friends, it came at great cost.

[7:03] Even though it is free to you. For as much as you are not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold from your vain conversation, received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ.

[7:19] As of a lamb without blemish and without spot. Friends, a payment has been made. At what price? At what price? Consider the price.

[7:31] With the precious blood of Christ. Precious blood. But priceless. The lamb. Faultless. Spotless. It says in John 1.29.

[7:41] The next day John saith Jesus coming unto him. John the Baptist. He saw the Lord Jesus coming unto him. And he saith, Behold the lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.

[7:55] The Bible says worthy is the lamb. That's the price. It's the precious blood of the lamb of God. It says in 1 Corinthians 7.23.

[8:06] Ye are bought with a price. You're no longer your own. You are under his management. In his ownership.

[8:17] Redeeming love has paid the full price for you. Glory. Amen. Can you say glory? Glory. Glory. Glory. That full price is due and he has paid it.

[8:31] And brought our full redemption. So redeemed. From what? From our vain pathway. From our pathway to destruction. Redeemed from our sin.

[8:42] Redeemed with what? The precious blood. Nothing else can do. And so now. So what? So what? So what if we are redeemed?

[8:54] What then? Then what? What is the result of your redemption? 1 Corinthians 6.19-20 it says. Paul writes. What?

[9:04] Know you not? That your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you. Which you have from God. And you are not your own. You are bought with a price.

[9:15] Therefore. Therefore. Therefore. Glorify God. In your body. And in your spirit. Which are God's. Redemption. We are bought with a price.

[9:27] It's like the sign you see on a shop. Under new management. I don't know about you. But I don't like the old management. That this one was under.

[9:41] You know. He was a rotter. When this vessel was under the management of Andrew Craig. He was woeful. He was a terrible. How would you put it?

[9:55] He was awful. But now. A new sign has been put up. Under new management. Under new ownership. It's like. You know. The restaurant down the road.

[10:06] You didn't like the old chef. But there's a sign there. It's new management. Maybe you'll check that out. You know. There's been a change. There's a new ownership. And when you get saved. A new owner takes over.

[10:18] You're under his management. You're under his ownership. You are not your own. Friends. That's the point. There's new ownership. And you've become. God's possession. You've been given forgiveness.

[10:29] You've been set free. From sin. He's brought you into right relationship. With himself. And he's given you peace. Peace with God. And we've been redeemed. Brought into a new way.

[10:40] Of living. So what? Therefore glorify God. Glorify God. You are redeemed. Ransomed. Bought with a prize. Set free. From what? From the futile ways.

[10:52] That really were the ways of sin. The way of death. Redeemed with what? The precious blood of Christ. And so what?

[11:04] So now live as God's people. Live as you are. Under his new ownership. Under new management. Live in holy fear. In love.

[11:14] In faith. With God's peace. With that blessed. Glorious hope. That changes your soul. And in that sincere brotherly love. Friends.

[11:25] Redemption is the theme. Of our song. And our worship. Is all about. Our redeemer. And his redeeming love. Worthy. Worthy. Worthy. Worthy.

[11:36] Is the lamb. We're coming to this time. Where we just want to be reminded. Reminded of his redeeming love. Reminded of his redeeming grace.

[11:47] And friends. Each one that knows him. You're invited to be partakers. With us. Together. As one family of God. And I trust you can.

[11:58] Join in that. With a whole heart. This morning.