* You can now watch a video of this message at: https://new.livestream.com/rickpina/live.
(Eph 1:7 KJV) In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.
This morning we continue our series “Grace that is Simply Amazing” by continuing with our mini-series, “The Road to the Resurrection.” This message will center around the importance of the Blood of Jesus and the substitutionary work of Christ on the cross. This is an important topic and it should be preached more. So many church-goers today are so focused on what they can ‘get’ from God that they neglect what He has already provided for them through the Blood of Jesus.
A few years ago Mel Gibson starred in a movie entitled “Ransom.” The movie was a thriller in which a rich man’s son was kidnapped and kept by his captors until a large sum of money was paid. The tagline to the movie was ‘Someone is going to pay!’ In the movie, however, Mel Gibson was able to get his son back without actually paying the captors. The character played by Gibson opted to offer a reward to anyone who would turn them in. In our real life drama, we were all born captive, slaves to the power of sin and the fear of death, and we needed someone to pay our ransom. It is not that we had freedom and our freedom was taken away at some point. No, we were all quite literally born bound and we needed someone to pay the debt in order for us to be free.
The problem with our situation is that our captor was not willing to accept money. The only suitable payment for our life would be another life. Someone would actually have to trade their life for ours before could escape the clutches of sin. Our text speaks of “redemption through his blood.” Webster defines redemption as the repurchase of captured goods or prisoners; the act of procuring the deliverance of persons or things from the possession and power of captors by the payment of an equivalent ransom. The key words are “equivalent ransom.” In Acts 20:28 Luke told us that Jesus purchased (redeemed) us with His own blood. In the Old Testament, the blood of animals could only serve as a temporary ‘covering’ for sin, because the blood of animals was not an equivalent ransom for the sin of man. The only proper payment for the deliverance of a human from the power of sin would have to be the blood of another human. Not just any human, but a perfect human, the perfect sacrifice, the Son of God! God offered His own Son as the payment for Adam’s sin. Jesus came to get us out of everything Adam got us into and he did it by purchasing our redemption with His untainted blood. Jesus paid the ultimate price so we could live the ultimate life! That’s what this Sunday is all about.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things:
1. All humans were born captured by sin and satan because of the actions of Adam in the garden (Eph 2:1-3, Ro 3:23).
2. In the Old Testament innocent animals died for sinful man, but the blood of goats, bullocks and turtledoves could only serve as a temporary solution to a permanent problem (Heb 9:12).
3. God sent His own Son (the Last Adam) to die in our place, paying an equivalent ransom and delivering us from the power of sin and satan (Gal 3:13, 1 Jn 1:7, Rev 5:9).
4. The Ransom is paid, the captor has been defeated and the captured have been released – Hallelujah!
Wouldn’t it be foolish for a released prisoner to go back to a defeated captor and willingly imprison him or herself again? Well, that is exactly what you do when you go back to sin and satan. You have been delivered from the power of sin, by the Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Walk in your freedom today and every day.
5. This Sunday is not about bunny rabbits or colorful eggs. This Sunday is about Blood, a cross, and AN EMPTY TOMB! Jesus suffered, bled, died, and He rose from the dead with all power in His hand. We serve a living Savior. Jesus is His name. That is what this Sunday is all about!
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for loving me enough to send your own Son to die in my place. The blood of goats, bullocks and turtledoves could never serve as an equivalent payment for the sin of man. Adam got us into a mess when He transgressed against You. Because of Adam I was born entangled under the power of sin and trapped under the torment related to the fear of death. But Jesus came to get me out of everything Adam go me into. Jesus paid the price I could not afford for a debt that He did not owe. Jesus died that I might live. Jesus willingly took on my sin and offered me His righteousness, so that I could take on His righteousness and lay down my sin. I am covered by the Blood of Jesus. I am filled with the Holy Spirit. I am called according to Your purpose. I am FREE by Your grace! I enter this day as a cleansed, delivered, purified, and set apart warrior in the Kingdom of God. I do not entangle myself again with sin or satan. I am redeemed! I have been bought with a price. So Father, I honor Jesus’ death with my life! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
