Daily Devotional

-April 24, 2021-

Good morning, happy Saturday,

-Redeemed By The Blood Of The Lamb-

“Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver and gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”

(1 Peter 1:18-19).

The Apostle Peter was a former fisherman turned disciple. He loved the Lord so much but early on said and did things that did not always make sense. But after Jesus forgave him for denying Him three times, the Lord used him as a great preacher and elder, pastor and teacher. He took Jesus’ words to heart, “Feed My lambs, tend My sheep, feed my sheep.” (See John 21:15-19). Peter was, along with John, the two greatest disciples, yet Peter was so humble and served the Lord faithfully all the rest of his life. When it came time to die for His Lord, he requested to be crucified upside down since he felt unworthy to die as his Savior died.

Peter is a wonderful example of restoration. The end of his life was better than his beginning. There are many such examples in Scripture, such as Moses, David, Jonah, and John Mark, just to name a few. He is very clear in his writings in First and Second Peter as well as in his sermons in the book of Acts. He also aided Mark with the writing of his gospel. He knew that Jesus was the Lamb of God who died on the cross to redeem us to God with His precious blood. The word knowing is such a word of confidence and assurance.

Peter wrote in 1 Peter 1:1-2, “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. Grace to you and peace be multiplied.”

He writes, “Knowing that you were nor redeemed with corruptible things, like silver and gold…” Gold and silver were highly precious in his day, as they are today. As precious as they are, they are corruptible and will not last forever. Instead, we have been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. Only Jesus was and is perfect, sinless, blameless, holy, innocent, and undefiled. He gave us life and shed His blood to redeem us to God. There is nothing more precious and efficacious than His blood. The word efficacious means effective. Nowadays it has come up in medical terms for the COVID-19 vaccines and their rate of effectiveness. I am getting my second shot this morning in just over 2 hours, and I am so thankful! As great as they are, none is 100% effective, but the blood of Jesus is! His blood washes away all our sins and prevents God’s judgment on us.

In the OT, the priests offered sacrifices of lambs to the Lord over and over again. None of them could perfect anyone, but pointed people forward to the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, whose one sacrifice for sins was perfect and never needs to be repeated. The hymn writer Robert Lowry said it so well, “What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus; What can make me Whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.” The chorus says, “O precious is the flow, that makes me white as snow; No other fount I know, nothing but the blood of Jesus.” Hallelujah what a Savior!

Have a blessed day thanking God for our salvation. We are redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Stay safe and healthy.

Dean