Text: 1 Cor.6:20 “For you are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are God’s.”
One of my favourite pastimes with my boys was to go for a walk through the car lots in the Kitchener area once in a while. We would OHHH and AHHHH appropriately as we viewed the latest offerings from GM, Ford, and Chrysler. Uppermost in our minds though as we walked by these cars was to stop and look at the 8½”X11″ paper affixed to the back window. What do you think we wanted to see? _____________(The price).
Today it seems everywhere we turn the prices are going up for the necessities of life. Who here remembers when gas was under 40¢/gallon? Does anyone here remember when you could buy a brand new car for under $4,000.00? When you drive up and down in your area and you see a new “FOR SALE” sign on a house, what is the first question that pops into your mind?
The other day someone was admiring my top quality, “Timberline Shoes” and they exclaimed, “Aren’t they about $200.00 dollars a pair?” I answered,“Yeh, I guess so, they charged me $100.00 per foot for them.”
There is a popular game show that has been running for many years now called “The Price is Right.” The object of the contestants in that show is to pick a figure that most closely reflects the actual retail value of a product. The closest guess to the actual price can win some totally awesome prizes.
There are some things that defy human logic when it comes to understanding the price. What price would you attach to what John saw of the New Jerusalem from his divinely inspired perspective on the Isle of Patmos. Those many mansions, those streets of gold, those gates of pearl. The great throng gathered there in white robes? What was the price for all of that, and who could possibly pay for it all?
The only one who could pay the price is the same one who said, “In my father’s house are many mansions. IF it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go, I will come again and receive you unto Myself that where I am, you may be also.” He is the Redeemer, – the one who redeems, – who buys us back from destruction and damnation. He pays the ransom for our freedom from the darkness and our entrance into His glorious light. Well, you may ask, “How does He pay for all this?” Our text for today says, “We are bought with a price.”
Friends, I want to suggest to you this morning that Jesus paid it all and He did it on the instalment plan! He did in fact, make 4 instalments. What were the four instalments He made?
1.) The first instalment was leaving His glory for earth.
Jesus Christ has always been. He is the uncreated, eternally existent Son of God. Begotten of the Father only in the context of the incarnation when He took on human flesh. Eternally He was existent with the Father. John 1:18 describes him as eternally in the bosom of the Father. The angels did his bidding. Ps. 103:20 “Bless the Lord, you his angels who excel in strength, that do His commandments, harkening unto the voice of the Lord.” Jesus Christ was the central figure in Heaven, the highest Being in Glory. He was eternally exalted and praised by the chorus of angels and saints, who cried, “Holy, holy, holy, worthy is the Lamb.” It was this highly exalted one who spoke the worlds into existence we read in John 1:3. “All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made.”
It was this Jesus who made the decision to leave all of the glories of Heaven to come to a sin sick world to redeem captive humanity. Why Jesus? Why this plan? HE ALONE COULD ATONE FOR YOUR SINS AND MINE. HE ALONE! Heb.1:3, “When He had by Himself purged our sins; sat down at the right hand of the Father.” KJV.
>No one else cared enough, yet in eternity past before the creation of time, a holy conclave in heaven agreed that Jesus would be the Lamb slain, before the foundation of the world. He made the sacrifice for you and for me, … the bible says, “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
>No one other than Jesus had the right. Only he had divine access to the Book of our Life. He saw every heinous thought, every harsh word and every evil deed that was written in the book of our lives, and only He had access to these records. When I was singing at the Burch prison a few years ago, I’m sure if I had asked the men if they would like me to go to the wardens office and pull their file and purge it, – wipe out all the charges against them, they would have wanted that, but it is a silly supposition because I would neither have the access or the right to those files. Jesus was the only one with a right to access our eternal file.
> Only Jesus had the power to blot out the stain of our sins. Only His blood could cleanse our sin darkened hearts. Isaiah wrote: “Come let us reason together, though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow, though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” In Colossians 2:14 we read, “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross.” Just think of that friend. Jesus looked at your sin and mine. Think for a moment of the most awful thing you have ever done. That thing which would be the greatest source of embarrassment to you now. The thing that you would perhaps least like for any of us to know about you. Then consider that Jesus looked at all the intimate details of that and He took it and he nailed the record of that sin to his cross. He not only had the right to the records, but He has the power to do what He will with the records.
> No one else could complete the work of cleansing us from sin. When the Israelite left the altar with the blood still running, he was only pure as long as he avoided sin. You and I live in a fallen world and none of us know exactly when we will draw our last breath. What if it happens at a time when we have let the Lord down in some sin of commission or omission? Only Jesus can present us faultless before the throne. Only the blood of Jesus keeps on cleansing us from all sin. Only Jesus blood is eternally effective. The bible declares, “HE by Himself purged our sins.”
> No one else is sinless. Jesus is our legal defence and he could not represent us before the Father, in His presence if He was not holy and pure, but praise His wonderful name the scriptures tell us that he is seated at the right hand of the Father and that He lives eternally interceding for you and for me.
> No one else can perform the miracle of transformation. It is a miracle of God’s grace when the record of our evil deeds is wiped out. Not only does Jesus wipe it out he gives us a new start and
– the wicked become righteous.
– the self-centred drunk becomes a loving husband and father again
– the hateful and cruel become kind and generous.
– the one who created and allows the miracle of human conception birth and life, does the miracle of allowing us to be born again.
> No one else can defeat Satan In Matt. 12:29 Satan is described as a STRONG MAN, but Christ is STRONGER!!! In Luke 10:19 we are told by Jesus that He is strong enough that with the authority we have in Him, we can overcome all the power of the enemy.
So what have we learned so far?
The first instalment was when Jesus left HEAVEN’S glory for earth.
>No one else cared enough
>No one other than Jesus had the right.
> Only Jesus had the power to blot out the stain of our sins.
> No one else could complete the work of cleansing us from sin.
> No one else is sinless.
> No one else can perform the miracle of transformation.
> No one else can defeat Satan
The scriptures tell us that he emptied himself, of his glory and His power.
The scriptures tell us that he made himself of no reputation.
He left the crystal clear air of he Heaven, the golden throne of glory to be born in a stable of less than crystal clear air. He gave up the praises of the saints and angels for the lowing cattle and the bleating of sheep, and still later the accusations and curses of the crowd.
He laid down the Righteous Robes of heaven for a peasants garments and later the nakedness of humiliation on a cross.
Yes, He came all the way from glory to earth that provision would be made so that we could go from earth to glory. The incarnation was Christ’s first instalment.
2. The second instalment was His battle with Satan
The time came when Jesus knew his intensive ministry was to begin, and when that day arrived Jesus went down to the river where John was baptising people and He himself was baptised. Then he went out into the wilderness, where he spent 40 days in prayer, fasting, and spiritual warfare with Satan himself. Jesus had gone into the desert led of God’s spirit, to seek the Lord and wait on Him for the anointing His earthly ministry would need, and it was near the end of this time that Satan hit Jesus with a furious blast. That’s one of his ways! Any time you decide you are really going to get serious about seeking the Lord, listening to Him and obeying Him, old slewfoot will be upset enough that he will very likely attack you with the best of his nefarious arsenal of ammunition. How precious to know that Christ paid an instalment on our salvation in the wilderness, and was tempted in all points as a man and yet without sin. He overcame so that we could be overcomers! Jesus went out into the gladiators circle and slew a dragon with the sword of the spirit. What was the sword of the Spirit Jesus used?____________
Who was the dragon he slew?________________ Can YOU overcome the temptations of Satan if you abide in Christ and His word abides in you?_________
The hymn writer reminds us so appropriately in the 3rd verse of:
Take the name of Jesus with you
As a shield from every snare,
When temptations round you gather,
Breathe that holy name in prayer,
Precious name, O how sweet, Hope of earth and joy of heaven
Precious name, O how sweet. Hope of earth and joy of heaven.
Years ago a ship was ploughing a tempest tossed sea and when part of the mast broke off, high above the ships deck. The captain ordered a lad to climb up the main beam and repair the damage. The boy started to climb, but quickly returned to the deck, ran to his cabin, and in just a moment reappeared, climbed the main beam, and repaired the top of the mast. When he had returned to the deck, the captain asked him why he had run to his cabin for a minute before he climbed aloft. The lad answered, “I went to offer a word of prayer, Captain and to grab my New Testament. My mother told me before we set sail that if I would pray and carry God’s word with me, I would know His care and protection in every storm.” The young man was right!
O that you and I would face all of the storms of our lives prayed up and full of God’s Word. I feel certain we would weather the storms so much better and know the protection of the Christ who paid an instalment on our salvation to protect us in the storms of life.
3.) THE THIRD INSTALMENT WAS CHRIST’S LONELY LIFE ON EARTH.
Jesus said, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.” Jesus was born in a borrowed stable, he preached from a borrowed boat, and he was buried in a borrowed tomb. The crowds thronged Him while he gave out gifts. Gifts of healing, deliverance, and the wisdom of his teaching, but when he began to speak of His suffering and the need to take up one’s cross, the crowds began to abandon Him. Jesus never knew the arms of a loving wife, or the admiration and dependence of his own children. His only close relationships were a few close friends and his disciples. At the end, even his disciples fled, and deserted him, but the final agonizing blow came when the Father turned His back on the sin Christ had chosen to carry on our behalf. Yes, your sin and mine. Jesus was lonely in another sense too. HE was a perfect person, surrounded by imperfect people. He knew their hearts and their shortcomings. In his humanity he faced the challenges of going along with his peers, but he did not because of His commitment to purity and His desire to be a perfect sacrifice for your sin and mine. In many, many ways He was very much alone.
Friend if you are here this morning and you struggle with loneliness, – comfort yourself with the thought that Jesus has been there, and he paid an instalment on your salvation from loneliness with his precious life. Jesus was glad to pay this price for you and me.
4.) THE 4TH INSTALMENT WAS HIS PHYSICAL SUFFERING FOR US
In this 4th instalment we see Him first in the garden. His closest allies and friends are sleeping even though he has pleaded with them several times to stand with Him in prayer. An angry crowd with sticks and clubs is gathering at the temple, preparing to march on Gethsemane. Jesus falls on his face in the garden, and with great heaving sobs, cries out to the Father, “If it be possible, let this cup pass from me.” He knew how bitter the cup would be. He had seen it all before the foundation of the world, but now here in human flesh, with human feelings, with human senses he awaited the immanent torture and pain of excruciating proportions. In his agony of spirit, He sweat as it were drops of blood. The song writer helps us again:
For me it was in the garden,
He prayed, “Not my will, but Thine.”
He had no tears for His own grief,
But sweat drops of blood for mine!
O How marvellous,
O How wonderful,
and my song shall ever be.
O How marvellous,
O How wonderful,
Is my Saviour’s love for me.
Next as Christ pays this 4th instalment, I see him in the stupid, absurd, kangaroo court.
This was the most unfair, indecent trial in the history of the world. Had there been any attempt at justice they could have researched and found thousands who had received good, even the miraculous at this man’s hands. Had there been any hint of fairness, there would not have been the beating, the punching, the spitting, the hitting, as the so-called trial progressed. The scriptures tell us the crowd was in a tumult and the false witnesses, hired by the Sanhedrin, could not even get their stories straight as to what offence Jesus might have committed. The supposed Judicial head of the region plainly said several times, “I find no fault in this man,” and yet he stood condemned, unjustly, unfairly, insanely, condemned. CONDEMNED IN YOUR PLACE, CONDEMNED IN MY PLACE.
The next place I see Jesus paying this 4th instalment is on the cross of Calvary. This world has known many dark, and infamous days friends, but none as dark as this day of intense suffering. Even creation recoiled in horror as its creator strained under the pain and suffering that day. The ground shook, rocks split, the sky went dark in daylight hours.
I wish I could adequately describe that awful, tragic day for you, but a thousand human tongues could not bring to your mind the agony and the terror of those hours. They take his weary, tired body, flowing with fresh wounds from the whip and the fist, and they place a rough cross on his shoulder and whip him still more with orders to march towards Golgotha. I see him as he falls beneath a load to heavy for a bruised, battered, worn body to bear. I see him as they stretch his arms out on the cross beam and drive those ragged steel forged spikes into his hands, and then as they place one foot on another and drive another giant spike through them to keep them in place. I listen with sickening horror as the rising cross thumps down into the hole prepared for it, jarring it’s precious cargo with merciless agony. I glance at the Masters contorted face as he squints out of eyes stained and overrun with the blood of his viscous crown. He hears the jeers of the jubilant crowd of ignorant followers. He sees in the distance, his mom, and John, the closest of His disciples, sobbing in despair.
It was not enough for you, for me that Christ would leave the wonders of glory and take on human flesh. That was just the first instalment.
It was not enough that He fought the Devil in the wilderness and defeated him.
It was not enough that He lived a lonely existence for the three years of his ministry on earth.
Even the crown of thorns, the humiliation and the beatings were not enough friend.
To pay the price of our salvation HE needed to plunge from the heights of glory to the depths of hell. HE went from the being the giver and sustainer of life … to painful death, so we could pass from certain eternal death to the glories of eternal life.
Friend, whether you know it or not, whether or not you accept it today, YOU NEED TO BELONG TO JESUS! “You are not your own, You are bought with a price.” We are His by every right of purchase in the world. When they drove those nails into his hands, He was buying your hands with all their power to work for and serve Him. When they drove that nail in His feet, he purchased feet with their power to carry you where he wants you to go. When they jammed that ragged, thorn-encrusted crown down on His precious head, he was purchasing your brain and your power to think and plan and strategize for the work of His kingdom. Finally, when they drove that spear through his side into his heart, He was purchasing your heart to love and serve him faithfully all the days of your life.
Arnold Von Winklereid is the great hero of Switzerland. An army was invading his beloved country and leaving in ruins every city in it’s path. The untrained soldiers of Switzerland were about to give up in retreat. It was then that Von Winkelried stood before them. He said, “Listen to me, yonder is my home and the country I love dear. I am turning my back on them and I will give my life to open up a break in the enemy lines. Fight on, and fight hard as you follow and drive these invaders from our homeland. Then he ran for the enemies lines shouting, “Make way for liberty, make way for liberty. The enemy mowed him down with their spears, but he did open up a breach and his followers took courage as they routed the enemy.
Two thousand years ago the power of hell had a grip on the hearts and souls of humanity. Then came one who said, “I will give my life in order to free them from the enemy.” He went to the cross for you and for me and all the darts and spears of hell were hurled at him, but today he stands here by his Spirit in our midst and he says, “Will you accept your freedom. Will you receive the gift I purchased for you. You are not your own, you are bought with a price. Come to him today.