"You must know that you were redeemed from
the useless way of living inherited by tradition
from your forefathers, not with corruptible things
such as silver and gold,
But you were purchased with the precious blood
of Christ the Messiah, like that of a sacrificial lamb,
without blemish or spot."
1 Peter 1:18-19
Ancient Judean Coins
ACTS CHAPTER THREE
Now Peter and John were going up to the temple
at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour, three o'clock in the afternoon.
When a certain man crippled from birth was being carried along,
who was laid each day at that gate of the temple, which is called
Beautiful, so that he might beg for charitable gifts from
those who entered the temple.
So when he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple,
he asked them to give him a gift.
And Peter directed his gaze intently at him, and so did John,
and said, "Look at us!"
And the man paid attention to them, expecting that he
was going to get something from them.
But Peter said, "Silver and gold money I do not have;
but what I do have, that I give to you; in the name of
Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!
Then he took hold of the man's right hand with a firm grip
and raised him up. And at once his feet and ankle bones
became strong and steady.
And leaping forth he stood and began to walk, and he went
into the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.
And all the people saw him walking about and praising God.
Saints Peter and John Heal The Lame Man
(1655)
Nicholas Poussin
(1554-1665)
French painter
And they recognized him as the man who usually sat begging for
alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with
wonder and amazement over what had occurred to him.
Now while he still firmly clung to Peter and John, all the people
in utmost amazement ran together and crowded around them
in the covered porch walk called Solomon's.
And Peter, seeing it, answered the people, You men of Israel,
why are you so surprised and wondering at this? Why do you
keep staring at us, as though by our own individual power
or active piety we had made this man able to walk?
The God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob, the God
of our forefathers, has glorified His Servant and Son Jesus,
doing Him this honor, Whom you indeed delivered up and
denied and rejected and disowned in the presence of Pilate,
when he had determined to let Him go.
But you denied and rejected and disowned the Pure and Holy,
the Just and Blameless One, and demanded the pardon of
a murderer to be granted to you.
But you killed the very Source, the Author of life,
Whom God raised from the dead.
To this we are witnesses.
And His name, through and by faith in His name,
has made this man whom you see and recognize well and strong.
Yes, the faith which is through and by Him, Jesus has given
the man this perfect soundness of body before all of you.
And now, brethren, I know that you acted in ignorance, not
aware of what you were doing, as did your rulers also.
Thus has God fulfilled what He foretold by the mouth of all
the prophets, that His Christ, the Messiah, shall undergo
ill treatment and be afflicted and suffer.
So repent, change your mind and purpose; turn around and
return to God, that your sins may be erased, that times of
refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;
And that He may send to you, the Christ, the Messiah, Who
before was designated and appointed for you-even Jesus,
Whom heaven must receive and retain until the time for
the complete restoration of all that God spoke by the mouth
of all His holy prophets for ages past, from the most
ancient time in the memory of man.
Thus Moses said to the forefathers, The Lord God will raise up
for you a Prophet from among your brethren as He raised up me;
Him you shall listen to and understand by hearing and heed
in all things whatever He tells you.
And it shall be that every soul that does not listen to and understand
by hearing and heed the Prophet shall be utterly exterminated
from among the people.
Indeed, all the prophets from Samuel and those who came
afterwards, as many as have spoken, also promised and foretold
and proclaimed these days.
You are the descendants, sons of the prophets and the heirs
of the covenant which God made and gave to your forefathers,
saying to Abraham, And in your Seed, Heir, shall all the families
of the earth be blessed and benefited.
It was to you first that God sent His Servant and Son, Jesus,
when He raised Him up, provided and gave Him for us, to bless
you in turning every one of you from your wickedness and evil ways.
Washed In The Blood
Aaron Spong
Precious, precious, blood of Jesus
Shed on Calvary,
Shed for rebels, shed for sinners,
Shed for me.
Precious blood, that hath redeemed us!
All the price is paid;
Perfect pardon now is offered,
Peace is made.
Precious, precious blood of Jesus,
Let it make thee whole;
Let it flow in mighty cleansing
O'er thy soul.
Though thy sins are red like crimson,
Deep in scarlet glow,
Jesus' precious blood can make them
White as snow.
Precious, precious blood of Jesus
Ever flowing free!
O believe it, O receive it,
'Tis for thee.
"Precious, Precious Blood Of Jesus"
(1874)
Frances Ridley Havergal
(1836-1879)
English Hymn writer
"But if we really are living and walking in the Light,
as He is in the Light, we have true fellowship with
one another; and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son
cleanses us from all sin and guilt."
1 John 1:7
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