Summary: Great was the cost of our salvation and its message; therefore live worthy of the shed blood of Christ.

Quotes - Giving:

When you learn, teach. When you get, give. - Maya Angelou

Blessed are those who can give without remembering, and take without forgetting. - Princess Elizabeth, Asquith Bibesco

We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give. - Winston Churchill

What is unappreciated is undeserved. - Mark Amend

Leviticus 17:11 “For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.”

Blood is a precious liquid of which mankind cannot live without.

I Corinthians 6:20 “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.”

Bought With A Price! Bought With Blood!

Matthew 5:10-12 “10- Blessed [are] they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11- Blessed are ye, when [men] shall revile you, and persecute [you], and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12- Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great [is] your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.”

Matthew 23:34 “Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and [some] of them ye shall kill and crucify; and [some] of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute [them] from city to city:”

John the Baptist was beheaded by Herod.

Stephen, was stoned in 34 AD.

James The Greater, the son of Zebedee and brother of the Apostle John was beheaded in 44 AD.

Philip the Apostle was crucified in 54 AD.

Matthew the Evangelist was killed with a halberd (a combination of battle axe and spear) in 60 AD.

James the Just, a half-bother of Jesus was beaten to death with a club after being crucified and stoned.

Matthias replaced Judas and was stoned and beheaded.

Andrew, Saint Peter's brother, was crucified.

Mark the Evangelist, was dragged in the streets of Alexandria then beheaded.

Peter was crucified upside-down.

Paul was beheaded in Rome.

Jude was killed.

Bartholomew was flayed alive and crucified.

Thomas the Apostle was killed by a spear in Mylapore Madras, India in AD 72.

Luke the Evangelist was hanged.

Simon the Zealot one of the Apostles was crucified in 74 AD.

Note: John the Evangelist was the only one of the original twelve Apostles who was not martyred, he died of old age in his 90’s.

Hebrews 11:32-38 “32- And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gideon [with 300 men defeated a countless arm], and [of] Barak [who overthrew King Jabin of Canaan in Judges 4], and [of] Samson [who broke the yoke of the Philistines], and [of] Jephthae [who defeated the Ammonites]; [of] David [a giant killer] also, and Samuel [The last judge of Israel, who operated in the office of priest and prophet], and [of] the prophets: 33- Who through faith subdued kingdoms [like Joshua who conquered the Canaanites], wrought righteousness, obtained promises [like Joshua and Caleb who believed God would give them victory after spying out the land], stopped the mouths of lions [like Daniel (Belteshazzar) in the lion’s den], 34-

Quenched the violence of fire [Like the 3 Hebrew children Shadrach (Hananiah), Meshach (Mishael) and Abednego (Azariah)], escaped the edge of the sword [Like Moses and the Hebrew people when fleeing from Pharaoh; Elijah when fleeing from Jezebel and David when fleeing from Saul], out of weakness were made strong [Like Hezekiah who was delivered from sickness that was unto death], waxed valiant in fight [Like Jonathan], turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 35- Women received their dead raised to life again [Like Zarephath in I Kings 17:21 and the Shunammite women in II Kings 4:34]: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: 36- And others had trial of [cruel] mockings and scourgings [Like Samson before the false idol of Dagon], yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment [Like Joseph, Jeremiah and Micaiah]: 37- They were stoned [Like Zechariah son of Barachiah], they were sawn asunder [It is recorded in Yevamoth, fol. 49, 2 that “Manasseh slew Isaiah; for he commanded that he should be slain with a wooden saw. They then brought the saw, and cut him in-two; and when the saw reached his mouth, his soul fled forth.” St. Jerome also records this horrific event.], were tempted, were slain with the sword [as Doeg who killed 85 priest with the sword in I Samuel 22:18.]: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins [The Septuagint (LXX) records in IV Kings (Which is Second Kings) 2:8, 13 that the mantel of Elijah was made from a sheepskin.]; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; 38- (Of whom the world was not worthy:)…”

Why did all these die? Not for evil deeds or wrong doing; but for big lovers of God and His Word. For doing what it right because it is right!

Jesus Christ is the “author and finisher of our faith.”

Matthew 26:2 “Ye know that after two days is [the feast of] the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.”

Jesus was betrayed by Judas with a kiss.

He was arrested and His hands were bound.

He was led away by armed guards.

Peter denied Him 3 times.

He was mocked, a crown of thorns were pressed into His head.

He was spit upon and hit.

He strapped to a whipping post and the flesh of His back torn.

He was forced to carry His own cross.

He was crucified!

A spear was jabbed into his side and out flowed blood and water.

I John 5:8 “And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.”

I Peter 1:18-21 “18- Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, [as] silver and gold, from your vain conversation [received] by tradition from your fathers; 19- But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20- Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 21- Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.”

Our Faith was Blood Bought at great cost!

Therefore:

Ephesians 4:1 “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called”

Christ Shed His Blood that you and I might have Life and it more abundantly! –NOW LIVE!!