In this sermon, the preacher tells a story about a man who was controlled by a little constrictor that had become his master. The preacher emphasizes that this constrictor represents a sinful habit or addiction that has a grip on people's lives. He urges the audience to turn to Jesus Christ, who died on the cross to set them free from the bondage of sin. The preacher encourages the listeners to thank God for the redemption through the precious blood of Jesus and to surrender their lives to Him.

And let us turn to the epistle to the Ephesians. He said, you know what an epistle is? An epistle is an apostate's wife. We know a difference to that in Bible repair, isn't that right? Two colored fellows met, and one said to the other, Be you in the Lord's army? Yes, I be in the Lord's army, I be a Baptist. Oh, you not be in the Lord's army at all, you be in the Lord's navy. Write over, please, Ephesians chapter one, and reading verse number six. Ephesians one, verse number six. To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he has been as accepted in the beloved, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace. Wherein he hath abounded the world art in all wisdom, having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to the good pleasure which he hath purchased in himself. There in the distant seismic forms of time he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even in him. In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who will get all things after the counsel of his own will. That we should be to the praise of his glory, in whom he also trusted after he heard the word of truth, in whom also after he believed he would seal with that holy spirit of promise, which is the earliest of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased possession. Wherefore I also, as I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all saints, seek not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of your faith. The eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of this God in the saints. The Lord add his blessing to that reading from his word. I'd like you to read on to the end of the chapter, but not just now. We've been looking these evenings at the question, what is a Christian? We found a Christian is a child of God. This morning we're looking at the Christian as a mayor of God. We're breaking each letter off into care, awe, instruction, love, and discipline. This morning we looked at the Christian as a mayor. We know that the inheritance, it is holy, it is high. It is an eternal inheritance. It is an incorruptible inheritance. Undefiled and filled not away. We know that our inheritance is born dead proof. It is incorruptible. It is dust proof. Undefiled. And it is, what's the last one now? Decay proof. It filleth not away. You got these three Ds, didn't you? Dead proof, dust proof, and decay proof. And then the last one, it is a royal inheritance. It is a rich inheritance. It's a rewarding inheritance. Now that is the air. We know that a little of what we've been brought into. Tonight we're taking the word redeemed. A Christian is one who has been redeemed. Aren't you glad tonight you know that John... This little word, my friend, really means, a Jew be set free at a price. Set free at a price. A gurzon just simply means, be price paid in the market. A gurzon means, price paid and brought out of the market. This will mean, and I love this with all my heart, set free. Looked. Now we're going to look tonight at this wonderful expression, redeemed. In doing so, we're going to give you again each a letter, a word. And the first word is ransom. The capital R. A ransom. Now the ransom price had to be paid. We sometimes think, I am redeemed, but not with silver. I am bought, but not with gold. Now keeping that before you, turn in your Bible, will you? To 1 Timothy chapter 2. 1 Timothy chapter 2. Now these are verses I think will become more... 1 Timothy chapter 2. Notice please, verse number 4. Who will have all men to be saved, and to come to a knowledge of the truth. Now that is the divine will of God. All men might be saved, and come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator, between God and man. And now notice what it says in verse number 6. Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due season, and a divine witness. And I won't insert your thoughts if I may around this. There is one God. Now let that sink in for one moment. Let it hurt your heart. There is one God. There is one mediator, between God and man. The man, Christ Jesus. This one was God of very God, became man, perfect man, that he might be the mediator between God and man. God, when the fullness of time must come, sent forth his Son that he might be redeemed. And notice verse 6. Who gave himself a ransom. Beloved, we sometimes think, there was none other good enough to pay the price of sin. He only could have locked the gate of heaven, all for a ransom. It says in Matthew chapter 20, Lord Jesus said, I came not to be... Now that was his great purpose in coming into the scene. We were all sold under sin. All they kept were but three. He could not find, nor gave to God a ransom. When certain male prisoners heard she was gone, when the news came before the authorities, that she, that they were willing to die, they did not take long to... cannot die in the praise of another guilty person. And that woman went to the chair, and paid the full penalty. One guilty person cannot die in the praise of another guilty person. You're guilty, I'm guilty. You cannot die for me, I... I thank God there's a message from the throne tonight. It comes right down into the palms of the palms. And it's going to all the whole wide world. The whole world's very eyes. It says, deliver that soul from going to the pit. Isn't that wonderful? I have found a ransom, born of a woman, that he might redeem. Let me ask you very lovingly, have you ever thanked God for the... Have you ever thanked God, my friend, for the gift of his own darling son? If not, there's no better opportunity than tonight for you to thank him for redemption to the precious blood. Say you remember, in 1 Peter chapter 1, verse number 8, we are redeemed, not of corrupt. May I underscore something for you here? Way back in the old testament, your little blood, the blood of the boy, is in reference to the blood of our adorable Lord Jesus Christ. And saying that blood is precious in the eyes of God the Father. It is precious in all heaven tonight. And that blood is precious to each and every believer here in this auditorium this evening. Your heart and my heart, which sing our precious, precious blood of Jesus, shed on Calvary, shed for rebels, shed for sinners. Yes, hallelujah, shed for me. And so he gave himself as a ransom that he might redeem. We come to the next letter now, and the letter is E. The ransom prize has been paid in the person of God's beloved Son, whose precious, rich, royal blood was poured out. And please remember, all his righteous requirements have been fully met. The way back to God's presence. The ransom has been paid. My friend, is this real to you tonight? Now come to E. The word is emancipation. Redemption always reminds me of emancipation. And now turn with me to Romans 6. Romans 6, please, and verse number 22. Now, these are very well-known words. I think you ought to see those also for yourself. Romans 6, verse 22. I like these words with all my heart. But now being made free from sin and become a servant to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness and everlasting life. The word, my friend, set free, reminds us that we have been emancipated. We have been liberated. We are once in bondage for sin and for Satan and for sin. We are free men and we are free women on the merit and the value and the efficacy of the free. Aren't you glad about this? The same word is connected with justification. Way back yonder in Edinburgh, if a man was found guilty of murder and he was hanged, you go up, my friend, toward the castle there. John Brown, this morning, had fulfilled the law by dying. Now, thank God, tonight we are just set free because another God in your place and His Holy Father on the merit to the shed blood of the Lord Jesus in God's name, you only are justified standing with Him as if I had never sinned at all. But thank God I am emancipated. I am free. Aren't you able to sing tonight from your heart? My chains were snapped the bonds of sin are broken and I am free. Oh, let the triumph of His grace be spoken. But are you, my friend, still bound? Are you still bound? Are you free? God's righteous promises have been fully made. All He wants you to do, He wants you to accept God's record concerning His Son and honor Him as your Lord and Savior entering the good of His redemption tonight. When I was a youngster back in Scotland so many years ago, I remember doing a dialogue one Sunday school. I was the unbeliever, my friend the Christian, the tunnel dialogue was little things. I came on the platform eating an apple. He came on the other side and said, Hello, where did you get the apple? Oh, I said, I took it from my mother's fruit dish. What belongs to mother belongs to me. But he proved to me I had stolen an apple. Next time he went on half a dozen times, little more. Oh, you thought you could play with it? He breaks the pot of trees he takes it from me. There was a man from a long time ago. He trained and began to grow. This night, before the crowded house, this thing came flitting across the stage and called itself Boundless as in other times. But as it hit the eyes of that Burkham, had he become his master? Had he yelled out? Burkham struck a crash from the deck and he fell to the floor. The people roared from all over the building thought it was part of the act. Someone came in and shot the poor constrictor. The thing had been his playmate had become his master. And that thing you've been playing with for a long time, man, lady, has got you, hasn't it? And it's got a grip of you. What are you going to do about it? You're going to live away from yourself. And listen to that lovely man, the man Christ Jesus, who was bound upon that cross that you might be set free. He died that you might live. He wants you tonight to accept him as your Lord and as your Savior. Will you? Deeds. I find now the man, woman, the young person redeemed. The ransom has been given. Emancipation can be enjoyed. But then the word is delivered. And delivered. And remember, delivered at a great price. I love this with all my heart. You know, here you'll find the slave is there in the market. The ransom price has been paid. But he can still stay there in the market. The price has been paid. But then the other word is a beautiful word. Able to be set free at a price. And that's the word you'll hear now. In 2 Corinthians chapter 1 verse number 10, a freefall deliverance. He has delivered, doth deliver, and will even get a deliver. We've got a wonderful salvage, you know. We've got a wonderful deliverance. Redeemed at a price. Set free at a price. And the word really means this, and I want you to get it. And can never be put up for sale again. There's no sort of sale where the man has been reprised and been paid for has been set free. You're set free never to be sold again. Now isn't it a lovely thought? This what redemption means, my friend. D. Ernest Wilson, whom you've had here, he and I were ministering at a conference some time ago, and I asked him about the authenticity of a story I've used over and over again concerning Mr. Wilson. We were there in Ungerdof during a large conference. He saw way near the back of the crowd what he thought was a slave trader unafraid. He went in his way to the back of the crowd during interval in Ungerdof. There was a slave trader and a slave, a big tall man, full of humility and fear, standing there filled with emotion. And Mr. Wilson offered a price for the slave. The price was agreed upon and money paid over. Mr. Wilson took the slave back to the mission compound and after some time he says to the slave at the conference all over, said, Now look, I bought you at a great price. I bought you you belong to me. I bought you to set you free. Now I'm giving you your liberty. No one else can have you. You're my property. You can go back to the jungle, work amongst your people there. You're a free man. I freed you at a great price. Are you going to stay with us here on the mission compound? Well, you know what did the man do? He prostrated himself before Mr. Wilson and said, I will love you forever. My son, out of love, I'll serve you forever. Oh dear child of God, we too are being set free and liberated at a great price. That we might be men and women at the Lord's disposal. He bought us to possess us. Will you tonight come with me and prostrate yourself before him as a believer and call him as your Lord and from your heart say, Oh Jesus Lord and Savior, I give myself to thee for dowering thine atonement to give thyself to me. I own no other master. My heart shall be thy throne. My life I give and force to live. Oh Christ, for thee alone. Beloved, this is just as definite and just as deliberate as the moment you receive Christ as your Savior is that moment when you are thrown in by the Spirit as Lord of every compartment and department. This is just as definite and just as deliberate as the moment you say, Lord Jesus, I own thee as my Lord and Savior come into my heart and now you, my friend, present your whole life to him, spirit and soul and body. You hear the words of the Apostle in Romans 12, 1 saying, because you've been set free through Romans chapter 6 and, my friend, you've been set free through Romans chapter 8 because the cause and the text of the Romans. And then you come, my friend, my congregant, through Romans 6, 11. Romans 6, 11 says, likewise making yourself be dead indeed unto stains for the holy acceptable unto God, which is a reasonable it is our spiritual worship and we are come be transformed, transfigured, changed, you may know what it is that by the square taken around who we are the child of Adam. Our history finishes across 2,000 years ago. He sees us in his beloved son holding us up, laying before him in love and the Christ one day is coming he delivers us all together from sins present oh let us come see from his head his hands, his feet sorrow and love still mingle down generics love and sorrow meet our thorns composed to reach a crown where the whole realm never knowing far too small so divine shall have my life, my all take my love oh Lord I call as I seek this treasure store take mine filth and I will be ever earth made oh for thee that great man laid the city stud the founder and the first missionary of the way to worldwide evangelistic crusade young man of religion graduate from Cambridge University another subject another student that dear man gave over a million hands turning away to the Lord's interest to save his world when I saw redemption meant buying back I have been purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ I was no longer my own he said it was not difficult for me to hand over my whole life to him spirit and soul and body it was just ordinary common decent honesty to do such a thing the Bible says when a man robbed God dear child of God yet my friend you are saved by his massive grace you are claimed by his precious blood you are robbing him tonight you are robbing him he wants you he wants me all men before him tonight and in humility and in all sincerity with a heart filled with worship how lovely thou art break every fetter thy faith let me see then thou shalt ever be precious to me oh he is a lovely Lord friend do you know him do you know him he he means Elizabeth thank God tonight the one redeemed at the ransom price who has been emancipated who has been delivered is now Elizabeth and I thank God tonight for this redemption for redemption my friend is an elevation the gospel is something that lifts up thank God he comes up out of a horrible pit he places his feet upon a rock we shall see him here an angel crossing the Lord thank God tonight we'll be brother thank God for redemption liberty and lift that's what the gospel does my friend tonight do you notice emancipating elevating power in your life now you'll notice in our scripture reading tonight now I'm going to finish on this letter E I'm going to continue tomorrow morning and finish this subject a Christian is one who redeems now think of the letter E elevation Ephesians chapter 1 chapter 2 verse 6 says we have been chapter 1 verse 6 says we have been accepted in the beloved we have been raised up together and made to sit together in the heavenly in Christ Jesus we are once my friend my friend once the offspring we are the children of God there's nobody like us let's put it on the rim of the scripture verse number 19 of Ephesians chapter 1 says exceeding greatness of his power which he wrought in Christ can you hear the great warrior pray exceeding greatness exceeding greatness when raised him from the dead and all heaven is standing as a great God of honor all the angelic host the archangel the cherubim the seraphim and all standing there as a great God of honor but he having been raised from the dead still bearing the mark of Calvary's passion in his lovely hand and feet still bearing the mark of his throne crown that steel-ribboned sign can you see him, my friend, reigning and can you see him soaring up, up, up rising through the pearly gates right up to the great God of glory God placed his son far beyond all distinction of power beyond all description every name that is named not only in this world also in that which is yet to come he's placed him far above all dispensation of power did you get those three D's? beyond all distinction beyond all description and beyond all dispensation God placed his son far beyond the heavens crowned with thorns his crown of glory now a royal diadem look, ye saints, the sun is glorious see the man of sorrows now from the fight return victorious every knee to him shall bow crown him crowned become almighty victor's brow far above all far above all Jesus the crucified is exalted far above all kingdoms may rise kingdoms may fall Jesus the crucified is exalted far above all and your heart with my heart bow before him as you think, my friend, of his liberating power a bodily resurrection from on among the dead not a mere spirit of phantom but a bodily resurrection he appeared to his own they handled him he ate with him he drank with him and his elevating power for God has placed all things under his feet aren't you glad about that? God has placed all things under his feet in his body now, friends, I missed out one phrase in my quotation I missed out three what is that phrase? Ephesians 1, 19 says God, God exceeding the greatness of his power, here it is to us, world, who believe that's it friends, the very same power that raised him from the dead and placed him far above all is the very power that came into your life and into my life at the very moment we were born again and all this power is at your disposal in mine aren't you glad you're a child of God? aren't you glad you're a Christian? friends, I recognize what you've been brought into as a child of God and all the power yet we go around like spiritual paupers we can be spiritual multimillionaires we go around like spiritual weaklings bemoaning our impotence our lack of power in prayer, in Bible study and the effect of witnessing and all this power is at our disposal all the power, my friends the electricity surging through both wired and still and friends, all the power of the risen Lord is at our disposal to stay on the switch to stay two illustrations flood through my mind one you take your boy up to the airport your boy sees all those people going into that jet says to your daddy the school teacher taught us that gravitation brings everything to the ground and I counted a hundred and seventy-five people going into that jet, daddy there's seven in the crew I saw the boxes, the cases and cargo being put onto that see how it's rising higher and higher and higher it's soaring away up there, daddy the law of gravitation brings everything to the ground how is that plane rising so high, daddy? says the father with a great big smile yes, it's true, my boy as long as they obey that new law, that new principle should they disobey the new principle the old law will take over what's the lesson? Romans 8, verse number 2 the law, spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death the law of sin and death, my old Adamic nature is still in dwells me and will be with me to the early end of the journey from the downward pole causing carnality, minding things of flesh, of things of the earth but thank God the moment you receive Jesus Christ in your heart you'll see the new principle it's the law, the spirit of life in Christ Jesus which is more powerful than the law of sin and death what does Paul say? the law, the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free has set me free from the law of sin and death I know this the law of sin and death can't operate unless I trust and obey there's no other way to be happy in Jesus than to trust and obey so will you tonight with me come and pray Lord at heart reign over me Lord Jesus reign over all within make me a loyal subject to thee in everything here's my second illustration that I enclosed I was in Detroit during the coronation of a beautiful young queen I think we've got enough Canadians here tonight we can truthfully say that a bus I was seen with friends in Dearborn I asked them if I may have a radio into my bedroom at least one of the radios they began poking fun at me for being so patriotic said now look all I want is your radio I got the radio into my bedroom at six o'clock in the morning I switched it on and to my great joy I heard it deep Oxford train voice of the Archbishop of Canterbury repeating John 3.16 for God so loved the world to give His only begotten Son whosoever believeth on Him shall not perish but have eternal life I sat there in that bedroom my mind was transported to London, England I saw the Royal Post I saw in my mind's eye all the stars above I could hear all the blowing of trumpets all the fanfare all the glitter, all the glamour all the wonderful page breaks I could think of that wonderful precision not a horse's hoof out of place not an arm or leg swinging of any airman, sitter, or soldier waltz, or range everything my friend, synchronizing and I saw the whole procession going round Metropolitan Square passing James right on to Westminster Abbey as I stood there in that bedroom I saw that royal regal figure leaving the royal church going through the doors of that great historical building walking along that long, wide, cold aisle the cathedral's packed with dignitaries and celebrities from all over the world every eye focused upon that young girl as she moved forward towards the high altar and a moment came a moment I will never forget in all my life when I heard the voice of the Archbishop saying as the address appeared Gentlemen, I present to you Her Royal Highness Elizabeth Are you now ready to crown the Queen? and with one heart and with one voice I heard her crying We are now ready crown the Queen I was transferred into heaven tears running on a chimney down my face Now is there a moment still of future and all the redeemed of all ages will be gathered around the Lamb in yonder glory and beloved all redeemed by His precious blood will gaze upon Him still bearing the mouth of Calvary's passion and with one heart and with one voice we shall call Bring forth the Royal Diadem and crown Him Lord of all worthy O Lamb of God that Thou that every knee to Thee should bow O Beloved in a quiet hush and a quiet moment of this gathering the Holy Spirit is here present He presents the Lord Jesus to you in all His solitude and dignity with all the love and His lovely passion upon Calvary's cruel cross He says to you and He says to me Are you now ready redeemed by precious blood to enthrone Him Lord of all He is waiting for your answer as a Christian What is your answer? There will be a moment of silence and in that moment as that vision still fills your heart hear the Spirit saying Are you now ready? Then if you really mean it with all sincerity then pray Have Thine own way Lord Have Thine own way Lord all my being absolute sway so would I strew to all to see Christ only always living in me in full and glad surrender I give myself to Thee than utterly and only and evermore to Thee O God of God Thou Holy God Thou knowest each heart bowed before Thee both hearts redeemed by precious blood both hearts that know some efficacy in the cleansing of that same blood grant each heart tonight we know Christ reigning Lord Supreme with our arrival Lord over our time our talent our treasure Lord over our spirit our soul our body Lord over all blessed forever we offer our thanks commend the gathering to Thee in the created name of the Lord Jesus Christ Let's sing together the closing hymn number 3 I thought it was 949 Hymn number 3 and tomorrow morning we'll continue there with the next letter E and go on and tomorrow night I want to speak on a very interesting subject and I know it will be a blessing to you you can't sing this sitting down we're going to sing number 3 O Hail the power of Jesus bring forth the royal guide Lord of all Hymn number 3