An Expensive Purchase – April 22, 2026
Read: 1 Peter 1:17-21
Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 1 Peter 1:17-19
An Expensive Purchase
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
A long time ago, in 1878, a wagon was carrying gold bars for a company. Thieves robbed it. The thieves stole all of the gold bars and hid them in a nearby cave so they could come back another time and retrieve them. However, before they could come back, another group of people found the gold hidden in the cave and buried it somewhere in the ground, because they recognized it as precious.
That gold was worth a lot of money. The thieves probably thought they were rich! But they learned something important. Even gold doesn’t fix everything. Gold can be lost. It can be stolen. It can disappear.
The thieves may have thought they had it all figured out—they had an immense amount of gold! But they learned the hard way that gold doesn’t mean their problems were gone. We might not use gold today, but many people know that money doesn’t stick around. It isn’t permanent. Money can be spent. Toys can break. Even very valuable things don’t last forever.
Thank God that he didn’t purchase us with something that can be stolen or hidden. When we were sinful and far from God, God reached out and purchased us with the most valuable thing of all—“the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.” He didn’t use something like gold or silver to buy his children back. He used something far more valuable. He used the blood of his perfect Son to redeem us forever!
When we know that we have been bought by the blood of Christ, we can live our lives differently. Before we were bought, we did not have anything—worldly possessions can’t save us! But as children of God, we can live knowing we have a home that is waiting for us. We can live for God in eager expectation of our salvation. We belong to Jesus, and no one can take us away from him.
Prayer:
Dear God, help me to know that you bought me for a price. You love me more than I even know! I want to live for you every day until I am at home in heaven with you. Amen.
The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.
Questions for Younger Children
- Does money last forever? What are some things that don’t last very long?
- God “purchased” us to be his children—how long will we belong to God?
Questions for Elementary Age Children
- Did God use gold, silver, or money to buy us? What did he use instead?
- We were horrible sinners who didn’t want to be with God. Why did he want to buy us back then?
Questions for Middle School and Above
- What is the most expensive thing you have ever bought? How does that compare to what God spent to buy us back? Was God’s price bigger or smaller?
- God had to buy us back. Who or what was he buying us back from?
