LORDS SUPPER
JUNE 3RD, 2012
Lev 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.
- Since it is the blood that contains the life, blood is sacred to God.
- There are millions of church people who profess to accept the moral teachings of the Bible while refusing its doctrine of atonement. But the fact remains that man is sinful; his life is forfeited; he cannot put himself right with God.
- If you look in your Bibles from Genesis 3 down to the close of Revelation, you will discover the doctrine of the shedding of innocent blood from a substitute atones as the means of covering the sins of the believing sinner, who is then allowed to live. The entire book of Leviticus is a commentary upon the doctrine of the blood atonement. All of the various sacrifices of the OT point to the blood of Jesus Christ as being the sole ground of a sinners righteousness before God. Believing sinners obtain pardon, peace, life, and righteousness with God, all by the virtue and power of the blood, and nothing but the blood.
Without blood there cannot be life in the physical body. That is just as true in the Bible. Blood flows through the Bible just as it does through our veins. The blood of Christ keeps Christianity alive. Someone has said, “Cut the Bible anywhere and it will bleed.” Without the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, there is no Gospel and we are deprived of eternal life.
- Jesus said, For this is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins. Matthew 26:28
The writer to the Hebrews said, And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without the shedding of blood is no remission (Heb 9.22; 10.18).” - In his letter to the Colossians, Paul wrote, In Whom (Jesus Christ) we have redemption through the blood, even the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:14.
Peter added, we are not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot I Peter 1:18,19
Then John agreed with Peter and Paul, He wrote, The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin. I John 1:7
Let’s put the blood of Christ under the microscope and do some forensic studies…then we’ll get the complete picture—a portrait of the blood.
I. In Analysis: The Blood of Christ Is Perfect
The virgin birth of Christ established the fact that His blood was perfect.
- Pilate said, I find in him no fault at all. John 18:38
- Judas cried out. I have betrayed innocent blood.
- Paul explained, For He (God) hath made Him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.
- Jesus Himself said, Which of you convinceth me of sin? John 8:46
- He was spoken of as, “Holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens.” Hebrews 7:26
- Again, “Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth.” I Peter 2:22
- John added, “in Him is no sin.” I John 3:5
The virgin birth of Jesus Christ was foretold back in Genesis 3.15.
- A natural father would have imparted the sin-nature of Adam to Christ and His death could not have provided redemption. The virgin birth is absolutely essential to the salvation of our souls.
- The Bible clearly teaches that Jesus was born of a virgin and did not have original sin. Matthew 1:23 quotes Isaiah the prophet saying,
Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
Because Jesus was conceived by The Holy Ghost and not by a human father, there were no impurities in the blood of Christ, thus causing His blood to provide a perfect atonement for sin.
II. In Application: The Blood Is Pure
The writer of Hebrews stated, For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Hebrews 9:13,14
When the pure blood of the Saviour is applied to the sinner, it provides cleansing. John explained, The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin. I John 1:7b.
“What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the Blood of Jesus
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the Blood of Jesus
Oh, precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow
No other fount I know
Nothing but the Blood of Jesus.
- Peter wrote, Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things…but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. I Peter 1:18, 19
And because the blood of Jesus is without blemish and without spot, it is purifying! Nothing but the pure blood of Jesus Christ can remove my sin. No ritual, ceremony or good deeds can take away my sin debt that I owe to God, only the blood of Jesus.
III. In Action: The Blood Is Perpetual
The animal sacrifices of the Old Testament were continuous year after year. The blood of bulls and goats only provided temporary forgiveness and pardon because it pointed to the sacrifice of Christ and His blood being shed for the covering of our sin.
- The writer of Hebrews speaks of Christ as one, Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once (once and for all), when he offered up himself. Hebrews 7:27
- 1Pe 3:18 For Christ also hath once (once and for all) suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit.
- Again, the writer to the Hebrews tells us that it was, Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. Hebrews 9:12
Then again, But now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. Hebrews 9:26
Heb 10:11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God. - The death of Christ set into motion a continuous cleansing for those who trust in Him. Sat down- which implies that the justice of God has been satisfied and there is no other offering for sin needed. The OT priests could never sit down because the work of atonement in the OT was only temporary and not final. Heb 1.3 Jesus by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high
- The Bible speaks of the “blood of the everlasting Covenant.” Hebrews 13:20. Our faith in His blood is all it takes to settle our sin debt forever and ever. We are given the gift of eternal life that has been purchased with His own blood. The church of Jesus Christ has been purchased with His own blood (Acts 20.28).
- Thank God are removed as far as the east is from the west. Our sin debt has been taken away once and for all, forever by The blood of The Lamb, Jesus Christ.
IV. In Accomplishment: The Blood Is Powerful!
The song writer wrote:
Would you be free from the burden of sin?
There is power in the Blood
Would you over evil a victory win?
There’s wonderful power in the Blood
There is power, power wonder working power
In the Blood of the Lamb
There is power, power wonder working power
In the precious Blood of the Lamb
John wrote, Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood. Revelation 5:9
The blood of Jesus Christ applied to my soul by faith is the power of God that redeems fallen man!
We are told that the tribulation saints overcame the wicked one, Satan, by the blood of the Lamb. Revelation 12:11
The blood of Jesus Christ applied to my life by faith enables me to overcome the wiles of the wicked one.
V. In Acquittal: The Blood Is Permanent
- Mr 10:45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
- 1Ti 2:6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. The word ransom is a powerful word…it means to pay off, to free, to clear, to absolve. It has a far reaching meaning extending from the past all the way to the future.
Not only our past sin was covered but also our present and future sins are put under the blood when we trust in Christ as Savior.
Jesus’ blood cleanses from our past sins. Isaiah said, I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee. Isaiah 44:22
David spoke to this when he stated, As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us. Psalm 103:12
He promised not to remember them again. I will remember them no more against you forever.
Jesus’ blood covers our present sins, both the sins of omission and the sins of commission. Whether it be things we ought to be doing and are not doing or whether it be things we are doing that we ought not to be doing. These are covered fully by His Blood atonement.
Jesus’ blood continues to atone for future sins. This is not to say we can just go ahead and sin…a truly saved person won’t have that attitude. But we can know that despite our very best efforts, we are sinners, and will yet sin, but we don’t have to get saved again. Do we need to confess it to God and make it right? Of course! As we continue to walk thru this life we’ll need daily foot washings, but praise God that one time “all over bath” secures us from all sin: past, present, and future!
The Blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin. I John 1:7
Jesus’ blood continually cleanses us all sin! Do you need a cleansing this morning beloved? Come to the table with a broken and contrite heart.
VI. In Appraisal: The Blood Is Precious
Peter used the term precious to describe the Blood of Christ. He said, But with the precious Blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. I Peter 1:19
1Pe 2:6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.
The Lord Jesus is precious, His blood is precious. 1Pe 2:7 Unto you therefore which believe He is precious.
We obtain this precious faith through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet 1.1
VII. In Aggression: The Blood Is Protective
In Exodus 12 the blood was sprinkled on the door posts of the Jewish homes just as the Lord had instructed them. When the death angel came on that faithful night with the awful judgment of death to the first born the Jews were protected by the blood.
It was actually their faith in the blood of that lamb that brought protection. Those who believed the Word the Lord had given to Moses acted on it and were spared from judgment.
God had said, The blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. Exodus 12:13
Atonement accomplished does not mean that universal atonement is now applied to everybody. The blood in the Exodus needed to be applied by faith in order to escape the judgment of God. The judgment of God will not fall on those who have placed their faith in Christ and accepted Him as their Savior.
It is through the blood of Christ, typified by the blood of the paschal lamb, that God pardons men, and saves them from that destruction which as sinners they deserve. 1Cor 5.7
The blood of Christ is the foundation of everything. It is the ground of God’s righteousness in justifying an ungodly sinner that believes on the name of the Son of God; and it is the ground of the sinner’s confidence in drawing nigh to a holy God who is of purer eyes than to behold evil.
If you have not gotten under the protection of the Blood of Jesus Christ, I beg you to do so now before the death angel comes to your house. A holy God justifies an unholy sinner by grace the very moment that he or she places their faith in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. By faith, apply the blood of Christ over your sins this morning my friend.
- Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.