It’s in our blood!
Throughout the centuries, undoubtedly many have partaken of the Communion elements without understanding what the bread and the cup really represent. An examination of the Scriptures reveals a number of things about Jesus’ blood also…
I am hearing the phrase, “I plead the blood of Jesus” a lot more again in prayer and the way it is used I am not sure we fully understand the meaning of that phrase.
From the outside, the idea of the blood of Christ is a gory, grotesque principle. Most people become squeamish at the sight of blood. But God established a penalty and a price for sin and mankind’s sinful nature. It was the sacrificial exchange of one life for another.
Leviticus 17:11
“For the life of the body is in its blood. I have given you the blood on the altar to purify you, making you right with the Lord. It is the blood, given in exchange for a life, that makes purification possible.
Another way to read this verse is…
God said, “I have given it to you (the creature’s life, which is in its blood) to make atonement for yourselves (covering the offense you have committed against Me).” In other words, those who are covered by the blood sacrifice are set free from the consequences of sin. The last clause of Leviticus 17:11 could be read either “the blood ‘makes atonement’ at the cost of the life” (i.e., the animal’s life) or “makes atonement in the place of the life”
Sin has cost the human race…
– Real intimate relationship with God.
– It has limited our potential as human beings,
– It has brought us under the bondage and control of the author of lawlessness and sin, Satan.
– It keeps us mentally and emotionally enslaved to guilt and shame.
– It blocks us from peace with God.
But none of that is God’s plan for our lives. He created Adam and Eve to live perfect lives in daily relationship with Him. In the beginning He would come and hang out with them each evening just to spend time with them face to face.
The problem with the Levitcal law was it was a temporary fix. Every time there was sin another animal would need to be sacrificed. Think about that in your own life. The Levitcal sacrifice was only ceremonial, in that, it could not completely make one pure enough to stand in the presence of a Holy God.
So the blood of Jesus was necessary to do all the work that sets us free. So when we are praying and someone says, “I plead the blood of Jesus” they are simply bringing to recollection what Christ has done. Today we need to begin our journey of recognizing what Christ has done by His laying down His life for us on the cross pouring out His life in place of ours. Each of these points is worth celebrating!!!!!!!
His blood is necessary for reconciliation with God.
Ephesians 2:13
“But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ”
The Scriptures teach that Jesus’s blood is literally there to re-establish (reconcile) our relationship with God.
– we can’t stand before a Holy God or have relationship with Him in our sin…until we come to Christ we are at war with God, our flesh wants its own way and we are our own gods but when we recognize we are in need of a Savior and our sinful nature then we can because of Christ life being poured out for us, accept that and come to Him
Jesus’ blood compensates for all the wrong a person has ever done.
Ephesians 1:7
“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace”
At first, the cross seemed a tragedy, but in the end it resulted in the ultimate good—the forgiveness of sins, redemption.
Redemption carries the idea of “buying back” humanity, as well as deliverance from enslavement to sin.
This buying back could not be accomplished with money or any other physical thing because the price was higher than anything on earth could buy. Blood was the only price, as is understood in the breaking of any blood covenant.
The “redemption” price, could only be paid by a blood relative as well; that is part of why God came in the form of a human being. We through accepting the sacrifice become family, joint heirs with Jesus.
God plays by His own rules
Jesus’ blood keeps a person free from sin.
1 John 1:7
“But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin”
– Few things in life are as troubling as the constant reminder and condemnation resulting from sin.
– Because of Christ blood we are free of every sin, thus the enemy and our own flesh do not have the right to condemn us
– we are clean and pure not because of our strength our goodness but because of Jesus sacrifice on the cross
Jesus’ blood is for sanctification.
Hebrews 13:12
“Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate”
Sanctification is a big “Christianese” word means “to be set apart,” and the application of Jesus’ blood sets a person apart as God’s very own.
– we are separate from the world
– we are separate from the devil and evil in general
– we are separate from our own flesh
We are called to be God’s own and no one else’s… making us Children of the King! Not by our work but by His love.
This is only the beginning of what Christ blood has done for us. This is what is truly meant when we “plead the blood of Jesus”
- We have a relationship with the Father because of Jesus’ life
- We have been bought back from the enemy by our big brother
- We are no longer under any condemnation
- There has been a line of separation drawn between us and all of our enemies
Please allow this to sink into you. If you are being beaten and abused by the enemy or your past sins come this morning and allow the blood of Christ to set you free.
To help you understand this let’s look at this last passage.
Ephesians 1:3-5
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. 4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.