Author: Pastor Tim

Are you wearing your big boy/girl pants?

 

In human terms, as we mature we are striving to take what our parents did for us as a launching pad for our lives that we might surpass who they are and what they have accomplished because we started with a leg up because of their growth and sacrifice. We grow to become healthy mature adults by growing in independent.

It is interesting in our spiritual lives, that is somewhat the opposite. We start out in rebellion to God, at war with His plan for our lives and then we spend our lives focusing in on becoming more like Him more and more dependent on Him.

Paul wrote this to the church at Ephesus

 

Ephesians 4:15,16

“…we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. 16 He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.”

 

The writer of Hebrews challenges us with this

 

Hebrews 5:11-13

There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen. 12 You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. 13 For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. 14 Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.

 

So what does it look like to be spiritually mature? What does it mean to be a healthy growing Christian?

 

 

• You are learning more about the one you love

 

John 14:23

Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them

 

 

Love is based on relationship and if the relationship is not growing it shows dysfunction

 

• You are digging into the deeper things of God

 

We read earlier in Hebrews 5:13,14

13 For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. 14 Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.

 

 

• You are not waiting for others to feed you

 

Maturity is shown but the disciple of being in the word being hungry for more practical experiences being “Jesus” to the world

 

Philippians 1:9,10

“I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. 10 For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return”

 

Which leads me to our last qualifier of maturity for today

 

• Constantly learning and teaching

 

2 Timothy 2:1

“You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, 2 and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”

 

All of us are called to share what we know with others so they might find the hope we have.

 

• You’re Growing in Grace

 

2 Peter 3:18

“…you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, all glory to him, both now and forever! Amen”

 

Our default response should not be anger or bitterness but forgiveness and grace, even when people don’t deserve it. That’s what grace is.

 

 

In review today’s five signs of our maturing faith are

 

• Always learning more about the Father, Son and Holy Spirit
• Going in deeper with the Word
• Not waiting for others to feed you
• Learning and teaching others
• Grow in grace

 

Where are you today? If you are doing this rejoice, you are growing if not take it as a challenge to see these signs of growth in your life.

 

Next week I have five more challenges for you

 

 

Let’s change America today!

 

Matthew 6:33

“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”

What do we/you need?

I know there are many of you that have needs this morning

Some of you are in need of a physical miracle

Some a relationship miracle

Some a financial miracle

Some an emotional miracle

 

According to this scripture, how do we get our needs met?

 

Let’s read it again

Matthew 6:33

“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”

 

A few weeks ago we talked about loving God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength

Putting God above all else, our pride, our inadequacies, our fears, our needs and wants, our families, our entertainment, our opinions, our strength and simply everything

 

Let’s look at this scripture

 

2 Chronicles 7:11-16

So Solomon finished the Temple of the Lord, as well as the royal palace. He completed everything he had planned to do in the construction of the Temple and the palace. 12 Then one night the Lord appeared to Solomon and said, “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this Temple as the place for making sacrifices. 13 At times I might shut up the heavens so that no rain falls, or command grasshoppers to devour your crops, or send plagues among you. 14 Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. 15 My eyes will be open and my ears attentive to every prayer made in this place. 16 For I have chosen this Temple and set it apart to be holy—a place where my name will be honored forever. I will always watch over it, for it is dear to my heart

God is speaking to Solomon and very well known passage of scripture

 

He says church…

If there is a time when because of sin I stop my blessings

If there is a time that I need to get your attention by attacking your livelihood

If there is a time where the only way I can get your attention is to put you on your back

 

Then because I love you…I will do it

 

BUT

All you have to do is come to me..realize there is nothing you can do about it and you have to trust me, if you recognize that I am all that you need and you repent of your self-reliance, or your fearfulness and woeful inadequacy, or pride, selfishness, and you remember me, THEN I will hear, heal, and restore…As you keep your heart soft I will always keep my heart open to you

For too long the church has not thought right of themselves and the power and authority God has invested in us.

Allow me a little latitude today to make a comparison…the church is a butterfly that lives like a caterpillar.

 

In North America there are at least 8 different types of caterpillars that turn into butterflies the, Papilio glaucus becomes the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail one of the more common butterflies. (I have pictures of both of these)

We are called to be strong, beautiful, and full of life to go beyond the boundaries of earth but we exist day to day as caterpillars. You see an interesting thing about these caterpillars is that they have a butterfly in them from birth. So do you!

We are called to be giant killers, world changers, the only hope for our culture and nation and so much more.

What made Solomon into a man that God could speak to and use to build a great nation?

Solomon had gone to worship, he had given the Lord all of his best

 

– He put God first with his best of what God had given him

 

– He made the effort to seek God and want to know what God wanted he didn’t just rest on his power and position

 

-He humbled himself before God recognizing that everything he had, had become, and his future where all in the hands of an almighty God.

 

– He was not afraid to remind God of His promises which means He knew God’s word.

Let’s look at what had happened earlier in Solomon’s life that makes us aware of all of this.

 

1 Kings 3:4 – 14

The most important of these places of worship was at Gibeon, so the king went there and sacrificed 1,000 burnt offerings. 5 That night the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!” 6 Solomon replied, “You showed faithful love to your servant my father, David, because he was honest and true and faithful to you. And you have continued your faithful love to him today by giving him a son to sit on his throne. 7 “Now, O Lord my God, you have made me king instead of my father, David, but I am like a little child who doesn’t know his way around. 8 And here I am in the midst of your own chosen people, a nation so great and numerous they cannot be counted! 9 Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?” 10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for wisdom. 11 So God replied, “Because you have asked for wisdom in governing my people with justice and have not asked for a long life or wealth or the death of your enemies— 12 I will give you what you asked for! I will give you a wise and understanding heart such as no one else has had or ever will have! 13 And I will also give you what you did not ask for—riches and fame! No other king in all the world will be compared to you for the rest of your life! 14 And if you follow me and obey my decrees and my commands as your father, David, did, I will give you a long life

In seeking God first and what God wanted Solomon ended up with every blessing.

This was something that was in Solomon, not a give to get game, he truly wanted what God wanted. He knew God’s word, had God’s heart, pursued Him daily so it was natural for Him to be seeking the Lord for what God wanted.

His heart was right to receive everything, because God knew He could be trusted.

I know every person here loves the Lord dearly but we get confused some times as to what our priorities should be. We get caught in traps of manipulation, fear, and selfishness and in return we end up with the blessings and plans God has for us, stolen.

Solomon set the nation up to succeed and prosper because of his seeking God and wanting God with all of His heart, soul, mind and strength not just for himself but for his nation.

Because of that….God gave Solomon all that he asked for plus brought down his enemies, blessed him with great prosperity, strength and length of days

Once again I ask you “What do you need (want)?”

God has got your back! He has got your needs under control.

Here is my challenge today

America needs to be great again, from God’s eyes stand point. We are the key to that and not only are we key to that, but also key to receiving all of the blessing God has for us.

Remember Matthew 6:33

“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”

I also want you to remember..

2 Chronicles 7:14,15

Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. 15 My eyes will be open and my ears attentive to every prayer made in this place.

What do you need????

Let’s take time today, in unity, as a body of believers, to seek Him, to humble ourselves, to repent on behalf of our country.

You are welcome to kneel, to sit, to come to the altar but I want us a body, in each service to truly seek him for a few minutes.

I will lead off, then I am looking for people to pray for our nation, our state, and our communities…we will pray for just a few minutes

The key is there is power in agreement…we have several intercessors groups through our the week and month praying but I think it is important today because I felt this was direct guidance from the Lord that this week we would pray together as family or our nation, state, and communities

At the appropriate time, I will close us in prayer and we will all be dismissed.

Daniel’s Prayer 9:8-19 adapted for our present situation in America

 

O Lord, we and our leaders and all the people are covered with shame because we have sinned against you.  But the Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him. 10 We have not obeyed the Lord our God, for we have not followed the instructions he gave us through his servants the prophets. All of our nation has disobeyed your instruction and turned away, refusing to listen to your voice.  “So now the solemn curses and judgments written in your Word, have been poured down on us because of our sin. You have kept your word and done to us and our rulers exactly as you warned. Never has there been such a disaster as happened  Every curse written against us in your Word has come true. Yet we have refused to seek mercy from the Lord our God by turning from our sins and recognizing his truth. Therefore, the Lord has brought upon us the disaster he prepared. The Lord our God was right to do all of these things, for we did not obey him.  “O Lord our God, you brought lasting honor to your name by rescuing your people from Egypt in a great display of power. But we have sinned and are full of wickedness.  In view of all your faithful mercies, Lord, please turn your furious anger away from your people, your holy mountain. All the neighboring nations mock us, and your people because of our sins and the sins of our ancestors.  “O our God, hear your servant’s prayer! Listen as I plead. For your own sake, Lord, smile again on your people.  “O my God, lean down and listen to me. Open your eyes and see our despair. See how your nation—the nation that is dedicated to you—is broken. We make this plea, not because we deserve help, but because of your mercy.  “O Lord, hear. O Lord, forgive. O Lord, listen and act! For your own sake, do not delay, O my God, for your people and your city bear your name

 

Ezekiel 22:30,31

“I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, but I found no one. 31 So now I will pour out my fury on them, consuming them with the fire of my anger. I will heap on their heads the full penalty for all their sins. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken.

 

MAY THAT NEVER BE LORD,WE WILL STAND IN THE GAP!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 3:16 connection

Who is Jesus?

Matthew 3:16,17

After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy

He is God’s son and he is one with the Father and Holy Spirit as we see in this scripture

Luke 3:16

John answered their questions by saying, “I baptize you with water; but someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

 

He will pour out a purifying fire and be the baptizer in the Holy Spirit. He makes it possible for us to have the power we need to overcome and be salt and light in the world.

John 3:16,17

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him

 

He came to take on all of our sin, he is once again, the SON of God and he came not by way of judgment but love. He shows us that god will spare nothing to show us His great love

Acts 3:16

“Through faith in the name of Jesus, this man was healed—and you know how crippled he was before. Faith in Jesus’ name has healed him before your very eyes

Through faith in Jesus all manner of miracles can occur, he is our healer and all that we need.

 

1 Timothy 3:16

16 Without question, this is the great mystery of our faith: Christ was revealed in a human body and vindicated by the Spirit. He was seen by angels and announced to the nations. He was believed in throughout the world and taken to heaven in glory

He is the anointed of God (Christ), the son as we mentioned before who came in human form which means he is more than human. Angels worship him and obey Him. He is still alive (even though He was crucified) and is reigning from heaven

Review who is Christ according to the 3:16 connection

 

• He is God…one with the Father and Holy Spirit
• He is the purifier and the releaser of the Holy Spirit
• He is the Son of God, took on all of our sin not for judgment but for love, showing us God would spare nothing for His love for us
• He is our healer and all we need
• He is the anointed one, came in flesh, angels worship Him, He still lives

Who are we in Christ?

1 Corinthians 3:16

Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you.

God at one time commanded a temple to be built to house His presence while on earth but because of Christ he no longer lives in buildings built but human hands but temples built by God, all of those who have laid down their lives, wills to Him. We are His dwelling place

2 Corinthians 3:16,17

But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom

We are free…from the power of the enemy, the bondage of sin, and the control of our flesh…we are not called to bondage but if we are the temple of the indwelling God then we are free in Him

 

Galatians 3:16,17

God gave the promises to Abraham and his child. And notice that the Scripture doesn’t say “to his children,” as if it meant many descendants. Rather, it says “to his child”—and that, of course, means Christ. 17 This is what I am trying to say: The agreement God made with Abraham could not be canceled 430 years later when God gave the law to Moses. God would be breaking his promise

We are the recipients of the promise through Christ, all of His promises so we don’t need to live as though we have no promise.

Review Who are we in Christ according to the 3:16 connection?

 

• the dwelling place of God’s spirit
• We are free of every bondage
• Recipients of all the promises of God

How should we act as Christians?

Ephesians 3:16,17

I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong

We should be people of intense love not because of what we see, feel or otherwise experience but because we trust in Him

Colossians 3:16

Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts

We should have in our hearts the message of Christ so full that we easily teach it based on the wisdom He gives us. Living lives full of music and gratitude

2 Thessalonians 3:16

Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all

WE should be at peace in every situation

James 3:16,17

For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.17 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere

 

We should be people full of wisdom and the fruit of that wisdom is peace, gentleness, yielding to others, full of mercy and showing this wisdom through our everyday actions

1 Peter 3:16

But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to ChristWe need to be people of clear conscience, not sinning but walking from of sin so no one can accuse us of anything, which shows we truly belong to Christ

1 John 3:16

We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters

We are people driven by love willing as Christ has laid down His life for us being willing to lay down our lives for one another

Philippians 3:16

But we must hold on to the progress we have already made!

We are a people who are always moving forward

Review How should we act as true followers of Christ according to the 3:16 connection?

 

• We act out of love and trust in Him
• We should have hearts full of gratitude able to teach with wisdom
• We should be at peace
• WE should be full of wisdom bearing the fruit of this through mercy, peace and gentleness and our actions reflecting this
• We should live with a clear conscience
• We are people of love laying down our lives for Christ and others
• We are always to move forward

How do we live this way?

2 Timothy 3;16

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right

The only way we can live this way is by having the living word in us. Even the Holy Spirit is limited by our submitting to the Lord and letting His Word live in us. We can not be taught, guided, know what is right apart from His word being alive in us

What should we look out for?

Revelation 3:16

But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth

Be aware of becoming lukewarm not hot and on fire nor cool and refreshing

The 3;16 connection mostly works with the exception of Mark, Romans, 1Thessalonians, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, 2 Peter, 2&3 John, Jude

This is a quick and easy way to tell the Jesus story for our world and our lives.

 

 

It’s in our blood. Part 2

 

Just in review of last week

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.

Last week we talked about the first four points of the blood of Christ

 

• 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

 

This week we continue on with four more.

 

 

5. Christ’s blood provides for bold access into God’s presence.

 

Hebrews 10:19

“Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus”.

 

Blaise Pascal, the French mathematician, physicist and philosopher, spoke of a “God-shaped vacuum” in every human being that only God Himself can fill.

 

In the Lord’s presence is….

 

– “strength and gladness (joy)” – 1 Chronicles 16:27

– “rest” – Exodus 33:14

– “fullness of joy and pleasures forever more” – Psalm 16:11

– “times of refreshing” – Acts 3:19

 

6. Jesus’ blood brings justification to the guilty.

 

Romans 3:24

 

“Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus”.

 

One of the common tactics of the enemy of man’s soul involves accusation.

 

Scripture actually refers to Satan as the accuser of God’s people (Rev. 12:10). One of his ploys begins with, “And you call yourself a Christian.” The statement hurts, and the enemy knows how to guide it into the human mind with pinpoint accuracy.

The problem with such accusations is that more often than not, they are true.

 

At this point, God’s teaching concerning forgiveness through Jesus’ blood gives a person the ability to resist the enemy’s accusations.

 

Once sin is dealt with through Christ, in a very real sense, it is as if it never happened. It is gone forever, never to be acknowledged again.

 

“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony” Revelation 12:11

 

7. Jesus’ blood takes care of a defiled conscience.

 

Hebrews 9:14

 

“How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”.

 

It is easy to pursue religious activities in order to appease God or our own conscience or to pay Him back for the wrongs we have done—or even to earn the right to enter into His holy heaven.

 

All of this is worthless in light of what the Bible says about justification. Which is are being made right in God’s eyes. Justification is only by faith, not something where we can be good enough we simply have to accept Christ sacrifice rather than thinking our goodness of work can make us right before God. We are already justified by His blood.

 

Acts 13:38,39

 

“Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses”.

 

8. Jesus’ blood brings peace to troubled hearts.

 

At Jesus’s birth, the heavenly host promised peace to men. In one way or another, everyone is looking for peace. The Scriptures declare that genuine and lasting peace is only available through Jesus’ blood.

 

Colossians 1:20

 

“Having made peace through the blood of His cross”.

WE have peace through the blood of Christ because…

 

-we are separated from the world and placed in real relationship with the Father

– We can live in the Father’s presence always

– Our conscience is made clear

– We have forgiveness not because of what we can do but instead what He has done for us.

 

WE have something the children of Israel never had a new covenant with God, not based on our work, goodness, or sacrifice but Christ blood

 

Hebrews 9:11-15

 

So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world. 12 With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever.

13 Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow could cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity. 14 Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. 15 That is why he is the one who mediates a new covenant between God and people, so that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance God has promised them. For Christ died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed under that first covenant

 

This is what Jesus meant by His dying words on the cross: “It is finished” John 19:30. Never again would the blood of bulls and goats cleanse men from their sin.

 

Only by accepting Jesus’ blood, shed on the cross for the remission of sins, can we stand before God covered in the righteousness of Christ 2 Corinthians 5:21

 

“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him”.

 

Today we will celebrate communion

 

The cup of the Communion table is also a reminder of blood. Jesus said, “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission [forgiveness] of sins” (Matt. 26:28).

 

Share and serve Communion

 

 

 

EXTRA SCRIPTURE REFERENCES FOR THE APP

 

 

 

Here are the 20 Things the Blood of Christ Does

 

1.      It remits sins (Matt. 26:28).
2.      It gives life to those who consume it (John 6:53).
3.      It causes us to dwell in Christ and He in us (John 6:56).
4.      It is the means by which Jesus purchased the church (Acts 20:28).
5.      It is the means by which Jesus becomes our atonement through faith (Rom. 3:25).
6.      It justifies us and saves us from wrath (Rom. 5:9).
7.      It redeems us (Eph. 1:7; 1 Pet. 1:18-19; Rev. 5:9).
8.  It draws us nearer to Christ (Ephesians 2:13)
9.      It grants us the forgiveness of sins (Col. 1:14).
10.    It brings peace and reconciliation to God (Col. 1:20).
11.    It has obtained eternal redemption for us (Heb. 9:12).
12.    It cleanses our conscience from dead works to serve the living God (Heb. 9:14).
13.    It is the means by which we enter the most holy place with boldness (Heb. 10:19).
14.    It speaks a better word than the blood of Abel (Heb. 12:24, NIV).
15.    It sanctifies us (Heb. 13:12).
16.    It makes us complete for every good work (Heb. 13:20-21, NKJV).
17.    It cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7).
18.    It bears witness in the earth along with the Spirit and the water (1 John 5:8, KJV).
19.    It is the means by which Jesus washes us (Rev. 1:5; 7:14).
20.    It is the means by which we overcome the accuser of the brethren (Rev. 12:11).

 

 

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.