April 4th, 2023
As we approach Easter, my heart has been dwelling on the elementary truths of our Christian faith. The Gospel of Jesus Christ—His death, burial, and resurrection—is our foundation. His blood was shed for our redemption, and this week, I found myself in absolute awe of the power of that blood.
Jesus did what no animal sacrifice had been able to do up until that point. Unlike every lamb that was sacrificed before Him, Jesus chose to lay down His life, in obedience to His Father, and in love for us. He chose to be beaten with whips until He was unrecognizable. He chose to carry His cross to Calvary. He chose to bear the thorny crown on His head. He chose to allow nails to be pierced through His hands and feet, for you and for me. He bore rejection so we would never know its sting. He faced death to strip it of its power. The Bible tells us that the wage of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Jesus was the only One who has ever walked the earth without sin. He was the only One who has ever lived who didn’t deserve death, so He was the only One who could stand in our place. When He tasted death, He did it once and for all. Think about the moment that Jesus breathed His last breath—the very moment our debt was paid in full. Matthew 27:51-52 says,
“Behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.”
The Bible tells us so casually that many people walked of their graves. Can you imagine what that must have been like? The power of His death and resurrection was so great that He wasn’t the only One raised, because His sacrifice was for all of His people. Anything that Jesus has overcome, we’ve also overcome, by His blood.
I want to share with you a few things the Bible tells us about the power of His precious blood. Many of these things will be reminders, but let these truths fill you with wonder, like it’s the first time you’ve heard them:
1. Jesus’ blood ratified the unshakeable covenant that promises our forgiveness.
“He took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Matthew 26:27-28)
2. His blood cleanses us from the stain of sin. In Him, we aren’t just forgiven, but we’re as pure and innocent as a newborn child.
“If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7)
“How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.” (Hebrews 9:14)
“So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood.” (Hebrews 13:12)
3. His blood secures our lives for eternity.
“Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:54)
“He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.” (Hebrews 9:12)
4. We receive the sacrifice of Jesus, the power of His blood, by faith. We can’t ever work enough to deserve what He’s already done. It’s the greatest gift ever given!
“For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.” (Romans 3:24-25)
5. He bought us back, redeemed us, from our old masters—sin, fear, sickness, and death. He purchased His church with His very own blood.
“Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.” (Acts 20:28)
“…you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.” (1 Peter 1:18-19)
6. We are justified by His precious blood, reconciled to God the Father, because of what He did.
“Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.” (Romans 5:9)
7. We overcome the enemy and all of His tactics by the blood of Jesus. We have to understand that Jesus died to set us free, and the enemy no longer has any right over our lives.
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10)
“Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.” (Hebrews 2:14)
“And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.” (Revelation 12:11)
Especially during this season, we remember Jesus’ agony, but even more than that, we remember that His death was by no means the end of the story. Three days later, Jesus rose victorious. He didn’t rise the same bloodied man that cried “It is Finished.” He rose the glorified King that is still seated at the right hand of our Father. John saw Him at the end of his life and described Him glorified in Revelation 1. His hair is white as snow. His eyes burn like flames of fire. His face shines like the sun in full strength. When a person truly hears the Gospel for the first time, the Bible describes it as a “light shining in their heart” (2 Corinthians 4:6). That’s the same “unapproachable light” in which our Father dwells (1 Timothy 6:16). It’s the same light that shines from Jesus’ face. It will illuminate the darkness place and awaken the coldest heart. Especially during this Easter week, let us not walk with just an awareness of the sacrifice and agony of Jesus, but with an awe of the power of His blood and resurrection. Let us never grow cold to the wonder of His passion. His selfless sacrifice, His unconditional obedience, and His unrestrained love are the foundation of our faith. The world is crying out for hope, and we have the answer! As we celebrate Easter this week, let us walk with an awareness of the power of His blood and resurrection, in our lives, and the lives of those around us!
Jesus did what no animal sacrifice had been able to do up until that point. Unlike every lamb that was sacrificed before Him, Jesus chose to lay down His life, in obedience to His Father, and in love for us. He chose to be beaten with whips until He was unrecognizable. He chose to carry His cross to Calvary. He chose to bear the thorny crown on His head. He chose to allow nails to be pierced through His hands and feet, for you and for me. He bore rejection so we would never know its sting. He faced death to strip it of its power. The Bible tells us that the wage of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Jesus was the only One who has ever walked the earth without sin. He was the only One who has ever lived who didn’t deserve death, so He was the only One who could stand in our place. When He tasted death, He did it once and for all. Think about the moment that Jesus breathed His last breath—the very moment our debt was paid in full. Matthew 27:51-52 says,
“Behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.”
The Bible tells us so casually that many people walked of their graves. Can you imagine what that must have been like? The power of His death and resurrection was so great that He wasn’t the only One raised, because His sacrifice was for all of His people. Anything that Jesus has overcome, we’ve also overcome, by His blood.
I want to share with you a few things the Bible tells us about the power of His precious blood. Many of these things will be reminders, but let these truths fill you with wonder, like it’s the first time you’ve heard them:
1. Jesus’ blood ratified the unshakeable covenant that promises our forgiveness.
“He took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Matthew 26:27-28)
2. His blood cleanses us from the stain of sin. In Him, we aren’t just forgiven, but we’re as pure and innocent as a newborn child.
“If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7)
“How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.” (Hebrews 9:14)
“So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood.” (Hebrews 13:12)
3. His blood secures our lives for eternity.
“Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:54)
“He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.” (Hebrews 9:12)
4. We receive the sacrifice of Jesus, the power of His blood, by faith. We can’t ever work enough to deserve what He’s already done. It’s the greatest gift ever given!
“For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.” (Romans 3:24-25)
5. He bought us back, redeemed us, from our old masters—sin, fear, sickness, and death. He purchased His church with His very own blood.
“Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.” (Acts 20:28)
“…you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.” (1 Peter 1:18-19)
6. We are justified by His precious blood, reconciled to God the Father, because of what He did.
“Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.” (Romans 5:9)
7. We overcome the enemy and all of His tactics by the blood of Jesus. We have to understand that Jesus died to set us free, and the enemy no longer has any right over our lives.
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10)
“Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.” (Hebrews 2:14)
“And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.” (Revelation 12:11)
Especially during this season, we remember Jesus’ agony, but even more than that, we remember that His death was by no means the end of the story. Three days later, Jesus rose victorious. He didn’t rise the same bloodied man that cried “It is Finished.” He rose the glorified King that is still seated at the right hand of our Father. John saw Him at the end of his life and described Him glorified in Revelation 1. His hair is white as snow. His eyes burn like flames of fire. His face shines like the sun in full strength. When a person truly hears the Gospel for the first time, the Bible describes it as a “light shining in their heart” (2 Corinthians 4:6). That’s the same “unapproachable light” in which our Father dwells (1 Timothy 6:16). It’s the same light that shines from Jesus’ face. It will illuminate the darkness place and awaken the coldest heart. Especially during this Easter week, let us not walk with just an awareness of the sacrifice and agony of Jesus, but with an awe of the power of His blood and resurrection. Let us never grow cold to the wonder of His passion. His selfless sacrifice, His unconditional obedience, and His unrestrained love are the foundation of our faith. The world is crying out for hope, and we have the answer! As we celebrate Easter this week, let us walk with an awareness of the power of His blood and resurrection, in our lives, and the lives of those around us!
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