Sunday, October 29, 2017 pm
SERMONS IN SONG
Are You Washed In the Blood of the Lamb?
Sacred Selections, #613
a.
The lamb was important
to the Israelite.
Before Israel became a nation, the Passover was instituted
(Exodus 12). Each family was
to offer a lamb and put some of its blood on the doorposts that the
angel of death might pass over them.
This feast was commemorated yearly by the Jews to remember how
God passed over them when He judged Egypt, because He saw the blood.
(Exodus 12:12-13)
Every day, throughout its history, at morning and evening, a lamb was to
be offered as a burnt offering (Exodus 29:38, 42).
Lambs were also offered for sin offerings and other offerings (Leviticus
3 & 4). They were offered to
appease God of His wrath.
Part of the sacrificial system of Israel.
b.
Another interesting
occasion was Genesis 22:7-8
where Abraham takes
Isaac, his promised son to offer at the command of God.
He does this by faith.
Isaac asks, where is the lamb?
Abraham replies, “God will provide”.
When Isaac is spared, rather than a lamb, a ram is offered.
(vs. 13)
c.
Jesus as the lamb.
When John introduced
Jesus he said, “Behold, the Lamb
of God who takes away the sins of the world.” (John 1:29, 36)
1 Corinthians 5:7 describes Christ as our Passover.
d.
Jesus was the “lamb of
God” that brought about our forgiveness –
Revelation 5:5-13, where we find in heaven the lamb worthy to open the
seven seals on the scroll is introduced.
It is Jesus. Vs. 12,
He is described as worth because he was slain.
The blood of the lamb is
a reference to Jesus dying on the cross, shedding His blood so that our
sins could be forgiven.
1 Peter 1:19 tells us we are redeemed “with the precious blood of
Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”
e.
Throughout this song,
we are
reminded that we are washed in the blood of the lamb, a reference to
having our sins forgiven. We
are also reminded of some things that it means.
a.
Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power
–
His blood washes away our sins – Revelation 1:5, 7:14.
Acts 2:38 – the remission of sins
1 Peter 3:20-21 – water baptism now saves us – a washing (not the
removal of the filth of the flesh)
b.
Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour?
– Ephesians 2:8-9, 4-5; Titus
2:11 – the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men…
BECAUSE of God’s grace, He made the blood of the lamb available.
We understand that this grace does NOT nullify our responsibility
as even the above texts show (we need faith).
But be reminded that grace is the prime factor in our salvation.
We have hope because of His grace.
Will we be washed in the blood of the Lamb?
a.
Being washed in His
blood means we are changed.
Our life now belongs to Him.
We put to death the man of sin and were “raised to walk in newness of
life.” (Romans 3:3-4)
Titus 3:4-5, But when the kindness
and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of
righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved
us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
b.
Are you walking daily by the Savior’s side?
– when we speak of our walk, we mean the way we live.
Walk worthy of your calling – Ephesians 4:1, Colossians 1:10.
1 John 1:7 speaks of those who are walking in the light, “the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin.”
It is His disciple who walks with Him (cf. Matthew 28:19-20)
c.
Do you rest each moment
in the crucified?
Does He govern your life? Is he behind EVERY decision you make? Is He
the trust that you default to? Do
you regularly remind yourself that it is His death, burial and
resurrection that gives us hope? Galatians 2:20 – I am crucified with
Christ.
Galatians 6:14 Paul said, “God forbid that I should glory except in the
cross of our Lord Jesus Christ…”
Colossians 2:11-12, In Him you
were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by
putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of
Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised
with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the
dead.
a.
This verse reminds us
that there is a time of reckoning that will come when whether or not we
have been washed in His blood will be considered.
We sometimes call this the day of judgment – Acts 17:30-31 tells
us He has appointed a day when the world will be judged.
Hebrews 9:27 tells us after we die we will face the judgment.
b.
When the bridegroom cometh will your robes be white?
– He is returning. John 14:3,
Acts 1:11, etc.
His return described in terms of a bridegroom - Matthew 25:1-13;
Revelation 19:7-9 – the marriage supper of the lamb.
When He returns, will we be invited in?
Will we be ready? 2 Peter 3:10, 1 Thessalonians 5:2 – we do not know
when that will be. That is
WHY we need to always be prepared.
c.
Will your soul be ready
for the mansion bright?
Jesus told His apostles he was going to prepare a mansion for them and
return. John 14:1-3.
We are also told that that those who belong to Him will receive their
inheritance – Colossians 1:12,
giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the
inheritance of the saints in the light. 1 Peter 1:3-4 speaks of the
inheritance incorruptible reserved in heaven for us.
Matthew 6:19-21 – Jesus
spoke of laying up for ourselves treasure in heaven.
What are we “sending up there”?
d.
And are we ready for Him
to come? If we have not been
washed in the blood of the Lamb then we are not ready.
a.
The invitation.
This is the call. The
first three verses speak of what the blood of the Lamb does and asks
what you have done about it.
This final verse calls upon you to be washed in His blood.
b.
Lay aside the garments that are stained with sin –
If you have sin stained
garments, you need to be washed – Isaiah 1:18.
IF you have sinned, you have sin stained garments.
To be saved means you must remove and replace them.
That means obeying the gospel as we have noted.
Acts 22:16 – Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins.
If you have again sinned, take care of it – 1 John 1:7-9.
We are reminded again that becoming a Christian means you are changing
your life – Ephesians 4:20-23 – we have put off the old man and his
sinful ways. Colossians
3:9-10, we have put off the old man and put on the new man.
Romans 6:1ff deals with this.
As a Christian you CANNOT continue in sin and be pleasing to God.
c.
There’s a fountain
flowing for the soul unclean
–
Revelation 7:17, 21:6, both speak of this fountain that is available
through our Lord.
In John 4:14. Jesus speaking to the Samaritan woman spoke of living
waters He made available. It
is a fountain that springs up into everlasting life.
The point here is that the blood of Jesus is ALWAYS available.
We have seen it in reference to obeying the gospel.
Be reminded of 1 John 1:7 speaks of when we are walking in the
light, the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. Vs.
9, He will cleanse us of all unrighteousness.
d.
Again, this is an
invitation. The Lord awaits for
us to respond by being washed in His blood.
And
thus we have the message of another song.
Jesus came to provide the sacrifice that is necessary for our
sins to be forgiven. God accepted
His sacrifice “once and for all time” (cf. Hebrews 9:26-28).
Let this song teach us and remind us of what we need to do to be
saved from this crooked and perverse generation (cf. Acts 2:40) AND what
we need to do to STAY saved.
His blood is part of that!
Are you washed in the blood of the lamb?
If not, this is your invitation!
Why not come and be washed in His blood tonight?