The Powerful Blood of Jesus

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The Powerful Blood of Jesus

Sermon by  Thomas Thornhill Jr

Passage: Hebrews 9:22


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Hebrews 9:22 tells us, And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission.  From the very beginning of the history of man’s fall, blood has been shed to deal with sins.  In Genesis 3:21, after Adam and Eve sinned, we read that the LORD made tunics of skin and clothed them.  While the specifics of why God did this is not told, we do not go very far into scripture before we find blood being shed.  Abel offered a sacrifice of blood (Genesis 4:4); Abraham continually offered sacrifices to God, as did Isaac and Jacob.  Under the Law of Moses, sacrifices were offered to God regularly and according to Leviticus 1-7, this included what was necessary to address the sins of the people.  God demanded the shedding of blood which among other things showed how serious sin really is.  However, we read in Hebrews 10:4 that it was not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to ultimately remove our sins.  Another and greater blood sacrifice was needed – the blood of Jesus.    As John introduced the book of Revelation we read, John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, (Revelation 1:4-5).  Truly the blood of Jesus is powerful.  In this lesson I would like to notice a few things that scripture tells us the blood of Jesus does.

 

  1. His blood washes our sins away –
    1. As noted in Revelation 1:4-5 above, we find that His blood washes us from our sins.
    2. When we sin, we are unclean in God’s eyes. It stains us.  Jeremiah 2:22 describing the sins of Judah noted, For though you wash yourself with lye, and use much soap, Yet your iniquity is marked before Me,” says the Lord God.  Isaiah 1:16-18 as Isaiah calls for Israel to return to the Lord, we read, “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow. “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.
    3. We need to be cleansed to be in God’s presence –The remedy for sin that we are about to notice shows how sin makes us unclean before Him. Psalm 51:2, David in repentance prayed, “Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin.”
      Isaiah 1:18, a call to reason with God and the promise, “though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow…”
    4. Hebrews 9:13-14 – it cleanses your conscience from dead works to serve the living God.
    5. 1 John 1:7 – even as Christians, when we sin, we need His blood to cleanse us of our sins.
    6. It is because of this that we continually remind ourselves of Jesus dying for us. Matthew 26:26-28, as Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper He described how His blood would be shed “for the remission of sins”.
    7. If we are to be saved we need our sins washed away and that requires the blood of Jesus. Acts 22:16
    8. BUT there are many other descriptions of what the blood of Jesus does for us.
  2. His blood Redeems us –
    1. Another description of the result of sin is that it enslaves us.
      Jesus warned in John 8:34, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.  Romans 6 deals with this slavery – Romans 6:16 we note, Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.
    2. Redemption is a term in the New Testament that means to release or set free. It is often associated with paying the price for freedom, or perhaps a ransom.
      We need to have the ransom for our sins paid – Romans 6:23 – the wages of sin is death.
    3. Jesus, through His blood redeemed us – 1 Peter 1:18-19 – it was with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish or spot that we were redeemed.
    4. Ephesians 1:7 – we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.
    5. Titus 2:13-14 – He gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed.
  3. His blood justifies us –
    1. Justification is a legal term meaning to be made right or declared right. It is associated with justice which deals with one receiving their due for what they have or have not done.
    2. In God’s eyes, we are guilty of sin and deserving of punishment. Romans 6:23 tells us that the wages of sin is death.   Romans 3:23 – we have sinned and fall short of His glory.   The justice of God demands that a price be paid for our sins.
    3. Jesus paid that price – Romans 3:24-25 notes that we are justified freely by His grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus. Jesus is the “propitiation”, a word associated with appeasing the wrath of God.
    4. By dying on the cross, Jesus paid the necessary price that God demands for our sins to be forgiven.  1 Peter 2:23-25 notes that He bore our sins in His own body on the tree.
    5. Romans 5:9 – we are justified by His blood.
    6. 1 Peter 3:18 summarizes this well, For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit.
  4. His blood reconciles us to God –
    1. Sin separates us from God. Isaiah 59:2 tells us that our iniquities separate us from God.
    2. The word enmity describes hostility. Sin puts us at enmity with God – James 4:4 – friendship with the world, the carnal mind – Romans 8:6-8ff.  We do NOT want to stand before God as His enemy.
    3. Reconciliation is the bringing together those who had become enemies. It is to be restored to friendly or favorable status.
    4. We understand reconciliation in the world – a damaged friendship or relationship, nations that have become enemies. There is a strong need for reconciliation, OR the consequences of enmity will take place.  We strive for reconciliation in such matters.
    5. How much more do we need to be reconciled to God?
    6. Romans 5:10-11, notes that this reconciliation took place through the death of Jesus.  For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
    7. Colossians 1:19-21, For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled
    8. If you are at enmity with God (and if you are in sin, you are), the blood of Jesus can bring about that reconciliation.
  5. His blood sanctifies us –
    1. To be sanctified means to be set apart. The Greek word for sanctify is a derivative of the same word as holy and saint.  We are “set apart ones” who belong to God.
    2. Hebrews 10:10 notes that we are sanctified “through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all”
    3. Hebrews 13:12, Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. This is a context where the writer is encouraging brethren to be willing to suffer for Him.
    4. In these previous descriptions, we learn how we are saved by the blood of Jesus. WHEN we are in that saved condition, we must realize we are set apart for Him.  Being saved means living a changed life.
    5. One of the ways we as Christians are described is as a priesthood 1 Peter 2:4-5 – we are a holy priesthood, built to offer sacrifices acceptable to Him. 1 Peter 2:9 describes us as a chosen generation, a royal priesthood and His own special people (peculiar). All of these are associated with our sanctification (holiness).  A study of the Levitical priesthood under the Old Law shows that priests were set apart to do God’s temple service, etc..  Having been sanctified, we belong to Him and are called upon to serve Him.
    6. John 17:17, let us not forget that it is through His word of truth that we LEARN how to live sanctified.
  6. Through His blood, His church was purchased –
    1. Acts 20:28 Paul notes that Christ purchased the church of God with His own blood. In His death, he created the body of the saved.  Ephesians 5:25-27 describes how Christ gave Himself for His church (His bride).  Acts 2:47 (NKJV) – notes that we are added to the church (to their number).
    2. We are added to that body when we obey the gospel. 1 Corinthians 12:13, we are baptized into that one body (which is His church).  Ephesians 1:22-23 notes how He is head and we are the body.  So much can be emphasized in this.   We simply need to understand that the church of Christ is a body of saved believers who have joined together to do His work.  This body was purchased with His blood.  That being the case, it ought not to be taken lightly.
  7. Baptism and the blood of Jesus
    1. As we conclude I want to consider baptism and the blood of Jesus. OR another way of saying this is to ask, WHAT does baptism do for us?
    2. Consider Romans 6:3—4 ties baptism to His death, WHERE He shed His blood. It is in the act of baptism that we come in contact with the blood of Jesus.    See also Mark 16:16 – by believing and baptism, we are saved.  See also 1 Peter 3:20-21, etc.
    3. Consider also some of the things we have discussed in this lesson. When we are baptized:
      1. Remission of sins (removed) – In Hebrews 9:22 we note that without the shedding of blood, there is no remission. This is followed by a description of how Jesus shed His blood to become our sacrifice or provide our “remission of sins”.   NOW, recall how Matthew 26:28 where Jesus said he would shed His blood “for the remission of sins.”  Acts 2:38 – in baptism we receive the remission (removal, forgiveness) of sins.  We receive the remission of sins in repentance and baptism.
      2. We are cleansed – Acts 22:16 – wash away your sins; Romans 6:3-4 notes that in baptism we are raised to walk in newness of life.
      3. We are redeemed – Romans 6:6 in baptism the old man is crucified, and we are no longer slaves of sin.

Thus we can see the importance of the blood of Jesus.  It describes our salvation in so many different ways. It makes it possible for us to one day be in the presence of God.  Water doesn’t save us and never has.  BUT it is through the waters of baptism that we come in contact with the precious blood of Jesus.  What about you?  Have you been washed in His blood?  Are you continuing to walk in His light?  Think about it!

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