A Portrait of the Blood

Leviticus 17:11

 

 

The blood of Jesus pumps through the body of Christ, keeping Christianity alive.  Blood flows through the Bible just as it does through our veins.  “Cut the Bible anywhere and it will bleed.”  The blood is spoken of 427 times in our Bible - this is not a minor theme.  Without the blood, the Gospel is dead and we are deprived of eternal life.

        Jesus said, “For this is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”  Matthew 26:28

Paul added, “without the shedding of blood is no remission.”  He also explained, “We have redemption through the blood, even the forgiveness of sins.”  Colossians 1:14. 

Peter added, “We are not redeemed with silver and gold, and precious stones, but with the precious blood of Christ.” I Peter 1:18 

Then John agreed with Peter and Paul, He wrote, “The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin.”  I John 1:7

 

        The early church understood the blood…the 22 sermons recorded by the four preachers in the Book of Acts all give the same message, the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  They understood that His death and the provision of “covering by the blood” was the essential ingredient of the Gospel.  [“there, that should cover it!” – The idea of payment to cover as well as hiding it from sight.]

Ill.—“His gaze always passes thru rose-colored glasses every time He looks on my heart.”  Wayne Watson  [He sees me through the blood!]

 

Can you see this portrait of the blood?  The Bible paints in broad strokes the blood on a canvas, and then in minute detail God’s Word breaks it down to the cellular level—the importance of the blood of Christ!  We can see this today…but even more important is that God sees the blood applied to our lives, and passes over us!

 

Let’s put the blood of Christ under the microscope and do some forensic study…then we’ll get the complete picture—a portrait of the blood.

 

I.              In Analysis: The Blood Is Perfect 

                The virgin birth of Christ established His righteousness. 

        Judas cried out.  “I have betrayed innocent blood.” 

Paul explained, “For He (God) hath made Him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” 

        Pilate said, “I find in him no fault at all.”  John 18:38 

Jesus Himself said, “Which of you convinceth me of sin?”  John 8:46 

        He was spoken of as, “Holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners.”  Hebrews 7:26 

Again, “Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth.”  I Peter 2:22 

John added, “In Him is no sin.”  I John 3:5

 

        A natural father would have imparted the sin-nature of Adam to Christ and His death would not have provided redemption.  The virgin birth is absolutely essential to the salvation of our souls.

        The Bible clearly teaches that Jesus was born of a virgin and did not have original sin.  Matthew quotes Isaiah the prophet saying,

Matthew 1:23

    Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

 

        Jeremiah the prophet had spoken years before on this.  He said, “The Lord hath created a new thing upon the earth, a woman shall compass a man.”  Jeremiah 31:22 

It certainly was a new thing for a woman without a man to give birth to a child.  The Adamic nature is passed to the offspring by the blood line of the man.  There were no impurities in the blood of Christ.  Everything about Christ was perfect including His blood.

 

II.            In Application:  The Blood Is Pure

        One of the reasons we use grape juice in our Communion Service instead of wine is because wine has to go through a process of fermentation.  The process of fermentation is actually bacteria working in the juice.  It is a rotting process, and a picture of sin.  This could never give a proper picture of the sinless Blood of Christ.  For all that is holy, Satan has his counterfeit…and communion is no exception!  Pure grape juice is the true symbol of the pure Blood of the Lord Jesus, just as the bread is to be w/out leaven.

 

        Cancer patients sometimes go through a treatment called “Keylation.”  Keylation is similar to dialysis in that the blood is removed from the body and sent through a machine that cleanses the impurities from it and then pumps it back into the body.  It can help prolong life.

        After blood had been purged of germs, disease, and bad cells, it is then able to work against the enemy cells that war against you. 

        The writer of Hebrews stated, “For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:  How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”  Hebrews 9:13,14

        When the pure blood of the Saviour is applied to the sinner, it provides cleansing.  John explained, “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.”  I John 1:7b.

 

                “What can wash away my sin?

                  Nothing but the Blood of Jesus

                  What can make me whole again?

                  Nothing but the Blood of Jesus

                  Oh, precious is the flow

                  That makes me white as snow

                  No other fount I know

                  Nothing but the Blood of Jesus.

 

        Peter wrote, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things…but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”  I Peter 1:18, 19

        And because it is pure, it is purifying!

 

III.           In Action: The Blood Is Perpetual 

        The animal sacrifices of the Old Testament were continuous year after year.  The blood of bulls and goats provided forgiveness and pardon temporarily only because it pointed to the sacrifice of Christ and His blood being shed for the covering of our sin.

Hebrews 7:27  The writer speaks of Christ as one, “Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s:  for this he did once, when he offered up himself.” 

 

        Again Paul tells us that it was, “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.”  Hebrews 9:12 

Then again, “But now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.”  Hebrews 9:26

        The Bible states, “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God.”  Hebrews 10:12

 

        The death of Christ set into motion a continuous cleansing for those who trust in Him.  We are given the gift of eternal life that He purchased with His blood.  Thank God we are washed once and for all, forever.

        The Bible speaks of the “blood of the everlasting Covenant.”  Hebrews 13:20.  Our faith in His blood is all it takes to settle it forever and ever.

 

IV.           In Accomplishment: The Blood Is Powerful!

        The song writer wrote: 

                        Would you be free from the burden of sin?

                        There is power in the Blood

                        Would you over evil a victory win?

                        There’s wonderful power in the Blood

                        There is power, power wonder working power

                        In the Blood of the Lamb

                        There is power, power wonder working power

                        In the precious Blood of the Lamb

 

        John wrote, “Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood.”  Revelation 5:9

It takes amazing power to do that!  We are told that they overcame the wicked one, Satan, by the blood of the Lamb.  Revelation 12:11 

        It takes a lot of power to do that, too!

False religion has always denied the blood and its power.

        Mary Baker Eddy of the Christian Science movement wrote, “The material blood of Jesus is no more efficacious to cleanse from sin when it was shed upon the cursed tree than when it was flowing through His veins.”

        R. B. Theime, a Bible teacher in Texas, declared, “The red liquid that ran through the veins and arteries of Jesus’ mortal body is not related to our salvation.”

        Of course, these teachers and many like them stand in complete opposition to the Bible that declares, “Without the shedding of blood there is no remission.”  Hebrews 9:22

 

V.            In Acquittal: The Blood Is Permanent

Joke—woman at photography studio:  “do me justice”/photographer replied, you don’t need justice, you need mercy!

 

 “Acquit” is a heavy word…it means to pay off, to free, to clear, to absolve.  It has a far reaching meaning extending from the past all the way to the future.

Ill.—OJ Simpson was acquitted of murder, and it can never come back on him now in a court of law.  Not even “new evidence” can be presented.

You say, yeah, but I don’t believe justice was done.  Well, neither do I… but you and I are guilty and we know it…and we don’t want justice, we want mercy!  And we need it to be permanent…sins forgiven AND forgotten!           “His mercies are new every morning,” the Bible says.

 

Not only our past sin was covered but also our present and future sins are put under the blood when we trust in Christ as Savior.

        Jesus’ blood cleanses from our past sins.  Isaiah said in Isaiah 44:22, “I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins:  return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.” 

David spoke to this when he stated, “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us.  Psalm 103:12 

He promised not to remember them again.  “I will remember them no more against you forever.”

        Jesus’ blood covers our present sins, both the sins of omission and the sins of commission.  Whether it be things we ought to be doing and are not doing or whether it be things we are doing that we ought not to be doing.  These are covered fully by His Blood atonement.

        Jesus’ blood continues to atone for future sins.  This is not to say we can just go ahead and sin…a truly saved person won’t have that attitude.  But we can know that despite our very best efforts, we are sinners, and will yet sin, but we don’t have to get saved again.  Should we confess it to God and make it right?  Of course!  As we continue to walk thru this life we’ll need daily foot washings, but praise God that one time “all over bath” secures us from all sin:  past, present, and future!

“The Blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin.”  I John 1:7

Jesus’ blood conquers all sin!

 

VI.           In Appraisal: The Blood Is Precious

                We love to sing, “Oh precious is the flow that makes me white as snow.  No other fount I know.  Nothing but the Blood of Jesus.”

        Peter used the term precious to describe the Blood of Christ.  He said, “But with the precious Blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”         I Peter 1:19

 

I read a story of a very wealthy old man who had an elaborate collection of Van Gogh and Monet paintings.  His only son shared his father’s interest in the rare paintings.  They traveled around the world buying these paintings wherever they could find them.

        The son enlisted in the army and was placed in the medical corps.  In a severe battle, while carrying a wounded soldier to safety, the son was seriously wounded himself and died.  The mother was dead already and the news of the tragedy devastated the old father.  He grieved in loneliness for months.

        One day a knock came at his door and when he responded he found a young man with a package.  The young man explained that he was one of the several soldiers that the son had carried to safety.  Knowing of his interest in paintings he had painted a picture of the son and presented it to the father.

        The painting was not rare or valuable since the artist wasn’t anyone special…but it was very precious to the old man because it was a good resemblance of his son. 

        The man moved a very valuable painting from the mantle and placed the picture of his son in its place.  Hour after hour he sat in a rocker and gazed up at the image of his beloved son.

        When death came the art collection was put up for sale by auction.  Hundreds of collectors came to bid.  The auctioneer announced that the will stated that the picture of his son was to be auctioned first.  A moan of disappointment could be heard from the crowd.  “Let’s get on with the real paintings,” one was heard to say.

        The son’s picture was held up and the auctioneer cried, “Who will give $100.00, $50.00, $25.00.  There was no response.  A kind old gentleman in the back asked, “Will you take $10.00?”  “Sold,” said the auctioneer.  “Good”, cried the crowd.  “Now we can get on with the auction.”

        “Ladies and gentlemen, that concludes the auction,” announced the auctioneer.  The crowd was puzzled and upset.  Then a statement was given by a clerk.  The will declared that the son’s picture was to be sold and the person who took it would get all the rest.  The old man who paid $10.00 for the picture of the son was suddenly amazed at the fact that he now owned all the valuable paintings.

        When a person takes the Son of God, everything God has is included.  We become heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus. The precious blood has made it all possible.

 

VII.         In Aggression: The Blood Is Protective

        In Exodus 12 the blood was sprinkled on the door posts of the Jewish homes just as the Lord had instructed them.  When the death angel came on that faithful night with the awful judgment of death to the first born the Jews were protected by the blood.

        It was actually their faith that brought protection.  They believed the Word the Lord had given to Moses.  They believed it enough to act on it.  By following the directions just as the Lord instructed they reaped a great benefit.

        God had said in Exodus 12:13, “The blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are:  and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.” 

        We still speak of being “under the Blood.”  The judgment will not fall on those who have placed their faith in Christ and accepted Him as their Savior.

        If you have not gotten under the protection of the Blood of Jesus Christ, I beg you to do so now before the death angel comes to your house.

 

Do you get the picture today?  Can you see Christ’s blood?  More importantly, can God see it?  If not, all He sees is your sin.  Make sure you’re covered…one application will do!

 

Matthew 26

26And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.

27And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;

28For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

29But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.

30And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.