The Blood Series

Intro

It’s summertime and the living is easy....... We all seem to have sunshine and BBQ’s, Boating and bicycles on the brain. We all love summer.... We all love holidays.

I know its summertime, but I want us to timewarp back to Easter time for a few minutes this morning.........

During the Easter period we think about how Jesus was arrested in Gethsemane

How he was unjustly tried before the Temple Rulers, then by Herrod and then before Pilate.

We thought about how the Roman soldiers gambled for his clothing.

How they mocked him…

How they tortured and humiliated him…

How they stuck thorns into his head.

How they nailed him to a Cross and left him to die…..

How they stabbed a spear into his side….

Now Today – in this summer season - AFTER we’ve just thought about his suffering afresh

After we have mourned his death,

after we have CELEBRATED HIS RESURRECTION,

lets just pause for a few moments…… to think about HIS BLOOD. The importance of the blood, the purpose of the blood and the power of the blood to change our lives.

This morning, may each of us – reflect on the centrality of HIS BLOOD to our faith.

I pray that we will, once again, claim HIS BLOOD for our cleansing and healing and restoration.

I pray today that we will leave this place and GO FORWARD to PREACH THE PRECIOUS BLOOD by word & by deed as we live out our lives!!

The Apostle Paul said, “We preach Christ Crucified…..” I challenge you to ask yourself….”Do I really??”

[Pause]

The fact of the matter is that our gospel – our Good News - is NOTHING without the Blood!

A Gospel without atonement through the blood of Jesus Christ - is NO GOSPEL AT ALL!!

Christianity without Salvation through the Blood is a lie from the Devil!!! IT IS IMPOSSIBLE!!!

If Satan had his way, no preacher would ever stand and preach the blood of Jesus Christ. Why?

Because...”The blood of Jesus Christ, [Gods] Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7)

Satan loves it when people think they can get to heaven by doing good works – by going to church and by ‘doing the best they can’ - These are lies from the father of lies himself.

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.

Romans 3:24-25 says that we, “are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.”

Faith in his blood is the only way to salvation.

A few years back, one of the main Protestant denominations in Northern Ireland removed all references to the Blood of Jesus from their songbooks and hymnals.

The head of this denomination said that he wanted to attract more members to his church by moving away from this ‘slaughter-house’ religion.

Why do people find the blood of Jesus so offensive??

Why do so many Christian’s want to ‘sanitise’ the work that was done of the cross?

Why do so many Christians fervently magnify the life of Jesus?

Why do they preach the teachings of Jesus?

Why do they expound the character and personality of Jesus?

BUT THEY SHY AWAY FROM HIS BLOOD!!!!

To take the Blood of Jesus Christ out of the Christian faith simply cannot be DONE!!!

If you want to use such vivid language – Christianity IS a ‘SLAUGHTER-HOUSE’ RELIGION!!!

Jesus was slaughtered for YOU!!

He was butchered for ME!!

He was massacred for the millions of lost people, right outside this building, who are going straight to hell – if we don’t tell them what Christ has done for them!!!

[Pause]

Before we leave this place this morning, let’s think just how IMPORTANT that blood is:-

“Justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented HIM as a sacrifice of atonement, through FAITH IN HIS BLOOD”

FAITH IN HIS BLOOD – The blood is the object of our faith! It is through the blood that we have forgiveness!!

Our text from Hebrews clearly says…”without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins”

NO BLOOD - NO FORGIVENESS!!

If we read the Old Testament – the Blood is there!!

If we read the New Testament – His blood is there!!

To take the Blood of Jesus out of our faith,

Will leave us with a Bible without a heart!!

A Gospel without POWER

A SAVIOUR WITHOUT SALVATION!!!

Because of the Blood there is HOPE

Because of the Blood there is Mercy