The Precious Blood Of Jesus
Hebrews 9:1-15
Men and women spend their lives seeking those things that are considered "precious". I know a man who spends most of his spare time panning for gold. Right now there are people drilling into the ground with the hopes of striking oil. Some of you have spent hard earned money to buy someone special jewelry that is made up of "precious stones such as Diamonds, Rubies, Sapphires and Emeralds. At the end of the week most of you receive a paycheck and that money is "precious" to you. But it seems that those who attain these substances always want more!
John D. Rockefeller was at one point the world’s richest man and first ever American billionaire. One day a reporter asked him, “How much money is enough?” He responded, “Just a little bit more.”
No matter how much money and material goods we attain, it seems that we are never satisfied. I want to talk to you about a substance that will satisfy your greatest need. I am referring to the "Precious Blood Of Jesus".
Precious is defined as "an object, substance, or resource of great value; not to be wasted or treated carelessly." Why is Jesus' blood so precious? Because it can do what nothing else could. The precious blood from the sinless Savior is the only means of salvation for lost man.
If there is one subject more than any another that Satan would oppose, it is the Blood! He would like nothing more than to turn our minds away from this truth. Satan does not mind you thinking that you can be saved by reformation, good deeds, moral character, baptism or Church membership. He will tell you that you can be saved by doing your best. But the Bible makes it clear that the only way to God is through the blood. The good news is you do not have to seek to attain this precious possession. It is a free gift that is available to you.
Let's review what the Bible says about the Blood:
Judas called it "innocent blood" in Matthew 27:4. --- Peter called it "precious blood" in I Peter 1:19. --- John called it "cleansing blood" in I John 1:7. He referred to it as "washing blood" in Revelation 1:5 and "overcoming blood" in Revelation 12:11. --- Paul calls the blood of Jesus "Purchasing blood" in Acts 20:28. "Redeeming blood" - in Colossians 1:14, "Justifying blood" in Romans 5:9 and "Peacemaking blood in Colossians 1:20. --- It is called "sanctifying blood" in Hebrews 13:12. --- Jesus said that His blood is the "blood of the new testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins"
Someone has said that "The blood of Christ is forever innocent, infinitely precious, perfectly justifying, always cleansing and fully sanctifying".
The blood is our only hope of salvation! If someone loses all of the blood form their body...THEY DIE! If you take the blood out of the gospel there is no life!! Therefore the blood is essential for salvation. Hebrews 9:22 tells us that ...."without shedding of blood is no remission". - But our selected text makes it clear that not just any blood will do. Only the precious blood of Jesus is sufficient! I would like to walk through these verses and examine why Jesus' blood is so precious! Notice in verse 12:
I. THE BLOO OF JESU REEEMSLOST SOULS - v12 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.
The sacrifices in the Old Testament did not have the power to save men from their sins. The blood came from "goats and calves" and other animals. This was not sufficient to redeem lost man. But before the foundation of the world God had a plan to redeem mankind. God knew that we would need a perfect sacrifice. So He provided a Lamb in the person of His only Begotten Son. When the time came and Jesus ascended Calvary's Hill He shed His blood for us. His blood was innocent, pure, sinless blood.
There were certain demands that must be met concerning the sacrifice to God for the sins of the world. Jesus met those demands - Isaiah 53:11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
Even more special is the fact that everything Jesus did, He did willingly! - John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Jesus was and is 100% God. He took on a robe of flesh, voluntarily left the glories of heaven, bore our shame, carried our cross endured our suffering and died for us. Romans 5:8 (says that) God commended his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
A family was involved in a serious accident. Mike, the younger of two brothers involved, was badly injured and needed a blood transfusion. Mike’s big brother, Danny, who was almost eight, was the perfect blood type. His father sat down with him and explained that his little brother was going to die but if Danny would give his little brother some blood that mike would be just fine. Danny sat and thought for a minute and then said o.k. Dad I will do this for my brother. They took Danny into the operating room and hooked up the needle to his arm and the blood from his body began to flow to his little brother. Everything had gone wonderfully and the nurse removed the needle from little Danny’s arm. Danny with a tear in his eye looked at his father and said, “When do I die?” The father suddenly realized with a shock that Danny had misunderstood his explanation of giving blood. Danny thought he was giving all of his blood to save the life of his little brother! He thought that he would die after the transfusion was over. Yet he still had agreed to help his little brother.
Jesus knew the cost... He knew the sacrifice... and He came anyway. He came for you and He came for me! When He came He shed His Precious Blood To Redeem Lost Souls. We also see in verse 12 that:
II. THE BLOOD OF JESUS SECURES ETERNAL LIFE - v12b by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
The Law was a great taskmaster. Mankind was in bondage to the Law. There was no way that we could be free from it's curse...Except for Jesus and His precious blood! - Galatians 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: - The precious blood of Jesus freed us from the curse of sin, death and the Law.
In the Old Testament the people constantly sacrificed animals. Once a year the Priest entered the Holy of Holies to sprinkle blood on the mercy seat to atone for the sins of the people. But there on the cross Jesus cried "it is finished". When He did the veil of the temple was rent from top to bottom. This signified that man could have access to the Father. This is possible because the Blood of Jesus was sufficient.
We can also rest in the fact that Jesus' blood is not only powerful enough to save us, it is enough to save us to the uttermost!
"I'm saved to the uttermost, I know that I am"
"washed in the blood of the precious Lamb"
"thru the Father, thru the Son, thru the Holy Ghost"
"I'm saved to the uttermost
How can we be confident that we are saved to the uttermost? The answer is found in - v12b by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. - The phrase “having obtained” refers to a “one time for all time action.” This verse makes it clear that our redemption is eternal. To be "Saved", means to be "Rescued from all harm and danger." If we are still in danger, then we are not saved! If there is the slightest danger that I can lose my salvation, then I am not saved. This is possible because of the superiority of Christ’s sacrifice.
The Old Testament sacrifices merely covered sin. The sacrificial offering of Christ’s blood on Calvary removed sin forever! - John the Baptist said in John 1:29 ...Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. - Eternal redemption....eternal salvation is possible because of the precious blood of Jesus!
We also see that:
III. THE BLOD OF JESUS CLEANSES THE DEPEST SINS - v13 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: 14 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?
“Purge” means “to cleanse and free from filth.” - Old Testament sacrifices could never completely cleanse people's sin. But the precious blood of Jesus has the power to cleanse our sins completely! - Revelation 1:5 ...Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
When we are washed in the blood we are justified. “Justification” is the judicial act of God, by which he pardons all the sins of those who believe in Christ. Through “justification” we are declared righteous in God’s eyes. Justification puts us in a right relationship with God This process could not happen through the Law, it comes through CHRIST ALONE! The precious blood of Jesus has the power to take the blackest heart and wash it whiter than snow. This means that salvation is possible for you. You have not gone too far... You have not sinned too much... Jesus has the power to redeem you today!
The precious blood doesn't just cleanse sin it transforms sinners. Consider:
IV. THE BLOOD OF JESUS TRANSFORMS THE VILEST SINNERS- v14 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?
This verse speaks of the new life in Christ. We are not saved because of what we do. But once we are saved what we do changes! The change in your heart results in a change in your lifestyle.
At a revival in Detroit Dr. Charles Finney, preached on the text "The blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, cleanseth us from all sin" (I John 1:7). After the service a strange asked Dr. Finney to walk home with him. Ushering the preacher into the rear of a building, the stranger locked the door, put the key in his pocket, and said, "Don’t be afraid. I’m not going to hurt you. I just want to ask a few questions. Do you believe what you preached tonight?’ Dr. Finney said, "I most certainly do. "The man continued, "We’re in the back of a saloon. I’m sole proprietor. Mothers come in here, lay their babies on the counter, and beg me not to sell liquor to their husbands. I turn a deaf ear to their cry. We see to it when a man leaves here he’s well under the influence. More than one night, a man leaving here has been killed on the train tracks. Dr. Finney,. tell me, can God forgive a man like me?" Dr Finney replied, "I have but one authority the Word of God which says, ‘The blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, cleanseth us from all sin.’" "But that’s not all,’ added the man. "In another room we run a gambling hall. If a man doesn’t spend all his money on liquor, we bring him back here and with marked cards see to it that he’s fleeced out of his last dollar We send him home penniless to a hungry family Dr. Finney, I’m sole owner. Tell me honestly can God forgive a man with a heart like that?" Again Dr Finney replied, "I have hut one authority, the Word of God which says, ‘The blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, cleanseth us from all sin.’" The man spoke again. "That’s not all. Across the street is my home where live my wife and little daughter. Neither one has had a kind word from rue for five years. Their bodies bear marks of my brutal attacks. Dr Finney, do you think God could forgive a man with a heart like that?" Dr Finney’s head lowered. His eyes filled with tears as he said, "My friend, you have painted one of the darkest pictures I have ever gazed on, but I still have one authority which says, ‘The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin.'" The man opened the door, ushered the preacher into the night, then never left that room till daybreak—not before ripping up decks of cards and pouring the contents of bottles down the sink. Across the road at home he sat in his living room. His little girl called, Daddy Mother says breakfast is ready" When he answered his little girl kindly she ran back to her mother, "Daddy spoke kind to me! Something is the matter!" The mother followed her little girl to the living room. The man beckoned them both. Taking one on each knee, he explained to their amazement that they had a new husband and daddy He ended, "I’m done with that business across the street!" The man later became a member, then an official in a leading Detroit church. When asked to tell how his life was changed, he would reply "The blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, cleanseth us from all sin." (Source: Dr. Alan Carr: www.thesermonnotebook.com)
The blood of bulls and goats never did nor could they produce this type of transformation. But with Christ this is a guarantee! - 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
When an individual left the Temple after presenting his or her sacrifice, they left the same as they were before they arrived. But when someone meets the Savior... when they are washed in the precious blood of the lamb there is an amazing change that takes place. No matter where you have been or what you have done, you can rest on the promise that The blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, cleanseth us from all sin."
The Precious Blood of Jesus Redeems Lost Souls, Secures Eternal Life, Cleanses The Deepest Sinsm Transforms The Vilest Sinners and finally we will see that:
V. THE BLOOD OF JESUS ENSURES A HOME IN HEAVEN- v15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
Those who have trusted in Jesus as Savior & Lord are now joint heirs with Jesus. Our eternal life begins at salvations. And because it is "eternal" it last's forever. When we draw our last breath we are assured that we will be with Him. We are also assured that we have a home waiting for us.
John 14:1 ¶Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
Revelation 21:1 ¶And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. 6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
That is amazing. But it is only possible through the blood of the Lamb. It is only possible to those who have been washed in the blood. There is no other way to enter that city, but through the precious blood of Jesus! No matter how deep your sin or how vile a sinner you think you are... these things are possible for you today. It is possible because of the precious blood of Jesus.
An evangelist tells a story from the days when he held tent meetings many years ago. One day, after a series of meetings was over, he was pulling up tent stakes. A young man approached him and asked what he had to do to be saved. The evangelist answered, “Sorry, it’s too late.” “Oh no,” was the response. “I mean it’s too late because it’s already been done. Everything that could be done for your salvation has already been done.” After explaining Christ’s finished work on the cross to the young man, he led him to saving faith. (Source unknown).
Are you sure that you are saved today? Has the shed blood of Jesus been applied to your life? If not, surrender to Him in faith, He will save you and give you eternal life. It is possible because of The Precious Blood Of Jesus.
