There Is Power In The Blood
Scripture: Hebrews 9:11-28; First Peter 1:13-19; Romans 5:9
When I was growing up in Church, we sang songs about the blood of Jesus.
We sung this song that some of you might not be familiar with. It says, “There is a fountain, filled with blood, drawn from Immanuel’s veins. And sinners plunged beneath that flood, lose all their guilty stains. Lose all their guilty stains, lose all their guilty stains. And sinners plunged beneath that flood, lose all their guilty stains.”
Then there is this one that I know you know this one because we sing it here, “I know it was the blood; I know it was the blood; I know it was the blood for me. One day when I was lost, He died upon the cross, I know it was the blood for me.”
Then there is the song that says, “The blood that Jesus shed for me. Way back on Calvary. The blood, that gives me strength, from day to day, it will never lose its power. It reaches to the highest mountain. It flows to the lowest valley. The blood, that gives me strength, from day to day, it will never lose its power.”
One of my favorites says, “Oh, the blood of Jesus. Oh, the blood of Jesus. Oh, the blood of Jesus. It washes white as snow.”
Finally this last song for which the title is taken says, “Would you be free from your burden of sin? There is power in the blood, 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.”
As you listened to the few words of these songs, what was the one thing they each have in common? The power of the blood of Jesus! Each of these songs talked about the power of the blood of Jesus. The title of my message this morning is “There is Power in the Blood.”
Turn with me to Hebrews chapter nine and let’s read verses eleven through fourteen. “11) But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; 12) and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13) For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, 14) how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Hebrews 9:11-14) In these verses, the writer talks about Jesus becoming the final high priest. If you read the first ten verses of this chapter, you see how, and after what manner, the Levitical priests executed their office. In verses six and seven we read, “6) Now when these things have been so prepared, the priests are continually entering the outer tabernacle performing the divine worship, 7) but into the second, only the high priest enters once a year, not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance.” (Hebrews 9:6-7) Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies to make sacrifices for the sins of the people. But the way into the Holiest of All had not been made manifest yet (vs. 8), as that happened only after Christ died on the cross. When Jesus entered into the Holiest of places, He did not enter through the blood of goats or bulls, but through His own blood. The high priest could enter the holy of holies in the tabernacle once per year and had to do so every year. Jesus entered through His own blood and did it once and for all – there would never need to be another sacrifice for sin.
Verse fourteen tells us that Jesus’ blood will “cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” The blood of Jesus has the power to cleanse us from sin and to equip us to serve God. Our High Priest entered into heaven once for all, and has obtained eternal redemption for those who will accept Him. The Holy Spirit further signified and showed that the Old Testament sacrifices only freed the outward man from ceremonial uncleanness, and was not able to cleanse the conscience of the sin nature that lived in man. What gave such power to the blood of Christ to affect the conscience? It was Christ’s offering Himself without any sinful stain in His nature or life. This cleanses the guiltiest conscience from dead or deadly works so that it can now truly serve the living God. It is the power of Jesus blood that cleanses and nothing, and I mean nothing, more destroys the faith of the gospel than any attempt to weaken the direct power of the blood of Christ as some are attempting to do.
Let’s continue with verse fifteen. “15) For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. 16) For where a covenant is, there must of necessity be the death of the one who made it. 17) For a covenant is valid only when men are dead, for it is never in force while the one who made it lives. 18) Therefore even the first covenant was not inaugurated without blood. 19) For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the Law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20) saying, ‘This is the blood of the covenant which God commanded you.’” (Hebrews 9:15-20) In these verses the writer thinks of the gospel as being the same as a will or testament. We can view the gospel as the “new” and “last” will and testament of Christ. And, just as it is today when we prepare our wills for what we wish to have done upon our deaths, the will or testament does not become executable until the death of the testator(s). Now a covenant is an agreement between two or more parties about things that are in their own power, and this can be executed either with or without a mediator. This agreement takes effect at such time and in such manner as declared within the covenant. A testament, however, is a voluntary act and deed of a single person, duly executed and witnessed, which bestows inheritances to the beneficiaries described and characterized by the testator. Now this is important: a testament can only take effect upon the testator’s death. In the case of the gospel, it was the necessity and efficacy of the blood of Christ that made His testament valid and effectual.
In verse eighteen the writer states that the first covenant was also established through blood sacrifices, which God established with the children of Israel through the oversight of Moses. All men, by the sin of Adam, had become guilty before God. And because of this, by no fault of their own, they had forfeited their inheritance and their liberties, and placed their very lives into the hands of divine justice. And God, ever being willing to show the greatness of His mercy, proclaimed a covenant of grace, and ordered it to be administered under the Old Testament through the blood and life of bulls and goats. God accepted the blood of bulls and goats, which was a foreshadowing of Christ shedding His blood for man; and by these means the covenant of grace was ratified under the former dispensation. Moses, in obedience to God, spoke every precept to all the people, according to the law. After he had done this, he took the blood of calves and of goats with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop and applied the blood by sprinkling it and said, “This is the blood of the covenant which God commanded you.” If you recall at the Last Supper when Jesus served His disciples, He said something similar. Matthew 26:28 says, “For this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.” Moses sprinkled the blood on the book of the law and on the people. This was a foreshadowing that the covenant of grace would be confirmed by the blood of Christ and made effectual to our good. And, just as the blood of the bulls and goats was sprinkled on the people by Moses, we too must apply the blood of Christ on us. Remember the words of the songs I mentioned at the beginning of this message. Those songs talked about the power of the blood once it’s applied!
Let’s continue at verse twenty-one. “21) And in the same way he sprinkled both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry with the blood. 22) And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. 23) Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24) For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.” (Hebrews 9:11-24) Under the law, almost everything was purified by blood so that it would not be defiled. Without the shedding of blood there is no remission, and without the death of bulls and goats as their sacrifice for sin, and their blood being shed and then sprinkled on the people, there could be neither legal pardon of guilt, nor purging of ceremonial sin. Now this is important: God signified to Israel that without the blood of Christ His Son, shed as a sacrifice to purchase and procure both remission of sin and the Spirit, there could be neither pardon of the guilt of sin nor the removal of the punishment. His blood was the price which purchased them for us. Finally, the writer says that Christ “…appear in the presence of God for us.” He appears before the face of God for us. His very presence in heaven is a continuous and prevalent intercession. On the basis of His own finished work, He introduces each believer to the Father and acts as his Advocate before the throne. He lifts up in heaven His nail-pierced hand, and pleads for ‘mercy’ for us. Oh the power of His blood!!! Turn to First Peter chapter one.
Beginning at verse thirteen, it reads, “13) Therefore prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14) As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 15) but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16) because it is written, "YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY." 17) If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth; 18) knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19) but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.” (First Peter 1:13-19)
Peter writes that we should be holy as God is holy. Why? Because we have been redeemed with the precious blood of Christ! Peter was quoting what God had said to the Children of Israel in Leviticus 11:44. It says, “For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy…..” (Leviticus 11:44) The people of Israel were surrounded on every side by heathens from whom they might have easily adopted the worst examples of sin. Because of this, God frequently recalled them to Himself – reminding them of Who they served and the expectations that they would be different because they were different. The same applies to us, except we have help. Through the shed blood of Jesus we have received power to overcome and the Holy Spirit is with us to shore us up where we are weak. Praise God for the power of the blood of His Son!
Let me share a few additional verses of Scripture that demonstrate the power of the blood of Christ.
Romans 5:9 says, “Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.” We were justified. The word “justified” means “to be declared innocent.” Through the blood of Jesus, we will no longer face the wrath of God like those who have rejected Him.
Ephesians 1:7 says, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.” We were redeemed by the blood of Jesus.
Colossians 1:20 says, “And through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.” Peace came through His blood. Because of the power of the blood of Jesus, who do we have peace with? Romans 5:1 tells us. “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Hebrews 10:19 says, “Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus.” Confidence to enter His presence. The KJV says “boldness.” We can come before the throne of God with boldness because of the blood that Jesus shed for us!
Hebrews 13:12 says, “Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate.” We were sanctified through His blood.
First John 1:7 says, “But if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” We were cleansed from all sin and a sinful way of life.
We are overcomers! Revelation 12:10-11 says, “10) Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, ‘Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night. 11) And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.”
I want to close out this message the way I started. There is another song we sang that contained these words, “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.” When you are at your low points in life and wondering how you will make it to the next day, remember the power of the blood of Christ. Remember you have been washed. That revelation means something because our enemy wants us to believe and accept that we are nothing but sinful, dirty, filthy rags. But through the blood of Jesus, we have been washed and are now as white as snow. No more filth. Do not believe the lies that you are anything less than cleansed in the blood of Christ.
Until next time, “The Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift up His countenance on you and give you peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26)
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