A COVENANT WITH GOD
PART 7
“THE BLOOD OF THE COVENANT”
Date: July 28, 2002
Place: Allendale Baptist Church
Text: Hebrews 9: 23-28
Leviticus 17:11 “For the life of the creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.”
Introduction:
Martin De Haan states, “The Bible is a book of blood and a bloody book. When we are accused of preaching a Gospel of blood we proudly plead guilty, to the charge for the only thing that gives life to our teaching and power to the Word of God is the fact that it is the blood which is the very life and power of the Gospel. The Bible declares itself to be a living book, the only living book in the world; and it is able to impart life to those who will believe with their hearts what it teaches”(9).
Spurgeon stated, “Scripture teaches us…that the blood produces life – that life lies in the blood. Blood, therefore, is the mysterious link between matter and spirit. How is it that the soul should in any degree have alliance with matter through blood, we cannot understand; but certain it is that this is the mysterious link which unite these apparently dissimilar things together, so that the soul can inhabit the body, and the life can rest in the blood”(65).
When I first read Spurgeon’s insight here on the concept of the blood it provoked me to ponder this thought, “Life can rest in the blood.”
There are seven biological functions of the blood.
The 7 functions…
1. The blood transports metabolic wastes from each cell to organs that excrete them, even drugs.
2. The red blood cells transport oxygen from respiratory structures (lungs) to the cells of the body.
3. The blood transports nutrients from the digestive system and from storage depots to each cell of the body.
4. The blood transports hormones from endocrine glands to target tissues.
5. The blood helps to maintain fluid balance in the body.
6. The blood helps to distribute metabolic heat within the body and to maintain normal body temperature.
7. The blood (white blood cells) defends the body against invading microorganisms.
Medical science has given us insight into how “life rests in the blood.”
These seven functions accomplished by the blood help you and I live.
If for what ever reason you where to lose too much blood you would die – so life rest in the blood
Lev. 17:11 states, “For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s own life.”
This verse tells us there is physical life in the blood but it also alludes that there is spiritual life in the blood also.
The blood is what gives you and I life spiritually and the seven critical functions done by the blood, for a person spiritually when they have accepted the blood of the lamb- Jesus’ sacrifice of His blood on the cross.
Hebrews 9:22 “In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is not forgiveness.”
The blood of the Lamb’s seven life functions.
I. The blood of the lamb transports the metabolic waste from each of our cells (spiritually) and then takes this poisonous waste out of our soul and spirit.
A. This is the first task of the Blood of the lamb as it floods through our spiritual veins.
B. T.S. Robie said; “Morality may keep you out of jail, but it takes the blood of Christ to keep you out of Hell.”
C. II Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come.”
II. The blood of the lamb transports oxygen- the breath of life- into the spiritual cells of us.
A. Genesis 2:7 “The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and the man became a living being.”
B. Interesting God formed man- first the physical structure was there but man did not become a living being until God breathed into man.
C. It’s the breath of God in the blood of the lamb which brings life.
Reality check – We’re never alive until we receive the breath of life from God which only flows through the blood of the lamb.
III. The blood of the lamb transports nutrients (food) to the spiritual cells of each of us and gives us life.
A. John 6:35 “… Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life, he who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.”
B. It’s through the blood that we gain food to go on and sustain life spiritually and it comes from Christ’s Word.
* Illustration- A bird can go nine days without food, a man twelve days, a dog twenty days, a turtle five hundred days, a snake eight hundred days, a fish one thousand days, and insects twelve hundred days. But the bottom line is eventually everything needs food to keep from starving to death.
C. I know I have used this illustration before but allow me to do so again please. Sometimes a child does not want to eat and you have to force them to eat. I think we are like that sometimes. We need to be force-fed.
IV. The blood of the lamb transports hormones to the spiritual body.
A. Hormone – The term hormone is derived from a Greek word meaning “to excite.” Hormones do indeed excite their targeted tissues, usually by stimulating a change in some metabolic activity.
B. The blood is the life force that makes you excited about the things of God.
C. The blood will help stimulate a change in you that will make you excited about living-it will bring great joy to your life. The blood of the lamb when received will give us exuberant excitement in life.
V. The blood of the lamb is that which maintains balance in our spiritual body.
A. Balance means a state of equilibrium; equality in amount; stability, harmonious proportion.
B. When I Looked for a definition to the word balance in Vine’s Bible Dictionary, it referred me to the word “Yoke”. A yoke is a harnessing devise used to attach a pair of oxen, horses or mules together and then attached to a wagon or a plow. Then I turned to Matthew 11:28-29 which says; “Come to Me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
C. John MacArthur says this verse “speaks of an open invitation to all who hear; to those who are burdened by their own spiritual bankruptcy and the weight of trying to save themselves by keeping the law. The stubbornness of humanity’s sinful rebellion is such that without a sovereignly bestowed spiritual awakening, all sinners refuse to acknowledge the depth of their spiritual poverty.
D. This should encourage us of the hope that when we yoke ourselves together with Jesus He not only takes away the burden of sin and provides salvation but also, shares in all of our burdens.
VI. The blood of the lamb helps to distribute heat within the spiritual body to help it keep normal body temperature, even in the midst of storms.
A. II Cor. 1:3,4 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.”
B. It’s because of the blood that we receive warmth and comfort in troubled times.
VII. The blood of the lamb is what defends us against invading enemies
of the spiritual body.
A. Dt. 33:7 “With his own hands he defended his cause…”
B. Psalm 46 – this psalm shows us how God is our protector and refuge.
Conclusion: The blood of the lamb is our source of spiritual life. Without the blood being shed, we have no life. Let’s recall through Spurgeon his final thoughts on the blood: “the shedding of blood, without which there is no remission…Every drop of blood which flowed out of Jesus’ body is still in existence, and it is just as it was 2,000 years ago wiping away the sins of mankind. The blood has been shed –the incorruptible, eternal, divine, sinless, overcoming, precious blood. It availed then, and it avails now; and throughout all eternity it will never lose it’s power to bring life.”
Summary: Do not forget the 7 life functions of the blood of the lamb
1. The blood of the lamb cleanses us spiritually and removes all poisonous wastes from the world that will kill us.
2. The blood of the lamb transports the breath of life into out spiritual cells so we can truly live and continue living for all eternity.
3. The blood of the lamb transports food to our spiritual cells and keeps us from starving to death for all eternity.
4. The blood of the lamb transports hormones- excitement-joy to our spiritual bodies.
5. The blood of the lamb will maintain balance in our life so we do not fall off one side or the other.
6. The blood of the lamb will distribute heat to us in the midst of the storms to keep us warm and secure and it will help us stay at peace in the midst of the storms of life.
7. The blood of the lamb will defend us against the powers of darkness and keep us safe in battle.
