THE POWER OF THE BLOOD
Hebrews 9:11-14
All through the epistle to the Hebrews, the author seeks to show the superiority of Jesus Christ. In this chapter he shows that the New Covenant is superior to the Old. Under the Old there was a tabernacle, though made according to the pattern God gave, was made by human hands. The sacrifices of the Old Covenant were repeated often.
But now, we discover that Jesus Christ is the great High Priest of good things to come. He entered into a more perfect tabernacle, an eternal one. One not made with hands. Our High Priest entered into that greater tabernacle and offered better blood. He did not offer the blood of goats and calves, but his own blood. He came and once for all entered the most holy place, offering His own blood. As the old song says, "there is power in the Blood of Jesus."
In this passage we discover that the Blood of Jesus:
I. PROCURES OUR REDEMPTION (9:11-12)
The Blood of Jesus procures for us, Eternal Redemption. The blood of goats and calves procured only a temporary reprieve from the wages of sin. The Blood of Christ gives us eternal redemption, and the sacrifice he made on the cross NEVER NEVER EVER needs to be repeated.
9:22: "Without shedding of blood, there is no redemption.”
9:26: “Jesus Christ came the first time to put away our sin by the sacrifice of himself.”
9:28: “Jesus will come a second time to bring our salvation to completion.”
When we observe the Lord’s Supper, we not only look back to the cross and to the salvation he purchased for us, we also look forward to the full realization of that salvation. I love the following words of the song, “There Is a Redeemer.” "When I stand in glory, I will see his face."
I Peter 1:18-19 says, "Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that our faith and hope are in God."
Moreover, the blood of Christ:
II. PURIFIES OUR CONSCIENCE (9:13-14)
The blood of the Old Covenant was offered to purify the flesh (13), that is, it was external. Those sacrifices could not cleanse the conscience. The Blood of Christ cleans, purifies the guilty conscience. A guilty conscience can be a blessing. How so? There is nothing worse than a guilty conscience that torments us. People often say that we must be purged of a guilt complex. Well that is happening today. Many people no longer have guilt feelings about anything. As a result they commit all kinds of horrible acts, murder, rape, robbery, etc. They have no feelings of guilt.
Guilt can be a blessing when it drives us to the cross, to the Savior who died on that cross, who cleanses our conscience by his own blood that he shed for us on the cross. Guilt is a curse only when we refuse to bring our guilt and our sins to Jesus.
The blood of the old covenant could not cleanse us from every sin. It included accidental and unintentional sins. The New Testament says, “...the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from ALL sin. (I Jn. 1:7).
ILL. A guilt from my past haunted me for a time. The devil kept reminding me of it over and over. Yet I had confessed that sin to God. I had repented of it. Still the devil kept reminding me of it. One day I read I John 1:7 and 9. and claimed by faith the cleansing of the blood of Jesus. Wouldn’t you like to know what that sin was? It’s none of your business. I want to tell you that it is gone. It has been placed under the cleansing blood of Jesus.
But notice also that the Blood of Jesus purifies our conscience from "dead works." What are these "dead works?" They are our works of self-effort, our futile attempt to earn our forgiveness.
My friend Matt, was a good man. He was a barber, very active in the community and especially in the church. He was a Faithful Sunday School director, a deacon, active in visitation, and a tither. Moreover, Matt was morally straight. Every one who knew him said, "He is a great Christian." Other pastor’s envied his pastor. They wished they had such a faithful member as Matt. But Matt had one serious problem. He was lost. He had never trusted in Christ’s cleansing blood.
One Sunday he shocked his pastor, his fellow church members, and in fact the entire city. He came forward during the worship service and said, I want to receive Jesus Christ as my personal Savior. At first his pastor thought he was just confused. However, Matt had been trying to earn his salvation by his good life, and by his good works.
Good works never produces salvation. Good works proceed from salvation. Only the Blood of Christ can purchase our eternal redemption and purify our conscience.
"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God has prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:8-10)
ILL. John Wesley worked hard to try to procure his own salvation. He even became a missionary. Once at sea, he was in a terrible storm. He feared for his life. Then he saw a group of Moravian Christians. They were singing in the middle of that storm. Their peace gripped him. He said, "I went to America to convert the Indians, oh but who shall convert me."
Latter, in a little chapel, he felt his heart strangely warmed. He trusted Jesus Christ alone for his salvation. He discovered that eternal redemption in Christ’s blood, and had his heart purified from dead works.
Often I have heard people say something like this. "I trying to be a Christian....." Well, it will not work. Stop trying and place your trust in Jesus Christ. He paid in full the price of your salvation with his own blood.
