WITH HIS OWN BLOOD
Hebrews 9:12-14 NKJV
Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
I am not a big proponent of looking to the past and talking about the good ol’ days. But there are some things that the believers in days gone by had a good grasp of that we can learn from. During the last 30 years with the changes in the church and church growth the blood of Jesus has been de-emphasized. And yet it was that very blood that bought our salvation for us.
As the writer is comparing Jesus sacrificial offering versus Old Testament sacrifices one very important truth stands out. It was not with the blood of goats and calves but with His own blood Jesus entered the Most Holy Place in heaven. And with His blood Jesus bought eternal redemption for us. He bought back mankind from the grip of darkness and this redemption is eternal. Never again will Jesus have to spill His blood for us. There is no higher sacrifice.
The Old Covenant would sprinkle with the blood of animals and that would separate and purify the flesh for a year. Jesus washed us in His own blood and that cleanses our hearts and it’s forever. Jesus offered Himself without spot to God. He is the sinless spotless sacrifice. And now we have been cleansed in our heart so that we can serve the living God without a sense of guilt and condemnation. A better sacrifice. A better cleansing. A better covenant and a better life and relationship with God.
APPLICATION
The old timers knew something about the blood. And they were not ashamed to sing and talk about the cleansing power of Jesus blood. Songs with lyrics such as “Oh the blood of Jesus that washes white as snow.” And “there is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Immanuel’s veins and sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.” These hymns may be old, but they still pack a theological punch. It was not our efforts but Jesus’ blood that cleansed us and made us new creations. That blood has enabled us to stand clean and pure and serve our God the only true and living God. Oh the blood of Jesus!
PRAYER
Thank You Jesus for paying the price to free me from sin and death and present me clean before God. I appreciate and value the blood You shed for me!