The Power of Blood

Today I'd like to talk to you about the different kinds of power that exists in the world. For example:

Worldly Power

• Political power (generating billions of dollars and the involvement and passion of millions of people in the up-coming elections).
• Physical power of all kinds like muscle power, nuclear power, electrical power used in servicing society's various needs.
• Military power used to aggress or defend nations.
• Mental power used to communicate, create, research, calculate and explain the people and the world around us.

All of these types of power (and this is not an exhaustive list – example – the power of persuasion is still another type of worldly power) are seen, exercised and diligently sought after for good or evil in the world we live in.

Spiritual Power

Spiritual power is not visible yet exercised in the world by some. For example,

1. Power of God Himself - Genesis 1:1 – "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth."
2. Power of the word of God - Romans 1:16 – "The gospel is the power of God unto salvation." - Hebrews 4:12 – "sharper than any 2-edged sword"
3. Power of Prayer – Matthew 7:7 – "..ask, and it shall be given"
4. Power of Faith – Mark 9:23 – "all things possible to him who believes."
5. And then there is the type of power I want us to consider this morning:
6. Power of the Blood of Christ.

Power of the Blood of Christ

We can be a witness to the power of God (The miracles performed by Moses for Pharaoh), power of the Word (Jesus refuting the Pharisees), power of prayer (the multiplication of the bread and fish), power of faith (healing of the Centurian's slave) but until we experience the power of the blood of Christ in our lives, we are merely spectators of spiritual power and not channels FOR spiritual power.

One cannot experience the power of the blood of Christ without knowing those things that it has the power to accomplish. For example:

1. The blood of Christ has the power to make peace between man and God.

...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.
- Colossians 1:20

Peace

Why do people suffer? Why is there guilt, doubt and shame?

Some think it is because we've made mistakes or bad decisions or knowingly done things we should not have done. This causation is true but incomplete. We have no peace of mind not only because of our moral failures but because these failings have broken apart our relationship with the only One whose approval is necessary. I give you a familiar example to make this point.

For example, have you not noticed that nothing is worth doing until a broken friendship caused by unkindness, etc., is mended – only then do we have peace of mind.

The same holds true for every person and God. Every sin we commit, every evil thought we entertain further breaks down our relationship between Himself and ourselves.

This separation occurs between our spirit and His whether we know it or not, whether we admit it or not (fire burns whether we know, acknowledge it or not).

But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, And your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear.
- Isaiah 59:2

The unhappiness, loneliness, anxiety, fear, guilt we feel are merely symptoms of one who needs to make up with God because He's the One we offend with our sins whether they be sins against others or the indulgence of our flesh in things that are forbidden.

But what do we do to fix this problem? What can we offer to God that will make up for our disobedience and disbelief? Can we apologize, do penance, etc.?

You see, this what causes the pain, the fear, the anxiety.

The terrible truth that there is nothing we can do, or offer, or say that will make peace between ourselves and God.

No power in this world can bring about that peace except the spiritual power that resides in the blood of Christ.

It was not with goats' or calves' blood but with his own blood that he entered once and for all into the holy of holies, having won for us men eternal reconciliation with God.
- Hebrews 9:14

This is the one of a kind power that the blood of Christ possesses. It has the power to remove what separates us from God and thus bring us peace of mind, heart and spirit.

2. How does the blood of Christ bring peace?

A. It does so by being the purest offering possible made unto God.

¹⁸knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, ¹⁹but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.
- I Peter 1:18-19

B. Because it is pure, spotless, truly alive (if the life is in the blood, then Jesus' blood had full life ) and thus, it is acceptable to God as an offering for sin, the obstacle in our quest for peace.

for this is My blood of the covenant, which is being poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.
- Matthew 26:28

• Psychology helps explain failure and sin.
• Drugs and alcohol help us forget our sins or dulls our awareness.
• Denials help us avoid facing our sins.

But only the blood of Christ poured out on the cross by the Son of God has the power to blot out our sins from God's sight and make us appear to Him pure and spotless, and without sin –

...To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood.
- Revelation 1:5

Therefore, to use a biblical image here; Washing in the pure blood of Christ makes us pure, makes us clean, removes our sins that cling to us and cause this estrangement from God, the center of peace.

Review

The blood of Christ has the power to...

• Bring peace between human beings and God
• Purify men and women of their sins.

3. Blood of Christ has the power to purchase for us spiritual blessings:

⁵and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood— ⁶and He made us into a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
- Revelation 1:5-6

So we can say that the blood of Christ:

...has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ...
- Ephesians 1:3

The blood of Christ gives us Eternal life (eternity of life) – Eternal doesn't only refer to time (i.e. never-ending). It also refers to a certain quality of life we will experience in heaven. We will be like the angels (Matthew 22:29-30) and be in the presence of God (II Corinthians 5:8), not to mention that the eternal life experience will never have to cope with the suffering that comes with death (Revelation 21:1-4).

Another blessing we receive from the Blood of Christ is a guarantee of an eternity of being just like Jesus and with Him without reference to sin.

Imagine a life without remembrance of sin, and a personal righteousness that is never compromised by sin.

The blood of Christ guarantees us that in the future we will never have to deal with sin ever again! No power in the world makes such a promise.

Summary

I spoke of the power of God, prayer, Word, faith, but none of these can be experienced without first experiencing the power of the blood of Christ.

God in his greatness answered all prayer for help by giving us His Word that for those who believe, the blood of Christ Jesus, His Son, could bring us peace/purity/promise of eternal life.

Revelation 7:14-17 – Talks about those who have experienced this power of the blood of Christ, who have peace and purification and the promise because they have "washed in the blood."

Acts 22:16 – Tells us that Paul was exhorted to "wash" away his sins in the waters of baptism.

I Peter 3:21 – Teaches us that at baptism our consciences are purified from sin and we can stand before God in peace.

Why is this so?

1. Because we experience the power of the blood of Christ when our sins are washed away as we are baptized in the name of Jesus (Acts 2:38).
2. Sins are washed by the blood at baptism. The first "experience" of Christianity is the realization that all sins are washed away by the blood of Christ at baptism.
3. Are you struggling with sin, you sinner? Afraid, guilty, ashamed. Stop fighting on your own – You will never win! Do it God's way. Come and wash those sins away (along with that guilt and fear) in the blood of Christ by confessing His name and being baptized (Mark 16:16).
4. Are you struggling with sin, you Christian? Stop fighting with your own method. Do it God's way. Confess your sin (I John 1:9) and trust in the blood of Jesus to continually forgive you and keep you pure in His sight.

Let us have the confidence that comes from knowing that the blood of Jesus is powerful enough to wash away our sins and keep us pure in the sight of God now and forever.

With this kind of confidence, we can live our lives totally for Christ. Without it we merely flounder. If you are floundering, if you are lost – Come to the blood now, why delay?