The Power of the Blood of the Lamb
Introduction
The Bible teaches in simplicity that there is only one thing in the world that can hinder the Christian’s walk of victory & fellowship with God and his being filled with the Holy Spirit. And that is sin in one form or another. There is only one thing in the world that can cleanse him/her from sins with all that that means of liberty & victory and that is the power of the blood of the Lord Jesus.
What is it that gives the blood of Christ its mighty power with God on behalf of men?
What are the conditions on which its full power may be experienced in our lives?
It is amazing how many blessings for humanity the Scriptures ascribe to the power of the blood of the Lord Jesus.
I. An Explanation As To What The Blood Of
The Lord Does
A. Brings Peace Between Man and God
Colossians 1:19-22 “For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight.”
“reconcile” to change completely; a change in the sinner’s relationship to God.
“the blood” speaks of Christ’s atoning works as a sacrifice for sin. Christ’s substituting death on the cross paid the full penalty for the sin of all who believe and made reconciliation possible and actual.
B. Gives Forgiveness of Sins and Eternal Life.
Colossians 1:12-14 “Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.”
V12. “qualified”- to make sufficient, to empower, or to authorize. How? Through the finished works of Calvary’s cross. I was qualified to receive His wrath.
V13. “delivered”- to “draw to oneself” or “to rescue”
V14. “redemption”-to deliver by payment of a ransom and was used for freeing slaves from bondage.
“through the blood” Hebrews 9:22
“And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission.”
It is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.
Matthew 26:28 “For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”
C. Satan is Overcome by the Blood of the Lamb.
Revelation 12:11 “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.”
No accusation can stand against them whose sins are under the blood.
D. Grants Continual Cleansing From All Sins For Us
1 John 1:7 “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”
As we walk in the “Light” it results in cleansing as the “Light” reveals our sin, we confess, we are cleansed (EXPOSES).
E. Set Us Free From The Tyranny of an
Evil Conscience
Hebrews 9:14 “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?”
The conscience is a divinely given warning device that reacts to sin and produces accusation and guilt that cannot be relieved apart from the work of Christ. After salvation, it continues its work, warning the believer about sin.
Repeatedly ignoring the conscience’s warnings, desensitizes it and eventually silences it.
1 Timothy 4:2 “Speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron.” (“Seared”)
F. Grants Liberty to Enter the Holy of Holies of God’s Presence
Hebrews 10:19 “Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus.”
You can come and stay as long as you desire and return as often as you wish.
II. True Expression as to Why the Blood of the “Lamb”
Why not the blood of the warrior?
What gives the blood its power with God for men; is the lamb-like disposition of the One who shed it and of which it is the supreme expression.
The title “The Lamb” speaks of that being a sacrifice for our sins. Jesus is the divine
fulfillment of all the lambs that were offered.
John the Baptist, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).
Lamb describes His character, He is meek and lowly in heart, gentle and unresisting, and all the time surrendering His own will to the Father’s.
John 6:38 “For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of Him who sent me.”
Anyone but a Lamb would have resisted and resented the treatment man gave Him.
When the Father’s will and the malice of men pointed to Calvary, the Lamb humbled Himself, lowered His head in willingness for that too.
Let us ever see this disposition in the blood. The deep humility and self-surrender of the Lamb links the blood of Christ with His self-offering to God.
Hebrews 9:14 “How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!”
“offered Himself” – His own volition with a full understanding. No one took His life, He gave it!
This disposition has ever been of supreme value to God; humility, lamb-likeness, the surrender of our wills to God. The heart of sin from the beginning has been just the opposite: PRIDE.
We too must come to the Father, through the Son and in the same disposition-Humble ourselves.
III. The Experience of His Blood in Our Lives
How can we experience the cleansing, peace-giving, life giving, sin-destroying power in our hearts?
Our hearts tell us the answer as we look on the Lamb of God lowering His head for man on Calvary; us being willing to have the same disposition that ruled Him and by bending our necks in brokenness as He lowered His. Am I willing to be a partaker of the same disposition, for it has been made transferable to us by His death?
Philippians 2:15 “So that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.”
Speaks of the right attitude (disposition) in pursuing godliness, a process, a growing toward something they do not fully possess.
Blameless – a life that cannot be criticized because of sin or evil.
Harmless- innocent; a life that is pure
“without fault” – above reproach
“shine as lights” –spiritual characters
All the fruit of God are expressions of the lamb-like nature of our Lord Jesus with which the Holy Spirit wants to fill us. He wants to reproduce Himself in us.
Problem: Our unyielding self that stands up for itself and resist this.
Solution: That will, will have to be broken if we wish for the Lamb’s blood to reach us and cleanse us.
We must be broken on the point in question.
Repentance always humility of pride and confession of sin.
Walk in the Light and be willing for God to reveal any sin that may be in your life.
Don’t protest your innocence
Only difference in the Publican and the Pharisee in Luke 18:9-14 is humility. One was as guilty as the other. The only beautiful thing about a Christian is Jesus Christ!