THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIST
By David J. Riggs
Intro.
A. Circumstances make things precious.
1. The hungry man thinks food is precious.
2. When one is dying in the desert, he values water above all
else.
3. Poverty makes wealth precious.
4. A person cannot truly appreciate the value of a thing until
he realizes and encounters the need for it.
B. People sometimes use the word "precious" very loosely;
however, in the word of God the word "precious" is used with
great care.
1. Very few things are labeled "precious" in the Scriptures.
2. The blood of Christ is one of them.
I. THE IMPORTANCE OF BLOOD IS SEEN IN BOTH TESTAMENTS.
A. The first recorded sacrifice involved blood. Gen. 4:3-5; Heb.
11:4
1. Noah and his family offered a blood sacrifice. Gen. 8:20
2. The Law of Moses was sealed with blood. Heb. 9:18
3. The high priest went once a year into the most holy place
with blood. Heb. 9:7
4. Man has never been permitted to eat blood. Lev. 17:11-12;
Acts 15:29
5. All the sacrifices of the O.T. looked forward to the one
great sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Heb. 9:23-26
B. The New Testament begins with the story of God's gift to man.
1. The angels announce the birth of Christ. Luke 2:8-14
2. The wise men from the East came to Bethlehem and
worshiped the young child. Matt. 2:11
3. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. John 1:14
4. When He began His ministry, the idea of a blood sacrifice
began to be portrayed. John 1:29
5. Jesus told Nicodemus that as Moses lifted up the serpent in
the wilderness, He would be "lifted up." John 3:14-15
6. At the mount of transfiguration Moses and Elijah talked with
Jesus regarding His decease at Jerusalem. Luke 9:28-31
7. Jesus made many predictions about being "lifted up" which
referred to His death on the cross. John 12:31-33; Matt.
20:17-19
8. At the last Passover feast with His disciples, when He
instituted His Supper, He spoke of the blood of the New
Testament. Matt. 26:26-28
9. The whole history and meaning of blood sacrifices centers on
the cross of calvary.
II. THE BLOOD OF CHRIST IS INDEED A PRECIOUS GIFT TO MANKIND.
A. The blood of Christ brings redemption. 1 Pet. 1:17-19; Eph.
1:7
1. The word "redeem" is a business term meaning, "to buy
back."
2. In the beginning, man walked and talked with God.
a. But, as all men have done, he sold his soul into the
slavery of sin and Satan. Rom. 6:16; John 8:34
3. God desired to buy human beings back from the clutch of
Satan.
a. God could have rushed the stronghold of Satan and
brought men back to himself by force.
b. Instead, He chose to redeem man through the blood of
His Son.
4. Consider this poem from an unknown author:
It was not the bolt of God
But only a block of wood.
Yet, the bliss can never be told
When its meaning is understood.
It speaks of mountains crossed,
The rough and clumps made into sod,
Of the climax of toil and cost,
That brings man back to God.
B. The blood of Christ brings justification. Rom. 3:23-26; 5:9
1. The Greek word for "justification" is a legal term which
means, "to declare just, righteous, or not guilty."
2. Divine justice requires the condemnation and punishment of
all who have sinned.
3. Since all have sinned and transgressed God's law, all are
worthy of death.
a. What could man give to atone for his sins? Micah 6:6-7
b. God could have placed great, laborious, burdensome
demands on mankind.
4. The Law of Moses could not justify. Gal. 2:16
a. The only thing that meets the demands of God's justice
is the blood of Christ.
5. Charles Smith, president of the American Association for the
Advancement of Atheism, said, "The whole scheme of
redemption is foolishness to me. Because our parents and
forefathers disobeyed God, he would not be on good terms
with us until his son was nailed on a cross. This is not
reasonable." (Oliphant-Smith Debate, p. 61).
a. Thus, God's means of justification is unreasonable to
some, and they reject it.
b. However, though we may not understand all the facets
of God's plan, we appreciate it and avail ourselves of
it.
C. The blood of Christ brings reconciliation. Rom. 5:10; Eph.
2:13-16
1. The word "reconcile" means "to make friends of enemies."
2. When one sins, he makes himself an enemy of God. James
4:4; Col. 1:21
a. To be God's enemy means certain, absolute destruction.
Heb. 10:26-27; Rom. 2:5
3. Only by the blood of Christ can we be reconciled to God and
escape the wrath to come.
D. The blood of Christ brings cleansing to the soul.
1. The word "cleanse" is a household term simply meaning, "to
clean, to make pure."
2. God regards sin as a defiled garment (Rev. 3:4), a diseased
body (Isa. 1:6), filth and vomit (2 Pet. 2:22).
a. Sin separates and alienates one from God. Isa. 59:1-2;
Col. 1:21
3. Again, the cleansing and washing agent is the blood of
Christ. Rev. 1:5; Heb. 9:14
E. The blood of Christ purchased the church. Acts 20:28; Eph.
5:23-25
1. Those cleansed by the blood are translated into the kingdom
or church. Col. 1:13-14;
2. The saved are added to the church. Acts 2:47
III. HOW ARE THE BLESSINGS OF THE BLOOD ACQUIRED? See chart below).
A. Baptism in a special way is related to the blood of Christ.
1. Without baptism, no one receives the blessings of Christ's
blood.
2. A study of the Scriptures shows that what the blood does,
baptism does.
B. For one to continue to receive the cleansing from the blood, he
must continue to meet the conditions of forgiveness. 1 John
1:6-9
Concl.
A. During the presidency of Andrew Jackson (1829-1837), a man by
the name of George Wilson robbed a federal payroll from a train
and in the process killed a guard. The court convicted him and
sentenced him to be hanged. Because of public sentiment
against capital punishment, however, a movement began to secure
a presidential pardon for Wilson, and eventually Jackson
intervened with a pardon. Amazingly, Wilson refused it.
1. Since this had never happened before, the Supreme Court
was asked to rule on whether someone could indeed refuse a
presidential pardon. Chief Justice John Marshall handed
down the court's decision: "A pardon is a parchment whose
only value must be determined by the receiver of the pardon.
It has no value apart from that which the receiver gives to
it. George Wilson has refused to accept the pardon. We
cannot conceive why he would do so, but he has. Therefore,
George Wilson must die." "Pardon," declared the Supreme
Court, "must not only be granted, it must be accepted."
George Wilson, as punishment for his crime, was hanged.
B. Pardon from sin has come to all men as the result of the blood
of Christ.
1. However, one must accept the pardon on the conditions of
the One who shed His blood for us.
2. If we do not comply with the conditions, the blessings of
the blood will not be ours.
C. How about you? Will you not respond by your obedience to the
Lord?
Chart:
BAPTISM IN GOD'S PLAN
GRACE FAITH
Matt. 26:28. . . Remission of Sins . . . Acts 2:38
1 John 1:7 . . . . . Cleansed. . . . . . Eph. 5:26
Heb. 9:14. . . . Conscience purged . . 1 Pet. 3:21
Rev. 1:5 . . . . . . .Washed . . . . . .Acts 22:16
Acts 20:28 . . . . . Purchased . . . .1 Cor. 12:13
Eph. 1:7 . . Redemption & Forgiveness. . Acts 2:38
BLOOD BAPTISM