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THE BLOOD OF CHRIST (1)

March 24, 2002 AM

Sermon Outline

Eph 2: 11-13

INTRO: Blood is a prominent Bible word. There are some to whom the Bible and that for which it stands are repugnant because of the subject of blood. Some have even referred to the Bible as a bloody book. And the truth is that blood is, indeed, a prominent Bible word! But when one is willing to explore the subject rather than to be repulsed by it, he finds that blood is often a word of Gods grace. While it may be to all of us somewhat harsh or unpleasant, blood is the means of access to God. So...

I. BLOOD AND A PROHIBITION

A. Gen 9:1-4 Eating of blood prohibited early on

1. before there was the law of Moses, this prohibition

2. blood was the life of flesh and was prohibited as a food from the days of Adam and Eve

B. Lev 17:10 Under the law of Moses prohibition continued

1. Lev 3:17 a perpetual prohibition

2. so serious would such a violation be that the guilty person would be cut off from the people ... God would set His face against that soul

C. Acts 15:20 To Gentile Christians?

1. so much discussion about this verse

2. one thing is certain ... all of the things in this verse were associated with paganism - note Lev 19:26

II. BLOOD AND THE COVENANTS

A. Ex 24:6-8 with Heb 9:18-21

1. notice especially Ex 24:7 ...

2. before the blood of the covenant was sprinkled upon the people, they clearly made a decision!

3. the first covenant was made effective, in force, by the covenant blood of animals

B. Mt 26:27,28 ... my blood of then new covenant ...

1. note Heb 9:23 both covenants and blood

2. but the new covenant with better sacrifices

3. the blood of Jesus inaugurated the new covenant ... the covenant which supercedes the old (Heb 8:13)

III. BLOOD AND THE ATONEMENT

A. Lev 17:11 ... blood that maketh atonement for the soul

1. remember, though, this is the blood of animals

2. so, Lev 16:34 the every year, annual day of atonement

3. and the many personal sin offerings ... the purpose of which was atonement (Lev 1:1-4)

B. Rom 5:11 ... by Whom we have now received the atonement

1. 1 Jno 2:2 propitiation - atoning sacrifice

2. now, note Heb 10:3,4 compared with 10:10,14 - perfect

3. in the word atonement are some wonderful thoughts: Old Testament has in it cancel; New Testament has in it restoration

IV. BLOOD AND REMISSION OF SINS

A. Heb 10:1-3 ... a remembrance ... every year

1.in the old covenant there was no doubt some sense of forgiveness ... but it was not perfect

2. Lev 16:31 ... afflict your souls...

3. personal viewpoint here: a consciousness of sin which was almost depressing

B. Heb 10:15-18 ... no more offering for sin

1. key text: Heb 9:22 no blood - no remission

2. two covenants might suggest two words: remembrance vs. remission

3. Jesus blood permits us to enter into Gods presence with all debts cancelled (1 Pet 2:24)

CLOSE: Would you be free from the burden of sin? ... There is power ... Wonder working power in the precious blood of the Lamb.

Cecil A. Hutson

24 March 2002

God's Plan of Salvation

You must hear the gospel and then understand and recognize that you are lost without Jesus Christ no matter who you are and no matter what your background is. The Bible tells us that "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) Before you can be saved, you must understand that you are lost and that the only way to be saved is by obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 1:8) Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6) "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12) "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17)

You must believe and have faith in God because "without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Hebrews 11:6) But neither belief alone nor faith alone is sufficient to save. (James 2:19; James 2:24; Matthew 7:21)

You must repent of your sins. (Acts 3:19) But repentance alone is not enough. The so-called "Sinner's Prayer" that you hear so much about today from denominational preachers does not appear anywhere in the Bible. Indeed, nowhere in the Bible was anyone ever told to pray the "Sinner's Prayer" to be saved. By contrast, there are numerous examples showing that prayer alone does not save. Saul, for example, prayed following his meeting with Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:11), but Saul was still in his sins when Ananias met him three days later (Acts 22:16). Cornelius prayed to God always, and yet there was something else he needed to do to be saved (Acts 10:2, 6, 33, 48). If prayer alone did not save Saul or Cornelius, prayer alone will not save you. You must obey the gospel. (2 Thess. 1:8)

You must confess that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. (Romans 10:9-10) Note that you do NOT need to make Jesus "Lord of your life." Why? Because Jesus is already Lord of your life whether or not you have obeyed his gospel. Indeed, we obey him, not to make him Lord, but because he already is Lord. (Acts 2:36) Also, no one in the Bible was ever told to just "accept Jesus as your personal savior." We must confess that Jesus is the Son of God, but, as with faith and repentance, confession alone does not save. (Matthew 7:21)

Having believed, repented, and confessed that Jesus is the Son of God, you must be baptized for the remission of your sins. (Acts 2:38) It is at this point (and not before) that your sins are forgiven. (Acts 22:16) It is impossible to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ without teaching the absolute necessity of baptism for salvation. (Acts 8:35-36; Romans 6:3-4; 1 Peter 3:21) Anyone who responds to the question in Acts 2:37 with an answer that contradicts Acts 2:38 is NOT proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ!

Once you are saved, God adds you to his church and writes your name in the Book of Life. (Acts 2:47; Philippians 4:3) To continue in God's grace, you must continue to serve God faithfully until death. Unless they remain faithful, those who are in God's grace will fall from grace, and those whose names are in the Book of Life will have their names blotted out of that book. (Revelation 2:10; Revelation 3:5; Galatians 5:4)