Blood
Blood (haematology).
- talk about my job: haematology - haima = blood; logos = word - the study of blood. [OHP]
- a generation back great emphasis on “the blood” - great significance placed on it in the Scriptures.
- what do we mean when we talk of the blood? What does it signify?
- Life [OHP] read: Leviticus 17:10-14 And any man from the house of Israel, or from the aliens who sojourn among them, who eats any blood, I will set My face against that person who eats blood and will cut him off from among his people. For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement.’ Therefore I said to the sons of Israel, ‘No person among you may eat blood, nor may any alien who sojourns among you eat blood.’ So when any man from the sons of Israel, or from the aliens who sojourn among them, in hunting catches a beast or a bird which may be eaten, he shall pour out its blood and cover it with earth. For as for the life of all flesh, its blood is identified with its life. Therefore I said to the sons of Israel, ‘You are not to eat the blood of any flesh, for the life of all flesh is its blood; whoever eats it shall be cut off.’ ] - “life” is literally “soul” - the soul is in the blood.
- Basic haematology lesson [OHP] - red sticky liquid, but liquid is not red, red cells make it red, if make them fall to the bottom find almost clear liquid - haematology reflex action. Red cells, white cells and platelets.
- White cells fight disease, they’re needed for life, without platelets you’d bleed to death so blood is needed for life
- but red cells carry the air you breathe to the furthest parts of the body [Genesis 2:7 Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.]
- it is the breath, the Spirit that makes us a living being and it is in the blood.
- The life is in the blood, it represents a person’s soul - hence murdered Abel’s soul cried out to God for vengeance and justice for the crime committed against him [Genesis 4:10 He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to Me from the ground.]
- Death [OHP] - the great debate! [Matthew 27:24,25 When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather that a riot was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this Man’s blood; see to that yourselves.” And all the people said, “His blood shall be on us and on our children!” Luke 11:50,51 so that the blood of all the prophets, shed since the foundation of the world, may be charged against this generation, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the house of God; yes, I tell you, it shall be charged against this generation.’ ]
- who is right - more arguing over words than meaning - when blood is shed, life is poured out a person is dead.
- of the 362 OT occurrences of blood 205 refer to death with violence
- perhaps the image shouldn’t be of a laboratory but of a slaughter house - blood is messy (top off tube at work)
- we’re far from the bloody sacrifice of the Bible - in Jesus’ day a million would be in Jerusalem, each family sacrificing a lamb - hundreds of thousands of litres of blood in the hot Middle Eastern sun - the stench of death was everywhere
- people were very aware that the penalty for them failing to live up to God’s requirements was bloody death
- sin incurs God’s wrath and violent judgment of death - the Jews knew it only too well but we’ve made it all so clean and clinical
- we’ve removed the mess and death from the message (Dad spilling wine) - the wages of sin is death
- the first sin required blood to be shed - an animal died to provide covering for Adam and Ever
- blood speaks of sacrifice - awful, violent death - the penalty for abominable crime
- we are an offense in the sight of a holy God - blood must be shed - the soul that sins must die
- Jesus poured out His soul unto death
- the life/soul is in the blood and the penalty for sin is for a soul to be forfeited, for blood to be shed for life to be poured
- this was over and over reinforced with vivid clarity in the sacrificial system
- but there was prophesied One who would pour out His soul unto death [Isaiah 53:12 He poured out His soul unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet He Himself bore the sin of many, and interceded for the transgressors.]
- High tech lab - ESR’s - red cells settle under gravity, mine would stay there all day without moving, but when protein increased
red cells stick together (Eddie see falling) - nonspecific, basically tells you someone’s crook
- read (John 19:33-37) - John knew nothing of red cells and ESR’s, he was simply an eyewitnesses reporting what he saw - blood and water flowed out - acute phase protein increased so Jesus’ red cells separated from his plasma - this implies heart stopped beating as blood no longer mixed and blood drained into abdominal cavity - Jesus was dead!
- some say Jesus merely passed out and revived later but eyewitness evidence proves He was most definitely dead
- this is the essence of the Gospel: [1 Corinthians 15:3,4 Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures]
- The price of a soul
- this is the price of a soul read: (Psalm 49:7-9,15)
- Waihi mine [1 Peter 1:18,19 you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.]
- Jesus’ blood is infinitely precious - beyond value [1 Peter 2:4,6,7 coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God. For this is contained in Scripture: “Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone, and he who believes in Him will not be disappointed.” This precious value, then, is for you who believe]
- What Jesus’ blood accomplishes
- often hear about being covered by the blood - what do people mean by this? - there is a magic superstition about the blood of Jesus - ? a reference to Passover, protected by the blood on the lintel - but it is not a magic mantra, claim the blood and everything is magically OK
- the blood of Jesus, His sacrifice on our behalf accomplished specific and definite things - not magic but truth and reality.
- It is faith in Christ’s perfect sacrifice - Him pouring out His unblemished life in our place.
- we saw that Abel’s blood/soul cried our for vengeance, retribution and justice but Jesus’ blood/soul cries our for forgiveness and reconciliation [Luke 23:34 But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”]
- [Hebrews 12:24 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God ... and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.] - what are the better things that Jesus’ blood speaks, what does Jesus’ blood accomplish? [OHP] [warn note takers]
1. Redemption.
Ephesians 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.
Hebrews 9:12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.
Revelation 5:9 And they *sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.
2. Forgiveness.
Ephesians 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
Hebrews 9:22 And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
3. Justification.
Romans 5:9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him
4. Cleansing.
1 John 1:7 if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
5. Atonement (covering)
Romans 3:25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith.
6. Purification.
Hebrews 9:13,14,22 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
22 And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
7. Liberty.
Revelation 1:5 and 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—
8. Sanctification.
Hebrews 13:12 Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate.
9. Reconciliation/peace.
Colossians 1:20 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.
10. Covenant relationship.
1 Corinthians 11:25 In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
11. Access to God.
Ephesians 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Hebrews 10:19 Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus,
12. Victory.
Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.
- All we have is through Jesus’ blood - Him pouring out His life in sacrificial death - a substitute in our place dying the death that we deserved.
- It is faith, utter reliance on His perfect sacrifice that brings us into the blessings that His blood provides
- it is utter dependence solely on what Jesus has done
- All glory be to Jesus for the great things He has done!
- prayer: Worthy is the Lamb that was slain and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.