Praise Reflection (5 August) – The cleansing power of the blood of Jesus
“Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)
“How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spiritoffered himselfunblemished to God, cleanse our consciencesfrom acts that lead to death,so that we may serve the living God!” (Hebrews 9:14)
Song
It’s Your Blood That Cleanses Me
Link – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPaj-Ng2krE
Reflect
You are invited to reflect on each of the points below and offer your own responses to the Lord.
The wages of sins is death
Death is the punishment for sins. “…sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12, see also Proverbs 10:16).
Only blood can cleanse us from sin
The Lord gave Israel the blood on the altar, as the atonement, or covering for sin.
Hebrews 9:22
“In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”
Hebrews 9:6-9
When everything had been arranged like this (see verses 1-5), the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. 7 But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. 8 The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still functioning. 9 This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper.
Matthew 26:28
“This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”
It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to cleanse and atone for our sins.
The Old Testament sacrifices and offerings were only types, shadows, until Jesus came. His blood was the reality to which these types pointed.
Hebrews 9: 11-14
But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation.12He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. 13The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14How 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!
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)
Jesus’ Blood was of infinite value because it carried the Life of Jesus. The atoning virtue of Jesus’ Blood was infinite also because of the manner in which it was shed. Disobedience had brought sin into the world. “he (Jesus) humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:8). Jesus’ Blood was offered in holy obedience to the Father’s will.
John 1:29
“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
The blood of Jesus is so powerful that only one sacrifice was needed – once and for all!
Hebrews 10:14
“For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.”
Hebrews 7:27
“Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.”
Hebrews 9:12
“He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.”
Applied by faith
Only the Blood of Jesus can cleanse our sins. However, it needs to be applied by faith. This happens when we repent of our sins, saying we are sorry to God and asking for his forgiveness. He is faithful and just and forgives us “and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” (1John 1:7)
The following quotation is from Mary C Fullerson as she accepted by faith the Saviour’s words to her: “Yes, My blood is the cleansing, redeeming agent; it is also the life-giving one and sings through the body of the freed one to charge the entire being with life eternal. This is sanctification – wholeness unto Me as I am unto the Father. No one comes into sanctification unless they come in the stream of My blood as it flows into the Father from the fount of My sacrifice – this is divine circulation!….” At last resistance melted. At last I could accept His love. With it came freedom from the terrible weight of guilt.” (By a New and Living Way)
Prayer
You are invited to pause with each line and offer your own words of praise and thanksgiving.
We praise you Lord Jesus for shedding your blood to cleanse us.
We praise you Lord Jesus for shedding your blood to redeem us.
We praise you Lord Jesus that your blood has fully atoned for our sins once they are confessed.
We thank you Lord Jesus that we have been justified by your grace and are now declared righteous.
We are so grateful Lord Jesus that “God presented (you), Christ, as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of (your) blood—to be received by faith”. (Romans 3:25)
We praise and thank you for the costly cleansing of sin and the freedom from guilt and shame that we have freely received by faith.
We praise and thank you, Lord Jesus, that your blood became the “new and living way” (Hebrews 10:20) enabling us as reconciled, cleansed and righteous children of God to enter the Most Holy Place.
We declare how precious your blood is and honour you for what it has done. We recognise that it was the only thing powerful enough to cleanse our sin and we thank you that you not only offered to do it but also saw it through to the point of death thus giving us eternal life. We are eternally grateful!
We celebrate the awesome truth, Lord Jesus, that your sacrifice was so complete and so powerful and so efficacious that it achieved all that was ever needed.
In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Song
Drenched in Love (Bethel Music)
Link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJHNaLRFtJM
You are encouraged to use this Reflection daily over the week, lingering in it and letting the words of Scripture touch more and more deeply.