There is Power in the Blood

By: Michael Cornwell

  INTRODUCTION

A.      We have just sang the song, “There is Power in the Blood” in reference to the blood which Jesus shed upon the cross at Calvary.

1.       The song asks a pertinent question .. “Would you be free from your burden of sin?”  - READ THE CHORUS ...- ..

2.       in fact the song says ..” “..wonder working power ..” Also we sang .. “Nothing But The Blood of Jesus” in answer to the question, “What can was away my sins?”  the answer is “Nothing but the blood of Jesus.” 

3.       Various writers have penned songs pertaining the blood of Christ .. there are several in our song book. 

4.       These songs that we sang brings our minds to the cross and the shed blood of the Savior.

B.     The Hebrew writer quotes from the O. T. (Psa 8:4) as he asked the question’ “What is man that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him?” (Heb 2:6). 

C.     We stand amazed at the love of God .. Christ .. and the Holy Spirit in provisions they have made for man. 

D.     We have done nothing to deserve this love. 

1.     “Christ died for the ungodly .. “God commended His love toward us .. in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom 5:6, 8)

 

I.  There are some things done by the blood that Jesus Shed.

A.      It has cleansing power  (1 Jhn 1:7).

1.     Notice it says “all sin.”

2.     Sin once forgiven and cleansed in the blood of Jesus Christ will never be brought into

a.     Remembrance against you again.

b.     This is one of the great blessings of our being under the N.T  (Heb 8:6-13).

c.     This verse in Hebrews is almost a verbatim quote of (Jer 31:31).

3.     (1 Jhn 1:9) .. This verse is applicable to Christians .. not aliens of the faith.

B.     The blood of Jesus has forgiving power (Eph 1:7).

1.        Obviously we will be overlapping as we emphasize the benefits of Jesus’ blood in this lesson.

a.       There are different verses with the same meaning but different wording.

b.       They all speak of the power of Jesus’ blood.

C.     The blood of Jesus has justifying power (Heb 9:14).

1.     We do not accept the tenant of faith that Christ’s righteousness is ascribed to the Christian.

2.     We do accept the fact that we are considered “just” before God when we are forgiven

a. By the blood of Jesus.

3.     The blood meets God’s demand for justice when we meet the conditions

a.     By which he applies that blood to our stained souls.

4.     We shall have more to say on that point near the end of this lesson.

D.     The blood of Jesus has purging power (Heb 9:14).

1.       The Hebrew letter was designed to show the superiority of the law of Christ and

a.     His priesthood over that of the O. T. 

2.       The latter portion of (Heb 1:3) says .. “when He had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.”

E.     The blood of Jesus has  redeeming power.. to redeem is to “buy back” something or someone.

1.     In our case who have been sold into bondage to sin and Satan/

2.     Peter reminded the first century Christians, whose background was in the O. T. ..

a.     As to why they should live godly lifestyles and not act according to their former lusts .. (1 Pet 1:18-19).

3.     Paul in his letter to the Ephesians said in (Eph 1:7) .. “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sin ...”

4.     The blood of Jesus is the purchase price He paid for His church  (Acts 20:28).

F.      The blood of Jesus has sanctifying power.

1.      Look how clearly the Hebrew writer expresses this idea .. (Heb 13:11-12).

G.     The blood of Jesus had reconciling power. .. To “reconcile” is to be made friends again.

1.     We were enemies of God by our own wicked words ..

2.     We were alienated from God by those same words ..

3.     Christ made a way that this enmity .. die to our sins .. could be removed by his blood.

a.     (Rom 5:10-11)     

4.     This reconciliation to God is located .. “in Christ” and “in the one body, the church of Christ by the cross..”  (Eph 2:11-22).

5.     When one is born again they come into the kingdom ..

6.     When one is reconciled unto God .. he comes into the “one body” where reconciliation is found.

7.     The position of being “in Christ” and of being “in the church of Christ” are identical.

a.     (Jhn 3:3-5)  (Col 1:13-14)  (Acts 2:22-38 .. 41 .. 47).

8.     Many more people would know these truths if they would just read and accept the Bible.

a.       Forget about human creeds .. denominational traditions .. (Eph 4:14).

H.     The blood of Jesus has washing power  (Rev 1:5).

1.     Christ shed his blood in his death (Jhn 19:34).

2.     One must reach (in a spiritual sense) the death of Christ and his blood.

3.     Saul .. after three days of fasting as a penitent believer in Christ ..

a.        And having confessed Him as Lord .. was asked by Ananias  (Acts 22:16).

4.     Paul, by divine inspiration, wrote such passages of scripture in (Eph 2:13-22).

5.     He also wrote to the brethren in Rome as he exhorted them to greater faithfulness in the Lord .. (Rom 6:3-4).

 

II.  To benefit from the blood one must  ...

A.        Be obedient to the commands of the gospel of Christ found in His “great commission”

1.     And the examples of the conversions found in the Acts of the apostles.

B.        All of these good things which are attributed to the blood of Christ.. are attributed to the ..

1.      Final act of the New Birth of the water and the Spirit .. called “Baptism” in our Bibles.

a.     (Mat 28:18-20)  (Mrk 16:16)  (Luk 24:45-49)  (Acts 2:22-38) and a host of others.

C.       Now look at (Tit 3:3-5).

1.      Those who “ .. obey not the gospel of Christ will be punished” (2 Thes 1:6-9).

D.       Peter affirms that one’s soul is purified by obeying the truth .. the gospel (1 Pet 1:22-25)

E.        Erring children must “repent and confess and pray” to be forgiven and cleansed in the blood of Christ (Acts 8:22)  (1 Jhn 1:9).

 

CONCLUSION

1.     “Would you be free from your burden of sin? .. There’s power in the blood!”

2.     It is up to you as to whether or not you will be cleansed .. forgiven .. justified .. purified .. redeemed .. sanctified .. and purged .. in the blood of the lamb!