SATURDAY 21st
Ephesians 2:11-22
NIV (v13) – ‘But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.’
ESV (v13) – ‘But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.’
Once far away but now near because of the blood of Christ, this is incredibly good news, for as I said yesterday we were all born in sin and shapen in iniquity, we were all bound for hell and an eternity lost and forever cut off from the presence of God but the message of the cross is that through the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ we are brought near to God.
Notice what it says in verse 12, we were ‘separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, strangers to the covenant of promise, HAVING NO HOPE AND WITHOUT GOD IN THE WORLD.’ What a miserable and pathetic picture this paints of lostness, alienation, emptiness, and hopelessness. And yet so many willingly choose to stay in this state, rather instead to be ‘enjoying’ or participating in the pleasure of sin for a moment and to lose out on the eternal joys that have been prepared for those who believe. (Hebrews 11:24-26,39-40)
Because of the blood of the Cross as we have believed by faith, instead of lostness we have been found, (the mission of Jesus was to seek [find] and to save the lost Luke 19:10) instead of alienation we have been reconciled, instead of emptiness we are filled with joy, peace, purpose and fulfilment and instead of hopelessness we have eternal hope.
I have said it before but repeat it again, may we always make much about the blood, for without the shedding of the blood (of the Lord Jesus) there would be no remission of sin and no reconciliation to God. ‘Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.’ (Romans 5:9–11)
See also Ephesians 1:7 ‘In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.’
Hebrews 9:14 ‘. . . how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.’
Hebrews 13:12 ‘So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood.’
1 Peter 1:18–19 ‘. . . knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.’
And finally, we need to sing about the blood, they sing about the blood in heaven and so should we down here on earth. ‘And they sang a new song, saying, Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.’ (Revelation 5:9–10).
Precious, precious blood of Jesus,
Shed on Calvary;
Shed for rebels, shed for sinners,
Shed for thee.
Precious, precious blood of Jesus
Ever flowing free;
Oh, believe it; oh, receive it,
’Tis for thee.
Precious, precious blood of Jesus,
Let it make thee whole;
Let it flow in mighty cleansing,
O’er thy soul.
Though thy sins are red like crimson,
Deep in scarlet glow,
Jesus’ precious blood shall wash thee,
White as snow.
Precious blood that hath redeemed us!
All the price is paid;
Perfect pardon now is offered,
Peace is made.
Now the holiest with boldness
We may enter in;
For the open fountain cleanseth
From all sin.
Precious blood, by this we conquer
In the fiercest fight,
Sin and Satan overcoming
By its might.
Precious blood whose full redemption
Makes us nigh to God;
Precious blood, our way of glory,
Praise and laud.