Washed in His Blood
Have you ever stopped to really think about how Loved we truly are? I’m not speaking of your relationship with your wife, husband, partner, children or even your friends. No, what I’m asking you to think about this morning is the Love of God, Love of The Son and how the Holy Spirit now surrounds you.
Need I remind anyone of this… one of the most powerful verses in the Bible?
John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Right there, in that very statement, we receive two very strong promises from our Lord… “We shall not perish” and “We will have eternal life.”
Honestly, I repeat this verse quite often. Sometimes as I’m driving to work, sitting at my office or even when I’m brushing my teeth! Sometimes… I just blurt out “For God so Loved the world!”
I don’t know about any of you but this one means a lot to me. Just repeating it to myself, thinking about it throughout my day brings great peace to my heart.
The other day, after reciting John 3:16 once more, I started to think about how much we really have been given and how much Christ showed us how to Love one another… Just like Him!
Having recently been at-odds with my daughter, I started to think about how much Jesus Loves us and how much he sacrificed to save us. Sure, arguments with our children are commonplace in today’s world but, I am wrong, as I am judging but, yet again, I tried to justify my feelings as Christ has justified to us.
How many people has He taken in and out of your lives? The only obvious reason I could possibly think of was, “Because they don’t Love you like I Love you!”
What “could He have done?”
In the Garden
Jesus knew His fate. He knew He was to die for us… to save us from ourselves and the wrath of His Father in Heaven. Do you think He wasn’t afraid?
On the day He was taken… He prayed to His Father…
Luke 22:42 – “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”
Again, He was clearly frightened as He knew what was to come yet, because of His Love for us and His obedience to His Father, He bowed down to God’s will.
As They Came for Him
The mob came to take him away, armed with clubs and swords. One of the disciples drew his sword and chopped-off the ear of the high priest’s servant. But Christ stopped them.
Matthew 26:54 – “Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?”
Christ could have ended it right there! Do you know how many Angels Jesus could have summoned?
According to BlueLetterBible.org, the outline of Biblical usage is: “a legion, a body of soldiers whose number differed at different times, and in the time of Augustus seems to have consisted of 6,826 men (i.e. 6,100-foot soldiers, and 726 horsemen)”
Do you think the angry mob could have defeated 12 legions of Angels? I think probably not but, still, Jesus knew His task.
Under Trial
After being questioned, ridiculed, beaten and spat upon, He, saying very little to justify Himself, still knew all of these things were happening according to His father’s will and not the will of His accusers. Jesus was scorched. A punishment so harsh, it was not extracted on the Romans… but He was forced to endure it, as He knew He must.
On the Cross
Right until the end, after all the persecution and torture, He laid himself upon the cross. He was nailed with heavy spikes through His hands and feet. The cross was then stood upright by dropping it into a hole in the ground. This, as you might imagine, made His pain even greater as His body jerked downward, tearing more of His muscle and skin.
Even here, as we’ve mentioned before, He asked His Father to forgive us.
Luke 23:34 – “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
His compassion was truly un-ending. One of the criminals crucified beside him asked him, “Lord, please remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” To which Jesus replied… Luke 23:43 – “You will be with Me in Paradise.”
Cleansed in His Blood
How many of you truly understand that statement and the significance of that statement? We have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior. We are sinners… we all know that but, with Him, as is told to us in 1 John…
1 John 1:7 – “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”
During the day, the devil may whisper in your head, “You cannot go into God’s presence because you have not been reading your Bible and serving in church.” Or he will tell you that it is because of the sin which you have just committed.
The devil will always make you feel that you are not qualified or clean enough to go near God. But the truth is, regardless of how you feel and what you have done, the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin.
In the original Greek text, the tense for the word “cleanses” denotes a present continuous action. This means that once you are a believer, the blood of Jesus Christ keeps on cleansing you from every sin!
So, you can rest knowing that you are always forgiven in this continuous “wash cycle” of Jesus’ blood. Because you are continually cleansed, you are always in the light. Of course, you will fail here and there, but you are still in the light because the blood is continuously washing you!
We are Never Alone
Matthew 28:20 – “Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
How many of us truly understand this verse? I know I keep it in my heart always. No matter what your situation; where you are or who else you may be with; weather your physically alone or you simply feel lonely… He is there!
Forgive Yourselves, Forgive Others
Through all the things we’ve just spoken about, there is probably something you’re not doing today. Have you forgiven yourself or do you still struggle with the regrets of your past? Why do this? God as forgiven us through Christ and continues to do so with each sin we commit.
What about others? Are you condemning others for their past? You know we have no right to do so. Let’s think about it from a little story I picked-up on the Internet last week. Tell me what you think.
You see? We are not to judge… in doing so, you are judging Jesus for it is with His blood we have been cleansed.
Mother Teresa – If you judge people, you have no time to love them.
In Conclusion
Remember the sacrifices of Jesus. Remember all that He has taught us and be thankful. Be thankful for all that you have and all that is yet to come to you. Don’t be hard on yourself nor on others, for you, His brothers and sisters and children of God, and through His Divine Love… are forgiven.
Go with God; be good to one another; always stay humble; always be kind… God Bless!