Preached by Rev. Ed Brouwer at The Gathering Place, Osoyoos
Pulpit Series Volume 20 Issue 4 March 28, 2010
Easter is only a few days away. And I feel impressed to bring us face to face with the foundation of Easter. That being the Blood of Christ.
Genesis 4:10 And God said, What have you done? the voice of your brother's blood cries to me from the ground.
Hebrews 12:24 ... and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaks better things than that of Abel.
The blood of Able speaks of sin and guilt .…
The Blood of Christ speaks of better things .....
It speaks of love .... John 3:16 For God so loved the world
It speaks of an Eternal purpose .... Revelation 13:8
It speaks of Suffering .... Revelation 5:9
It speaks of substitution .... John 1:29
It speaks of redemption .... Colossians 1:14
It speaks of cleansing .... I John 1:7..cleanses us from all sin.
It speaks of liberty .... Hebrews 10:19
It speaks of peace .... Colossians 1:20
It speaks of heaven .... Revelation 7:14-15
The story of the first passover in Exodus 12 is just an early edition of the Gospel of Christ.
Condemnation: Exodus 12:12 .. I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land... I will execute judgment:
1) The sentence of death was passed on all the first born.
2) All were condemned already.
3) There was no difference between Jew or Egyptian.
This is the condition of all men under the law, they are under the curse, the sentence of death is already passed upon all....
Romans 3:23 all have sinned and come short of the glory of God
Substitution: Exodus 12:3 Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, take every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:
Every condemned one needed
a lamb to redeem him from death.
Either the first born or the innocent substitute must die! This was God's method and there was no escape from it!
Jesus Christ is the divinely appointed lamb.
John 1:29 Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world.
I Corinthians 5:7 Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us
If you don't believe this
you will die in your sins!
Appropriation: Exodus 12:7-12 .. take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it..... it is the LORD'S passover... For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt...
And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy [you], when I smite the land of Egypt.
The death of the lamb did nothing
until the blood was applied!
The soul is not saved by the death of Christ on the cross, but by receiving the appropriation of that death!
Only when the blood was applied did it come between the first born and the death angel!
Confirmation: Exodus 12:13 "When I see the blood, I will pass over you"...
When Jehovah passed down through Egypt that night He was not looking for Israelites or Egyptians, but for the Blood of the lamb!
The precious blood of the Lamb is ever before His eye, although like the Israelites we may not see it.
The blood made them safe!
The promise made them sure!
“When I see the BLOOD!”
Until the Lord passed by in Judgement they had to wait, calmly or not so calmly, trusting in, resting behind the "sheltering Blood".
In so doing they had quietness, confidence and strength!
Where else can we hide?....... There is no refuge for us outside the blood!
In order for the atmosphere to receive and bare up the eagle, the eagle must cast itself entirely - completely upon it!
The Blood that Jesus shed on the cross must be distinguished from the blood of every other cross!
The blood of those crucified with Christ avails nothing! Although the blood of all humanity were spilt upon a cross, it would not atone for one sin in the sight of God!
Although thousands of gallons of blood are sacrificed, still it is only the Blood of Christ that is seen of the Father!
I am in awe when I think about the amount of blood spilt when Solomon dedicated the Temple. I Kings 8:63 .... Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings to the LORD, 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep.
Christ gave Himself for us, He purchased our redemption by His own blood shed at calvary!
So perfect is this wondrous work of grace on our behalf, that the very defilement, caused by the actions of those sins now forgiven, is purged!
Not only forgiven, but, cleansed!
Now hear what the Spirit would say to you today - by the Voice of His Blood that speaks of being brought near to God.
Colossians 1:21 you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now has he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: If you continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel....
Sin is not only an "uncleanness" which makes us unfit for God's presence, but it is "transgression" and "rebellion" which drives the soul far away from Him!
What sin does, the Blood of Christ undoes!
Sin separates us from God!
The Blood of Christ brings us near to God!
As light removes darkness,
so the blood of Christ removes distance!
Ephesians 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
..... are you washed in the soul cleansing blood of the Lamb?
.... are your garments spotless are they white as snow?
..... are you washed in the blood?
Revelation 1:5 Jesus Christ...who loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood………..
This Easter as we celebrate the death and Resurrection of Christ may we consider the voice of the Blood.
Thank you Lord!
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