Hi Grace Vineyard and friends of Grace.
This Sunday, as we do every 3rd Sunday of the month, we will be celebrating the Lord’s Supper. And before we partake, we will be looking to the Word of God on the subject of the Powerful and Precious blood of Jesus Christ. Outside of the context of Jesus, we don’t generally even like to talk about blood. But for centuries Christians have celebrated and sung about the Blood of Jesus. Songs like “Nothing But The Blood” —
What can wash away my sins?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
O, Precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow
No other fount I know
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
This theme fills the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. The blood of Jesus redeems us, saves us, cleanses us, frees us from the power of sin, enables us to draw near to Presence of God, and overcomes the power of Satan.
In preparation, I encourage you to read 1 Peter 3:18-19.
1 Peter 1:18-21
18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 20 He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. 21 Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.
If you really want to dive in deep, also read Leviticus 16, which describes the Jewish Day of Atonement, and then Hebrews 9-10, which explains how the foreshadowing of the Day of Atonement is completed in Jesus Christ.
I’d also encourage you to listen and worship with this great song by Matt Redman – Nothing But The Blood:
Come expecting to be transformed by the Presence of God. In His Presence there is healing, there is fullness of joy, there is refreshing for the weary, there is hope for the future. Can’t wait to be with my Grace Vineyard family as we minister to the Lord and to each other. See you in a couple days.
Blessings,
Ron Ohst