DISCERNING THE LORD'S BODY Part 3
| Spiry Tee
"...to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel."
Hebrews 12:24 NKJV
It's two thousand and twenty one years on, and the Blood still "speaks".
This coming week, the church all over the world will be celebrating the death burial and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, popularly known as the Easter holiday.
It's been a full year since the pandemic hit our shores. Many things have been locked down by governments across the blue marble planet, including restrictions on church gatherings, but one thing they cannot lockdown is the blood of Jesus. It is still working and doing more even in this perilous time.
Churches maybe on lockdown but the gospel can never be. There was a time in the first century A.D when the authorities wanted to slow down the spread of the gospel, which is God's saving power, by arresting gospel front liners like Peter, Paul, Silas and others. But the more they tried to gag them the more the gospel spread.
The Jesus movement is unstoppable!
The blood of Jesus is still speaking powerfully today!
Some people say that Easter celebrations are originally a pagan holiday that has nothing to do with Jesus. Well, for the church it's not much about Easter but about the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
For me it is not the day that matters but the significance of the passion of Christ that we remember during the Easter season.
We remember that the blood of Jesus Christ was shed for the remission of sins, past, present, and future. And anyone who believes in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus will not be punished for their sins.
The book of Hebrews declares that the blood of Jesus "speaks better things than the blood of Abel" (Hebrews 12:24). The contrast between the blood of Abel and that of Jesus is note worthy.
If you read in Genesis chapter four where you find the story of Abel, God told Cain (the murderer), that the blood of his brother Abel was crying out to Him from the ground (Genesis 4:8-14).
In response to the cry of Abel's blood, God started raining curses upon Cain. According to the record, Cain would be unfruitful because the ground that received His brother's blood from his hands will be weak. As a man in crop husbandry, Cain will be thrust forcefully into penury as a result. Abel's blood was crying out for revenge for his death. Cain will never succeed because of the cry of Abel's blood.
Cain would be hidden from the face of God. The presence of God will leave Him. Without God your life is exposed, vulnerable and hopeless. This is the state of many people in the world today. They are vulnerable to the forces of nature, to sickness, and death because they don't have God as King over them to guard and protect.
The curses on Cain made him a fugitive and vagabond in the earth. A fugitive is a fleer; someone who is on the run, either trying to evade justice or fleeing from an uncongenial situation. A vagabond is one who wanders aimlessly with no established residence or visible means of support. This was Cain's punishment because the blood of Abel wanted vengeance for his death.
Many people today are under the same condemnation because of sin but thank God we have the blood of Jesus today that "speaks better things". Jesus died and His blood hit the ground but it's cry is different. The blood of Jesus is crying out for our forgiveness and not vengeance. He wants the Father to forgive the sins of the whole world.
Today, through Jesus Christ is preached to all the forgiveness of sins and all who believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses. The blood of Jesus saves.
In Christ, we are not vagabonds, fugitives, and destitutes. We are rich, established, and at rest. We have been brought into His presence and our fears, vulnerabilities and helplessness have all been swept away by the tsunami of the blood of Jesus.
Moreover, the death that Jesus died was our death. We were all condemned to die because of our sins. In our place, someone greater, sinless, and divine died so that we can be free to live. The psalmist called it amazing grace.
The grace of God has found us and we must cherish and celebrate it. Life has come, death has gone, peace in heaven and glory in the highest.
The life of the body is in the blood, and that life was poured out so that anyone who desires, sinner or saint may drink together. Drink all of it. We are all partakers.
God has given us eternal life and this life is in His Son Jesus Christ. He who has the Son has life and he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. Receive Jesus and receive the Godlife. The life we receive in Christ is not ordinary, it is life as God has it.
With this life of God on the inside, you are as righteous as God is, as healthy as God is, as powerful as God is, and as alive as God is. As a Christian refuse to accept anything less.
SPEAK OUT.
The blood of Jesus is speaking my forgiveness, establishment, rest and prosperity in my life. He lost His blood which is the life of the body so that I can gain life.
"...to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel."
Hebrews 12:24 NKJV
It's two thousand and twenty one years on, and the Blood still "speaks".
This coming week, the church all over the world will be celebrating the death burial and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, popularly known as the Easter holiday.
It's been a full year since the pandemic hit our shores. Many things have been locked down by governments across the blue marble planet, including restrictions on church gatherings, but one thing they cannot lockdown is the blood of Jesus. It is still working and doing more even in this perilous time.
Churches maybe on lockdown but the gospel can never be. There was a time in the first century A.D when the authorities wanted to slow down the spread of the gospel, which is God's saving power, by arresting gospel front liners like Peter, Paul, Silas and others. But the more they tried to gag them the more the gospel spread.
The Jesus movement is unstoppable!
The blood of Jesus is still speaking powerfully today!
Some people say that Easter celebrations are originally a pagan holiday that has nothing to do with Jesus. Well, for the church it's not much about Easter but about the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
For me it is not the day that matters but the significance of the passion of Christ that we remember during the Easter season.
We remember that the blood of Jesus Christ was shed for the remission of sins, past, present, and future. And anyone who believes in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus will not be punished for their sins.
The book of Hebrews declares that the blood of Jesus "speaks better things than the blood of Abel" (Hebrews 12:24). The contrast between the blood of Abel and that of Jesus is note worthy.
If you read in Genesis chapter four where you find the story of Abel, God told Cain (the murderer), that the blood of his brother Abel was crying out to Him from the ground (Genesis 4:8-14).
In response to the cry of Abel's blood, God started raining curses upon Cain. According to the record, Cain would be unfruitful because the ground that received His brother's blood from his hands will be weak. As a man in crop husbandry, Cain will be thrust forcefully into penury as a result. Abel's blood was crying out for revenge for his death. Cain will never succeed because of the cry of Abel's blood.
Cain would be hidden from the face of God. The presence of God will leave Him. Without God your life is exposed, vulnerable and hopeless. This is the state of many people in the world today. They are vulnerable to the forces of nature, to sickness, and death because they don't have God as King over them to guard and protect.
The curses on Cain made him a fugitive and vagabond in the earth. A fugitive is a fleer; someone who is on the run, either trying to evade justice or fleeing from an uncongenial situation. A vagabond is one who wanders aimlessly with no established residence or visible means of support. This was Cain's punishment because the blood of Abel wanted vengeance for his death.
Many people today are under the same condemnation because of sin but thank God we have the blood of Jesus today that "speaks better things". Jesus died and His blood hit the ground but it's cry is different. The blood of Jesus is crying out for our forgiveness and not vengeance. He wants the Father to forgive the sins of the whole world.
Today, through Jesus Christ is preached to all the forgiveness of sins and all who believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses. The blood of Jesus saves.
In Christ, we are not vagabonds, fugitives, and destitutes. We are rich, established, and at rest. We have been brought into His presence and our fears, vulnerabilities and helplessness have all been swept away by the tsunami of the blood of Jesus.
Moreover, the death that Jesus died was our death. We were all condemned to die because of our sins. In our place, someone greater, sinless, and divine died so that we can be free to live. The psalmist called it amazing grace.
The grace of God has found us and we must cherish and celebrate it. Life has come, death has gone, peace in heaven and glory in the highest.
The life of the body is in the blood, and that life was poured out so that anyone who desires, sinner or saint may drink together. Drink all of it. We are all partakers.
God has given us eternal life and this life is in His Son Jesus Christ. He who has the Son has life and he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. Receive Jesus and receive the Godlife. The life we receive in Christ is not ordinary, it is life as God has it.
With this life of God on the inside, you are as righteous as God is, as healthy as God is, as powerful as God is, and as alive as God is. As a Christian refuse to accept anything less.
SPEAK OUT.
The blood of Jesus is speaking my forgiveness, establishment, rest and prosperity in my life. He lost His blood which is the life of the body so that I can gain life.
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