There have been times in my life when I've denied
Christ. I
asked Jesus into my heart when I was seven years old, but that didn't stop me from occasional self-destruction. Aren't we all guilty of denying Christ from time to time? I mean, I always hear people talk about whether or not they took the opportunity to witness. If we don't, isn't that denying Christ in a way? I have to say that in certain situations, I have not only failed to mention that there is life in the blood, but I have quickly agreed with words spoken against
God just so I didn't have to stand up strong and witness for him. Isn't that how Peter felt when he denied Christ three times at the crucifixion?
There's an old Baptist hymn that I remember singing all the time called "Power in the Blood." Power, power, wonder-working power in the precious blood of the lamb. Today is
Good Friday, so I am sitting here thinking about the power in the blood. You know, my mother always says it a different way, and it is something that has stuck with me for years now. She says that there is "life in the blood," and I recently heard a sermon about that as well. The only true life available to us is in the blood, as everything else is but dust and ashes.
Many of us claim, including myself, that we would die for certain people. Regardless of whether we would be able to pull that off, Jesus died for everyone. There has never been a greater sacrifice, and there never will be one. On top of that, our dying for someone can't cover the person's
sins because we are not without sin ourselves. In the
Old Testament, animal sacrifices were made, and the blood of the clean animal was shed to atone for people's sins. "For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul." Leviticus 17:11 It is life that is in the blood substituted for the life of the sinner who deserves to die.
In order to permanently cover everyone's sins, Jesus took it upon himself to give his life so that the world might be saved. I'll be honest, I get angry when a
Jehovah's Witness knocks on my door. I should take the opportunity to witness, but I just think about
Satan's deceptive ways. This group of people can seem like they align with everything a
Christian believes, until in different ways, they subtly drop the bombshell on you that Jesus isn't the Savior. That is just like Satan, blending in with the crowd, and then ever so gently trying to rip the life right out of your hands. Jesus said "
I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 14:6
I know that Satan is very deceptive, so I can understand and have been myself drawn away from the
Lord by him. One of his favorite techniques is to distract us, blinding us to what is really going on. If he can distract us with impulsive pleasures, then he has won. Think about what that means. We are but useless droids without Jesus. We are inferior fools, running around indulging in instant gratification, failing to see the treasure that is before us. Are you thinking what I'm thinking? Doesn't that make you want to tell Satan to shove it? We are not capable of fighting Satan alone. Try it! You will lose. There is life in the blood of Jesus, and it is through him that we "make up there come down here" as my pastor always says.
This is a weekend in which we celebrate both the sacrifice that Jesus made and his resurrection on
Easter Sunday. Christ can provide so many resurrections in the lives of those who are hurting. He paid the ultimate sacrifice on the cross, and he is here today to show us a life that is truly worth living. "The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in
Christ Jesus." Romans 6:10-11
