"A Love Story Written in Blood”
BIBLE MEDITATION: “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” Ephesians 2:13
ENCOURAGING WORD:
We read back in Genesis 1:27; “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” When God created man they were created in His image, perfect in every way without blemish. Man was without sin, until Genesis 3:6; where we read “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.” That was the moment that sin entered the world and Satan’s reign of terror began. God knew at that point that nothing but the blood of Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son would redeem mankind from their sins. Through the next two thousand years we read about slavery, wars and battles almost continuously. There were times when Israel fell into disobedience and idolatry time and time again. The history of Israel in the first two thousand years was anything but glamorous. Every story in the Bible is in some way, shape or form is in reference to the redemption of mankind through the blood of Jesus Christ on the cross. Jesus told us in Hebrews 10:7; “Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come—In the volume of the book it is written of Me—To do Your will, O God.’” This is where you find a lot of Old Testament stories that explain New Testament teaching. It is quite incredible when you understand both the New and Old Testaments and how they mirror each other perfectly.
Once we get past the history of Israel, the Psalms and the Proverbs, then we get into the profits that were called by God to foretell future events that were in their near future and all the way up until the end of days which are yet future. But before we get into the profits, let me bring you to Psalm 22 where we read of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ in a somewhat graphic manner. We read in verses 12-18: where Jesus Himself is speaking as He is hanging on the cross, “Many bulls have surrounded me; Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled Me. They gape at me with their mouths, like a raging and roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it has melted within me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue clings to my jaws; you have brought me to the dust of death. For dogs have surrounded me; the congregation of the wicked has enclosed me. They pierced my hands and my feet; I can count all my bones. They look and stare at me. They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” This was foretold years in advance and yet there are people that say, “Jesus messed up with His mission and got caught.” How Ludacris, Jesus Christ came to earth for this purpose, to pay for the sins of the world and redeem mankind from their sins so we wouldn’t have to bear the punishment that was due us.
Starting with Isaiah all the way to the end of the Old Testament, God had sent prophet after prophet to proclaim future events, and every time they were either mocked imprisoned and even put to death. How ignorant people are when the Word of God is revealed to them and they just keep ignoring the truth. Because of their disbelief in almost most situations, Israel suffered dearly because of it. These stiff-necked and rebellious people as Paul referred to them, continued to be disobedient to Gods Word and Gods prophets. Many of the prophets in the Old Testament foretold about the birth of their Messiah, yet only a very small handful were aware when that day came. As we know, there were a few shepherds, some local patrons and eventually the Wisemen! The book of Daniel actually foretold the exact day that Jesus Christ would ride into Jerusalem on a donkey proclaiming Himself to be their long awaited Messiah! In case you would like to check that out, read and study Daniel 9:24-27.
Then we get to the birth of Jesus Christ. As we all know, Jesus was born in a staple because there was no room for them anywhere because of all the people that happen to be in Bethlehem. Caesar Augustus announced the decree that all people should return to their homeland for a census, so the city of Bethlehem was overwhelmed with people. After His birth we don’t hear a whole lot about Jesus for the next twelve years of His life, except in Luke 2:49 when Jesus was accidently left behind while Mary and Joseph moved on ahead. When they caught up with Jesus again, they asked Him why He stayed behind. Here is His reply. “And He (Jesus) said to them, “Why did you seek me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” This is the last time you hear about Jesus until we get to where He starts His earthly ministry.
We read in John 1:29 where John the Baptist introduces Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. Through the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John we read of stories about Jesus how he healed people with all various types of illnesses and also performed many miracles. What we are told in the scriptures is a very small part of Jesus’s ministry as we read in John 21:25; “And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.”
I felt it necessary to share some of the history of the Bible to work my way up to the reason that Jesus Christ came to the earth in the first place. As we approach the last week Jesus ministry, it started out with Jesus’s triumphal entry, where the multitudes of people came to Jerusalem because they heard Jesus was coming, John 12:12. A week later, however, the same people were yelling for Jesus to be crucified. This we find in John19:5-6; “Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man! When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, crucify him, and crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take you him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him.” From this point until He gave up the Spirit, Jesus was beaten and tortured beyond recognition. The prophet Isaiah gives us a little more detail on how badly Jesus was beaten, Isaiah 52:14; “Just as there were many who were appalled at him -- his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being and his form marred beyond human likeness.“ Then our Lord was nailed to a cross of wood, yet He made the hill on which it stood. As He hung on the cross, He finally came to the end where He said, “It is finished” in other word, “Paid in Full.” At that moment going forward until He comes again, every soul that would receive His precious gift of grace would be saved.
ACTION POINT:
This is the greatest love story ever told. Everyone who puts their trust in Jesus Christ is the recipient of this love story. He didn’t have to come to earth to pay for our sins, He could have left us in the state we were in and let us spend eternity in the lake of burning fire forever, but because of His love for you and me, He paid a price that he didn’t owe because we owe a price that we couldn’t pay. If you can reject this offer of salvation from the one who died for you, then I can say without hesitation, you don’t have a heart! “Written To the glory of God, Inspired by the Holy Spirit!” Amen!
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