Grace Lutheran Church

A sermon is a manner of oral communication and therefore words and sentence structure/order would be added, altered, or deleted at the moment of delivery.

+ In Nomine Jesu +

The Rev. Evan Gaertner

During the midweek services in Lent we have devoted ourselves to the body of Christ. We meditated upon eyes, ears, feet, mouth, hands and eyes of Christ. Tonight in Holy Week we bring our focus towards the blood of Christ.

The blood of Christ would flow out in pain the same as just any man. But then of course Jesus was not just any man.

In the first chapter of the gospel according to St. John, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”

Jesus was the innocent blood of God that dwelled in our very sinful world. The blood that flowed from pierced side, the nail torn hands, the crown of thorns, all flowed out on account of our sin.

Jesus was the blood of Abel that cried to God. Jesus was in Joseph sold into slavery by his brothers. Jesus was exposed in the baby Moses floating down the Nile to be found by Pharaoh’s daughter. Jesus was the innocent lamb sacrificed at the Passover. Jesus was in David being chased by the jealousy of King Saul. Jesus was in the prophets ignored.

The blood of Jesus was certainly not like ours. The blood of Jesus was not stained with the sin of Adam in the Garden of Eden. Jesus did not strike with the anger of Cain against his brother. The blood of Jesus was not bloated with the pride of pharaoh who would not let the people of God go. The blood of Jesus was not infected with the jealousy of King Saul. Jesus was not cold-blooded in ignoring the warnings and promises of the prophets.

Jesus was true man. His blood did flow. But his blood was not spilled because of any sin he had committed. Our trespasses against God would not go unpunished. But God in his grace desired our deliverance.

The sin of man in the first covenant, the covenant made with Moses, was covered with the blood of goats and calves. The high priest would not enter the sacred places of God’s Tabernacle without first sacrificing the innocent life of an animal. On the Day of Atonement the blood of the animal would be sprinkled over the High Priest and all the vessels of the temple. The blood of the innocent animal would be shed as a reminder that without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. Our sin has a cost. The cost must be paid.

This was done every year, year after year. Hebrews 10:4 says why this happened every year, “It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.”

An animal cannot possibly be a complete substitute for the blood that we have shed through our sinfulness. The currency of the blood of goat and calves could never fully forgive our sins. On the other hand the very blood of the only begotten Son of God has no comparison.

You have been purchased out of your sin, not with precious gold or silver, but with the very blood of Jesus Christ.

Now in this meal tonight we remember the words of St. Paul that “the cup that we bless is it not a participation in the blood of Christ and is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ.”

In the upper room when Jesus established the new testament with the disciples he gave them the bread and said, “Take, eat, this is my body which is given for you.” In the same way after supper he took the cup and when he had given thanks he gave it to them saying, “Drink of it, all of you, this is my blood of the new testament which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.”

Through the shedding of his blood, Jesus became our representative in the perfect temple of heaven. We could never even consider approaching the throne room of the glory of God because of the stain of sin. But now we have access to the father through the work of Jesus Christ.

In receiving the body and blood of Christ tonight you receive the forgiveness of sins. The sacrifice of Christ offered once and for all upon the cross you now receive in this meal.

So draw near to God, without fear or hesitation confident of the desire of your God to save you. Your hearts have been sprinkled by the blood of Christ. You have been made clean. The holy priest in the old covenant would enter the holy place after being sprinkled by the blood of a goat. Tonight have confidence that through the shedding of Christ’s body and blood upon the cross you have full access to the grace of God.

Receive the blood of Christ as a free gift of grace given for you. Allow the blood of Christ to cover you.

Soli Deo Gloria

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