His Blood Is On Us

Matthew 27:25 All the people answered, "His blood is on us and on our children!"

"Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” 

The words of John the Baptizer from John 1:29, were to alert those who were waiting to be baptized that Jesus was approaching.  The Lamb of God brings to mind a cute gentle lamb, like the lamb provided to Abraham on the mountaintop for sacrifice. The sacrifice was required for the forgiveness of sins in ancient times.  And a sacrifice was required in New Testament times as well.  The sacrifice offered up to God our Father was by no one less than the Son of God.  In 1 Peter 1:18-21 we see the purpose of the sacrifice.  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 ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. We are redeemed by the precious blood of Christ.

How are we to deal with the gravity of that sacrifice?  How do we go about our lives knowing that Jesus died on the cross for our redemption?  Do we live a life filled with guilt, remorse or sorrow?  Do we embrace the forgiveness and go on intentionally sinning because we have the equivalent of a spiritual get-out-of-jail-free-card?  The answer we are looking for is found in Romans 6:1-2, 14 & 23. What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Personally I think it calls for joy and celebration, not mourning and sorrow. 

When we look at our situation in perspective we should be humbled by the love shown on the cross.  And we should embrace the grace freely given and live our lives in joy and in service to the one who made that sacrifice.  Call it gratitude if you will. I am personally and deeply grateful for the patience and love of God in my life.  Today I can embrace the freedom from sin and the death of sin and live a life worth living in service to the Lord.  I am profoundly grateful I have been given the chance to live this life.  Baptized into Christ, I was baptized into his death in order that I could be raised from the dead just as Christ was raised through the glory of the Father.  I too can live a new life.  (See Romans 6:3&4.)  Friends of the risen Savior we all can embrace this new life in Christ. Cast off the sorrows we feel in Lent and embrace the new life we have. Keep your focus on Jesus. He is not dead in a tomb, He is risen!

Prayer: Lord and Giver of Life we stand humbled by Your love. We stand unworthy of the forgiveness.  Yet, You have granted that forgiveness to us. The blood of Jesus has redeemed us who were dead in our sin. The truth, Father is sometimes too difficult for us to handle.  We are at times saddened by the gravity of the sacrifice made on the cross. Help us to see beyond that cross and to remember the empty tomb. Help us to feel the same joy the disciples felt at Christ’s resurrection. This we ask in the name of Jesus, who with the Father and the Spirit are one God now and forever, Amen.