Despising the Blood of Christ

Text: Hebrews 10:23-31

 

I.         The Hebrew writer warned that just as Moses’ law required obedience, rejecting Christ’s law would bring a greater punishment.

            A.        He calls is trampling the Son of God underfoot

                        1.         Counting the blood of Christ as a common thing

                        2.         And insulting the Spirit

            B.        I suspect that if you ask most people, they would quickly claim they would never do such a thing

II.        Things connected to the blood of Christ

            A.        The body of Christ

                        1.         The Bible teaches that life is in the blood - Leviticus 17:11-14

                        2.         Christ gave His blood to purchase the church - Acts 20:28

                        3.         The church is called the body of Christ

                                    a.         Ephesians 1:22-23 - The church is His body

                                    b.         Colossians 1:18 - Christ is the head of His body

                                    c.         Just as in marriage - Ephesians 5:23, 29-30

                        4.         Yet there are many who think the church is not essential

                                    a.         People who believe you can go to heaven without being the member of the church

                                    b.         People who by their action are haphazard in attendance - Hebrews 10:25

                        5.         By declaring relegating the church to a non-essential role, they have stated by word or action that Christ’s sacrifice on behalf of the church was not all that important

                                    a.         Christ is the Savior of the body

                                    b.         If we can be saved without the church, then we can be saved without Christ.

            B.        The Lord’s Supper

                        1.         The fruit of the vine is our sharing in the blood of Christ - I Corinthians 10:15-17

                        2.         It represents the covenant sealed by His blood - Matthew 26:27-28

                        3.         Yet the Lord’s Supper occupies a minimal role in most denominations

                                    a.         It is taken infrequently

                                    b.         No one thinks twice if it is missed

                        4.         But the early church placed significance on partaking. Something they did regularly - Acts 20:7

                                    a.         Why? - John 6:53-56

                                    b.         Unless we commune with Christ, we cannot live

                                    c.         When the Corinthian church lessened the importance of the Lord’s supper, causing it to be treated much like a common meal, they were taken to task - I Corinthians 11:20-22

                        5.         We are to consider carefully how we treat this memorial - I Corinthians 11:26-30

                        6.         Some among don’t think it is all that important to assemble for worship

                                    a.         Yet, they miss joining with brothers and sisters in sharing the body and blood of Christ

                                    b.         Purposely missing the main service, because they can always make up for it later – and even then it doesn’t matter if they miss the later service either.

                                    c.         Just how important do they think remembering the death of Christ is in their lives?

            C.        Baptism

                        1.         The blood of Christ purchased our salvation - Ephesians 1:7

                        2.         Conveyed to the kingdom, redeemed through His blood - Colossians 1:13-14

                        3.         The precious blood - I Peter 1:17-19

                        4.         Christ died to cleanse the church - Ephesians 5:25-26

                        5.         When we are baptized, we enter into Christ’s death - Romans 6:3-11

                                    a.         Notice the importance placed on Christ’s death that brought us life

                                    b.         How do we take advantage of that death? Through baptism!

                                    c.         Baptism washes away sins - Acts 22:16

                                                (1)       Not through some power in the water

                                                (2)       But by power of Jesus’ sacrifice that is represented - I Peter 3:21-22

                                    d.         Colossians 2:11-13 - It is a working of God

                        6.         Yet most who call themselves Christians declare

                                    a.         Baptism is unessential

                                    b.         That it can be altered from a burial (immersion) to sprinkling or pouring

                                    c.         Is it not contempt for what baptism represents?

            D.        The Covenant

                        1.         The blood of Christ sealed the covenant - Hebrews 9:15-18

                        2.         Covenants establish the pattern of our service, and we serve under a better covenant - Hebrews 8:4-6

                        3.         Yet how many treat the covenant as alterable to suit the whims of men?

                                    a.         If the first was unalterable, what about the second? - Hebrews 2:1-4

                                    b.         Galatians 1:6-10 - A curse on those seeking change

                        4.         The denominations that vote on what they will or will not accept, is this not contempt for the blood of Christ which purchased a covenant that they think they can vote on accepting or rejecting?

                                    a.         Did they die to have it established?

                                    b.         Then why do they think they can alter its terms?

III.       The worship of men is vain - Matthew 15:9

            A.        They will not last - Matthew 15:12-13

            B.        God’s kingdom will last because it was purchased at a cost beyond price - Hebrews 12:28-29

            C.        The only question is whether you will be a part of that kingdom.

            D.        Will you show respect for the blood of Christ?

Based on a article by James P. Needham

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