The Blood of Jesus Christ

How is Christ's sacrifice better than the sacrificial system of the old testament? (Heb. 9:1-10:23)

1. Christ's death accomplished eternal redemption.
2. Christ's death cleansed our consciences, not just our flesh.
3. Christ's death brought in a new covenant with the promise of eternal inheritance.
4. Christ's death accomplished the removal of sin and the bringing in of salvation.
5. Christ's death brought about sanctification for us once for all.
6. Christ's death accomplished the perfecting of those who have been sanctified in Him.
7. Christ's death accomplished the total forgiveness of our sins.
8. Christ's death ended the old testament sacrificial system because there was no longer a need for it.
9. Christ's death gave us access into the Holy of Holies, the very presence of God.

Seeking God

Matthew 6:31-33 (ESV)

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' [32] For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. [33] But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

We are to seek God, not just blessings from Him. It’s more important to know Him intimately than to receive good things from Him. God promises to meet our needs, not our greeds.

Matthew 12:39 (ESV)

But he answered them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.

We are not to seek after signs and wonders, but we are to seek the Lord Himself and a relationship with Him.

Psalm 34:4-10 (ESV)

I sought the Lord, and he answered me

and delivered me from all my fears.

[5] Those who look to him are radiant,

and their faces shall never be ashamed.

[6] This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him

and saved him out of all his troubles.

[7] The angel of the Lord encamps

around those who fear him, and delivers them.

[8] Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!

Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

[9] Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,

for those who fear him have no lack!

[10] The young lions suffer want and hunger;

but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

As we seek the Lord, some things will begin to happen:

1. The Lord will answer us and deliver us from our fears.

2. We will become radiant and unashamed.

3. The Lord will save us out of our troubles.

4. We will have everything we need.

1 Chron. 22:19 (ESV) Now set your mind and heart to seek the Lord your God. Arise and build the sanctuary of the Lord God, so that the ark of the covenant of the Lord and the holy vessels of God may be brought into a house built for the name of the Lord."

We have to purposefully set our hearts and minds to seek God.

Proverbs 28:5 (ESV)

Evil men do not understand justice,

but those who seek the Lord understand it completely.

As we seek the Lord, we receive greater understanding of right and wrong.

Psalm 63:1 (ESV)

A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;

my soul thirsts for you;

my flesh faints for you,

as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

We need to have a greater thirst and longing for the Lord.

The Message of the Cross

The message of the Cross is the most important message of Christianity. In fact, it is the one essential message of Christianity. Without the cross, there would be no christianity.

The church today has become too focused on issues of this life instead of focusing on the gospel of Jesus Christ which is ultimately the answer to every problem we face.

My main prayer for the church today is that we would get back to the gospel as our # 1 priority and quit preaching so much about politics, "self-help", positive thinking, prosperity, healing, and even the how-to's of attaining victory over sin when the answer to everything ultimately is found in the message of the cross.

The Gospel of Grace

I am surprised and astonished that you are so quickly turning renegade and deserting Him Who invited and called you by the grace (unmerited favor) of Christ (the Messiah) [and that you are transferring your allegiance] to a different [even an opposition] gospel.
Gal. 1:6(Amplified Bible)

Why do we so quickly turn from the true Gospel of God's unmerited favor in Christ to a false gospel of works?

My guess is our pride. Our putrid pride makes us think that we can earn God's favor by what we do. It's time the church woke up and returned to the true Gospel! Christ has done it all!
There never was anything we could to do earn salvation or acceptance or favor from God. That's why Christ died in our place on the cross (paying the penalty we deserve). And after we come to Christ, we still can't do anything to keep our salvation or our acceptance or right standing before God. Again, Christ has done it all!

That is the truth that sets us free!!!

The Earnest of Our Inheritance

In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

(Eph 1:13-14)

What does it mean that the Holy Spirit is the earnest of our inheritance?

Keep in mind that an earnest is like a down payment.

Say, for example, a person decides to buy a house and puts down earnest money on it and then later backs out of the deal. What happens to the earnest money? The person it is paid to keeps it.

What does this say about our salvation?