On Good Friday I gave a short message highlighting some benefits of the blood Jesus shed on the cross for us. In a world where many seem to ignore the true meaning of the cross, and thus Jesus’ shed blood, the Bible puts great emphasis on it.

In Part 1 I highlighted the first benefit of Jesus blood, a New Covenant. At the last supper, Jesus used the wine to symbolize the blood he would soon shed to bring this New Covenant. A second benefit granted through his blood has to do with a purchase.

Paul writes in Ephesians 1:7, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.” The word “redemption” refers to a ransom.
In New Testament times a ransom was a price paid to purchase freedom for a slave. Once the price was paid, the person was no longer enslaved.

Every one of us is a slave to our own sins until we allow Jesus to come in and be our ransom. Jesus said, “truly, truly I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin” (John 8:34). There is a way to be set free from this form of slavery. Jesus paid the redemption price with his blood.