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.
In fact Jesus characterized his reason for being here this way. “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). His shed blood… his death, was the purchase price for our freedom.
When we place our trust in Jesus Christ, believing that he died for our sins and rose from the grave, our sins are no longer held against us. Though sin’s presence still lingers in our lives, its power over us has been broken. We no longer have to live as slaves to sin. A new freedom has dawned.
Our culture often defines freedom as complete autonomy, a total release from any moral boundaries. Oddly enough, this definition of freedom is what leads to slavery to sin. How many people have cut loose and vigorously sought out satisfaction of their every desire only to find themselves empty, cold, and hurting? This is not freedom. It’s slavery.
The freedom purchased with Jesus’ blood is not a license to sin. It’s a license to live in victory over sin. It’s a license to serve God with a clear conscience, knowing that he will not condemn you. It’s a new kind of freedom that willingly rejoices in God’s will. It’s not built on our own human merits. If it were, it could never be built at all. Our freedom is built on the merits of the one who shed his own blood for us. (Compare Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 1:19; Revelation 5:9).
Thank you Jesus for paying the price for our freedom. You willingly shed your blood to pay the penalty for our sins. You broke the chains of sin in our lives. Please help us to embrace and pursue this new freedom you offer us.
Need to be set free? Ask Jesus to come into your life and forgive you of your sins. Tell him you’ve decided to rely on him, trusting that his death and resurrection are the rescue plan for your soul. If you don’t have a church, come and connect with us here at Windhaven. We’d love to hear from you.
Pastor George