Drink from It

Matt 26

And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.

 We’ve all seen the famous painting which has been copied many times over, of Jesus with his followers, around a large table, just before Jesus is taken and crucified between two thieves.

He drank with his followers and required that they all drink it too – the blood of the covenant – which sealed our forgiveness of sins.

This was a solemn occasion between Jesus and his followers, a solemn one indeed.  And yet it was a most joyous occasion, because Jesus was about to lay his life down for all mankind – the ultimate sacrifice.

No more would the blood of bulls and goats be required or taken to the altar.

The blood of Jesus.

When is the last time you gave thanks for it?

And when is the last time you realized its significance in your life and in the life of your family and your descendants?

There is life in the blood.

The blood of Jesus.

The Life

Lev 17:11

For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement.’

Even before Jesus came, the plan was in place for the perfect sacrifice to be slain, his blood to be shed, and restoration to a holy God to take place between man and God.

The blood is significant.  In fact, it’s essential, if we want to be forgiven of wrongdoing and washed clean.

It was significant and essential to the people in the Old Testament, as they followed God’s laws, preparing the way for the sacrificial Lamb of God who was to be slain in the future.

Life is in the blood.

The soul cleansing blood.

Of the Lamb.

And there is nothing else that washes us clean, because He is holy.

The Sign

Exodus 12:13

The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live; and when I see the blood I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.

Wow, what a switch.

The water that was turned into blood literally killed everything in it, and deemed the water unfit to drink or to offer life.

However, now we see God’s instructions to apply blood to the doorposts of the Children of Israel’s houses and this would enable them to live, when the angel of death came to the camp.

What a contrast!

They were to teach their children of this act they did, in obedience to God.

We too have been given the gift of an escape from death IF the blood of Jesus covers our sins. And that blood has to be received, through repentance.

And we too are to share this with our children – the importance of the blood of Jesus that was shed for our sins – because he was the perfect son of God.

God so loved the world that he gave Jesus.

Have you applied the blood?

It’s not gory, it’s not messy, and it’s not gross.

It’s a beautiful thing, because there’s life in the blood.

To Drink or Not to Drink

Exodus 7

So Moses and Aaron did even as the Lord had commanded. And he lifted up the staff and struck the water that was in the Nile, in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, and all the water that was in the Nile was turned to blood.

The fish that were in the Nile died, and the Nile became foul, so that the Egyptians could not drink water from the Nile. And the blood was through all the land of Egypt.

This is one of the plagues that came to the Egyptians, those taskmasters who had so inflicted pain on the Children of Israel.  The Nile River, the source of their everything, was now their demise.  The water which they needed to live was now turned to blood, which they had to drink or die. 

One commentary I read said to note this interesting parallel.  This first miracle performed by Moses was one of destruction, because of sin, and God can not tolerate sin.

In the New Testament, the first miracle Jesus performed was turning water into wine, a life-giving miracle that blessed an entire wedding party with plenty to drink – a miracle indeed.

One was a righteous judgment from a holy God.

One was an amazing miracle from a gracious Savior.

It’s our choice which one we will drink…

Zealous Repentance

Rev 3:19

Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent.

We all know that good parents instruct and discipline their children, because they love them. They teach them to look before they cross a street, to eat their veggies, to say “thank you” and so many other things that will offer them a good life, if they obey.

We also all know that our kids will mess up and disobey, do stupid things, and forget to what’s right, and sometimes blatantly disobey.

But what a great thing it is to have a child return to our arms in tears, to say he’s sorry, to say she feels awful…and then to restore that child fellowship with us as they turn and learn from their mistakes.

God loves us much more than we can ever love our own kids.  Therefore, he disciplines us and leads us to repentance with his kindness.

In fact, he wants us to be zealous about repenting.

Not sure, I’ve ever felt that emotion when repenting, but here it is in this verse.

We can get on our knees, pursue holiness, and ask God to reveal any hidden sins in our hearts and then repent like the wind – and go after those things that displease him – attitudes that grieve his heart and others – and fall into his loving arms forever…

Remember...

Rev 3:3 So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you.

We are near the end of the verses on repentance, and these last couple of days they’re from the book of Revelation, a book that tells about what it will be like when Christ comes again.  Most of us don’t think about his return all that much, because we’re entrenched in living our days down here.  But he is coming…and here’s a warning.

We must remember the word, His word, and keep it next to our hearts, and repent when we have sinned.  It’s not a taboo word, a word that brings shame.  It’s anything but that.

The Bible often talks of Jesus’ return being compared to a thief coming in the middle of the night, and it will happen just like that – we won’t know it – but then there it is!

But instead of a thief coming to rob us, it’s our Savior coming to take us – to the eternal presence with Him – where no sorrow or grief or pain exists.

Therefore, heed his words to repent – that act of contrition and sorrow – that’s one of the best action verbs we put into place in our lives.

Repentance.  What a privilege.

Not Slow at All

II Peter 3:9

The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

Here’s a picture of the Father we have. A true one, that we all need to see and know when we’ve done someone wrong or sinned, and we know it.  When we feel that guilt, shame, and embarrassment over messing up, we need to know this about God.

He’s not slow – but he’s patient – and his heart is that none should miss out on living in his presence.

We cannot experience his presence unless we repent of sin, because he is holy.

Repentance with godly sorrow is the most rewarding kind of sorrow we can have in this life, because it leads to life.

And that’s the truth.

Sorrow

II Cor 7:10

For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.

Isn’t this an awesome verse?

Sorrow is sad, and no one really wants to experience it, although we know that life brings it and interrupts our happy lives.

However, there’s a kind of sorrow that brings no regret, and only life, and only good stuff.

Say what?

It’s the kind of sorrow we feel when we have wronged someone or grieved God and we repent quickly, and forgiveness is ours.  

That’s the kind of sorrow that we can welcome. Because it feels like a warm wave of goodness that covers us from head to toe, and we don't have to be in sorrow any more.

Pretty cool…

The Riches

Romans 2

Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?

God and his kindness, tolerance and patience – leads us gently toward repentance.  He’s that kind of father, not the one who prods us into line by jabbing us in the side and attacking our character.

Sometimes we think horrible thoughts about ourselves, that we are sorry, we are no good, and God must not like us.  Those thoughts are not true.

The truth is that He loves us, he wants the best for us, and he is longsuffering and patient to brings us into that love, as we continually bend toward that kindness – and not away.

That’s what true repentance is – bending toward the kindness of God in a way that causes us to fall on our knees in reverence and awe at his goodness and love to us.

Don’t ever think lightly of it.

Give thanks for it.

And receive it.

Just Do It

Acts 3:19

Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;

I don’t believe I’ve noticed the last part of this verse before.  It must be necessary, in order to be refreshed, that we repent first.

It’s hard to be refreshed and even enjoy the presence of the Lord when sin is standing between us and Him.  If we’ve been hating our brother, talking bad about a neighbor, or planning revenge on an enemy, those things are all like a dark screen that keep us from seeing and experiencing the Holy God.

But that screen can be wiped clean when we repent and turn, by simply asking forgiveness.

And he is faithful to do so, when we ask.

That’s the kind of God and Father we serve.

Now go be refreshed!

The Big Party

Luke 15:10

In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.

Isn’t this a great verse?  God isn’t shaking his finger in our face when we repent (ask forgiveness of sins), criticizing how bad we’ve been, or saying degrading phrases against our character.

No.

In fact, there is rejoicing going on in heaven over each and every one who repents.

Why? 

Because God wants fellowship with us.  And he can only have it when we repent and allow our sins to be covered by the blood of Jesus, so that we can experience all that He is.

I keep saying that. And it’s true.

Repentance is an event that calls for a party like none other.

Skewed Thinking

Matthew 4:17 say From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

I just recently heard a message on how the kingdom was “near” but those who heard that call had to be willing to make that kingdom a reality in their own lives, not just live “near” it.  It was a great sermon, and it also taught how too often we desire a God of our own preference, instead of a holy God that requires repentance.

Repentance isn’t a bad thing, it’s not just something we do to escape hell, but it’s something we get to do, in order to experience his kingdom of love, peace, and joy.

Somehow, we’ve gotten it all skewed, when we think repentance is someone hammering us over the head to shape up or ship out.

Repentance is just bowing before him and acknowledging our wrongdoing because we want to be like Him so that we can experience all that He is and does…

It’s really a beautiful thing.

No Pleasure

Ezekiel 18:32 

For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!

Some think God doesn’t care when people die, when there are disasters, when homeless pass away on the streets, or that he quite enjoys destroying the wicked.

God so loved the world so that anyone who believes will not perish, and this verse says he does not delight in the death of anyone!

He has given us a way to escape death, and that is by believing in Jesus, and repenting of our sin – turning away from a self-fulfilled life that leads to sure death – and turning towards a savior to a God-filled life of joy, peace, and love that leads to eternal life.

Stay in sin, selfishness and self-gratification and that’s your life – it ends on earth.

Surrender to the Savior, his supernatural love, such kindness like you’ve never known – and your life is eternal.

All you have to do is repent.

The Refusal

Jeremiah says this…

Although they say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’

    still they are swearing falsely.”  Lord, do not your eyes look for truth?

    You struck them, but they felt no pain; you crushed them, but they refused correction. They made their faces harder than stone and refused to repent.

 I thought, “These are only the poor; they are foolish,

for they do not know the way of the Lord, the requirements of their God.

So just what are the requirements of our God?  To be holy, as he is holy.  Not because he’s mean, wants to us to shape up because we’re bad, but because he’s holy and he wants us to experience every aspect of who He is.

When we refuse correction and refuse to repent, when we are instructed to do so, we are like children who throw tantrums, who slam doors, who hit and fight…and that is not a pretty sight in any home.

God requires that we be holy, and he will see to it, to bring that process about, IF we humble ourselves under his loving corrective hand that says stop hating, stop lying, stop taking…and just rest.

Rest & Strength

Isaiah 30:15

This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says:

“In repentance and rest is your salvation,

    in quietness and trust is your strength,

    but you would have none of it.”

I know I’ve been there, done that.  I’ve fretted, feared, and fallen into despair when life isn’t treating me properly.  I’ve cried, I’ve accused, and I’ve wondered at my Father’s goodness and care toward me, when I compared his goodness and care on others, feeling as if I was coming up short.

This verse says repentance isn’t something to be feared or something we do when a whip is at our back.  It’s something that brings rest and salvation.  It’s laying down all of “chips” on our shoulders – grudges – at his feet and closing our  mouths, with hearts lifted up in trust.

In fact, when we do that, rest comes, rest that is our salvation…and yet many times…we will have none of that.

I really want to think on this verse for a while.  Because after all, isn’t quietness and rest what we all want, in a life full of busyness and chaos?

Maybe we need to repent.