SACRIFICE

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ (Eph 2:13).

One of my friends tells a hilarious story about the birth of her first child. She and her husband were, like most parents, thrilled to learn about her pregnancy. They got ready for the birth by taking parenting classes,

practicing breathing exercises and touring the hospital. When the great day came, they felt ready. They had done everything they could to be prepared for the amazing event.

She got to the hospital in a fairly advanced stage of labor, and the nurses got her settled in a delivery suite. Her husband (a burly man’s man) waited by her side the whole time and held her hand through powerful contractions. The nurse tried inserting an IV into my friend’s vein and a tiny drop of blood appeared. One glance, and her hubby fell to the floor in a heap as the nurse yelled, “Man down!” He watched his wife give birth from a chair at her bedside.

Blood makes some people squeamish, but it was a common sight in ancient times–especially for those living in the Roman Empire. Public whipping and crucifixion were routine forms of punishment for criminals. Blood rituals were used in magic, and the Jews sacrificed substitutionary animals to atone for sin.

The ancients viewed sacrificial blood as having strengthening and cleansing properties. A multitude of scriptures about Christ’s blood run through the New Testament. Hebrews 10:19 gives us clarity about its power:

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that He opened for us through the curtain, that is, through His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

Jesus’ work on the cross is the pre-eminent event of world history. Without His sacrifice, we would all be destined for destruction. His death broke down the barrier between God and humanity, and He’s seated in Heaven as our great high priest. Our work for Jesus also requires a yielding of ourselves for His purpose.

What can you sacrifice to draw others near or nearer to Christ?