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A lot of blood was shed at the temple in Jerusalem. The
blood from the sacrificial animals was sprinkled, smeared, and poured by the
priests. In addition, when the high priest entered the sacred inner
sanctuary of the temple on the Day of Atonement, he was to enter with blood.
Blood from the sacrifices was to be sprinkled on the front of the atonement
cover, and blood was to be sprinkled before the atonement cover.
All of this blood was necessary to come before the presence of the holy and
righteous God. As Scripture states (Lev. 17:11), the life of the animal is
in the blood. For this reason, God gave the blood to his people in order to
make atonement for their sins. Without the blood, the sinner would stand
guilty before the Almighty.
The bloody stains found at the temple served as a vivid reminder that sin is
serious business. The holy and righteous God simply cannot overlook the
disobedience of his people. There must be death in order to make things
right and remove God’s wrath.
These bloody stains also served to point to the sacrifice God would provide
in his Son. Jesus would shed his blood on a cross in order to fulfill the
demands of the Law once for all. Because of this blood Christ shed for us,
we can approach the Almighty with confidence. He will not give us what our
sins deserve.
That is where we going during this season of Lent - we are going to the
cross with all of its bloody stains.
Like the blood at the temple, those stains on the cross remind us that all
is not well. We stand guilty before the Almighty. Our situation is serious.
That is why Christ gave up his unblemished life as a sacrifice.
Those bloody stains also reveal God’s abounding grace and mercy. He allowed
his Son to take our place. Christ has made atonement for each and every one
of us by his death. All is now right with God. That is why the tomb was
empty on Easter.
Atonement is messy work. Blood must be shed. This is why our Lord took on
our flesh. Therefore, do not overlook your sins. Do not consider them as
merely minor offenses. Confess them and have confidence that they have been
removed because of the stains left on a cross.
God’s peace be with you! |
From
Pastor