The Power of The Blood - Week 1

Redeemed by His Blood: The Power to Transform

Bible Passage: Colossians 1:13–23

The Blood should moves us.

Yesterday - working on sermon and kids are running, crying, screaming, fighting… At one point, I ran upstairs because Megan shouted “theres blood.”

Today, we’re looking at this scripture to understand the transformative power of the blood that redeems, reconciles (meaning we’re forgiven of our sins), and gives us hope in salvation.

Our understanding of this can help us to find Christ in our everyday life and remember the significance of His sacrifice… We can be reminded to live in victory even when we’re feeling defeat. We can be given renewed assurance even when it feels doubtful. We share the Gospel when it feels like we don’t have what it takes.

Because the blood doesn’t just redeem us from sin, but empowers us to live a new life in Christ.

We can’t be redeemed without also being transformed.

There always needed to be redemption through the blood of Christ. The sacrifices in the Old Testament were a foreshadow of the ultimate sacrifice that would be in Christ. Everything about the Bible points to Christ as the being of redemption who brings us back to God and restores humanity.

We live as redeemed not because of us, but because of Him. He gives us purpose in the world, not our own desires.

That power thats in the blood moves us toward our purpose and away from our desires. We have to pray daily for this.

To be transformed by the blood, we have to be moved by the blood.

Because when we move because of the blood, the blood keeps moving us.

1. Transferred by the Blood

Colossians 1:13-14

Perhaps you can emphasize how Christ's redeeming blood transfers us from the dominion of darkness into His kingdom of light. This transition is made possible through His sacrifice, highlighting the power and significance of His blood. You could inspire the congregation to live victoriously, knowing they are part of God's kingdom, no longer bound by past sins, but empowered to influence others with His transformative power.

We first have to understand that we do not have the ability to get out of the dead-end alleys, dark dungeons, or the pit that we find ourselves in.

Without Christ and the power thats in the blood, we’re going to keep doing the same things over and over.

This version says, “God rescued us…”

The power that got us out was not our own, but God’s.

God didn’t just bring us out, but He places us in His kingdom with His Son, Jesus which He loves so much. Jesus - the one who rescued us and paid the price for our sins.

So imagine this: We were doomed to repeat our sin filled life that would keep bringing us down the alley, the pit, and bringing us back to the dungeon. AND WE DESERVED IT. We are the ones who repeat and repeat.

We’ve all been in places like this. And if you say you haven’t you probably are right now and you need to hear this.

What do we do? We try to get out. We get into the dark alley and we look for our way out. Only to go further.

We try to escape the dark dungeon.

We try to climb out of the pit.

That all takes time and it all takes effort from our own strength. But we will never achieve victory in our own strength. Its not possible.

The effort should not be to get out, but to call for help. Call on the One who has already set you free. Who already provides the path. Who already has the answer.

He will bring you out and rescue you with the power of the blood.

Its also instant. Other translations show this word as “translate” or “transferred.”

God has designed life. So when we talk about the power in the blood, its not just a metaphor.. Christ’s blood literally has the power to rescue and transfer.

Did you know that our blood transfers the nutrients throughout the body? vitamins, minerals, sugars, fats and proteins.

At the same time, red blood cells will pick up waste carbon dioxide that has been released from the cells and entered the blood stream.

Red blood cells carrying less oxygen are a duller red colour, which is why deoxygenated blood in our veins is a darker red than oxygenated.

Red blood cells then travel within veins back to the right side of the heart. From the heart the blood is pumped back to the lungs where the carbon dioxide is released from the blood into the air sacs to be breathed out. Air is breathed in, oxygen is picked up by the blood and the journey begins again.

If our cycle without the power of the blood is doomed to sin, we see that AT THE SAME TIME, God transfers out the bad, He brings in the good. With the blood, this is the new cycle.

Notice that it will always have to bring in more good and take out the bad. We will still face sin. We will still face temptation. We will still fall. But instead of needing rescued from a pit, from a dark alley, or a dungeon. Its more like, when we fall, Christ picks us up and moves us forward again.

2. Jesus Was Here Before We Needed Rescued

Colossians 1:15-18

You might discuss how Christ's preeminence in creation reveals His matchless authority and sustaining power, all of which were made possible through His sacrifice. This section of Scripture shows Jesus not just as a redeemer but the Creator and Sustainer of all things. Encourage hearers to reimagine their lives centered around Christ's supremacy, reflecting His character in every action and interaction.

We can’t just add Jesus into our lives. We must put Him at the center. Jesus isn’t just the rescuer. He’s Creator and Sustainer.

Spider man - when he rescues people, he goes in and defeats the bad guy and then just leaves them there.

Jesus was there before you needed rescued.

You might have just come to know Jesus, but that when you met Jesus, accepted Him, and made Him Lord of your life; thats when you invited Him into the center of your life to live with us.

This is the moment where Jesus meets the flesh. But Jesus existed before He was living in us. Jesus also existed before He was in His own flesh.

The full picture is not just our life and bodies here. Its about heaven and earth. Its about old testament and new testament.

When Christ was born, “He became flesh” meaning before He was born… He was not flesh. There was no blood.

Because He was above, and He came below. He came to us.

We see Jesus enter into the world as a baby, but thats not when He entered the world. Thats when He became flesh… meditate on the fact ath He became flesh.

Jesus was there at the beginning. EVERYTHING WAS STARTED IN HIM and the only way for us to find purpose is in Him.

Genesis 1:26 NASB95

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

Let Us make man in Our image.

Psalm 139:13 NASB95

For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb.

I’m talking to those who are not in Christ: That means that just because Jesus isn’t in your life, doesn’t mean that He didn’t start you and your purpose is in Him.

He was there at the beginning, but the change only happens in our life when He entered flesh.

It changed when He entered the world in flesh and gave that flesh as a sacrifice.

It changes us when He enters our flesh because of the power that is in His blood.

He holds everything together as the head of the body.

In theory, everything but the head can be replaced or we can do without.

Christ is the head and the one who holds it all together.

I felt the blood rush to my head when I turned myself upside down to crack my back. When I stood up, I felt that when my body was in alignment, the blood was flowing.

Our bodies are made so that the blood flows like it does. We sometimes put Christ at the bottom and we lose the power that He’s giving us.

3. The Power of The Blood Takes out The Bad and Brings In The Good

Colossians 1:18-20

Maybe you should illustrate how Christ, as the head of the church, brings reconciliation and peace through His blood on the cross. This act restores our broken relationship with God and brings unity among His people. Challenging the congregation to embrace this reconciliation, emphasize the role of Christ's peace in shaping their communities and encouraging the pursuit of harmony and service.

Take any situation and apply the blood. Where it carries in the good and takes out the bad.

When we were born, we were born into sin. That sin separates us from God.

Maybe we can relate if there is reconciliation that needs to happen in our families.

When we get to this subject in conversation, there is always something that is “unforgivable” that we come to. How do we forgive if its something so big and bad that it separates us from our families. You might find yourself on either end of this.

To get to this reconciliation, the same thing is true; its through the power of Jesus’ blood. Not in the strength of our flesh. There are things that we simply aren’t capable of forgiving.

Guess what? Our sinful lifestyles separate us from God to the point where we’ll spend eternity apart from Him.

God didn’t one day say, “Okay guys… I forgive you.”

God said, “I give you my one and only son because i love you. Theres power in His blood that will redeem the unreemable. That will bring forgiveness through blood.

God does not look upon us in our flesh other than to see the sin in our life. But when we’re in Christ, He sees us through Christ. We’re “washed in the blood” meaning we’re covered by a power and strength that is not our own. Redemption comes only through the power of the blood and God sees us as He sees Christ.

That blood carries away our sins, and brings us into His grace and mercy.

We don’t have the power to forgive or receive forgiveness without it.

If there was a parade, Jesus would be leading it and its purpose would be Him. Everyone one of us following showing what our life was without Him and now walking in redemption where we’re covered in Jesus’ blood proclaiming its power!

He’s also far above everything and over everything. Everything that is godly finds its place in Him. They’re in line in this parade.

Does that mean theres no brokenness in the world? What about all the bad things? The hurt, turmoil, suffering?

Where does that fit in to all of this?

God has something for the broken, dark places… The power of the blood. Because it turns things around.

When we allow the blood to flow and cover any situation… it carries in the good and away the bad. It transfers from dark to light.

The redemption that only comes through Christ is recieved through the blood.

We cannot experience redemption without experiencing the blood. Theres power in that blood that we’ll talk about over the next few weeks.

All circumstances and all seasons. It holds what looks impossible and what is possible together.

It holds it all together. Separate yourself from the blood, you separate yourself from redemption.

God uses this to put us forward in our purpose.

4. We Are Promised Transformation

Colossians 1:21-23

It might be effective to highlight the transformative power of Christ's blood, which not only redeems but calls us from being alienated to being steadfast in faith. This section reassures believers of their new identity in Christ and the importance of holding firm in truth. You could challenge the church to be unwavering in their hope and testimony, grounded in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Move from on the outside looking in, to placing Christ at the center. Thats a journey.

When we let go of our flesh, we don’t tell people how we got out of the pit or out of the dungeon… we tell people how God did it. How Christ redeemed us.

Our testimony is meant to be shared and studied. How did God rescue you from the dungeon?

Don’t be ashamed like no one has been in the place you’re in. If they act and claim not to have been, they’re lying.

Who are we? Don’t be spiritual like you’ve got something better than me…. we have the same Spirit.

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