Washed in the Blood

The New Revised Standard Version The Multitude from Every Nation

These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Introduction to the series (recap)

For the season of Easter, we are exploring what it means to say that in Baptism we are buried and raised to new life in Jesus; that in Baptism we are united to Christ in his death and in his resurrection

As we celebrate and give thanks for our Baptism, we are also seeking a deeper understanding of what it means to say “I am Baptized.”

We began this series began on Easter Sunday by looking at what Paul has to say about Baptism in Romans chapter six

We have looked at the first chapter of Revelation and discussed what it means to say that Jesus is “Firstborn of the dead.”

Last week we discussed the resurrection of the body

Today we continue the series by talking about what it means to be “washed in the blood”

“Washed in the blood” is a common phrase — one of those bits of “Christian-ese” that most of have heard many times if we’ve spent much time in church

Usually we use it to mean someone has been “saved”

To say that we have been “washed in the blood” reveals a fundamental truth about the faith we profess:

The Message of Christianity, the Good News that we proclaim, is really this simple: That Jesus Christ shed his blood for our sins, and that we can be free from sin because of his righteousness.

In baptism, our sin is washed away and we put on the righteousness of Christ; it is not our own good deeds, our own righteousness, or anything that we do, have, or bring—it is the work of Jesus and Jesus alone that saves us

We are washed in the sacrificial blood of Jesus

We are, in baptism, united to Jesus; buried and raised to life with him

Our old selves are gone, and we receive a new identity in Jesus

We are clothed in the righteousness of Christ; cleansed from sin and made right with God because of what Jesus has done, and nothing else

It really is that simple; Jesus is enough, and there is nothing we can add to what he has done for us; and nothing we have done makes his blood any less effective.

In our reading from Revelation today, John encounters this multitude, this enormous, diverse congregation worshiping at the throne of God

Every nation; every tribe and ethnicity and language represented

Praising God and giving glory to God and to the Lamb that was slain

Who are these worshipers?

The ones who have come through the “great ordeal”

Lots of theological debate over the years about what exactly that means; lots of books written about “the great tribulation”

But I think it simply means the ordeal that every single one of us will face at some point

Life is full of ordeals (mothers day—children have put you through “ordeals”)

Suffering is a an unavoidable part of life [suffering stories]

But we believe in a God who has suffered alongside us; whose suffering is for us

The suffering of Jesus gives meaning to our suffering

The blood that Jesus shed washes us bright as snow; it covers everything; it cleans us and strengthens us; and it makes us pure and ready to stand in the presence of a Holy God

Because of Jesus’ blood, suffering doesn’t get the last word

The message is this simple: Jesus shed his blood for our sins, and because of that, there is more to life than suffering

Sin doesn’t own us

Death can’t claim us

Suffering does not define us

There is nothing we can do to make ourselves worthy, but Jesus has given us his blood to make us clean

The blood of Jesus is all we need … and it will never lose its power

The great Andrae Crouch song:

The blood that Jesus shed for me Way back on Calvary The blood that gives me strength From day to day It will never lose its power It reaches to the highest mountain It flows to the lowest valley The blood that gives me strength From day to day It will never lose its power

It soothes my doubts and calms my fears And it dries all my tears The blood that gives me strength From day to day It will never lose its power It reaches to the highest mountain It flows to the lowest valley The blood that gives me strength From day to day It will never lose its power