THEME: "PERFECT GIFT" - The Precious Blood Of The Lamb. James 1:17, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variable- ness, neither shadow of turning." Christ's blood is heaven's key. This is the gift of God: It is a preserva- tive against the greatest evils. Life and Immortality through His blood.
KEY VERSE: Rev 12:11, "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death."
LESSON-3: "BEHOLD, THE LAMB OF GOD"-The Conquering Gift. True Believer's Powerful Wea- pon. We will overcome the devil by the blood of the Lamb, by the word of our testimony & if our lives is not dear to us anymore, as we are purchase by the precious blood of the Lamb.
QUESTION: What will you do with the Lamb of God? What will you choose victory or defeat? Do you refuse the conflict? Do you think of turning back? You have no armour for your back. To cease to fight is to be overcome. We must fight or perish. We have our choice between the two, either to gird up the loins of our minds for a lifelong resistance, or else to be Satan's slaves forever. Our only safety will lie in a det- ermined, vigorous opposition to sin, whatever form it assumes, whatever it may threaten. I pray God that you wake up, arise, and give battle to the foe. Resolve once and for all that by the grace of God we will be numbered with those who overcome the arch-enemy. We will overcome, only through the precious blood of the Lamb!
I. INTRODUCTION:
Wherever evil appears, it is to be fought with by the children of God in the name of Jesus, and in the power of the Holy Spirit. When this dragon blocks our road, we shall need heavenly aid to force our pa- ssage. A pitched battle with the devil may not occur often; but when it does, we will know it painfully. It would be one of the darkest days we have ever lived; and we will eternally praise our God, when we overcome him.
II. TOPICS TO BE DISCUSS:
A. WHAT IS THIS CONQUERING GIFT? They overcame him by "the blood of the Lamb."
1. What about the Blood of the Lamb? What is behind on it? It means, first, the death of the Son of God on the cross requires mentioning of the blood. His (God) heart's blood was made to flow.
a) God manifest in the flesh. God came down to take our manhood into union with His Godhead. He was born at Bethlehem, He grew and matured into manhood. He died and was buried.
b) Lamb of God's passover. Jesus from his death; for it is by his blood that we are redeemed. It is the death of the Son of God, which is the conquering weapon.
b-1) Had he not poured out his soul to death; had he not been numbered with the transgress- sors, & put to death of shame, we should have no weapon to overcome the dragon prince.
b-2) By "the blood of the Lamb." Jesus died so that he might redeem us from all unrighteous- ness. The point is his death, and, paradoxically, this death is the vital point of the gospel.
b-3) Christ death. Is the death of sin and the defeat of Satan, & hence it is the life of our hope, and the assurance of his victory. Because he poured out his soul to the death, he divides the spoil with the strong.
2. The LORD'S death is a substitutionary sacrifice. Next, let us be very clear here. It is not said, that they overcame the arch-enemy by the blood of Christ, but by the blood of the Lamb.
a) Metaphor of a Lamb. The words are expressly chosen because, under the metaphor of a lamb, we have placed before us a sacrifice.
b) We cannot overcome sin without a substitutionary sacrifice. The lamb under the old law was brought by the offender to make atonement for his offence, and in his place it was slain. b-1) This was the type of Christ taking the sinner's place. Bearing the sinner's sin, suffering in the sinner's place, vindicating the justice of God by this, & making it possible for him to be just and the justifier of him "who believes."
b-2) The hope of men. This is the conquering weapon, the death of Jesus presented as the pro- pitiation for sin. Sin must be punished: it is punished in Christ's death, the hope of men.
c) Taking away of sin. "The blood of the Lamb," that our Lord's death was effective for the tak- ing away of sin. John said, "Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world."
d) Scapegoat. Altogether apart from anything that we do, our glorious Substitute took away our sin, just as in the type the scapegoat carried the sin of Israel into the wilderness.
e) The edges of the conquering weapon. God manifest in flesh, died for human sin, in dying, he didn't only make possible for God to forgive, but secured forgiveness for all who are in Him.
f) By his death he "finished transgressions. Jesus made an end of sin, and brought in everlasting righteousness.
f-1) He rose again. When Jesus died we were delivered from the claims of law, and when he rose again their justification was secured.
f-2) The blood of the Lamb is a real price, which effectively ransoms. The blood of the Lamb is a real cleansing, which really purged away sin. This we believe & declare; we conquer.
f-3) Christ crucified. Christ the sacrifice for sin, Christ the effective redeemer of men, we will proclaim everywhere, and so put to rout the powers of darkness.
B. HOW DO WE USE IT TO BECOME OVERCOMER? The precious blood of Jesus is not meant for us merely to admire & exhibit. We must not be content to talk about it, & do nothing with it; but we are to use it against ungodliness & unrighteousness, until it is said of us, "They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb."
1. The purpose. This precious blood is to be used for overcoming, & consequently for holy warfare. We dishonor it if we do not use it for that purpose.
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a) How we dishonor it? Some use the precious blood of Christ only to make their consciences at peace. They say to themselves, "He made atonement for sin, therefore let me take my rest.
b) A grievous wrong to the great sacrifice. Anyone who wants the blood of Jesus for nothing but for selfish reason, after having forgiven, take ease, be merry: hear sermons, enjoy the hope of eternity, do nothing. Such a man blasphemes the precious blood, & makes it an unholy thing.
c) Its power is for holiness. We're to use the glorious mystery of atoning (pay the price) blood as our chief means of overcoming sin and Satan: its power is for holiness.
d) How's the text puts it: "They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb." These saints used the doctrine of atonement not as pillow to rest the weariness, but as "weapon" to subdue their sin.
2. The Battlefield. Our first place of conflict is in the heavenliest, and the second is down on earth. a) Heavenliest. First, those who believe in the blood of Jesus have to do the battle with Satan in the heavenliest; and there you must overcome him "by the blood of the Lamb."
a-1) How to fight our battle in the heavenliest? First, we are to regard Satan as already defea- ted enemy and truly overcome through the death of the Lord Jesus.
a-2) By faith grasp your Lord's victory as your own. Since He triumphed in our nature & on our behalf. At Calvary, the prince of darkness is utterly defeated, & destroyed his power.
a-3) Can you get hold on this truth? Do you not know that you were crucified on His cross, buried with Him in baptism, and also raised with Him in the power of His resurrection?
a-4) Jesus is our federal head. Being members of His body, we had conquered Satan by our Lord's victory. Will you not be brave to fight a defeated foe, & trample down the enemy whom your Lord has already thrust down?
b) Earth. How we must fight against the evil one in a lower sphere, even on this earth.
b-1) Order for service. We must first overcome in the heavenly places before the throne; and when we have been triumphant with God in prayer, we will have grace to go out to ser- vice and to defeat evil among our fellow men.
b-2) We must overcome in order for service. Through the blood of the Lamb we become masters of the situation, and the weakest among us is able to work great wonders.
b-3) The devil is under our feet. Coming out to the service of God in the power of our victory in heaven gained by pleading the blood of the Lamb, we march on conquering & to conquer, and no power of the enemy is able to stand against us.
3. Testimony to the blood. How this same fight is carried on earth. Among men in these lower places of conflict, saints overcome through the blood of the Lamb by their testimony to that blood.
a) Bear witness. Every believer is to bear witness to the atoning sacrifice of the blood of Jesus & its power to save. We have to proclaim the doctrine; to emphasize it by earnest faith in it.
b) Cleansing power. The blood of Jesus prove it by our experience of the effect of the transforming power through the washing by the blood of the Lamb.
c) Arouse them out of lack of interest. We can bear witness to the power of the blood of Jesus to ignite their faith as we arouse them out of lack of interest.
4. The Support to the Testimony. It is not merely by testimony that we use this potent truth but we must support that testimony by our zeal and energy. We need concentrated, consecrated energy; for it is written, "They did not love their lives to the death."
a) No hypocrite. We shall not overcome Satan if we are fine gentlemen, fond of ease and honour. As long as Christian want to enjoy the world, the devil will suffer little at their hands.
b) Humility. Those who overcame the world in the old days were humble men and women, generally poor, always despised, who were never ashamed of Christ.
c) Their lives isn't dear to them. They are saints, who only lived to tell of his love, & died rather than cease to bear testimony to the blood of the Lamb.
d) They overcame by their heroism. The intense devotion to the cause secured the victory. Their lives to them were as nothing when compared with the honour of their Lord.
e) Know ye not that we shall judge angel? (1Cor 6:1-8).
f) Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? (1Cor 6:9-14).
g) Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? (1Cor 6:15-18).
h) Know ye not that your bodies is the temple of the Holy Ghost? (1Cor 6:19-20).
III. CONCLUSION:
Brethren, if we are to win great victories we must have greater courage. Many of us is hardly dare speak about the blood of Christ. We love ourselves too much to get into trouble through our religion. Many dare not hold the old doctrine nowadays because they would be thought narrow, & fana- tics. They call us old fools. It is very likely we are; but we are not ashamed to be fools for Christ's sake, and the truth's sake. We shall never give up the doctrine of atoning sacrifice to please a modern culture. The atoning sacrifice, which is our glory, is your salvation. Trust in him whom God has presented to be the propitiation for sin. Begin with this, & you are saved. Every good & holy thing which goes with sal- vation will follow after this; but, I urge you to accept a present salvation through the blood of the Lamb. "He who believes in him has everlasting life.”
ALLELUIAH! PTLGA & TGBATG