The Precious Blood of Christ

 Temple Baptist Church - 12-18-2024

John 20:15-17

 

Introduction:

 

A.  Last week, I mentioned the two ascensions of Christ.  Throughout all my saved years, sitting under fundamental preaching, I have never either heard verse 17 explained or preached on and yet it is one of the most important verses in the Bible!

 

B.  In verse 17, we find the resurrected Jesus as a purified High Priest.  So holy that He could not be touched by sinful man!  In two verses (There are others but for time’s sake, I will only mention the following), we find the holiness of our resurrected High Priest.

 

Romans 1:4  And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:

 

John 20:16-17  Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.  (17)  Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

 

C.  These verses show us two things of great importance.

 

1.  The Approval of Christ’s sacrifice.

 

Isaiah 53:10-11  Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.  (11)  He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

 

Romans 1:4  And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:

 

2.  The Acceptance of Christ’s blood which now shed would soon be offered.

 

Hebrews 9:11-12  But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;  (12)  Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

 

D.  The Blood of Christ HAD to be Applied; else His death-burial-resurrection would have been in vail.

 

Hebrews 7:25-27  Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.  (26)  For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;  (27)  Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.

 

E.  Having said these things, we find the work of Christ finished by our High Priest.  In verse 17, I have no doubt that Mary Magdalene, who loved her Lord so much, tried to touch Him by either falling at His feet or hugging His neck.  These were expressions of love. 

 

F.  Both of Christ’s ascensions were of great importance.

 

1.  The First Ascension:  As our High Priest, the Priestly work had to be done and only Christ Jesus could do it.

 

a)  From a purified High Priest who could not be touched - John 20:17  Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

 

Hebrews 9:24-26  For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:  (25)  Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;  (26)  For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

 

b)  To a merciful High Priest that can be touched.  Hallelujah!  John 20:27  Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

 

Matthew 28:9  And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.

 

Hebrews 4:15-16  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.  (16)  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

 

2.  The Second Ascension:  At the end of His appearance here on earth after the resurrection, Christ Jesus ascended back to heaven as our High Priest representing us to God, as our Intercessor making intercession for us to God, and as our Advocate speaking to God for us.  Thus, the promise (John 14) that, if He went away, He would come again as King of kings and Lord of lords for His children.

 

Acts 1:9-11  And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.  (10)  And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;  (11)  Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

 

Hebrews 8:1-2  Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;  (2)  A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.

 

G.  The Blood had to be Applied.  Hebrews 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

 

(People continue to look for the Ark of the Covenant but cannot find it because it is now in heaven’s Temple.)  Revelation 11:19  And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.

 

H. Our sin had to be Atoned.  The only mention of “atonement” mentioned in the New Testament as well as the last mention of “atonement” found in the bible.

 

Romans 5:9-11  Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.  (10)  For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.  (11)  And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. 

 

Atonement – restoration to reconciliation.

 

1 Peter 1:18-19  Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;  (19)  But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:  (20)  Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

 

J.  The Blood must then be Available.  Christ’s blood was shed and applied for the redemption of all mankind, from Adam to the last person who will ever live.  The Blood of Christ is AVAILABLE to all.

 

1 Peter 1:20-21  Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, (21)  Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.  (22)  Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:  (23)  Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.  (24)  For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:  (25)  But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

 

K.  The Blood makes eternal life Assured.  It will always be there on the Mercy Seat.  An eternal blood brings about an eternal salvation.

 

Hebrews 9:12  Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.