Thursday after the Third Sunday of Advent, 12/21/00

Exodus 24:8 Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, "This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words." --NIV

In the name of the One Who shed His blood for the new covenant, amen.

Imagine going to church and having the pastor dip a brush in blood and sprinkle it over the congregation! But that is exactly what Moses did when God gave the Law. He took blood from the sacrifice and used half of it to purify the altar, the other half he sprinkled on the people as a seal that they were under the covenant.

Now consider what happened when Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper. He gave His blood, the blood of the new covenant, to purify the altar of our hearts. Later the people stood before Pilate and cried out, "Let His blood be on us and on our children." They meant those words as a curse, but God meant them as a blessing. We need to have Christ's blood sprinkled over us as a seal that we are now under the new covenant. It is the blood from His sacrifice that ensures our forgiveness. It is His blood that causes us to stand before God as innocent, holy creatures. We have been sprinkled with His blood which poured out as He hung on the cross. Even many of the Jews who cursed themselves were later blessed by their own words when they repented of their sins and were baptized on Pentecost. Next time you kneel before the altar and receive Jesus' body and blood, remember how real the new covenant is as the altar of your heart is again sprinkled with the blood of once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, Your love is profound and mysterious. It goes beyond our understanding. You became our sacrifice so that we could be holy before You. Lord, we kneel in repentance before You for our many crimes against You. Sprinkle us with Your blood so that we are holy. Keep us from saying or doing anything that would shame Your holy name. Increase our faith by Your Holy Spirit so that we do not even think evil thoughts. Keep us in the True Faith so that we may always praise and thank You for Your glorious love, amen.

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