Lord Jesus Christ, Son of
the Living God, no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was found
worthy to open the scroll in the hand of Him who sits on the throne of heaven,
except You. Together with the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders,
we prostrate ourselves before You and say: "You are worthy to take the
scroll and to open its seals for You were slain, and by Your blood You ransomed
people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation." (Rev.5:3,9).
Father God, thank you for
the blood that makes atonement for our souls upon the altar (Lev.17:11)
and that the blood of a lamb became the Passover sign when You ransomed Your
people from Egypt (Ex.12:13). Ever since then You have required the
blood of a sin offering as atonement for sin (Ex.30:10; Deut.21:8).
According to the law all things are purified with blood, and without the
shedding of blood there is no forgiveness (Heb.9:22); But we have come
to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that
speaks better things than that of Abel (Heb.12:24). Thank you for
demonstrating Your own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners,
Christ died for us (Rom.5:8). Yes, You set Him forth as atonement
sacrifice and by His blood You demonstrated Your righteousness, for Christ came
as High Priest and with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for
all and obtained eternal redemption (Rom.3:25; Heb.9:11-12). With the
precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot, You
have redeemed us and forgiven our sins according to the riches of Your grace (1Pet.1:18-19;
Eph.1:7; Col.1:14). Now we, who once were far off and dead in our
trespasses and sins, have been brought near to Your throne by the blood of
Christ (Eph.2:5;13). It is through the blood of Christ that we are
justified and reconciled with You, our heavenly Father (Rom.5:9; Col.1:20).
Lord Jesus Christ, thank
you for offering Yourself through the eternal Spirit, without blemish to God
and so to purchase us, the Church of God, with Your blood (Acts 20:28).
It is Your blood that cleanses our conscience from dead works to serve the
living God (Heb.9:14). You loved us and washed us from our sins in Your
blood so that we are cleansed from all sin (Rev.1:5; 1John 1:7) and You
sanctified us in the Spirit with Your blood (Heb.13:12; 1Pet.1:2). It is
through Your blood that we overcome Satan (Rev.12:11).
The night before You gave
Yourself as our atonement sacrifice, You took the cup after supper and said:
"This cup is the New Covenant in My blood, shed for many for the
forgiveness of sins." (Luke 22:20; 1Cor.11:25). You also said that
whoever eats Your flesh and drinks Your blood has eternal life, and that Your
flesh is truly food and Your blood is truly drink (John 6:53-56). The
cup of communion then is our communion with Your blood and the bread that we
break is the communion with Your body (1Cor.10:16). Thank you that we
can partake of this new covenant in Your blood that You have made with God the
Father when we celebrate the Lord's Supper. Thank you for the new and living
way that You have consecrated for us through the veil, and that we now have
boldness to enter the Holiest place by Your blood (Heb.10:19-20).
Now we pray, o God of
peace, who raised up our Lord Jesus from the dead, the great Shepherd of the
sheep, make us complete in every good work through the blood of the everlasting
covenant, to do Your will. Work in us that which is well pleasing in Your
sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. (Heb.13:20-21).
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