The Encourager
“Written in the Blood Red by Mike Richardson”
Paul, in writing to the church at Ephesus, brings to their mind that one is redeemed by the blood of Christ. In Ephesians 1:7 he writes, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace…” It is through the blood of Christ we have forgiveness of sins. Then we observe that Paul told the Ephesian elders to shepherd the flock which Jesus purchased with His own blood (Acts 20:28). In Paul’s epistle to the church at Rome Paul states that we are justified by the blood of Christ (Romans 5:9). So Paul sets forth that we are redeemed, purchased, and justified by the blood of Christ. Time and time again we see New Testament writers as guided by the Holy Spirit refer to the blood of Christ. For a moment let your mind go back to the scene of the cross and note why Jesus died on that cruel cross. Picture the blood that flowed from His body down the timber to the ground below. If we look closely the blood spells out several things. Observe with me several things Jesus wrote with His own blood. Notice some grand truths written in blood red.
(i)Jesus wrote down in His own blood that you can be a child of God. When we come in contact with the blood of Christ we are “born again” (Jno.3:3-5).We are adopted into the family of God (Gal.4:5; Eph.1:5) Consider Paul’s words “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26). When Jesus shed His blood on the cross He wrote it down in blood red that through His shed blood we can be children of God. However, one must be in the blood to receive this blessing. “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?” (Galatians 3:26).
(ii)Jesus wrote down in His own blood “I love you.” Paul wrote in Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” When you look at the cross you see the greatest demonstration of love there ever has been. As the blood trickled down the lumber and pooled on the ground the blood spelled out the love of Jesus for you. Jesus loves you so much He wrote in red! Sometimes we get frustrated because of the trials of life, but let us never question the love of God for us (Jno.3:16).
(iii)Jesus wrote down in His own blood “I will forgive you.” Do you ever feel that your sins are too great and that God cannot forgive you? Then you need to look at the cross of Christ. “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life” (Rom.6:23). The only reason we can be forgiven is because of the cross of Christ. He paid the penalty for our sin by dying on the cross. Jesus wrote with His own blood that if we come to God on His terms, He will forgive us. There is no sin so great that the blood of Christ cannot blot it out. To be forgiven you must want forgiveness and must seek it according to His will.
(iv)Jesus wrote down in His own blood “I will come again.” It is written in red that Jesus was raised from the dead and He is now at the right hand of God (Acts 2:33). However, the promise of God is that He will come again and take the forgiven home to heaven (Jno.14:1-3). Jesus wrote in red that He will come again, are you ready for Him to come again? These promises are written in red, the blood of Christ.
