INTRODUCTION:

Many of us sing the song “there is power in the blood of Jesus”, but how many of us believe what we sing. Have you experienced the power in the blood? What makes this blood powerful? How many times have you abandoned that power to use your own wisdom to resolve your challenges. Just recently a man of God lost consciousness while on potty in his house. The wife could not carry him or help him. All she did was to plead this blood. The man was revived, in his testimony, he heard a voice calling the blood of Jesus, initially it was faint but it gradually grew louder until he recognised his wife’s voice. Today, have a rethink and let that blood without blemish avail for you. The blood is potent today as it was in time past.

IT IS THE BLOOD OF THE NEW COVENANT:
The only reference to the new covenant (berit hadasa’) in the Old Testament is found in Jer 31:31-34 In the context of Israel’s disobedience and imminent exile as punishment for national disobedience:

“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,” declares the Lord. “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts.

I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will they teach their neighbour, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” (Jeremiah 31:31-34 NIV)

The new covenant is distinguished from the older covenant in four ways:

• It is a covenant where God writes his law in the minds and on the hearts of those in the new covenant.
• It is a covenant where God will be the God of those in the new covenant and they will be his people.
• It is a covenant where those in the new covenant will know God
• It is a covenant where God will forgive the iniquities and the sins of those in the new covenant.

The new covenant, therefore, has two basic characteristics. First, it describes an internal spiritual transformation resulting in a new relationship with God and a new possibility of obedience. Second, the new covenant results in the forgiveness of sins for those in the covenant.

Since there is no atonement for sin without the shedding of blood Leviticus 17:11, a vital blood has to be shed for this new covenant.

IT IS THE ONLY BLOOD POURED OUT:

Why is it regarded as poured out blood? Pouring out of a liquid is a deliberate action. Jesus deliberately and voluntarily released his blood for this new and unique covenant. Jesus at his last Passover meal, said that it was “the blood of the covenant shed for many” (Mark 14:24), “the blood of the covenant shed for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matt 26:28), or “the new covenant in my blood shed for you” (Luke 22:20). In so doing he was affirming that his death was the means by which the new covenant would come about. That Jesus did this on Passover is also significant, since; Jesus is conceived as the Passover sacrifice bringing about the salvation of all in parallel to the original Passover lamb of the exodus.

Paul understands the new covenant as having been realised through the death and resurrection of Christ and the giving of the Spirit. In 2 Cor 3:3-18 Paul similarly contrasts the old covenant which condemns—identified with the law (letter)—with the new covenant which brings righteousness—identified with the Spirit.

IT IS THE ONLY BLOOD FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SIN: Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission for sin -Hebrews 9:22. Paul further explains the reason for this blood to be shed in Romans 3:22-26; all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Therefore the righteousness required to have God write his laws in our heart can only be given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. All are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just (seen to have punished sin) and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. God therefore put the punishment of our sins on his son. Thus making us free from the punishment of our sins past and present and to present us to him a bride without blemish. When the accuser of the brethren presents his case as he did in the case of Job, Jesus our advocate will say, my blood has paid for it. Therefore you and I have to understand that the blood of Jesus was shed to give us victory over the accuser of the brethren. There is power in the blood. This power is potent now as it was in the past, avail yourself of it.

CONCLUSION:
God gave the promise of a new covenant that is of internal spiritual transformation and results in the forgiveness of sin. The attainment of this came through the voluntary pouring out of his (Jesus) blood. Only those who believe in him can benefit from this. Being with him for years is no solution. Judas was physically with him and drank what he called his blood of the new covenant, yet he was not part of him.

Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. (Matthew 26:27, 28 NIV) Taking part physically is not the answer, all that we are is spiritual. The life is in the blood – the blood of Jesus – John 6:53 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.

Jesus’ love is enduring and patient. take advantage of this and have an assured hope of eternal life.