The Blood of the New Covenant

 Lately, I have been overwhelmed with gratitude for Jesus. I have always been thankful for all He has done for me and for the whole world, but recently it has just been overwhelming to think of how He has blessed me. At the same time I have been realizing more and more that without Jesus, we would all be lost and undone. Again, I have always known that, but it has become so real to me. I can't wait to see Him and to worship Him in person when He returns for His own or when I go to be with Him.

Jesus spent the final evening with His disciples in the upper room prepared for them to partake of the Passover meal together. At the end of the meal Jesus took bread and told them it represented His body. Then, He took the cup and explained to them what it represented. (Matthew 26:28) Jesus told them the cup was His blood of the new covenant, which would be shed for many for the remission of sins. The disciples did not fully understand what was going to happen at that point, but it became clear when Jesus was nailed to the Cross.

It would have been fantastic to live under the old covenant and put my trust in God to forgive my sins, and  the blood of animals be shed to cover my sins. That was God's provision for mankind after the sin of Adam and Eve passed on to all people because all received their sinful, fallen nature. God's love was the reason for the old covenant, and it is what led Him to prepare for an even better covenant in the blood of Jesus. Now, I get to live in a time when Christ's blood has paid for all my sins, and I have a permanent relationship with God. Jesus's blood is the only payment that could have brought in the new covenant.

Now, I have salvation from sin, the presence of the Person of the Holy Spirit in my life, and I am able to live the abundant life, all because of Jesus. I owe all to Him and His willingness to shed His precious blood for the remission of sins. I am a joint-heir with Christ so I will get to enjoy the glorious perfection of heaven forever. Therefore, my life is complete with Jesus forever. He did all of this for all of us. Are you part of the new covenant? Have your trusted Jesus as Lord and Savior, turning from your sins? If not, today is the day to do just that.

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Tomorrow, I intend to read Matthew 27-28 and Mark 1-3.