Jesus and His blood -- Tracy's question

Tracy – Great question. This is Pastor Eric answering.

Christ shedding his blood goes back to the Old Testament sacrificial system, which God set up as a way for people to have their sin temporarily covered (until Christ came). Hebrews 9:22 says “Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins.” His death had to be bloody so our sins could be erased.

That is the short version…Here is a longer and more in depth answer.

Hebrews 10:19-22 says, Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

The verse says that we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus. Christ changed everything. Christ has given you access into the presence of God. He has made it possible for you to enter the Most Holy Place. During the days of the tabernacle and the temple, the high priest would sacrifice an animal on the bronze altar in the outer court. The high priest would do this on one day a year called Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement. The blood sacrifice was to cover the sins committed by the people in ignorance. The high priest would take blood from the sacrifice made in the outer court with him into the Most Holy Place. He would sprinkle the blood on the mercy seat. He could not enter the presence of God without blood from the sacrifice.

Christ came to this earth 2000 years ago and placed himself on the altar. He sacrificed himself so that we could gain access to God.

Because Jesus placed himself on the sacrificial altar, you can enter the presence of God. You can enjoy God’s presence because of the Son. In the temple and tabernacle system, there was a curtain separating the Most Holy Place from the rest of the temple. From the rest of the world. From you. This curtain separated us from God. We could not peer behind the curtain. We could not go behind the veil. The curtain was a constant reminder that the presence of God was inaccessible. But when Christ died, a new and living way opened for us. As he was breathing his last breath on the cross, a miraculous event occurred. “And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment, the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split.” (Matthew 27:50-51) Just as Christ’s body was torn, the curtain in the temple was torn. At the same moment. Because Christ’s body was torn, the veil was torn. The Most Holy Place became accessible. And you may enter the presence of God. Christ changed everything.