The Blood of the Lamb 

Memory Verse: "Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him" (Romans 5:9).

Scripture Reading: Hebrews 9:15-28.

Introduction: In his study guide, "The Preeminent Person of Christ" (p.142 (copyright 1989), Insight for Living, Fullerton, CA 92634) Charles Swindoll shares the illustration of a man who had stumbled into a well . . .
  As he treaded water, he called out for help. Responding to his call, a passerby stopped, leaned over, and asked the man what he wanted. The man pleaded that he wanted out. The passerby thought for a moment, wrote on a piece of paper, then dropped it down to the struggling man. It read, "Ten Rules on How to Keep Out of Wells.'"
  God's law is perfect to show man the error of his ways and to reveal his sins. But the law is prescriptive, not curative. It is useful to show us how to keep out of sin's wells, but it has no power to let down a rope so we won't drown.
  If it wasn't for Jesus Christ, we would have no way out, but in Christ our deliverance is complete and permanent. Through the shedding of Jesus' blood, unequalled work of salvation has been offered to all men. To give His blood was to give His life--and in our place the Savior suffered and died.
  Before we can fully appreciate how Christ has saved us by shedding his blood on Calvary, we must understand the depth of our need, and how completely Jesus satisfied sin's demand for payment. Perhaps seeing ourselves in the following ways will open our understanding. We are: debtors, who need forgiveness of our debt; criminals, who need God's righteousness; enemies, who need peace from our strife; slaves, who hunger for real freedom; unholy people, who can only acquire holiness from the Almighty; the dead, who yearn for an infusion of life; and strangers, who long for acceptance and a place to belong.
  In the blood of Jesus, we find the precious price that was paid to fully meet our need. Nothing else compares to it.

Questions:

1. What was the only thing that could atone for sin in the Old Testament? Leviticus 17:11; Genesis 4:3-7; Leviticus 4:13-20; Exodus 12:13.

2. How terrible is sin and its consequences? Ezekiel 18:20; Hebrews 2:1-3; James 1:14-16; Romans 1:18-32; Revelation 20:11-15.

3. Discuss the value of forgiveness through Jesus' blood. Matthew 26:28; Acts 5:31; Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 2:13.

4. What does it mean to be justified from sin? Genesis 15:6; Acts 13:39; Romans 3:23-26; Titus 3:3-7.

5. What is the sinner's only hope of being restored to God's fellowship? 2 Corinthians 5:17,18; Colossians 1:20; Hebrews 2:17; Ephesians 2:13-17.

6. How have we gained freedom through Christ's blood? Galatians 3:9-14; Colossians 1:12-14; Titus 2:14; 1 Peter 1:18,19.

7. Does Christ's blood also have power over our unholy nature? Ephesians 5:25-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Romans 6:6,7.

8. How does Christ's death bring new life to all who believe? Ephesians 2:1-7; Romans 6:8-11; Romans 8:1-6.

9. What is our relationship to God through the shedding of Jesus' blood? John 1:12; Romans 8:15; 2 Corinthians 6:17,18; Galatians 3:26;
Ephesians 1:5; 1 Peter 2:9.