"Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered in once into the holy place" (Hebrews 9:12).

As New Testament Christians, we are given the remarkable privilege of partaking in the Lord's Supper as we reflect back on Christ's shed blood and proclaim His death, burial, and resurrection until He comes again. But how often do we take the time to ponder the scope of His blood sacrifice? Prayerfully consider the following:

1. We are justified by His blood, as "we shall be saved from wrath through Him" (Romans 5:9). Essentially, God has declared us righteous, reconciling us through the death of His Son, so that we are no longer alienated from Him because of our sin.

2. We are redeemed by His blood, as "He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us" (Hebrews 9:12). As slaves to our inherited sinful nature, He has released us through a ransom that lasts forever.

3. We are released by His blood, as Jesus, "whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation" (Romans 3:25) fully satisfied the wrath of God as the perfect sacrifice for all human sin.

4. We are sanctified by His blood, as "Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered without the gate" (Hebrews 13:12). Jesus suffered outside the gate to bring even the Gentiles to God.

5. We are cleansed by His blood, as He purges our "conscience from dead works to serve the living God" (Hebrews 9:14). We have been saved that we might serve God.

"Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen" (Hebrews 13:20). MDR