Is blood significant? Children think so. The slightest scratch or scrape, a single drop of blood demands a Band-Aid or ice and probably a hug. Doctors think so. Even though they make you fill out page after page of health history, they clearly learn far more accurate information about your health from the vials of blood they draw from your arm. Is blood significant? God thinks so. After Cain killed his brother Abel, God confronted Cain and said what have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the soil (Genesis 4:10). God considers blood to be significant – and not just Abel’s either. In Genesis, God declared: whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed, for God made man in his own image (Genesis 9:6). And, while God thinks blood is significant enough to force Cain to become a nomad and institute capital punishment – that is, he considers blood to be significant enough that he demands blood to satisfy his justice, the Bible tells us that he also considers blood to be significant enough to deliver his mercy. Tonight we are gathered around Calvary’s cross, down which the blood of God’s only Son slowly drips, drop by drop – significant blood, to be sure. But what does this blood, the blood of Jesus, signify? God’s justice or his mercy? Tonight, the author of Hebrews will guide us to see and understand the significance of Jesus’ blood.

First Lesson Hebrews 12:18-22a

He writes: you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and to burning fire, to darkness, to gloom, to a raging storm, to the sound of a trumpet, and to a voice that spoke. Those who heard the voice asked that not one more word be added, because they could not endure what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.” The sight was so terrifying that even Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.” It probably goes without saying that this mountain is Mt. Sinai, the place where God laid out the standards of his justice, his 10 Commandments. On Mt. Sinai God established that disobedience to his will demanded a significant payment: the blood of the offender (Leviticus 16; Romans 6:23; Hebrews 3:16-19). If that doesn’t strike terror into your heart, too, then you might want to check if you still have a pulse.

On Good Friday, we have come to a mountain – but, thank God, not that mountain, not Mt. Sinai. As the writer of Hebrews says, instead, you have come to Mount Zion, the city of the living God. Mt. Zion was the location of the temple in Jerusalem. Unlike Mt. Sinai, which was off-limits to both man and animals, Mt. Zion was accessible to God’s people. It was where God heard the prayers and accepted the offerings of his people and offered them his forgiveness and grace. It was where God accepted the blood of bulls and lambs and goats as sacrifices for the sins of the people (Hebrews 9:11-18). Is that God’s justice or mercy? Yes! God didn’t change his demand for blood to pay for sin – his standard of justice stood firm. But God accepted the blood of animals instead of, in place of, the blood of the sinful people – that’s his mercy. But you might say, “A lot of good that does us. We can’t go to the temple (because today it’s nothing more than rubble under an Islamic mosque), and we don’t slaughter bulls or lambs or goats in worship.” That’s right. And we don’t have to because we have something better. Here in this gathering of God’s people he reaches out through Word, through water and bread and wine to apply the sacrificial blood of the Lamb of God to sinners like us! We go back to Mt. Calvary tonight to see God execute his divine justice on his own Son. But we also come here tonight to receive the mercy Jesus purchased with his own, significant, substitutionary blood.

Hymn 128 Not All the Blood of Beasts

Second Lesson Hebrews 12:22b

You have come to Mount Zion…to the heavenly Jerusalem; to tens of thousands of angels in joyful assembly;

For over a year now we’ve been separated from each other. Sure, we’ve been allowed by the state supreme court to once again gather for worship. But we’re still separated – by masks, by social distancing, by the alleged fear that even if you’re perfectly healthy you can kill me with your breath. Separation of any kind is the result of sin. God kicked Adam and Eve out of his presence in Eden because of their sin (Genesis 3:23-24). He separated mankind by confusing their languages at the Tower of Babel because of their pride (Genesis 11:1-9). He separated his chosen people from their homes in the Promised Land to exile in Babylon due to their idolatry and rebellion (2 Chronicles 36:15-21). Most significantly, God determined that the wages of sin will be death now, the separation of the body and the soul (Ecclesiastes 12:7), and eternally, separating sinners from himself forever in hell. This separation we are experiencing now pales in comparison to the eternal separation from God we deserve.

But because we have not come to Mt. Sinai tonight but to Mt. Zion – this separation from God and from each other is not permanent. Because on a Friday 2000 years ago just outside of Mt. Zion, Jesus, the holy Son of God, was separated from his Father’s love on a cross, we will never be separated from God’s love in this life (Romans 8:38-39). Because by his death Jesus tore down the curtain of sin that separated us from God (Mark 15:38), we will not be separated from God’s presence eternally. In fact, while we may still be separated from each other by masks and distance and fear – when we come here to God’s house, the author of Hebrews says that we are united in intimate fellowship with tens of thousands of angels in joyful assembly. In our worship, heaven and earth intersect and we, as citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem (Philippians 3:20), stand with the saints of old and the angels to sing here on the earth the hymns of heaven, like Glory to God in the highest (CW p. 16), Holy, holy, holy (CW p. 22), and O Christ, Lamb of God (CW p. 23). These hymns were composed in heaven for us to sing with the choirs of heaven here on earth. We may still be separated from each other here and now, but even here and now we are united with tens of thousands of angels in heaven singing the praise of the Lamb (Revelation 7:10) who has won our salvation with his significant blood.

Hymn 114 Christ, the Life of All the Living (st. 1-4)

Third Lesson Hebrews 12:23a

You have come to Mount Zion…to the church of the firstborn whose names are written in heaven;

As we all know, we’re not just separated from others because of viruses and mandates, we’re separated from others – even other Christians – here on earth because of false doctrine. These divisions are the work of the devil and result in untold pain and sadness in many hearts, many homes, and many churches. And while these doctrinal and denominational divisions are sad, they are necessary. Paul says that there also have to be factions among you so that those who are approved may become evident among you (1 Corinthians 11:19). But because of Jesus, the separation we see and feel from other believers is only temporary. In God’s eyes there is only one Church (Ephesians 4:4-5), and this Church consists of everyone whose name has been written in the book of life in heaven (Revelation 20:12). Is your name written there? Yes! When you were baptized, God wrote your name in that book – adding it to the names of the countless saints who came before and will come after you (Galatians 3:26-27). Whereas bloodshed in this world usually separates people and families and nations – the blood Jesus shed on the cross breaks down barriers and unites believers of all peoples, races, tribes, languages, and nations, because the blood of Jesus… [God’s] Son, cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7).

Hymn 114 Christ, the Life of All the Living (st. 5-7)

Fourth Lesson Hebrews 12:23b

You have come to Mount Zion…to God, who is the judge of all;

Well…that doesn’t sound good. Did you know that? Did you know that tonight, of your own free will, you have come to stand trial before God, the judge of all? And you’re not alone. The people in the homes just a stone’s throw from those doors, your own family and friends who have decided that there is somewhere more important to be on Good Friday than worshiping before the bloody cross of Christ are also standing before the Judge of all today and will stand before him on the Last Day. On that Day, his judgment will be perfect and his verdict will be final (John 5:30). On that day there will be only two options: guilty or innocent; and only two sentences: eternity in heaven or in hell. How does Jesus’ blood play into this? Well, I’ll let you in on the little secret we call the Gospel – when God judged Jesus on Calvary’s cross 2000 years ago, he also judged the world – including you and me (John 12:31). God declared his verdict: he declared Jesus guilty…and, he declared you…not guilty. Jesus’ blood served the dual purpose of satisfying God’s justice and providing his mercy to us. Because of Jesus’ blood, God has judged you innocent, has acquitted you, has forgiven your sins. That’s why you can come here and look forward to Judgment Day without fear – because God has already judged you in Christ; and the verdict that he has printed in the indelible blood of his Son is: not guilty.

Hymn 127 Stricken, Smitten, and Afflicted (st. 1, 4)

Fifth Lesson Hebrews 12:23c

You have come to Mount Zion…to the spirits of righteous people who have been made perfect;

What does that mean? Your initial reaction may be to think that this sounds either very creepy or very Catholic. Well, it’s neither. In the previous chapter of Hebrews, chapter 11 – the so-called hall of fame of faith – there is a list of the believers who have gone before us, beginning with…Abel. We do not pray to or worship these saints, nor do we trust in them for salvation. However, with the very first Lutherans we confess: “Our churches teach that the history of the saints may be set before us so that we may follow the example of their faith and good works, according to our calling” (AC XXI: 1). Through their faith in [Jesus’] blood (Romans 3:25), the believers who have gone before us have left us a rich legacy. It’s not so much that we should imitate how they lived – for they, too, were sinners – but rather, what they believed and how God in his grace provided for them, especially in troubling times – in times of persecution, pandemic and upheaval. As Lutherans, we may be tempted take this blessing for granted, we may grow bored with the catechisms and the creeds and the liturgy – but we shouldn’t. Because when we come here for worship we are not just standing on the shoulders of our believing predecessors, we are drawing from the same bottomless well of God’s grace they drew from, the water of life that springs from the blood Jesus shed on Calvary’s cross.

Hymn 117 O Dearest Jesus (st. 1-2, 5-7)

Sixth Lesson Hebrews 12:24a

You have come to Mount Zion…to Jesus, the mediator of a new testament;

When people think they have been wrongly fired, wrongly injured in an accident, or wrongly accused of a crime, they often run to a lawyer who can argue their case on their behalf. We have something even better; we have Jesus. Jesus is not only our defense attorney – he’s our substitute, he’s the one who has taken our sin upon himself and has given us his righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). On Calvary he pushed us out of the way of God’s wrath, pled guilty to our sin and endured our punishment, and now he stands before God’s judgment seat equipped with the perfect and only argument that can be presented on our behalf. He presents the new testament written in his blood (Matthew 26:28), a testament that, unlike the testament made on Mt. Sinai, is unilateral - one sided; a testament in which God swears I will forgive [your] guilt and I will remember [your] wickedness no more (Jeremiah 31:34).

Hymn 138 Oh, Perfect Life of Love

Seventh Lesson Hebrews 12:24b

You have come to Mount Zion…to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better message than the blood of Abel.

Blood is significant. Blood speaks. Abel’s blood screamed from the dust of the earth to the throne of God in heaven for vengeance. Thank God that the blood that drips down Calvary’s cross speaks a better message. What is that message? Well, what’s the opposite of vengeance? Forgiveness! Jesus’ blood cried out for forgiveness from the cross (Luke 23:34). And what’s more, the author of Hebrews says that Jesus’ blood speaks – present tense. Which means that the blood of Jesus didn’t just speak on Good Friday – it still speaks today. Through your Baptism, his blood still speaks to you, telling you that he has cleansed you so that you stand spotless and sinless in the sight of God (Ephesians 5:25-27). It speaks to you in the words of absolution – urging you to lay your sins on Jesus and then saying: come now, and let us reason together, says the LORD. Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow. Though they are red as crimson, they will be like wool (Isaiah 1:18; Revelation 7:14). It speaks to you whenever you receive it in the Lord’s Supper – that blood transfusion of immortality, that vaccine against eternal death. Jesus’ blood is still significant. Jesus blood still speaks. It speaks a better message than the blood of Abel. His blood doesn’t cry out for vengeance but for forgiveness; not for the punishment of the guilty but for the justification of the ungodly (Romans 4:5); not for death but for never-ending life. Your blood may tell your doctor many things about you and your health; but your blood, significant as it is, can’t do what Jesus’ blood does. Jesus’ blood, the blood he shed on the cross tells you that you have been saved forever from sin, death and the devil. It doesn’t get more significant than that. Amen.

Hymn 139 Jesus, in Your Dying Woes

The Burial of Our Lord

When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathaea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews. Joseph of Arimathaea, a prominent member of the council, was a good and righteous man. He had not agreed with their plan and action. He was looking forward to the kingdom of God. He boldly went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.

Pilate was surprised that Jesus was already dead. He summoned the centurion and asked him if Jesus had been dead for a long time. When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he granted the body to Joseph. Joseph bought a linen cloth, came, and took Jesus’ body away. Nicodemus, who earlier had come to Jesus at night, also came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-two pounds.

They took Jesus’ body and bound it with linen strips along with the spices, in accord with Jewish burial customs.

There was a garden at the place where Jesus was crucified. And in the garden was a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. So they laid Jesus there, because it was the Jewish Preparation Day, and the tomb was near. Joseph took the body and laid it in his own new tomb that he had cut in the rock. He rolled a large stone over the tomb’s entrance and left.

The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed after Joseph, and they observed the tomb and how Jesus’ body was laid there. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses were watching where the body was laid. 56Then they returned and prepared spices and perfumes. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.

On the next day, which was the day after the Preparation Day, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered in the presence of Pilate and said, “Sir, we remembered what that deceiver said while he was still alive: ‘After three days I will rise again.’ So give a command that the tomb be made secure until the third day. Otherwise his disciples might steal his body and tell the people, ‘He is risen from the dead.’ And this last deception will be worse than the first.”

Pilate said to them, “You have a guard. Go, make it as secure as you know how.” So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and posting a guard.

Hymn 137 Oh, Darkest Woe

Sermon Blog

Hebrews 12:18-24 - Significant Blood - April 2, 2021