Following Judah's Lion

That Bloody Sacrifice

This morning I watched for a few minutes from Westminster Cathedral what the Roman Catholic Church called “Votive Mass of the Precious Blood”. It is part of the Pope’s visit to England. Above the place where the Pope was sitting was a giant replica of the Savior hanging on the cross. Of course I do not believe the teachings of the Roman Church accurately reflect the New Testament, and their teachings on personal salvation are intertwined with works and the church itself.
However, I could not avoid being struck by the fact of how little the crucifixion and the blood of Christ are proclaimed in most evangelical churches. Aside from a doctrinal nod, and the obligatory Easter celebration and rapid communion observance, the precious blood, without which no one can be saved, is a fringe issue. Marital sex, financial wisdom, political issues, and a long litany of other concerns are posted across the church signs informing us of the next sermon series. But where is the blood? And even in a dry liturgical format such as a mass, the blood is front and center.
God forgive us for the ignorance and active rebellion in Your church as we have gone our own way and left that crimson sacrifice as a museum piece and not the life of the church. The gospel story and the narrative of the cross seems out of date and redundant and even irrelevant to a vibrant western lifestyle. It is so very easy to watch and criticize as the priests sprinkle water and distribute incense, and go about their ritual, but can we not see how we have relegated the blood to the periphery of spiritual life and teaching? The sufferings of our Blessed Savior have all but been forgotten, and carnal men attempt to make Him a base and common man who lived unremarkable in the midst of sinners.
The Creator of the Universe, disguised as a man, writhes with unspeakable agony as He endures the pain and grief for the sins of the world. Who can know it?? How can we, His fallen creation, look upon that with any semblance of comprehension that would be sufficient to glorify that event? How can I accurately see my sin emblazoned in and on this bleeding frame without consciously softening the blow in order to retain a morsel of self worth? I cannot understand such love and sacrifice, and I cannot but stand in wonder and awe of my own wretchedness and shocking nature. I would love to smooth the edges of my condition, but in so doing I diminish the sacrifice and the profound suffering endured upon those Roman planks.
This crucifixion appears in like kind of thousands of others, and I am tempted to attribute some greater pain to this one in comparison to all the rest. But if I dare connect or even compare others with this one I have committed a horrible transgression in scope, essence, and meaning. This death, this vicious and slaughterhouse death, was glorious in all its resplendent ghastliness. This death was life everlasting. But oh the blood. Most of us recoil at seeing much blood, and the sight of a bloodied soldier or a victim of a car accident causes us to turn away. But this sight of a blood drenched Jew, covered from head to toe with hideous wounds, causes a multi-faceted response inside those who worship this Lamb.
We are struck with awe, and we are filled with tears. We experience shame while experiencing thankfulness. We grieve and we rejoice! We fall on our faces and we also dance. Gazing upon the inflicted Lamb of God heals us in so many ways both known and unknown. This dying figure carries with Him the life we have been seeking. Oh yes, in this technological age of cars on Mars and asteroids slamming into Jupiter, this death just outside the walls of Jerusalem is still the only way for eternal life. Bloodied and beaten, scarred and scourged, and bleeding with a ferocity that covers His frame, this death is the mystery of the universe.
Lord we have forgotten You and Your costly victory. We have desired victory without suffering and healing without pain. We seek comfort and convenience and we have treated your cross as a doctrinal curiosity and not the very life it rightly deserves. We have become embarrassed to preach it or used it in pride and self righteousness as a proof of our orthodoxy. Long ago our fast paced lifestyles have etched out any elongated meditation before the thought of Your priceless scarlet gift. We are of all men most ashamed at what we have allowed your church to become.
Your blood still saves and still cleanses. Your wounds must still be fresh on our minds and lips, and your cross must be raised again in devotion and wonder. Yes we know You have risen from the dead and You live evermore, but the wounds you brought with you to heaven must cause us to proclaim again and again of your crucified labor. This world is hollow and our lives have swallowed up that which should be our theme and journey. Your sacrifice is still the exclusive portal to eternity and we must never make it one of many themes in our church business and our “this life” obsession.
How will we feel when we first lay eyes upon the Risen Christ in all His glory and wonder at His wounds? What excuse can we give when we see how pathetic this world was and how narcissistic was our life when we gaze at that which is unspeakable and full of glory? What shame will we experience when we see how useless were most of our squabbles and how self righteous we were in light of what immeasurable humility was present upon that death tree? And will we beg to be given another chance to scream His gospel across the four corners of the earth when we stand in front of a vision of living glory that renders us broken vessels of utter worship?

It is still the Savior; it is still His sufferings; it is still the precious blood;

and so shall it be forever. Selah.