Vampires ,Werewolves and Zombies Oh My!

John 6:53-56

Acts 20:29-31

Ephesians 2:1-5

Famous vampires1) Barnabas Collins – Dark Shadows

2) Leslie Nielson – Count Dracula “Dead and Loving it”

3) Bram Stoker’s – Dracula

4) David Boreanaz – Angel

5) Bela Lugosi – Dracula

6) Edward - Twilight

AC

F

B

ED

2 common elements of Vampire Lore

Need for Blood

and Eternal Life

Focus of Today’s lesson is on Blood and Eternal life

Why is blood so important to the Christian faith?

Christian Songs – Baptist HymnalNothing but the Blood #223

There is a Fountain filled with blood #224

There is power in the blood #225

O the Blood of Jesus #226

The Blood will never lose its power #227

Alas and Did My Savior Bleed #228

Are you washed in the blood #229

Down at the cross #252

Our spiritual life is in the blood of Jesus

John 6:53-69

New Living Translation (NLT)53 So Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat

the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you. 54 But anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise that person at the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. 57 I live because of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, anyone who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 I am the true bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will not die as your ancestors did (even though they ate the manna) but will live forever.”

The Blood of Life

60 Many of his disciples said, “This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?”

61 Jesus was aware that his disciples were complaining, so he said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 Then what will you think if you see the Son of Man ascend to heaven again? 63 The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But some of you do not believe me.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning which ones didn’t believe, and he knew who would betray him.) 65 Then he said, “That is why I said that people can’t come to me unless the Father gives them to me.”

66 At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. 67 Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?”

68 Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. 69 We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.”

Eating flesh and drinking blood

Hard Words to understand – Why?

Leviticus 17:10-13

New Living Translation (NLT)10 “And if any native Israelite or foreigner living among

you eats or drinks blood in any form, I will turn against that person and cut him off from the community of your people…

12 That is why I have said to the people of Israel, ‘You must never eat or drink blood—neither you nor the foreigners living among you.’

Jews had been commanded to not drink blood in any form

What was Jesus referring to when he said

“You must eat my flesh and drink my blood”?

Eating the flesh and drinking the blood is symbolic of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. In essence to eat the flesh and drink the blood is not literal but rather he is calling his disciples to embrace the work of the cross, the giving of His body (flesh) and the shedding of his blood for others.

Jesus is calling his followers to accept his sacrifice and death as the atonement for their sins

Faith in Christ’s death brings eternal life to those who believe he died for their sins

Leviticus 17:11

New Living Translation (NLT)11 for the life of the body is in its blood. I have given you the

blood on the altar to purify you, making you right with the LORD. It is the blood, given in exchange for a life, that makes purification possible.

“Blood makes atonement for one’s life. God has chosen sacrificial blood as the ransom price for a person’s life, so the life of a substitute is given up in death”

Jesus was our substitute and his blood was the ransom price

The Importance of a Blood Sacrifice

Genesis 3:20-21

New Living Translation (NLT)

20 Then the man—Adam—named his wife Eve, because she would

be the mother of all who live. 21 And the LORD God made

clothing from animal skins for Adam and his wife. (1st substitute

death)

Genesis 4:1-4

4 Now Adam had sexual relations with his wife, Eve, and she became

pregnant. When she gave birth to Cain, she said, “With the LORD’s

help, I have produced a man!” 2 Later she gave birth to his brother and

named him Abel.

When they grew up, Abel became a shepherd, while Cain cultivated the

ground. 3 When it was time for the harvest, Cain presented some of his

crops as a gift to the LORD. 4 Abel also brought a gift—the best of the

firstborn lambs from his flock. The LORD accepted Abel and his gift,

Matthew 26:26-29

New Living Translation (NLT)26 As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and

blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take this and eat it, for this is my body.”

27 And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, “Each of you drink from it, 28 for this is my blood, which confirms the covenantbetween God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many. 29 Mark my words—I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new with you in my Father’s Kingdom.”

Acts 20:28New Living Translation (NLT)

28 “So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood—

over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as elders.

Revelation 1:4-6New Living Translation (NLT)4 This letter is from John to the seven churches in the

province of Asia.[a]

Grace and peace to you from the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come; from the sevenfold Spirit before his throne; 5 and from Jesus Christ. He is the faithful witness to these things, the first to rise from the dead, and the ruler of all the kings of the world.

All glory to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding his blood for us. 6 He has made us a Kingdom of priests for God his Father. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.

1 Peter 1:18-20

New Living Translation (NLT)18 For you know that God paid a ransom to save you

from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. 19 It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. 20 God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but he has now revealed him to you in these last days.

Hebrews 9:19-22

New Living Translation (NLT)19 For after Moses had read each of God’s

commandments to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, along with water, and sprinkled both the book of God’s law and all the people, using hyssop branches and scarlet wool. 20 Then he said, “This blood confirms the covenant God has made with you.” 21 And in the same way, he sprinkled blood on the Tabernacle and on everything used for worship. 22 In fact, according to the law of Moses, nearly everything was purified with blood. For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness.

Key Elements of the blood of Christ

Blood represents a substitute death

Only a blood sacrifice was acceptable to God

The blood of Christ purifies the unclean heart

Only the blood of Christ can make you right with God

The blood of Jesus pays the price required by God for the forgiveness of our sins

The blood of Christ confirms the covenant between God and his people

The blood of Jesus purchased our salvation

The blood of Jesus freed us from our sins

The blood of Christ redeems us from an empty life

Without the blood of Jesus there is no forgiveness for sins

Without the blood of Jesus there is no hope of eternal life

Remember the songs

What can wash away my sins…Nothing but the blood of Jesus

There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel’s name and sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains

Would you be free from the burden of sin…There’s power in the blood

O the blood of Jesus it washes white as snow

The blood that Jesus shed for me way back on Calvary the blood that gives me strength from day to day it will never lose its power

Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power? Are you washed in the blood of the lamb? Are you fully trusting in his grace this hour? Are you washed in the blood of the lamb?

Blood = Eternal Life

Our spiritual life is in the blood of Jesus

It is His blood that washes away all our

sins

It is His blood that atones for all our sins

It is through the blood of Christ and his

sacrifice that we are made right with God

and gain eternal life