Brought Near by the Blood

In one paragraph

Brian opened on Palm Sunday by acknowledging the day briefly, then turned the congregation's attention to Passover, which began the previous evening at sundown. The message followed the Exodus 12 account of the first Passover and connected it to what the blood of Jesus accomplishes not just for protection, but for the presence of God dwelling inside a person. The central idea was that God does not...

Read together

1. Exodus 12:1-13 read aloud by congregation members as the primary Passover text
2. Hebrews 9:22 quoted to show that without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness
3. Ephesians 2:13 quoted to show believers have been brought near to God through the blood of Christ
4. Revelation 3:10 quoted as red-letter words of Jesus promising protection from the great time of testing for those who persevere
5. James 1:2-3 quoted during the offering transition about counting trials as joy because testing produces steadfastness

Talk about it

1. Brian described the Hebrew word hosanna as carrying a desperate, last-breath kind of meaning, like someone crying out to be saved. When have you found yourself in a place where that kind of desperate cry to God felt real to you?
2. God told the Tribe fam to think of the seven feasts not as Jewish religious holidays but as his family traditions. What does it change for you, if anything, to think about Passover that way rather than as something belonging to another faith?
3. The sermon drew a distinction between God shielding Israel on the outside through the blood on the doorpost and then actually coming in to dwell with them. Brian said many Christians live grateful for the outer protection but try to manage their inner life on their own strength. How much do you identify with that?
4. Brian used the image of a full can versus an empty can to talk about what fills us from the inside. He then said the Holy Spirit was saying there is no room because we are already full of other things. What do you think you might be holding onto that is taking up that room?
5. The sermon said Tribe's position is that the church will be delivered through the tribulation rather than pulled from it, and that rehearsing now, through the feasts, through daily surrender, through giving, builds the muscle memory we will need. What does rehearsing that kind of trust actually look like in your day to day life right now?