TEXT:

SUBJECT: The Blood of the New Covenant

"This is the blood of the New Covenant which is shed for many, for the remission of sins".

The Lord's Supper recalls the blood of Christ. It was "shed"--He tells us--"for the remission of sins". Sins are not forgiven on account of our faith, of our repentance, or of our perseverance. They are remitted on account of "the blood of the New Covenant which is shed".

But for whom was this blood shed? The Lord leaves no doubt: It was shed "for many". The word "many" is worthy of our meditation. What does it signify?

It begins with quantity. At the time, the Lord's "flock" was "little". Of the thousands He taught, fed, healed, exorcised, and raised from the dead, no more than 120 could be found loyal to Him. A "little flock" indeed. The same seems to be true today. Most of our neighbors don't believe in Christ; few at work do; and--alas--too many in our families remain strangers to His grace. The football stadiums will be packed today; the churches won't. It may seem, therefore, that the Lord shed His blood for but few--very few. Yet He says "many". Is He right? He is. A great number was promised to Him back in the Book of Genesis. How numerous would Abraham's spiritual seed be? "As the stars in heaven...as the sand which is on the seashore". Was the promise to be taken literally? Or was it overstated for effect? See how it is fulfilled, in the Bible's last Book. John saw "a great multitude which could not be numbered"; in another place, he calculated them as "ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands". These were not the Redeemed in prospect--but in glory. Thus, the Lord shed His blood for "many". Though we may feel lonely at times--as Elijah did--we must recall that "He has reserved 7,000 who have not bowed the knee to Baal or kissed the obscene image".

"Many" also carries with it the idea of "variety". Not just "many" are redeemed by Christ, but "many kinds". Nothing could be more clearly taught in the Bible than this. The early Christians were mostly Jewish; but later, Gentiles began filling the churches. And a variety of them! Cornelius was Italian; Dionysius was Greek; Niger was Ethiopian. Every kind of man came to Christ. "Blue collar" men--like Peter, James and John. And professionals--see Zenas the lawyer, Apollos the orator, and Luke the beloved physician. Some of them owned slaves, like Philemon. Others were slaves, such as Onesimus. Women found a place with Christ, too. And their diversity matched the men's. Many were homemakers, but Lydia was a businesswoman. Age didn't matter, either. Churches had "fathers", "young men", and "children". Religious backgrounds also varied. Timothy was brought up in a Christian home, Paul in a Jewish family, while most others were reared in idolatry. Even doctrinal differences were no bar to "the remission of sin". The Jewish/Gentile divide was not only racial; it was theological as well. Yet both belonged to Christ.

The same variety is with us today. The Lord's people differ from each other racially, economically, socially, and doctrinally. Yet all who truly believe in Christ partake of "the blood of the New Covenant which is shed for the remission of sins". Why? Because it was "shed for many". In quantity; in variety. The sins of "many" are "remitted".

If this is true, our love mustn't be limited to the "few". To those who look like we do; who think like we do; who behave like we do. Why not? Because Christ shed His blood--not for the few--but for "many". For a variety of people--from "every nation, kindred, tribe, and tongue". Let our love be as wide as the shedding of Christ's blood. If His blood was "shed for many"--let our love be given to "many".

Let the Lord's Supper remind of us this obligation. For Christ's sake. Amen.