The Blood Still Speaks
Tony Cooke
This is an illustrated sermon. It not only includes a message, but also involves a dramatization of a courtroom scene portraying the victorious redemption brought to the believer through the shed blood and broken body of the Lord Jesus Christ.
You can purchase a DVD of this message being preached by clicking here.
Cast
Pastor: _____________________ (wireless headset)
Judge: _____________________ (microphone at Judge’s table; wears black robe; carries himself with dignity and confidence; has a kind demeanor; knows the end from the beginning)
Bailiff: _____________________(wireless headset; wears Law Enforcement uniform; very sober and business-like)
Advocate (Defense Attorney): _____________________ (wireless headset; carries himself with great poise and confidence; pleasant, comforting, and reassuring to the accused; knows before trials starts that he’ll win, but not cocky; wholesome and sharply dressed)
Voice of the Cup/Bread: _____________________ (will be reading from microphone at the Sound Booth; dignified voice, convicting and sincere, but not overly dramatic)
Accused: _____________________ (wireless headset; wears normal street clothes – looks like the average guy on the street – not overly dressed up; goes from nervous at the beginning to confident and victorious at the ending; he does trust the Advocate, but is troubled by the happenings and the accusations)
Prosecutor: _____________________ (wireless headset; slick, crafty; very sharply dressed… preferably in black)
Props
* Judge’s bench with witness stand
* Black robe
* Scales
* Very large Bible
* Gavel
* Chalice with juice in it
* Bread with easel to hold it up
* Handkerchief for the advocate
* Table for the prosecution with one chair
* Large Stack of Paperwork (the prosecution’s evidence) along with box of video-tapes
* Two-wheeler
* Table for the defense with two chairs
Introduction by Pastor
Our world today seems to be full of courtrooms and trials.
* Perry Mason
* LA Law
* Divorce Court
* Judge Judy
* Judge Joe Brown
* Judge Mills Lane
* Peoples’ Court
* Celebrity Justice
* Mills Lane
* Law and Order
* Judge Wapner’s Animal Court
It seems like people in society today are obsessed with issues of guilt and innocence, with conviction and acquittal.
Even though Perry Mason may have achieved 100% accuracy when it came to the guilty party being convicted, it’s commonly known that human justice is not perfect.
Innocent people have been convicted of crimes they did not commit, and guilty people have sometimes gone free due to a lack of evidence or some loophole in the law.
There is a Court of Justice, however, where the Judge rules in Absolute Righteousness and with Perfect Flawlessness.
His throne is one before which we have been invited to come boldly; it is called “The Throne of Grace.”
Those who resist Him, and oppose Him, however, will one day stand before what the Bible calls “The Great White Throne Judgment.”
One way or another, we will all stand before Him.
Today, I want us to look at some Scriptures and an illustrated story that I believe will help us understand that Judge and his System of Justice.
GENESIS 4:8
Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” The LORD said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground. Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.
Abel’s blood, according to God, “said something.”
1. It spoke on behalf of the innocent victim.
2. It pronounced judgment on the offender.
In the book of Hebrews, the author begins to speak of the Law, and of course, there were penalties that were connected to the breaking of the Law.
HEBREWS 12:18-25
You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; 19 to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.” The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.” But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven?
The blood of Jesus speaks a better word than that of Abel’s blood!
- It was good that the blood of Abel spoke on behalf of the innocent victim, but it is better that the blood of Jesus speaks on behalf of the guilty sinner!
- It was justice that the blood of Abel pronounced judgment on the offender, but it is mercy that the blood of Jesus brings salvation and forgiveness to the offender!
This bread has something to say to you today!
This cup has something to say to you today!
It’s not the physical symbol audibly communicating to your physical ear.
We are not trying to tell you that inanimate objects have vocal cords and utter syllables, but many things have a message and a story…
A trophy speaks of accomplishment.
A scar speaks of a past wound.
A smile speaks of pleasantness.
Litter speaks of someone’s carelessness.
The Statue of Liberty speaks of freedom and opportunity.
You need to know today that the blood of Jesus speaks!
It speaks for you and to you.
Why is this important?
(Prosecutor enters)
Because Adam’s transgression speaks against you.
Your past speaks against you.
Your sins speak against you.
The Law of Sin and Death speak against you.
Satan himself, the one called “the accuser of the brethren,” speaks against you.
I want you to listen today as we witness a courtroom scene… to a trial… that I believe portrays what every Christian must come to terms with.
Beginning of Skit
The Prosecutor has entered from stage right. He is pushing a two-wheeler loaded with documents. He has a look of evil glee on his face as he brings his mounds of evidence to the trial. He carefully unloads and stacks his evidence on the table – piles of paper and boxes of video tapes. He has “the goods” on the accused, and he knows it. He is arrogant and haughty. When the accused comes in, he begins to make taunting, intimidating gestures toward the him.
Once the Prosecutor begins to get his stacks of evidence in order, the Advocate and Accused enter from the back of the sanctuary.
PROSECUTOR (to audience): I absolutely love trials that are a slam dunk! I’m going to absolutely destroy this guy! I’ve got so much evidence on him that it’s unbelievable. I’ve got documentation, both written and on video, of every rotten thing this guy’s ever done. (holds up a couple of pieces of his documentation as he says it)
Everybody thinks that this is a pretty good guy, but he’s nothing but a sinner. He’s come way short of the glory of God. He’s sinned, and we all know what the wages of sin are, don’t we? Death!
The Advocate is calm and confident. He walks as though he’s ready to “take care of business.” The accused, however, is a bit un-nerved. He’s tagging right behind the Advocate, and is asking questions nervously. The Accused listens as the Advocate calmly reassures him, but still remains quite apprehensive and uncomfortable. Close to the front of the sanctuary, they both stop, and the Advocate takes his handerkchief out and wipes the brow of the Accused. (None of this interaction is out-loud at this point.) They make their way to the Defense table and are seated.
PASTOR: The charges that are being brought against this defendant are more serious than misdemeanor charges. They are more serious than felony charges.
The verdict that will be reached is an eternal one. Not only does the temporal well-being of the accused hang in the balance, but also his eternal destiny.
Exactly what kind of a trial is this?
It is a criminal trial — the accused is a spiritual lawbreaker!
It is a custody battle – the accused had become the child of the wrong family… he had become the citizen of the wrong kingdom.
It is an inheritance dispute – the accused had been stripped and robbed of the glorious inheritance that was meant to be his.
Let’s listen in and see how this trial progresses:
ACCUSED TO ADVOCATE: (Distressed) Do you see the evidence he’s got! Thousands of pages, and the videos! How on earth do I even stand a chance with the past I’ve got?
ADVOCATE TO ACCUSED: (Calmly, but confidently, putting hand on the Accused’s arm to calm him down) Don’t worry. You’ve accepted me as your Advocate. I am representing you today. I have never lost a case when I have been accepted and trusted. By the way, I’ve got some witnesses here today that will testify on your behalf.
ACCUSED TO ADVOCATE: I’m glad to hear that… especially since he has thousands of pieces of evidence. How many witnesses do you have?
ADVOCATE TO ACCUSED: Two.
ACCUSED TO ADVOCATE: Just two?
ADVOCATE TO ACCUSED: Trust me, that’s all we’ll need. By the way, did I tell you that the Judge is my Dad?
(Accused seems surprised and somewhat relieved, but still fairly inquisitive as to what all is happening)
Bailiff and Judge walk in from stage left. Bailiff takes his place, and the Judge goes to his chair.
BAILIFF: Please rise for the Honorable Righteous Judge… His court is now in session… You may be seated.
JUDGE: (Raps Gavel) What are the charges being brought this day?
PROSECUTOR: Your Honor, this man (pointing to the accused) is nothing but a rank sinner. He’s broken every Law in Your Book. You know the 10 Commandments? He’s broken every one. You know the 6 things you said you hate? Proverbs 6? He’s done all of those, too.
I’ve got all the proof you’d ever need. Caught him in the very act. Bottom line is that he’s a rank sinner. You yourself said that the wages of sin are death!
BAILIFF: Would the accused please stand. (Accused and Advocate stand)
JUDGE: How do you plead to these charges?
ACCUSED: (Hesitates considerably, looks back and forth from the Advocate to the Prosecutor; Finally, the Advocate leans over and whispers in his ear) Your Honor, I plead the blood. (Prosecutor falls over backward in his chair.)
ADVOCATE: Your Honor, I have a witness (signals to Bailiff) whose testimony today will make null and void every accusation brought against my client. So much so, that once this witness has spoken, all of this so-called evidence will be deemed inadmissible.
Your Honor, I call the cup to the witness stand.
(At this point, the Bailiff has gone to the Communion Table, gets the chalice, and brings it to the witness stand)
BAILIFF: Please state your name.
(Once the cup begins to speak, all parties should focus on it)
CUP: I am the cup of the Lords Table. I am the emblem of the precious Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, the blood of the everlasting covenant.
BAILIFF: Do you promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?
CUP: I do.
JUDGE: Tell us what you know.
CUP: The things spoken by the prosecution and his evidence were true at one time. However, that is before I got involved.
The One in whose veins I flowed, Jesus the Son of God, lived sinlessly. Then He gave His life as a Ransom for many, as a Sacrifice for all people.
As His Body hung on the cross, I was flowing from Him, from where the nails pierced His hands and His feet. I was flowing for the Remission of this man’s sins.
Because He accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as His Savior…
* I have cleansed him.
* I have washed him.
* I have purified him.
* I have justified him.
* I have delivered him from the Kingdom of Darkness, and have translated him into the Kingdom of God’s own Son.
* I have made him “nigh unto God,” given Him peace with God, and made him a Son of God.
* I have purged his conscience from dead works so that he might serve the Living God.
* I testify that I, the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot, did in fact redeem this man, and through me, he is totally forgiven.
JUDGE: I accept the testimony of the cup. I pronounce the defendant not guilty by testimony of the blood.
PROSECUTOR: All right! Maybe the spiritual and eternal penalty has been taken care of. But your Honor, it’s not right that this defendant should get off that easy.
Sickness and disease have every right to rule in this man’s body while he’s here on this earth. Even if his sins are forgiven, sickness and disease are a very small price for him to pay considering all he’s done!
ADVOCATE: Your Honor, I would like to call one more witness (signals to Bailiff) – the Bread – to the witness stand. (Bailiff goes to the Communion Table, gets the bread, and sets it on the Witness Stand next to the cup)
BAILIFF: Please state your name.
BREAD: I am the Bread of the Communion Table. I am emblematic of the broken body of the Lord Jesus Christ.
BAILIFF: Do you promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?
BREAD: I do.
JUDGE: Your testimony?
BREAD: Even as the blood was shed for the forgiveness of sins, I was broken for the healing of bodies.
Stripes were laid upon me so that man could be whole in every sense.
I bore man’s sicknesses and diseases.
I bore his pains and infirmities.
I carried it away and made full provision for man to be well.
What I bore, he need not bear.
What I carried, he need not endure.
The blood provided spiritual sustenance, but I provide physical sustenance.
(The Prosecutor becomes increasingly dejected and deflated as the bread speaks… toward the end, he slinks out of the courtroom, exiting stage right.)
JUDGE: Would the defendant please stand?
On the basis of the testimony of the Cup and the Bread, I declare you to be innocent, forgiven, and free.
I want you to take these elements with you.
(Bailiff hands the Accused the cup and the bread)
If you ever feel guilty.
If you ever feel condemned.
If you ever feel ashamed.
If the Accuser ever speaks to you again…
Look to these…
Listen to these…
They will always speak to you, and they will always speak for you.
You are free.
Case dismissed! (Raps Gavel)
Prosecutor is already gone.
The Bailiff, The Judge, the Accused, and the Advocate all exit stage left.
End of Skit
Concluding Comments by Pastor
We read earlier that the blood of Christ speaks of better things than that of Abel’s.
I’m here to tell you today that you need an Advocate with the Father.
Everyone of us will stand before God, and the fact is, that we’ve all sinned and come short of the glory of God.
The Bible tells us that the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life.
These scales represent justice and judgment. What will happen when your life is placed on the scales. Will sin and unrighteousness cause you to be found wanting? Or will the testimony of the blood of Jesus, speaking on your behalf, cause the scales to tip in your favor?
You will be the one to decide.
1 JOHN 2:1-2
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have (an Advocate) one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
