The Atoning Blood
Christ needed to demonstrate His power and authority through the atonement to show the extent of His love and grace.
Andrew Bonar emphasizes the necessity of trials and tribulations in life, using the metaphor of Christ calming the storm on the Lake of Galilee to illustrate how His atoning blood brings peace to troubled consciences. He points out that Christ required a guilty sinner to demonstrate the transformative power of atonement and the depth of His grace. Bonar encourages believers to recognize their need for Christ's intervention in their lives, especially in moments of distress and guilt.
Text
"Christ needed the storm on the Lake of Galilee that He might show how His single word could quiet it. He needed a troubled conscience that He might show how His atoning blood could calm and quiet it. And He needed a great and guilty sinner in order to show the power of the atonement and the riches of His grace."
Sermon Outline
- The Need for the Atonement
- Christ needed to demonstrate His power over nature
- Christ needed to demonstrate His power over the human conscience
Key Quotes
“He needed a troubled conscience that He might show how His atoning blood could calm and quiet it.” — Andrew Bonar
“And He needed a great and guilty sinner in order to show the power of the atonement and the riches of His grace.” — Andrew Bonar
Application Points
- Recognize the power of Christ's atoning blood to calm and quiet a troubled conscience.
- Acknowledge the need for Christ's authority and control in our lives.
- Respond to the riches of God's love and grace through faith and obedience.