Cleanse Me. Sermon by Pastor Andrew Marttinen, September 20 , 2025.
There are annoying things in life, like subscriptions. You pay money for a subscription. You paid money to get a subscription, and it is now expired. You go to rebuy a subscription now expired. A child gets an online subscription, and then gets a second subscription under the first subscription for an online game. The new monthly subscription cost goes to the parent's credit account. It is a very convenient way to top up easily and quickly, only the parent does not know about it, until the bill comes. The monthly money may be stopped, but it does not negate money already lost.
Is the covenant like a subscription? God renewed the covenant with Israel.
Do we need footwashing and communion on a continual basis? What about Christ's death on the cross. Isn't that good enough? Do we have to do communion regularly?
Parables are ethical stories. Have you ever lost a subscription because you forgot? Do people who let their talents run out, get into the kingdom? Does salvation continually need to be renewed? What is the alternative? Once saved, always saved??
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28
Why do we have rituals? Some rituals are spiritual disciplines.
God renewed His covenant. It was a renewing of a commitment.
Is salvation once and done at the cross? Yes - we are saved because of Jesus sacrifice on the cross. However as a result of that, we respond to show our gratitude.
Is Christ's salvation greater than Satan's power Yes, Christ's commitment is firm. It does not however negate our response of gratitude, gratefulness, praising, staying connected, remembering. All these things are spiritual disciplines.
Communion is in remembrance of Him.
Communion builds trust and faith. Creation is not to be worshipped. Creation does remind is of our creator.
After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished,
that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!”
Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine,
put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth.
So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!”
And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.
John 19:28-30
Jesus was thirsty. He expressed this. He received a drink. He said "It is finished!"
Why was the drink on a hyssop plant? Hyssop was a herb. IT could grow up to 1.5 feet tall. It was a violent red with white blooms. It has medicinal properties. It's leaves have an oil that releases a spicy aroma with a purifying effect. In Europe hyssop leaves were often pressed in Bibles and hymn books. The smell of the hyssop would stay on the pages, and could be smelled int he church itself. Hyssop was used, in Leviticus 14, for lepers and in their homes.
David, after his affair with Bathsheba, used hyssop for his confession. In so doing, he treated himself like a leper.
And you shall take a bunch of hyssop, dip it in the blood that is in the basin,
and strike the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin.
And none of you shall go out of the door of his house until morning.
Exodus 12:22
During the Passover, every one in the family were involved. The hyssop represented salvation. The branch of hyssop sounds like a sword in Greek, like a pointer.
The soldiers took a hyssop plant and and pointed it to Jesus.
Salvation looks like Jesus on the cross. He was the final sacrificial lamb.
Hyssop acts as a symbol of cleansing.
Grace is the fulfillment of scripture and the saving grace from death of the first born.
At the Cross
Alas! and did my Savior bleed?
And did my Sov'reign die?
Would He devote that sacred head
For such a worm as I?
Chorus :
At the cross, at the cross,
Where I first saw the light,
And the burden of my heart rolled away -
It was there by faith I received my sight,
And now I am happy all the day. (Chorus)
Was it for crimes that I have done
He groaned upon the tree?
Amazing pity! Grace unknown!
And love beyond degree! (Chorus)
Well might the sun in darkenss hide
And shut its glories in,
When Christ, the mighty Maker, died
For man the creature's sin. (Chorus)
Thus might I hide my blushing face
While His dear cross appears;
Dissolve my heart in thankfulness,
And melt mine eyes to tears. (Chorus)
But drops of grief can ne'er repay
The debt of love I owe:
Here, Lord, I give myself away -
'Tis all that I can do! (Chorus)
Isaac Watts