- Home
- Speakers
- Erlo Stegen
- The Power Of The Blood
The Power of the Blood
Erlo Stegen

Erlo Hartwig Stegen (1935 - 2023). South African missionary and revivalist of German descent, born on Mbalane farm near Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, to Hermannsburg missionary descendants. Raised Lutheran, he left school after grade 10 to farm but felt called to ministry in 1952, evangelizing rural Zulus under apartheid. After 12 years of preaching with few lasting conversions, he experienced a transformative revival in 1966 at Maphumulo, marked by repentance and reported miracles. In 1970, he founded KwaSizabantu Mission (“place where people are helped”) in Kranskop, which grew into a self-sustaining hub with farms, a water bottling plant, and schools, serving thousands. Stegen authored Revival Among the Zulus and preached globally, establishing churches in Europe by 1980. Married with four daughters, he mentored Zulu leaders and collaborated with theologian Kurt Koch. His bold preaching drew 3 million visitors to KwaSizabantu over decades.
Download
Topic
Sermon Summary
In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the dangers of falling into sin and the consequences of choosing worldly pleasures over the reproach of Christ. He uses the example of Moses, who esteemed the reproach of Christ greater than the treasures in Egypt, as a model for believers. The preacher also shares a personal anecdote about offering a woman a ride in a plane to illustrate the joy and freedom of flying compared to the hardships of walking. He warns against the temporary pleasure of sin and highlights the eternal consequences of choosing sin over righteousness. The sermon concludes with a plea to young people to choose a good life and not end up on the streets.
Sermon Transcription
Let us turn to our text, which is the theme for this lecture. Hebrews 11, verse 26. Moses esteemed the reproach of Christ's greater riches than the treasures in Egypt, for he looked to the reward. He looked to the reward. These days, I was down in the Tugela Valley at Makoko with the plane. And many have asked and said, well, can't you just take us along one day that we can go for a flip as well. And then, while I was there, I saw a woman walking along, going home from work, and she slid a long way to go to get home. I know her well. And then I said to her, I said, look, you've got such a long way to go, it's so hot, come along, we'll fly with a plane, and as we fly over your house, we'll open the door and you can jump out. I said, look, it's so wonderful to fly. So wonderful to fly. You're in the air, there are no donkeys, no goats, it's a smooth road, it's so nice to be up in the air, and when we over your house, when we see that speck down there, we'll just open the door and you jump out. It's so nice just to float in the air. She refused. She refused. She said, I'll never do that, even if it all sounds so good. And I said, but why not? She says, no, I know what will happen when I get to the bottom of that jump. That reward isn't something to look forward to. I said, no, I know what will happen when I get to the bottom of that jump. That reward isn't something to look forward to. That reward isn't something to look forward to. I can't understand why a person doesn't want to jump out of a plane. That he's not prepared to do. But how many people aren't there that are prepared to jump into sin, and knowing what the end of it will be, the result of that sin, and that it is eternal death that results from it. I can't understand why a person doesn't want to jump out of a plane. That he's not prepared to do. But how many people aren't there that are prepared to jump into sin, and knowing what the end of it will be, the result of that sin, and that it is eternal death that results from it. So these days we'll be looking at this portion where it speaks of Moses, where he looked at the reward. And he is now honored as someone very special, even in heaven. You remember the transfiguration where Moses and Elijah came and they spoke to the Lord Jesus on the mountain. About his suffering. Just think of that. It's unbelievable. But he was faithful. He looked at the reward. Moses overcame because he looked at the reward. Like this lady down in the Tugela Valley. She thought of the result of what she was going to do. Not like some people who just fall into sin. Fall into it like blindfolded. Into sin. Any type of sin. Immorality, hatred, grudges. Whatever sin it may be. And the world. A person is attracted by it. And a person just falls into death. And that is a terrible death. Don't be a fool and just plunge into that death, into that sin, like a fly into a cup of tea. Moses said, just for this short, short while must I enjoy the pleasures of Egypt? And rather give up on that pleasure. And I'm prepared rather to be looked down upon for this short time. Because the pleasure of sin is very short and then hell is forever. And I'd like to go right back to the time of Adam. We are all descendants of Adam. Whether you're white or black colored, Indian, Chinese, Korean, we all are descendants of Adam. So everyone here is his descendant. So all of us, no matter what nation we are from, no matter what color skin we have, we have the same blood. We are all sinners because we are his descendants. God created Adam. When he had formed him, he breathed life into him. He gave him blood and he became flesh. And that blood brought warmth to his body, that blood he received from God. There are many verses in the Bible that confirm that the soul is in the blood. Leviticus 7, 26 and 27. Moreover, you shall not eat any blood in any of your dwellings, whether of bird or beast. Whoever eats any blood, that person shall be cut off from his people. There's a great mystery and a secret in that blood. In the Bible, from the first to the last page, we'll always see that thread going through everything of blood. For the soul or the life in a person is there because of the blood. And even God's word, it's the blood of Christ that brings life to it. In Hebrews 4, verse 12, it says, For the word of God is alive, it's living. It's not like any other book. This is a special book. It's alive. It's living and powerful. And sharper than any two-edged sword. Piercing even to the division of soul and spirit. And of joints and marrow. And as a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. God's word is alive. That life is in the blood. So God's word is brought to life through his blood. God's word is also breathed. Life is breathed into it. It's inspired by God. And so you will also, if you understand what that means, you'll realize how the blood brings life to it. And this is the law of the sacraments. And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings, is that 7, verse 11, which he shall offer to the Lord. If he offers it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with a sacrifice of thanksgiving. Is it from verse 10 in the English Bible? But this verse just brings to light again that the life is in the blood. And even in verse 14, it continues with that thought that it's through the blood that the life is brought to it. The blood is such a complex thing that even the scientists grapple to really get to the very depths of it. And that also just shows that that life is in that blood. And we could speak all day just about the blood, the characteristics of it, and how blood has the red and the white blood cells. And that is what brings the life. It's like the petrol of a car. And that blood brings life to the body. And it's such a great mystery, even for the scientists. And one learns much about blood, especially when you start looking under the microscope, which the eye doesn't even see. And the life is in that blood. If we just look at the red and the white blood cells. So you have the white blood cells, which are the larger ones, and then the smaller red blood cells, where there are millions of them. And these are the ones that give you immunity and protect you. And today you've probably heard about it a lot already in relation to HIV and AIDS, where they talk about the immunity and the blood count. Just in a cubic millimetre, they reckon about five million red blood cells. And they help to protect you, give you immunity. Just as an example, if you are cut maybe with a piece of rusty wire that's full of rust, as you get cut, your body sends a message and says, please send some white blood cells. And they come quickly and they will then cause that it swells up. And that swelling then, then you also get pus that falls. So, and then later the pus forms, and later it goes to the point where it opens up, it runs out. Those are all the dead white blood cells that have done their job of fighting against this poison and have died in the process. And then they are released from the body in that way. Just to give you an example of how it works, that you can also see how the blood of Christ works in us. The red blood cells have their function too, of bringing food and also to help fight the wrong things and purify the blood. If you are a Christian, the blood of Christ is at work in your life permanently, day and night. And if a sin comes in, it's this blood of Christ that is at work in you immediately, fighting against this foreign object that has come in this germ. And if it doesn't, if you don't allow that blood to overcome, you will be overcome. And if you don't allow that blood to overcome, you will be overcome. And that's how the blood of Christ works. And that's how the blood of Christ works in your life. Just like in a body, when a person is bitten by an insect or like this fly, like this person up there in Africa, where there were so many of these flies, full of them. But that blood then starts working to counter the effect of this poison that has come in. Years ago they had methods to counter all these insects that bring these diseases, but now the time, it's died out and these diseases are returning. Some people even say, don't go up into Africa anymore, it's too dangerous, you'll just catch these diseases. So the blood, that's its function, it works, it fights against this poison that has come in. So the blood is like the petrol that drives your body. And the blood is at work permanently, all the time, it's flowing constantly through your body, to every corner of your body. And in no time it's gone right through your system, not like other members of your body. Your other members of the body, they all sit where they are, your fingers always in one place, always there. The blood is different, it's all over, it gets everywhere, it has to. So the blood also brings oxygen to your body, that you can live. And removes all the impurities that are in your body. So your blood is like the waste, the refuse removal truck that goes around collecting all the rubbish. And disposing of it, and so the blood does the same, getting rid of all that. And it's at work everywhere in your body. And everywhere, and it brings oxygen. And in no time that blood circulates right through your body. And if it stops doing that, it will be your end. In the same way the blood of Christ. As the blood gets rid of impurities and works in our body, so the blood of Christ is at work in us, fighting against sin. The gospel is something precious. And the blood is something wonderful. We speak so glibly about the blood of Christ, the blood of Christ, when we don't realize what it actually means to us. And so it is that the blood of Christ is at work also in his body. So the blood of the Lord Jesus should be something extremely precious to us. For it brings us life, and that's why the devil hates it. Because it deals with the impurity, the dirt in our life. The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin. In Revelation we read about it. About those who were clothed in white. And the apostle was asked, who are these? And he said, I don't know. And he said, these are those who have come out of great tribulation, but have washed their robes and made them pure white. There's just nothing you can compare with the blood of Christ. It's so precious. It's had such a wonderful meaning. And if you don't get it, if you don't allow it to work in you, if you don't grasp it, you are a fool. Don't take it lightly. It's why the Bible says in Proverbs 4, verse 23, keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life. Guard your heart above all things. If you don't do it, you are a fool. You have no brains in your head. For out of it spring the issues of life. And if you don't choose life, you will get death, and end up not just being dead, but This young man started his life well. He started his life in a wrong way. He didn't want to work. He didn't want to work. He was earning just a bit here, earning a bit there. But his wife, who was in great distress because of her husband, who seemed to have just no brains in his head. You girls, you want desperately to get married. You don't know what you're looking for. You know that even your child, if you bring a child into this world, won't have a drop of your own blood. Not a drop of the mother's blood. The blood it gets from the father. Jesus was known by some as the son of Mary. Yes, he was born of her, but he didn't have her blood. Maybe you have an affair with a young man, and he lives his own life. Maybe he's even into drugs and all those things. Remember, that child that you bring into this world will have his blood, and the sin of the fathers will be carried over to the third and fourth generation. And often the fathers, when their children are naughty, they say, oh, the child's just taking after the mother. And they forget that it's actually the father's blood that's in their child. And the sins of the fathers is carried over to the children. But of course, a child can learn wrong things from the mother. If the mother doesn't behave as she should, and she disrespects her husband, the child can learn that behavior from the mother as well. But it's not because of the blood that he received from her. It's because that he gets from the father. So remember, the blood comes from the father. So you boys, you will be passing on that what you are to your child. And that child will suffer because of you. Jesus did not have the blood of man in his veins. So no one should look down on the gospel. The gospel should be most precious to you. What is the world? The world is absolute rubbish in comparison. But if the devil fills your heart and your mind, you'll obviously do the wrong thing. Now, birds of a feather flock together. A girl that lives a good life won't get involved with a bad boy and his bad friends. Now, this boy, this man, his name was Jan. This Jan was lazy. He just lived in the streets. He didn't look after and care for his wife, his family. The devil had blinded him. He just didn't even care for them. Now, a sheep, sometimes it goes astray and falls into a hole and then it will call out for help. But a pig, if it falls into the mud, it won't call out for help. In fact, it will think, well, this is quite a good place to be and wallow there in the mud and stay there. You get some people who say they don't eat pigs meat because of the demons that went into those pigs. They went over the cliff. But those pigs drowned long ago. You just live that life. You live because you're a pig inside yourself. Are you a pig or are you a sheep? Are you like a pig that is in sin and you don't even call out for help? You think, well, that's actually, I'm actually enjoying this. Or are you like a sheep that will fall maybe, but then call out for help? But Jan was like a pig. So Jan was so lazy. He didn't work. Eventually, his wife, his name was Mari. She had to go and look for work. She was the breadwinner in the family. And then Jan would even steal that money, take that money, which she had earned and go and buy cigarettes and other things and go and live in the world, wasting her money. So she was in great distress. It was very difficult for her. She, however, was a diligent lady who worked hard and had learned to work hard because even before she was married, she had worked for some people in their homes and made a living that way. And then one day, the person that Mari had worked for said, let's just go and visit Mari and them and just see how they're getting on. And when they got there, they saw the greatest need. As you will do if you go to any drunkard's house, you'll just find need all over. And they even saw Mari's state that she was in, how she was dressed, her clothing, worn out. There was just a great need in that family. And the man, he was so heartbroken, he said to his wife, I need to make a plan here and try and help Jan. Maybe I must give him a job. But even when he had given him a job, Jan always had excuses for not being at work. One day, Mari's boss said to Jan, just come along with me. Get into the car. Got in. Says, I've got a special project for you. My wife and I are going on a trip overseas and we'll be away for a long time. We'll take an extended holiday. And he said, while we're away, I want you to build me a special house, a really good house. After they'd driven a distance from his home. They then stopped his car. They got out. It was a beautiful spot, a wonderful view from where it was with trees all around. It was just like a dream, that place. It was a beautiful spot on the farm. And he said, Jan, just look here. Do you see here? There's a blueprint. It's a plan for this house. And he said, this house must be built not just with ordinary bricks, but with the best face brick. And the floors must be of top quality wood. And I also don't want you just to put any windows into this house. You must get the absolute best quality. And he said, Jan, I know you can do this. I want you to build this as something very special. It must be extremely special. He said, could you build it for me while I'm away? He said, I'll pay you well for it. And Jan said, no problem. Of course. You know how well I can build, he said. I said, look, I'm going to ask Mari to look after our house while we're away, and then you build this house, and it must be really special like nothing else in this area. And then they drove back and he dropped Yan off, Yan got out and he just smiled to himself and said, well I'm really going to get the better of him. I'll just deceive him while he's away. When the old man's gone, then I'll get the better of him. And he said, well I'll just go to the demolishers and I'll get second hand building materials and then I can pocket the balance of the money and I'll also not get these proper clay bricks, I'll just get these cheap ones that even absorb all the moisture and eventually it weakens the structure and the house will probably collapse at some stage. He said I'll just skimp on the quality of the products, I'll buy cheap stuff and then I'll just paint over it that it all looks good on the outside but in that way I'll save a lot of money, I'll pocket it. So I'll just skimp on the building and then I'll get wealthy in the process. And he thought, well just imagine what a life I can live now with my friends, I can go and drink with them and we can buy our drugs. And of course then I'll still get my wages from him when he comes back and when he's paid me out, then I'm just going to make off with the money, I'll go to another place. And he said I'll go and live somewhere else and then I'll just here get the news while I'm where I am that this house has collapsed on him and they died in the process. So Jan did exactly what he had decided to do. So over the next few months Jan lived like a king. For all the money that he saved on building inferior quality products and he also didn't use cement as he should in the walls, he gave some of it away to his friends, other he sold cheaply and pocketed the money. And of course after work he'd go and get stoned drunk and then the next morning he couldn't get up, we only get up at about 11 and Mari was very concerned and said to him you can't carry on like this. He dragged himself out of bed and every night he came back home very late. Mari was in tears and she pleaded with him that he wouldn't want to hear anything of it and just said you just keep quiet, I'm doing my job. So he'd negotiate with the demolishers and get the materials, the second hand things at cheap prices and as he'd lay those bricks, the inferior quality ones, he'd laugh to himself and he knew that these bricks weren't the right quality, they just absorbed the moisture and eventually weakened the structure and bring about the collapse of the whole building. And even pictured as he laughed to himself the old man in his bed falling as this building collapses. And he laughed as he thought about and he knew if a big storm came the house wouldn't stand. And he knew that even the roof would blow off in a high wind situation because he didn't buy the proper planks. And he also knew that the windows wouldn't stay in the walls, they'd just blow out with the wind. And so he went to these Indian demolishers who he knew he could not negotiate with and beat the price down. So eventually he got to the point where he plastered the house. Eventually he said well now it's done, now the boss can come back. Didn't take long after that and his boss arrived. Jan wasted no time in going to greet the boss because he was hoping that he'd pay him out immediately. And he of course asked him, he said Jan is it finished? He says it's all done. So Jan felt uneasy but he put on a brave face that he wouldn't be caught out. But when they'd finished talking his boss took out an envelope or a letter and he opened it. In this envelope was a title deed. He said Jan I was talking to my wife. And we were talking about your wife and how faithful she had been and we were wondering what we could do for her as a thank you. So this entitles you to take ownership of that house that you've just built there. That house is actually yours. Well Jan's legs became like jelly, his knees started knocking together. He got sudden stomach cramps. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. And suddenly he remembered it all. He said I thought I was catching him out. Now I realize I've actually caught myself out. He said thank you sir. But in his heart he said to himself oh what a fool I've been. Oh God I've been getting like this. Oh I thought the boss would be in danger if there was a storm. But it's always me who never sleeps at night. Oh God I've been getting like this. Oh I thought the boss would be in danger if there was a storm. But it's always me who never sleeps at night. Oh God I've been getting like this. Oh I thought the boss would be in danger if there was a storm. But it's always me who never sleeps at night. Exelf is my worst enemy. Exelf is my worst enemy. He said I'm my own worst enemy. Many young people who had the opportunity to have chosen a good life, to do the right thing, but have ended up on the street. If you don't understand this then I don't know how I can explain it. Stubborn. Why do you boast? Maybe you boast and you say well I bluffed my parents. I bluffed the teacher. I got the better of them. And you don't realize you're actually just deceiving yourself. They've achieved what they needed to achieve. You are the one that are hurting yourself. And you feel lonely? Because they don't want to be in your company? Perhaps your parents have passed away? And then you think that we should not worry about the lives of other people including our own? But for some children this doesn't want to learn. I don't want to listen to you Because I don't know who you are If you need your homework, go straight to school. Friends, It's the vile devil who seduces on Earth. That's why I can't do my homework. I don't know what you're talking about. Yesterday, or the day before yesterday, I heard that Lou Albert is dead. Billy Graham told me that he is the man from South Africa. The smart man, Einstein, from South Africa. I don't know what you're talking about. Billy Graham told me that he is the man from South Africa. What a bad man! And what Lou Albert learned in his death. Praise the lord, that a man arrived for whom truth was told. Otherwise it would have burned in hell. was young and he didn't want to follow the Lord and he had arguments and excuses why he didn't want to accept it until the Germany said to him no the devil is in you that's your problem and that got the better of him he then got soft and that is the thing that changed his life you've been now here you've heard the messages you've been told what to do do you listen or do you listen to others what they are telling you and then you hurt yourself by it my children have talked about it and they have built houses with sins, wrong friends and things that they should be ashamed of later many people have ended up in the improvement house, others in the trunk, others have held on until they have ended up in the eternal fire you have found out that it is very difficult when a person has built your house with the wrong stones but then it is too late when you are young make sure that you build your house in the proper way you will never be sorry when you listen to your parents, your teachers and your preacher your house will be beautiful and one day in heaven you will thank the Lord that he helped you to live for him and to be a obedient and honest child you see the blood the wrong blood had been flowing in his veins it was of the first Adam not of the second Adam the Lord Jesus no he hadn't accepted that blood it was still the first Adam's blood let us pray Lord may the service this message not be in vain but that we will have an ear to hear what the Spirit is saying to us
The Power of the Blood
- Bio
- Summary
- Transcript
- Download

Erlo Hartwig Stegen (1935 - 2023). South African missionary and revivalist of German descent, born on Mbalane farm near Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, to Hermannsburg missionary descendants. Raised Lutheran, he left school after grade 10 to farm but felt called to ministry in 1952, evangelizing rural Zulus under apartheid. After 12 years of preaching with few lasting conversions, he experienced a transformative revival in 1966 at Maphumulo, marked by repentance and reported miracles. In 1970, he founded KwaSizabantu Mission (“place where people are helped”) in Kranskop, which grew into a self-sustaining hub with farms, a water bottling plant, and schools, serving thousands. Stegen authored Revival Among the Zulus and preached globally, establishing churches in Europe by 1980. Married with four daughters, he mentored Zulu leaders and collaborated with theologian Kurt Koch. His bold preaching drew 3 million visitors to KwaSizabantu over decades.