A Blood Donor Saved My Life!

Sermon by Rev. Dr. M. Marshall Woodard III

A Blood Donor Saved My Life!

Isaiah 53:1-12

Published: 03.26.2004 Arizona Star

Dear Abby: Blood donors save lives

BY JEANNE PHILLIPS UNIVERSAL PRESS SYNDICATE

̊ DEAR ABBY: For a grandmother fighting leukemia, a child battling sickle cell anemia, or a parent awaiting a liver transplant, a safe and available blood supply is more than a wish - it’s a necessity. Our goal is to ensure that blood is available to patients when they need it. We encourage our nation’s citizens to donate blood. Our call to action comes at a time when blood supplies are perilously low.

Blood has a shelf life of only 42 days. The supply must be constantly replenished. Donors can safely give blood up to six times a year. To avert shortages, please ask your readers to donate. Blood donation is safe and takes only one hour. To be eligible to donate, you must be at least 17 years of age, weigh at least 110 pounds and be in good health. The single unit of blood you donate could help to save the lives of up to three people.

To learn more about donating blood and to locate a blood collection facility, contact: American Association of Blood Banks: American Red Cross: America’s Blood Centers: Karen Shoos Lipton, CEO, American Association of Blood Banks

Why don’t more people give to this noble cause? Could it be that we think more of the pain and suffering of the needle in our arms than the we think of the lives we could save. What if Christ had looked the cross in the same manner?

Peter tells us that the two things constantly spoken of by the Holy Spirit in the writings of the Old Testament prophets were "The sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow" (I Pet. 1:11). Our Lord Jesus himself, when he expounded Moses and the prophets to his disciples, showed them that the message of the inspired writers of Old Testament Scripture was the fact that Christ must suffer and then enter into his glory (Lk. 24:26-27).

These two things are certainly spoken of in Isaiah 53, and spoken of here more fully and clearly than in any other single chapter of the Old Testament. This chapter is quoted repeatedly in the New Testament and constantly applied to the Lord Jesus Christ. Matthew Henry wrote, "This chapter is so replenished with the unsearchable riches of Christ that it may be called the gospel of the evangelist Isaiah rather than the prophecy of the prophet Isaiah."

First, Isaiah’s words clearly establish the doctrine of: Man’s total Depravity and Inability. It is astonishing that the Jews, who were well acquainted with Isaiah’s prophecy, could have failed to recognize Christ as the Messiah! As I showed you last Sunday morning, Jesus of Nazareth clearly and obviously fulfilled all the prophecies of the Old Testament relating to the Messiah. Yet, when our Savior came unto his own, his own received him not! Why? How can that be explained? Only one thing can explain it – the fact that all people by nature are totally depraved and spiritually impotent, unable to understand or receive the things of the Spirit of God (I Cor. 2:11-14). The plainest instruction, delivered in the most simple terms, and applied with the most forcible illustrations, can never cause unregenerate minds to grasp spiritual truth. Blind eyes cannot see! Deaf ears cannot hear! Dead hearts cannot believe!

During his last illness, just before he died, someone asked Mr. Spurgeon to declare his faith briefly, simply, and clearly. This is what he said, "Jesus died for me." Four, simple words, but four more comforting, soul-cheering words could never be spoken by a sinner. "Jesus died for me." It is from those four simple words that I derved at the title of my message this morning – "A Blood Donor Saved My Life." Because Christ died that I might might live, He died not only that I might have life, have but life aboundently

Should you ask me what I believe, this is my answer – "Jesus died for me!" Should you inquire about the basis of my hope, this is it – "Jesus died for me!" Should you ask what assurance I have of eternal happiness, the answer would be the same, "Jesus died for me." in other words, A Blood Donor Saved My Life!

Turn to Isaiah 53:4-5. Read these two verses carefully. Notice the personal, possessive pronouns that the prophet of God uses when he talks about the death of Christ upon the cross and the consequences of it. When he talks about the suffering, the sorrow, and the satisfaction for sin, it is "he," "him," "he," "he," "he," all "he," because he did everything! When he talks about the benefits of redemption it is "We" "our," "we," "we," all "we," because we get all the benefit by God’s free grace. A Blood Donor Saved My Life!