Nothing But The Blood

TITLE: NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD

SCRIPTURE: LEVITICUS 17:11

(Main points adapted from sermon from Rev. Jerry Shirley)

Last month I had gone to the hospital for what was supposed to have been a simple surgical procedure that ultimately turned out to be a nightmare. It would eventually take me four weeks to partially recover because the dura in my spine was punctured. This caused me to develop a Migraine a few hours after the surgery due to the spinal fluid leaking internally. It would take me four days fighting a migraine to finally recover. I was given what is called a Blood Patch as the DURA was accidentally pierced by a needle during spinal anesthesia. I developed what was termed a Spinal Migraine.

To fix this problem it was recommended I go through the process of a Blood Patch. Autologous Blood is necessary for a Blood Patch. Autologous is just a fancy medical term that means your own blood is used. It is drawn from a main artery and then injected into the epidural space, which is the space around the dura. Your own blood is able to find the spinal leak and immediately seal it, which worked for me, and the migraine was immediately gone. Although this had me concerned it also made me think about the importance blood is that circulates through our body.

We fully understand without blood there cannot be life in the physical body. However, the blood flowing through our veins does so much more than we actually realize. I began to think, if our blood can do that for us, if you can take your own blood to fix some of your bodies ailments, how much more can the blood of Jesus do for us! Can I tell you this rings true in the Bible.

• Blood flows through the Bible just as it does through our veins

• The blood of Christ keeps Christianity alive

Someone has said, “CUT THE BIBLE ANYWHERE AND IT WILL BLEED.”

• The blood is spoken of 427 times in our Bible

• It is easy to see, this is not a minor theme

• Without the blood, the Gospel is dead, and we are deprived of eternal life

Jesus said, “FOR THIS IS MY BLOOD OF THE NEW TESTAMENT WHICH IS SHED FOR MANY FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS.” ST. MATTHEW 26:28

• PAUL added, “AND ALMOST ALL THINGS ARE BY THE LAW PURGED WITH BLOOD; AND WITHOUT THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD IS NO REMISSION”

• He also explained, “WE HAVE REDEMPTION THROUGH THE BLOOD, EVEN THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS.” COLOSSIANS 1:14.

• PETER added, “WE ARE NOT REDEEMED WITH SILVER AND GOLD, AND PRECIOUS STONES, BUT WITH THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIST.” I PETER 1:18

• Then JOHN agreed and Co-Signed with PETER and PAUL, He wrote, “THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST CLEANSETH US FROM ALL SIN.” I JOHN 1:7

The early church understood the power of the blood. The 22 sermons recorded by the four preachers in the Book of Acts all give the same message, the Death - Burial - Resurrection of Jesus Christ. They understood that His death and the provision of “COVERING BY THE BLOOD” was the essential ingredient of the Gospel.

I stopped by to tell you - NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD.

• Some of you know some things about me as it pertains to hospital and nursing home visits

• If you have an IV or about to have your blood drawn, I am usually out of your room and in the hall in a hurry

• It’s hard to see blood

• Blood is internal

• To make it external ordinarily hurts

• You have to be cut or injured to see blood

• I saw too much of it the past few weeks as I went through my ordeal

But the Bible paints in broad strokes the blood on a canvas, and then in minute detail God’s Word breaks it down to the cellular level — the importance of the blood of Christ!

• We can see this today

• But even more important is that God sees the blood applied to our lives and passes over us!

Let me tell you what I learned during my experience the past few weeks. During the Blood Patch I was told they had to tap into my artery and not a vein to draw the blood required to fix the problem with the Spinal Leak.

• ARTERIES are blood vessels that carry blood from the heart to the entire body – therefore, it is considered ‘Clean Blood’

• VEINS are blood vessels that transport the blood from the body to the heart, it ‘mostly’ carries deoxygenated blood

• Once the blood leaves your arteries and circulates through your body through your veins it is no longer as clean as it was originally