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
• The blood circulation through your veins picks up all the bad stuff going on in your body – Fat, Cholesterol, viruses, various diseases we carry are now found in our blood stream
Here is some good news! THE BLOOD OF CHIRST IS PERFECT! There are no Impurities in the Blood of the Lamb! The virgin birth of Christ established His righteousness.
• JUDAS cried out -- “I HAVE BETRAYED INNOCENT BLOOD”
• PAUL explained -- “FOR HE (GOD) HATH MADE HIM (JESUS) TO BE SIN FOR US, WHO KNEW NO SIN, THAT WE MIGHT BE MADE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN HIM”
• PILATE said, “I FIND IN HIM NO FAULT IN HIM” -- ST. JOHN 18:38
• PETER wrote -- “WHO DID NO SIN, NEITHER WAS GUILE FOUND IN HIS MOUTH” -- I PETER 2:22
• JOHN added -- “IN HIM IS NO SIN” -- I JOHN 3:5
• Yes, the Blood of Jesus is Perfect!
It certainly was a new thing for a woman without a man to give birth to a child. The Adamic Nature is passed to the offspring by the blood line of the man.
• There were no impurities in the blood of Christ
• Everything about Christ was perfect including His blood
Can I also tell you - THE BLOOD OF JESUS IS PURE -- One of reasons we use grape juice in our Communion Service instead of wine is because wine has to go through a process of fermentation. The process of fermentation is actually bacteria working in the juice.
• It is a rotting process
• Wine could never give a proper picture of the sinless Blood of Christ
• For all that is Holy, Satan has his counterfeit and communion is no exception!
• Pure grape juice is the true symbol of the pure Blood of the Lord Jesus
• Just as the bread is to be without leaven
I have family members and perhaps you have as well that you watched struggle with cancer. Many have gone through a treatment called “KEYLATION.” Keylation, is similar to dialysis in that the blood is removed from the body and sent through a machine that cleanses the impurities from it and then pumps it back into the body. This type treatment is designed to prolong life and ensure a good quality of life.
• After your blood has been purged of germs, disease, and bad cells, it is then able to work against the enemy cells that were at war with your system
• The writer of HEBREWS stated, “FOR IF THE BLOOD OF BULLS AND OF GOATS, AND THE ASHES OF AN HEIFER SPRINKLING THE UNCLEAN, SANCTIFIETH TO THE PURIFYING OF THE FLESH: HOW MUCH MORE SHALL THE BLOOD OF CHRIST WHO THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT OFFERED HIMSELF WITHOUT SPOT TO GOD, PURGE YOUR CONSCIENCE FROM DEAD WORKS TO SERVE THE LIVING GOD?” --- HEBREWS 9:13-14
When the Pure Blood of the Saviour is applied to the sinner, it provides cleansing. John explained it like this, “THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST HIS SON CLEANSETH US FROM ALL SIN.” I JOHN 1:7. Ok, I see some of you are not with me yet. Let me see if I can knock on your front door -- The Hymnologist made it simple and said it like this --
What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the Blood of Jesus
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the Blood of Jesus
Oh, precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow
No other fount I know
Nothing but the Blood of Jesus
Can I also tell you this morning -- THE BLOOD OF JESUS IS PERPETUAL -- The animal sacrifices of the Old Testament were continuous year after year. The blood of bulls and goats provided forgiveness and pardon temporarily only because it pointed to the sacrifice of Christ and His blood being shed for the covering of our sin. The writer of Hebrews speaks of Christ as one, “WHO NEEDETH NOT DAILY, AS THOSE HIGH PRIESTS, TO OFFER UP SACRIFICE, FIRST FOR HIS OWN SINS, AND THEN FOR THE PEOPLE’S: FOR THIS HE DID ONCE, WHEN HE OFFERED UP HIMSELF.” HEBREWS 7:27
The death of Christ set into motion a continuous cleansing for those who trust in him.
• We are given the gift of eternal life that He purchased with His blood
• Thank God we are washed once and for all, forever
• The Bible speaks of the “BLOOD OF THE EVERLASTING COVENANT” HEBREWS 13:20
• Our faith in His blood is all it takes to settle it forever and ever
There is something else we need to understand -- THE BLOOD OF JESUS IS POWERFUL! -- Let me explain this part simplistically to make sure we all fully understand this point - The song writer put it like this --
Would you be free from the burden of sin?
There is power in the Blood
Would you over evil a victory win?
There’s wonderful power in the Blood
There is power, power wonder working power
In the Blood of the Lamb
There is power, power wonder working power
In the precious Blood of the Lamb
The next point I want to make with you is - THE BLOOD OF JESUS IS PERMANENT -- Not to bore you with the details, but after my Surgical Procedure, the Blood Patch I went through, there was a lot of blood that had to be cleaned up. There was a good amount of blood that was on my wrist and hand as well as the shorts I was wearing. When we arrived home Michelle used some cleaning solutions to remove the blood stains. But, can I tell you THE BLOOD OF JESUS IS PERMANENT.
• Jesus’ blood cleanses from our past sins
• ISAIAH said, “I HAVE BLOTTED OUT, AS A THICK CLOUD, THY TRANSGRESSIONS, AND, AS A CLOUD, THY SINS: RETURN UNTO ME; FOR I HAVE REDEEMED THEE.” ISAIAH 44:22
• DAVID spoke to this when he stated, “AS FAR AS THE EAST IS FROM THE WEST, SO FAR HATH HE REMOVED OUR TRANSGRESSIONS FROM US. PSALM 103:12
• He promised not to remember them again -- “I WILL REMEMBER THEM NO MORE AGAINST YOU FOREVER”
• Jesus’ blood covers our present sins, both the sins of Omission and the sins of Commission
• We may be able to wash the blood from our clothes, but the Blood of Jesus we can never wash out
I am trying to move us to a close this morning but I have to tell you one more thing -- THE BLOOD OF JESUS IS PRECIOUS -- We love to sing, “OH PRECIOUS IS THE FLOW THAT MAKES ME WHITE AS SNOW. NO OTHER FOUNT I KNOW. NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS.”
• PETER used the term Precious to describe the Blood of Christ
• He said, “BUT WITH THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIST, AS OF A LAMB WITHOUT BLEMISH AND WITHOUT SPOT” - I PETER 1:19
--I know I need to hurry so let me close with a story --
--Recently I read a story of a very wealthy old man who had an elaborate collection of Van Gogh and Monet paintings. His only son shared his father’s interest in the rare paintings. They traveled around the world buying these paintings wherever they could find them.
--The son enlisted in the Army and was placed in the Medical Corps. In a severe battle, while carrying a wounded soldier to safety, the son was seriously wounded himself and died. The mother was dead already and the news of the tragedy devastated the old father. He grieved in loneliness for months.
--One day a knock came at his door and when he responded he found a young man with a package. The young man explained that he was one of the several soldiers that the son had carried to safety. Knowing of his interest in paintings he had painted a picture of the son and presented it to the father.
--The painting was not rare but was very precious to the old man because it was a good resemblance of his son.
--The man moved a very valuable painting from the mantle and placed the picture of his son in its place. Hour after hour he sat in a rocker and gazed up at the image of his beloved son.
--When death came the art collection was put up for sale by auction. Hundreds of collectors came to bid. The auctioneer announced that they will start with the picture of his son, it was to be auctioned first. A moan of disappointment could be heard from the crowd. “Let’s get on with the real paintings,” one was heard to say.
--The son’s picture was held up and the auctioneer cried, “Who will give $100.00, $50.00, $25.00. There was no response. A kind old gentleman in the back asked, “Will you take $10.00.” “Sold,” said the auctioneer. “Good,” cried the crowd. “Now we can get on with the auction.”
--“Ladies and gentlemen, that concludes the auction,” announced the auctioneer. The crowd was puzzled and upset. Then the statement was given. The Will declared that the son’s picture was to be sold and the person who took it would get all the rest. The old man who paid $10.00 for the picture of the son was suddenly amazed at the fact that he now owned all the valuable paintings.
--Can I tell you as I close - When a person takes the Son of God, everything God has, is included. We become heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus. The precious blood has made it all possible.
--If you need your Soul Saved – Nothing But The Blood of Jesus
--If you need your Body Healed -- Nothing But The Blood of Jesus
--If you need Deliverance from Sin -- Nothing But The Blood of Jesus
--If you need your Joy Restored -- Nothing But The Blood of Jesus
Oh, precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow
No other fount I know
Nothing but the Blood of Jesus
