Read Hebrews 9:11-22 as background.
Many years ago, I took a friend to the doctor for some tests. Since I knew we would be there several hours, I took my laptop with me so I could work on finishing my notes for the Sunday school lesson I would teach the Sunday before Easter. I was apparently humming louder than I realized, because a lady sitting directly across from me asked what I was humming.
I said, “There is a Fountain, it’s a hymn about how we can be saved through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Do you know it?”
With an incredulous look on her face she said, “Of course I do, but we don’t sing that at my church. I just don’t see any reason to sing about blood, that’s just not a suitable subject for a church service. Why, if we sang about blood some people might not ever come back!”
I was so stunned that I didn’t speak again for a minute or so. I asked the Lord to guard my tongue to speak the truth in love, and said, “So what will you sing this Sunday and at your Good Friday service, if you have one?”
She replied, “Oh, you know, the regular Good Friday and Easter stuff,” and she named several that basically talk about how much God loves us.
We continued our conversation for the next few minutes. Sadly, I don’t think she ever understood the importance of singing about the blood of Jesus.
I still can’t understand how in the world you can have a Good Friday service and not talk about the shed blood of Christ that atoned for our sins.
Admittedly, to an unbeliever who does not know God or the Bible, it likely is strange to hear people singing about blood as precious, cleansing, and powerful. For some, the thought of blood conjures up all sorts of mental images that are not pleasant. However, without the shed blood of Jesus Christ, there was not a cross. Without the cross, Christ was not resurrected from the dead. Without the resurrection, we are without any real Hope.
There are many beautiful hymns about the blood of Jesus. There is a Fountain, written by William Cowper, accentuates the significance of the blood of Jesus Christ in our salvation, for blood has always been necessary for the remission of our sin, as we read in today’s key passage.
There is a fountain filled with blood,
Drawn from Immanuel’s veins,
And sinners plunged beneath that flood
Lose all their guilty stains ….
This fountain is filled with blood that came from the veins of Immanuel—God with us. Sinners are forgiven when they plunge into the blood; they are cleansed of their sins because of the redemption that comes through the blood of Jesus Christ.
The dying thief rejoiced to see
That fountain in His day;
And there have I, though vile as he,
Washed all my sins away ….
In the same way that the thief on the cross beside Jesus was saved, we can be saved also. Every sin we commit is an insult to holy God, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23 ESV). Because of the shed blood of Jesus, our sin can be washed away.
Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood
Shall never lose its pow’r,
Till all the ransomed church of God
Are safe, to sin no more ….
John called Jesus “… the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29) Then in First Peter we read that we are ransomed “with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot” (1 Peter 1:19). The blood of Jesus Christ will never lose its power of salvation, as those who have been saved on earth will be saved for eternity in heaven where they will sin no more.
E’er since by faith I saw the stream
Thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme,
And shall be till I die ….
It is only by faith that we can see the stream of blood that Christ’s bleeding wounds supply, and through which we are saved. Christ’s blood and the blessings it brings come to us because of God’s redeeming love that sent His Jesus to save us (John 3:16). So, our music or topic or focus from now until we die is Jesus Christ and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2).
When this poor, lisping, stamm’ring tongue
Lies silent in the grave,
Then in a nobler, sweeter song,
I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save ….
We have just sung that God’s redeeming love will be the focus of our life, “And shall be till I die.” Now, in a song that is nobler and sweeter than we are able to sing here on earth, we sing about what will happen when we die. Then, we will continue to sing in heaven of God’s redeeming love and His power to save.
While to some singing about Jesus’ blood is gross, to a Christ-follower it is a song of praise and thanksgiving for the precious blood of Jesus that atoned for our sin. It is a beautiful fountain of blood that is supplied by the veins of Jesus Christ bringing redemption and justification to us because of God’s redeeming love.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for the fountain of blood that You provided through Jesus that cleanses my sin and saves me to live here on earth and for eternity with You. May we ever remember the sacrifice Christ paid on the cross. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Ponder this: By God’s mercy and grace, through the beautiful fountain of Jesus’ blood we can be forgiven of our sin, regardless of how great and horrendous that sin may be.
Red background: (c) Can Stock Photo / javarman
Cross: (c) Can Stock Photo / jgroup
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