What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
These days we are often singing this lovely old song. Mostly someone will spontaneously begin in a pause in a meeting .. "What can take away my sin?" Immediately the whole room will fill with the joy and power and hope that these words bring as we all join in.
Today these truths are very close to people's hearts.
"Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins" (Hebrews 9:22).
Do we love this song because it reflects the essence of what Jesus has done for us? And also its certainty? We know that we were sinners and that only Jesus saved us by His complete sacrifice and from His love. We could easily fall back into sin, but Jesus blood continues to save us, even now. Even today.
Is it because we see that so many are not saved, many who are veiled from truth (2 Corinthians 4:3) or who loudly declare that Jesus is not welcome in their lives and that His ways are not attractive to them? They cannot see Jesus' beauty (Psalm 27:4), nor the freedom He brings "through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross" (Colossians 1:20).
I know that I sing because I am so grateful that Jesus came to me when I was willful and wanton and disinterested in Him (Romans 5:8). (I was also fully un-aware of the freedoms that Jesus would bring (John 10:10)).
The blood we sing about is an essential theme throughout the Bible. Even as a teenager I knew that "the blood" was very special.
Testimony
When I was aged ten my dad took me to Boy Scouts and I loved it. We were Sea Scouts so I learned to row and sail boats and about ropes and knots, and to build boats and fix them. We regularly went to "church parades" so I got to see how church worked; we carried the flags and sang loudly as boys love to do.
Then when we commenced high school we went to "confirmation classes"; the objective was that we could participate in Holy Communion and be a grown-up in the church. I remember nothing from those classes except that we couldn't wait for them to end; we could then go to the church hall and have hot cocoa, listen to the latest 45 RPM vinyl records and talk to the girls. We also had "Bible class" dances which were truly high points in our lives. I'm not sure that any of us had any interest in Christianity or Jesus during any of those activities.
It now seems strange to remember that I was always moved by the Communion. I would settle right down and think about my sins and selfishness; something in my spirit came alive. I believe that to the best of my knowledge and ability I was not "sinning against the body and blood of the Lord" (1 Corinthians 11:27), but rather that Jesus was using what He had sown in me from my mother: the certain knowledge that "God is" (Deuteronomy 7:9; Hebrews 3:4) and that Communion was a recognition of this.
My testimony as a Christian is that God saved me from drowning three times and from being lost in the mountains twice. Many times He prevented anyone being killed or injured from all our foolishness with cars. God also found Trish, and put us together in the most unlikely, (and romantic), of circumstances, then brought both of us to Himself and gave us six children.
Jesus words were believable, even then, though totally mysterious: "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day" (John 6:53-54).
These promises have proved to be true. (Why I did not act on them as a teenager I do not know). But I have always been aware that I have life in me; that my life has meaning and that I was put here for a purpose.
One time I went into the surf to rescue a colleague who was in desperate trouble. We soon realised that we were in a rip and though I struggled with everything I had we could not reach shallow waters. Then, as the terrible thoughts were going through my mind that I would have to abandon my workmate else we would both drown, and: "Could I even do that?" and with a deep but peaceful sadness: "No, I must keep struggling". Then my foot touched a sand bar and we got out. I am now certain that Jesus moved that sand bar to rescue us; it surely was not there seconds before ..
Blood And Church
I grew up in a fishing and hunting family so saw blood and guts in their primal form. Also, I was a boy and fell off my bike many times and was often recovering from cuts, scrapes and bumps, so knew my own blood intimately. Jesus' words, though shocking, had a deep resonance for me.
This was long before I knew that "life is in the blood" (Leviticus 17:11) and that every covenant needs blood to be complete (Exodus 24:8; Matthew 26:28), or even what a covenant is. Nevertheless I knew that there was great significance in the Communion I shared at church (where I felt that I neither understood nor belonged).
Strangely I was not aware that I was "lost" and only nominally a Christian (by culture). That it was Jesus' blood in the Communion, and not that of "Our Father" (Matthew 6:9) just added to the Godly mystery. However, I would be aware of my sins and ask for forgiveness and feel washed clean.
Many years later we would sing the chorus: "To get a touch from the Lord is so real .."
Back in those teenage years I already knew this to be true. From memory I believe that I knew the spiritual world to be completely real, that it is before the physical, intellectual and emotional, and that God is both Creator and Boss. I could not see why Jesus was so important in the Bible; in those post WWII years I knew lots of good people who had made great sacrifices. Still, I am sure that all this had a big influence on my worldview; on how I saw the world, and all reality.
Knowing Jesus
"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day" (John 6:53-54)
Our access to "the blood of Jesus" comes from knowing Him, it is all relational:
"And Jesus said to the woman, 'Your sins are forgiven' .. 'Your faith has saved you; go in peace'" (Luke 7:48, 50). The woman at the well had come to know Jesus.
"Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9). We have to be committed to Jesus, from the heart, relationally, to meet these conditions.
The Bible recounts many stories of seekers after salvation. After hearing Jesus they knew that their present understanding was incomplete:
"When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, 'Who then can be saved?'" (Matthew 19:25).
I love Christian testimony; people share about their sense of wonder and awe when they learned that they are loved and forgiven, forever! That moment when their spirit comes alive and they are joined into Jesus' family.
The Bible tells of people seeing Jesus or hearing just a word or two (Luke 5:27-28; Mark 5:27-28), and knowing that He was the One who would save them and would be "faithful and true" (Revelation 19:11).
"And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).
When Jesus said ".. unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you .." (John 6:53), He was talking about what we call the Communion, or Holy Communion, or The Lord's Supper. In His day Jesus spoke of us eating His body and us drinking his blood as necessary for us if we are to participate in His life.
As a Christian I have come to see this participation as also sharing in Jesus' love and the work He has on Earth (Ephesians 2:10) with all humankind.
Big thoughts. Big concepts. A long way from where I was before Jesus revealed Himself to me and saved me.
So what does it all mean? Jesus spoke of His body and blood while giving His disciples bread and wine. This was at the end of the meal so the bread and wine would have been what was left from their dinner, nothing special, right? Just what was there? How are we to understand this? And how do we relate it to our lives as Christians today?
I have shared in Communion in a great many denominations and local churches, even in cathedrals, and at home or out in the bush with just Trish and me or our children and friends too. Everyone seems to do it differently, with different regularity and dramatically different rules.
How are we, simple Christian people, to be clear in our heart and mind about our participation in this essential, commanded, Christian activity? (Some call it a sacrament because it was commanded by Jesus and is very important).
Trish and I knew a preacher many years ago in New Jersey. He loved to remind us that the spiritual world is real and is God's domain and that we, as humans, share in that world. He loved to remind us that some things can only be understood Spirit to spirit (Acts 4:31), and that our intellect, emotions and humanity only get in the way of our understanding. Invariably he would go on to say that some things remain a mystery even to the most spiritually aware among us. That lovely, gentle preacher brought the Bible alive to us; he allowed us to accept that we need not understand everything that God does.
At Bible College we studied the various ways of Communion; the different theological and doctrinal views, things which have been pondered for millennia by very clever people who truly love Jesus, His gospel and His church. If they cannot agree on one truth here what are we to do?
Also at Bible College we were taught to ask "what does the text say?" To me these texts are clear in what they express:
"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day" (John 6:53-54).
"Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him" (John 6:56).
I see that Jesus is talking about everyday bread and wine and about His very essence being as one. And at the same time He is telling us that this same essence of Himself will add to us, each one, even unto life beyond this world and for eternity.
"The words eats, drinks, and abides are in the continuing present tense: 'He who continually feeds on My flesh, and continually drinks My blood, continually abides in Me and I in him'" (Derek Prince).
My conclusion? I believe that in some mysterious way which my spirit can understand but not articulate, I can prepare my heart and partake of Communion in any of its forms, and Jesus' command to me is fulfilled .. at the same time I am being brought into "common union" with every other Christian (Romans 14).
Jesus’ last supper was with His twelve disciples (Luke 22:14-20) and, because the Bible is the living Word of God (1 Peter 1:23) it flows to all of us today. I believe that what happens is beyond the laws of physics, chemistry and thermodynamics, it is a miracle and immediately affects every part of us. He feeds us with a miracle! Jesus doesn't just feed us spiritually, but physically too, (we are such physical creatures).
What can wash away our sin?
What can make us whole again?
Jesus. The answer is always Jesus!
Bless you my dear brother and sister, let us commune together in Jesus and share this spiritual meal as we obey His command, as one. Amen.
What can wash away my sin?
nothing but the blood of Jesus.
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Refrain:
O precious is the flow
that makes me white as snow;
no other fount I know;
nothing but the blood of Jesus.
For my pardon this I see:
nothing but the blood of Jesus.
For my cleansing this my plea:
nothing but the blood of Jesus. [Refrain]
Nothing can for sin atone:
nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Naught of good that I have done:
nothing but the blood of Jesus. [Refrain]
This is all my hope and peace:
nothing but the blood of Jesus.
This is all my righteousness:
nothing but the blood of Jesus. [Refrain]
Robert Lowry 1876 (Hebrews 9:22).
Favourite Scriptures
"Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful" (Hebrews 10:19-23).
"And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, 'This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!'" (Luke 9:35).
"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin" (1 John 1:7).
"We have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance" (1 Peter 1:2).
"And they have conquered [Satan] by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death" (Revelation 12:11).
Amen.
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Praise Jesus.
