Nothing but the Blood -- God

Provides
William D Jones / General

Hymn Series / Blood of Christ; Sanctification; Forgiveness; Salvation / Hebrews 9:22; Genesis
22:1–19; Leviticus 17:11
A message highlighting the Hymn Nothing But the Blood that describes how Christ's blood
sacrifice on the Cross is our only hope for forgiveness and Salvation.
Notes
Filling in for Pastor Jordan

Good morning New Beginnings!    I am so glad that you chose to worship here
with us this morning!    There is something special, something energizing about
being in the House of the Lord on a Sunday morning.    If you are joining us live
online, we are glad that you are here as well!    Although, we do hope you will be
able to join us in person soon.    We miss seeing you!

This morning I will be filling in for Pastor Jordan.    He is away on a previously

postponed, much needed, and well deserved vacation.     

He has asked me to finish up the series he has been doing on Hymns.    So, this
morning I will be wrapping up the series by looking at the Hymn “Nothing but
the Blood,” written by Robert Lowry.   

This Hymn was published in 1876, yes that was 145 years ago!

To place his hymn historically, here are a few things that happened in 1876, John
Hopkins University was founded, Alexander Graham Bell was granted a patent
for an invention known as the telephone, Thomas Edison was granted a patent
for a mimeograph machine, Wyatt Earp started work in Dodge City, “The
Adventures of Tom Sawyer” was published in the USA, The USA celebrated her
100th Birthday, George Custer died at the battle of Little Big Horn, and Heinz
Ketchup was introduced to the world!    It was    a busy year.

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 Robert Lowry was born in the North East and was a popular pastor of several
churches in PA, NY, and NJ.    In was in his later years that he started writing
hymns and Gospel Songs.    He not only penned “Nothing but the Blood,” but
also many other well knows melodies such as, “Shall we Gather at the River,”
“Low in the Grave He Lay,” “I Need Thee Every Hour,” and “All the Way My Savior
Leads Me.”    PLUS LOTS MORE!   

“Nothing But the Blood” is an amazing hymn based on amazing truths!    These
truths are simple and profound, much like the hymn itself.    The text, which we
will review in just a moment is structurally simple and communicates the very
essence of the Truth that is the Gospel message.    These truths are beautifully
carried by a melody made up of only 5 notes and 2 chords!    I would dare say
that Dr. Lowry did not want the music to get in the way of the message!

As I said, the lyrics are quite simple.    The first stanza is made up of two simple
questions, both with the same answer.   

› “What can wash away my sin?” “What came make me whole again?”    “Nothing
but the Blood of Jesus.”

While simple, Lowry has touched on THE most profound truth in the entirety of
Scripture.    He is tapping directly into the very scarlet thread that runs though
the Bible, Genesis to Revelation.    That Thread is the promise, fulfillment, and
realization of the offer of Salvation through Jesus Christ.    This Truth must be
dealt with eventually by all of us.    That is my first point this morning.

You must  React  to the Blood of Jesus Christ.

This truth that I want to bring to our attention this morning is clearly presented
to us by the author of Hebrews.

Hebrews 9:22 HCSB

According to the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the
shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.   

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If you read the Bible much, if you are at all familiar with the Old Testament in
particular, you know that blood is mentioned a ton!    Why is that?    Why are the
people in the stories and especially God so focused on blood.   

In human history, especially early American History, blood was not

understood.    There was a time when doctors thought that if you were sick,
say with the flu, or with pneumonia, that the problem was that your blood
was poison!    Their solution was to cut your veins and drain your “poisoned”
blood out, or to put leeches on you and let them suck it out of you!    Imagine,
you are sick as a dog, you go to the doc, and they are like, Oh we got this, and
they start stealing your blood!    Most people in that time period did not
survive their trips to see the doctor!

This is because they did not understand something that is clear in Scripture.    Le
17:11 says, very clearly might I add.....“For the life of a creature is in the blood...”

If you drain out the blood, you are draining the very life out of a person!   

Today we understand this.    We even have blood drives and blood banks, and
even blood buses!    We hear slogans like, “Why wait to save a life? Donate Blood
today!”

Blood really is amazing, it is full of fascinating stuff that is so small that you
need a microscope to begin studying it.        I will not go into all the details but
here are just a few things the cells in your blood do for you.    They carry
oxygen to your organs and muscles, even to your brain.    They help dispose
of harmful substances in your body like CO2 and Lactic Acid.    Your blood
carries around an army of tiny white cells that fight off disease and infection. 
That is just to name a few things we understand about the biology of blood.   

That same passage in Leviticus tells us another thing that blood does for
mankind.    And it is this purpose that our Hymn writer was proclaiming in our
hymn this week.   

Le 17:11

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Leviticus 17:11 HCSB
For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have appointed it to you to make
atonement on the altar for your lives, since it is the lifeblood that makes
atonement.

God established very early, in fact right after Adam and Eve first sinned, that only
a blood sacrifice, the shedding and offering of blood, could atone for the sin of a
man or a woman.    “It is the lifeblood that makes atonement” for sin.    In the
Bible, both the old and new testament explain that God will not forgive sin
unless there has been lifeblood spilt to pay for that sin.   

I guess before we go any further we need to establish a few things.    Who

Paul wrote to the Romans Romans 3:23 that

Romans 3:23 HCSB

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

My next point this morning is this,

You must  Realize  that you are a sinner.   

You must  Realize  that your sin has run up a debt that you cannot
pay.

We all have trespassed against God’s law.    We all have went against His plan for
our lives, and that deviation started shortly after we drew our first breath on this
planet!    No one had to teach me how to lie.    No one taught me how to steal.   
No one taught me how to be disrespectful.    No one taught me how to lose my
temper.    All of those things are natural talents!   

Natural and sinful.    These sins, each and every one of them, and all the others
that I drag around are enough to condemn me.    I need redemption, I need
forgiveness, I need atonement, I need a blood sacrifice in order for my debt to
God to be made right, for it to be paid.   

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Sin, law breaking, wrong doing in the eyes of a Just and Holy God, separates us
from God.    Sin is what makes it impossible for us to be in the presence of God.   
It is what got Adam and Eve kicked out of God’s presence and out of the Garden
of Eden.    It is what keeps us from walking with God here on Earth, and will
certainly keep us out of Heaven after we die.

In the old testament, God made a work around.    He allowed for a sacrifice, for
the shedding of the lifeblood of goats, sheep, and calves to be offered in
payment for personal sins.   

All of this bloodshed was a foreshadowing, pointing toward the blood that
would eventually be shed by the perfect sacrifice that would be sufficient to pay
for, atone for, the sins of any who repents.

Hebrews 9:12 , talking about Jesus, says,

Hebrews 9:12 HCSB

He entered the most holy place once for all, not by the blood of goats and calves,
but by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.

What can wash away my sin?    What can make me whole again?    Nothing but
the Blood of Jesus!

For my Pardon this I see!    For my Cleansing, this my plea!    Nothing but the
Blood of Jesus.

Today, we can only be pardoned, we can only be cleansed of sin, by the by the
Blood of Christ.

Jesus said in Matthew,

Mt 26:28

Matthew 26:28 HCSB

For this is My blood that establishes the covenant; it is shed for many for the
forgiveness of sins.

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Paul tells us in Ephesians,

Eph 1:7

Ephesians 1:7 HCSB

We have redemption in Him through His blood, the forgiveness of our
trespasses, according to the riches of His grace

I am praising God this morning for the Blood of Jesus Christ!    That perfect
sinless blood sacrifice poured out at the base of the Cross for me and for you.    I
am praising God that He cared enough for me to send His son to donate His
lifeblood so that I could be be made whole again, that my relationship with my
creator could be reestablished, that my dead sinful self could be be made alive
again in Christ Jesus.   

You know, it really is amazing.    God has done all the work.    He, the Creator of
the entire universe, came to earth as a humble helpless baby, lived a difficult life,
in constant danger, did it without breaking any of the rules that He had set up for
us to live by, and then willingly gave up that life, shedding His blood for us, so
that he could have a relationship with us!    That is love!

john 3:16

John 3:16 HCSB

“For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that
everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.

Romans 5:8

Romans 5:8 HCSB

But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died
for us!

You know what else amazes me?    Even though God did all that for you and for
me, and for the rest of the world....    Many choose to ignore it!    Many choose to
try to do what Cain did in Genesis and try to please God their own way, ignoring
the Sacrifice that Jesus made.    Jesus is pouring his blood on the altar for us,

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 and many turn their backs and offer some turnips, some beets, and some okra
on the alter instead!

It has always been popular to try to find your own way to God.    Cain did it, the
Children of Israel did it, The Romans, the Greeks, and Americans do it today.   

Today people seek to find God through many avenues including man made
religions and rituals.    The most common though is for us humans to try to earn
our way to Him.    We try to do a lot of Good, or we try to be really good.    We try
to make a lot of money and give away a bit of it to good causes.    Sure God will
see what I have done, what I have given to the causes that He things are
important.    Perhaps that will pay my sin debt.    We try to make ourselves
important.    If I am important, rich enough, God will have to have a relationship
with me, He will have to let me into Heaven.    We try to have our good deeds and
actions out weigh our bad, like God has some kind of grand cosmic scale and he
is going to weight all our actions and the outcome will decide out eternal fate.   
Bad news!!!    One tiny white lie, one lustful look, one burst of anger, outweighs
all the good we could ever do on this earth.   

The Good News, or the Gospel is, that those things will never, can never
outweigh the sacrifice at the Cross.

Morality may keep you out of jail, but it takes the blood of Jesus Christ to
keep you out of hell.

—Spurgeon

In Order to activate the payment of your Sin dept,

You must  Repent  of your sins.

People in the day of our hymn writer were seeking alternate ways, other than
repentance, to God too.    I believe that is why Robert Lowry wrote the words of
the 3rd verse.   

› “Nothing can for sin atone, Naught of good that I have done!    Nothing but the

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 Blood of Jesus.”

We can do nothing on our own, but God is prepared!    He is always prepared!   

Remember the Sunday School lesson about Abraham and Isaac from the Book
of Genesis?    Let me read a portion of it to you.

Ge 22:2-14

Genesis 22:2–14 (HCSB)

“Take your son,” He said, “your only son Isaac, whom you love, go to the land
of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I
will tell you about.” So Abraham got up early in the morning, saddled his
donkey, and took with him two of his young men and his son Isaac. He split
wood for a burnt offering and set out to go to the place God had told him
about. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the
distance. Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey.
The boy and I will go over there to worship; then we’ll come back to you.”
Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac. In
his hand he took the fire and the sacrificial knife, and the two of them walked
on together. Then Isaac spoke to his father Abraham and said, “My father.”
And he replied, “Here I am, my son.” Isaac said, “The fire and the wood are
here, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Abraham answered, “God
Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” Then the two of
them walked on together. When they arrived at the place that God had told
him about, Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood. He bound
his son Isaac and placed him on the altar on top of the wood. Then Abraham
reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the Angel of the LORD
called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” He replied, “Here I
am.” Then He said, “Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him. For
now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your only son
from Me.” Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught in the thicket by its
horns. So Abraham went and took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering
in place of his son. And Abraham named that place The LORD Will Provide...

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 God did provide.    He has provided for us today.    The perfect lamb of Sacrifice.   
Jesus Christ.

The last stanza of the our hymn reads

› “This is all my Hope and Peace, This is all my righteousness, Nothing but the
Blood of Jesus.”

Let me close with a current and true story and a few questions.

My son, William, likes to give blood. I believe he has donated twice now in the
past year. It is pretty cool and is something that I have never done.

We have already talked about how according to modern science and

according to Scripture, blood is the source of life.

Just the other day, William received an email and I asked him if I could share
it with you today. He said yes! :)

William, We are pleased to share      that you have received a heartfelt message
from a patient who received your 2 Units RBC donation. Your message was sent
to OneBlood through our NEW Message My Donor program.

Message My Donor is an exciting program that lets blood recipients send a

message of gratitude to their donor.

Before we introduce Message My Donor throughout our service area we are

conducting a pilot version and you are      among the first donors to receive a
message!

“B positive that I really      appreciate your donation. I have an intestinal bleed

which requires a      specialist to repair. I'm waiting for his schedule to get to me.
Yours is the ninth unit I have been given over the last 7 days. Again, THANK
YOU...””

How cool is that?    And Yes, I am a proud dad.   

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 A couple of thoughts.    Before Christ, mankind had to offer up blood sacrifice
after blood sacrifice every single time a sin was committed.    This individual that
took two units of my son’s life saving blood has already taken 9 units total at this
particular date, probably more by now.    This person needs a surgeon to heal
him, a lasting solution.

Mankind also needs a permanent solution, and Jesus Christ has offered it.    His
Blood has permanently concurred death, forever forgiven sin, and stands with
nail pierced hands outstretched waiting on your to call out to Him in order to
have that Holy Blood Donation, that Perfect Blood Sacrifice applied to your sin
debt, so that it can be paid in full.

The Chorus of today’s hymn sings,

› “O Precious is the flow, That makes me white as snow; No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.”

I promised a couple of questions for you.    What are you going to do with the
precious life giving flow of the Blood of Jesus?    Are you going to embrace it?    Or
are you going to reject it?

My final point today is this,

You must  Receive  the Blood of Jesus as payment for your sins.

1 JN 1:5-10

1 John 1:5–10 (HCSB)

Now this is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is
light, and there is absolutely no darkness in Him. If we say, “We have
fellowship with Him,” yet we walk in darkness, we are lying and are not
practicing the truth. But if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we
have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us
from all sin. If we say, “We have no sin,” we are deceiving ourselves, and the
truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive

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 us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say, “We don’t
have any sin,” we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

What will it be today?    Will you choose to continue to walk in darkness?    Or will
you choose to walk in the Light?    Will you choose to deceive yourself, or Will you
choose to confess your sins?    If you will, He Will forgive them.    He and only He
has the power and the right to do so.    He has paid the impossibly high price the
only way possible, with His Precious Blood.

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