February 25, 2013 - Nothing but the Blood

February 25, 2013

Leviticus 16:29-18:30

Mark 7:24-8:10

Psalm 41:1-13

Proverbs 10:15-16

I grew up going to a predominantly African-American Baptist Church in New Jersey.  Between the end of Sunday School and the beginning of the worship service was "devotion."  One or more of the deacons would stand in front of the gathering, say a prayer, open the floor for testimonies, and sing several songs.  They would sing songs really slow, lengthening every phrase, singing somber sounding notes all across a minor scale till it almost sounded like moaning.  It was the old way of singing hymns and spirituals - the way that they, their parents and their grandparents sang in the tobacco fields and cotton fields of the South.  It sounded so dismal and sad, but there was a strange powerful quality.  At the end of each song there was always this eruption of praise to God and rejoicing with tears.  What in the world were they getting so emotional about?  My elementary mind couldn't seem to figure it out.  But, one song that I heard a lot of was this hymn composed by Robert Lowry, "Nothing But the Blood."

What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus

What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus

O, precious is that flow that makes me white as snow.  No other fount I know

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

"For the life of a creature is in its blood, and I have given you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; It is the blood that makes atonement for one's life" (Leviticus 17:11).  Centuries after this was written Jesus would be willingly murdered to pay the price for the sins of every person that would accept Him and follow His ways – a debt that no other could ever pay as He did.  Jesus even preached, "Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you" (John 6:53).  He used the metaphor of "drinking blood" to illustrate the taking in of His life to replace our death.  As I've gotten older the old hymns have much more meaning to me personally.  As God has shown me, time and again, the sin in my life I realize how much I need Jesus and the grace of God.  Now I often sing "Nothing But the Blood" with tears and praise.  :) 

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"The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace" (Numbers 6:24-26)

Kenny Sullivan

(201) 218-0751

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