Jesus’ blood

William Harvey (1578-1657) had a problem. The founder of the science of physiology was faced with a reality that didn’t jibe with current thought.

As he carefully studied the circulatory systems of mammals, he found that their valves and veins allowed blood to flow only one way. But since the time of Galen (born about 130 AD), scientist had been convinced that the red stuff flowed back and forth i veins and arteries kind of like ebb and flow of an ocean tide.

Harvey decided to reveal his finding. The revolutionary idea was accepted and it changed the course for scientific study of blood flow in the body. Harvey, a believer in God, said. “Life therefore resides in the blood (as we are informed in the sacred writings).” The sacred writings he was referring to are Leviticus 17:11,14:” The life of a creature is in the blood,... the life of every creature is its blood.

For believers in Jesus, these words carry great significance. God had revealed to Moses that blood was special in his eyes. To atone for sin, He required that thus special substance symbolic of life itself be used. Therefore, the vital fluid of countless lambs, bulls, and other creatures was applied by priests to ancient altars.

Jesus, the Lamb of God, shed His blood so that our holy God would find us acceptable, “We have now been justified by His blood,” wrote Paul in Romans 5:9. His sacrifice provided the way for people to be saved from their sins.

Praise Jesus right now for the reality that He shed His life giving blood for you-Tom Felten.

His Last Words

If you were called on to deliver a final massage to the people you love, what kind of advice would you leave? A Moody Magazine article tells the account of Thomas Watson. He was the one of early 2,000 Puritan pastors in England who were removed from their pulpits in 1662. They were banished because they wouldn’t agree to sign a parliamentary “Act of Uniformity” that would have compelled them to deny several of their beliefs.

Before his dismissal, Watson spoke this “Last Sermon” to his people - probably one of the shortest, most meaningful ever delivered:

“First of all, keep constant hours of prayers every day with God. Collect good books for your homes. Be careful of the company you keep. Be careful of about what you listen to. Follow after sincerity. Always be at the job of self-examination. Be on guard in your spiritual life. The people of God should often associate together. Let your hearts be lifted up above the world. Comfort yourselves with God’s promises. Be not idle, but work for your living. Put first and second tables of the law[the Ten Commandments] together: piety to God and equity to your neighbor. In your walk before others, put innocence and prudence together. Be more afraid of sin than suffering. Take heed of idolatry.... In the business of the Christian life, serve God with all your might. Do all the good you can do to others as long as you live. Every day think of eternity.”

I’ve had that article for many years. You might wish pass on Thomas Watsons’s last sermon and help it to keep on preaching-as it has now for more than 340 years!Dean Ohlman