necessary in order that we might have eternal life. 1st John 1 states:
7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Humanity was separated from God; Christ's blood was necessary in order to reconcile us to our Heavenly Father. Jesus became the perfect, unblemished sacrifice so that our sins might be taken away and that His life might be made available toward us. His blood is a cleansing blood that will cover and erase our sins. He laid down His life and calls us to lay down our own lives so that we might enjoy the eternal and abundant life that He has promised.
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Jesus poured out His blood in order that our sins might be cleansed and forgiven. In Hebrews 9, we read about the blood of the perfect sacrifice, the Lamb of God, who laid down His life for the sins of
the world:
12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.
13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh,
14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
He is called the "Man with the Golden Arm." His name is James Harrison, he lives in Australia, and according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, he "has donated his blood nearly every week for 60 years. He’s made 1,100 donations, saving the lives of more than 2.4 million Australian babies, according to the Australian Red Cross Blood Service." The story goes on to say:
Known as the “Man With the Golden Arm,” the 81-year-old’s blood is special. It has disease-fighting antibodies that have been used to develop the Anti-D injection, which helps combats rhesus disease.This "occurs when a pregnant woman’s blood begins attacking her unborn baby’s blood cells, causing brain damage or even death for the little one."
Now, at age 81, he is being forced by law to cease to donate blood. But, he still wants to donate DNA samples for research purposes.
Well, there are several concepts I wanted to bring out in light of this amazing story. One is our participation as Christian believers in the giving and saving of life. We are intent on doing what we can to speak out for the defenseless unborn children, many of whom are at risk through abortion. But, there are other ways in which we can be involved in affirming life. A number of churches and individual members are involved in giving of their blood in order to save others - it is said that just one pint of blood can save up to three lives - there is a tremendous need, especially during the summer months.
I think that Mr. Harrison can also teach us about the importance of being committed to a cause and pursuing it with consistency. Follow-through can be a critical element, and Harrison demonstrated that he was someone who could be counted upon. The headline of the story says that he went in weekly to give blood. We gain a reputation for integrity when we commit to something and we are regular and dependable.
Finally, while we think about how physical blood is vital for sustaining life, we also think about the blood of our Savior that was shed for all humanity on a cross at Calvary. Jesus shed His blood, He gave His life so that we might be forgiven and united with the Father. The blood of Jesus is key in providing eternal life for us, and His blood cleanses us from sin, as God's grace and forgiveness has been extended toward us. We can thank God for the precious blood that flows toward us today.
Well, there are several concepts I wanted to bring out in light of this amazing story. One is our participation as Christian believers in the giving and saving of life. We are intent on doing what we can to speak out for the defenseless unborn children, many of whom are at risk through abortion. But, there are other ways in which we can be involved in affirming life. A number of churches and individual members are involved in giving of their blood in order to save others - it is said that just one pint of blood can save up to three lives - there is a tremendous need, especially during the summer months.
I think that Mr. Harrison can also teach us about the importance of being committed to a cause and pursuing it with consistency. Follow-through can be a critical element, and Harrison demonstrated that he was someone who could be counted upon. The headline of the story says that he went in weekly to give blood. We gain a reputation for integrity when we commit to something and we are regular and dependable.
Finally, while we think about how physical blood is vital for sustaining life, we also think about the blood of our Savior that was shed for all humanity on a cross at Calvary. Jesus shed His blood, He gave His life so that we might be forgiven and united with the Father. The blood of Jesus is key in providing eternal life for us, and His blood cleanses us from sin, as God's grace and forgiveness has been extended toward us. We can thank God for the precious blood that flows toward us today.
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