Call to Worship July 7 2019
The Lord’s Supper by Thomas Watson
“4. Christ’s blood is a SOFTENING blood. There is nothing so hard, that it cannot be softened by this blood. It will soften a stone! Water will soften the earth—but it will not soften a stone; but Christ’s blood mollifies a stone. It softens a heart of stone. It turns a flint—into a spring. The heart, which before was like an adamantine rock, being steeped in Christ’s blood, becomes soft—and the waters of repentance flow from it! How was the jailer’s heart dissolved and made tender when the blood of sprinkling was upon it! ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ Acts 16:30. His heart was now like melting wax. God might now set whatever seal and impression He desired upon it.
5. Christ’s blood COOLS the heart.
First, it cools the heat of sin. The heart naturally is full of distempered heat. It must be hot—being set on fire by hell. It burns in lust and passion. Christ’s blood allays this heat—and quenches the inflammation of sin.
Second, it cools the heat of conscience. In times of spiritual desertion, conscience burns with the heat of God’s displeasure. Now, Christ’s blood, being sprinkled upon the conscience—cools and pacifies it. And, in this sense, Christ is compared to a river of water, Isaiah 32:2. When the conscience burns and is in agony—Christ’s blood is like water to the fire. It has a cooling, refreshing virtue in it.
6. Christ’s blood COMFORTS the soul. It is a good remedy for fainting fits. Christ’s blood is better than wine. Though wine cheers the heart of a man who is well, yet it will not cheer his heart when he is greatly afflicted—or when the pangs of death are upon him. But Christ’s blood will cheer the heart at such a time. It is best in affliction. It cures the trembling of the heart!
A conscience sprinkled with Christ’s blood can, like the nightingale, sing with a thorn in its breast. The blood of Christ can make a prison—become a palace. It turned the martyr’s flames—into beds of roses. Christ’s blood gives comfort at the hour of death. As a holy man once said on his deathbed when they brought him a cordial, ’No cordial like the blood of Christ!’
7. Christ’s blood PROCURES HEAVEN. Israel passed through the Red Sea to Canaan. So, through the red sea of Christ’s blood—we enter into the heavenly Canaan. ‘Having boldness therefore to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,’ Hebrews 10:19. Our sins shut heaven—Christ’s blood is the key which opens the gate of paradise for us! Hence it is, that one calls the cross ’the tree of salvation’ because that blood which trickled down the cross, distills salvation. Well, then, may we prize the blood of Christ and, with Paul, determine to know nothing but Christ crucified, 1 Corinthians 2:2. King’s crowns are only crosses—but the cross of Christ is the only crown!”