Call to Worship June 30 2019
The Lord’s Supper by Thomas Watson
“2. Let us prize Christ’s BLOOD in the Lord’s Supper. It is drink indeed, John 6:55. Here is the nectar and ambrosia, which God Himself delights to taste of! This is both a balsam and a perfume. That we may set the higher value upon the blood of Christ—I shall show you seven rare supernatural virtues in it:
1. It is a RECONCILING blood. ’And you were once alienated and hostile in mind because of your evil actions. But now He has reconciled you by His physical body through His death, to present you holy, faultless, and blameless before Him.’ Colossians 1:21-22. Christ’s blood is the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Nay, it is not only a sacrifice but a propitiation, 1 John 2:2, which denotes a bringing us into favor with God. It is one thing for a traitor to be pardoned—and another thing to be brought into favor. Sin rent us off from God—Christ’s blood cements us to God! If we had had as much grace as the angels—it could not have wrought our reconciliation. If we had offered up millions of sacrifices, if we had wept rivers of tears—this could never have appeased an angry Deity. Only Christ’s blood ingratiates us into God’s favor—and makes Him look upon us with a smiling aspect. When Christ died, the veil of the temple was rent. This was not without a mystery, to show that through Christ’s blood—the veil of our sins is rent which interposed between God and us.
2. Christ’s blood is a QUICKENING blood. ’Whoever drinks My blood, has eternal life,’ John 6:54. It both begets life—and prevents death! ’The life of any creature is in its blood,’ Leviticus 17:11. Sure enough, the life of our soul—is in the blood of Christ. When we contract deadness of heart, and are like wine which has lost its spirits—Christ’s blood has an elevating power; it puts vivacity into us, making us quick and lively in our motion. ‘They shall mount up with wings as eagles,’ Isaiah 40:31.
3. Christ’s blood is a CLEANSING blood. ’The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all our sin,’ 1 John 1:7. As the merit of Christ’s blood pacifies God—so the virtue of it purifies us. Christ’s blood is heaven’s bath. It is a laver to wash in. It washes a crimson sinner—milk-white! The Word of God is a looking-glass to show us our spots—and the blood of Christ is a fountain to wash them away! ’On that day a fountain will be opened—to cleanse them from all their sins and defilement!’ Zechariah 13:1.
But this blood will not wash—if it is mingled with anything. If we mingle our good works with Christ’s blood—it will not wash! Let Christ’s blood be pure and unmixed–and there is no spot which it cannot wash away! It purged out Noah’s drunkenness, and Lot’s incest! Indeed, there is one spot so black that Christ’s blood does not wash away—and that is the sin against the Holy Spirit. Not but that there is virtue enough in Christ’s blood to wash it away—but he who has sinned that sin—will not be washed. He despises Christ’s blood and tramples it under foot! Hebrews 10:29.”