Articles on “Blood” in 1983 Christianity Todays:
1. Parallels between literal blood and biblical symbolism.
Feb 18, p.12; Mar 4, p.38; Mar 18, p.18
2. The miracle of its physical and spiritual cleansing power. Feb 18, p.12
3. Its symbolic nature in the Lord’s Supper. Mar 4, p.40
4. Parallels with transfusion. Mar 18, p.20
5. Meaning of “Drink my blood.” Mar 18, p.21
[below not used in sermon of February 5, 1995]
Blood and communion: (from March 18, 1983, p. 21)
A. If Jesus lived today, he might use the image of transfusion.
1) The invitation to drink his blood, he invited us to share
in the rich resources of his ongoing life.
2) The Lord’s Supper is a celebration of the new intimacy won
for us by the blood of Christ. We are made near to him;
we participate in him; he feeds us – any phrase only
hints at the mystery.
a) Herbert Spencer expressed the scientific principle:
Whatever amount of power an organism expends in any
form equals the power that was taken into it from
outside.
b) George Macdonald expressed the spiritual principle:
“He requires of us what we cannot effect [do] without
Him.”
B. Jesus left only two ordinances for us to follow:
1) Baptism, a one-time act.
2) The Lord’s Supper.
Each ordinance manifests a common theme of personal,
intimate union with God.
In one, a representative of God physically brings you in
contact with water as a purifying symbol of new life.
In the other, each person, one by one, pauses to ingest
the bread and wine, the body and blood of Jesus.
Under the old covenant, worshipers brought the sacrifice
– they GAVE.
In the new, believers receive tokens of the finished work
of the risen Christ.
“My body, wich was broken FOR YOU…. My blood, which
was shed FOR YOU..….