WHEN Teddy was a little boy, he and his brothers and sisters often sang:
Precious, precious blood of Jesus,
Shed on Calvary;
Shed for rebels, shed for sinners,
Shed for me.
He did not know how precious that holy blood-shedding was to God, and to believers, until he grew older. Then he found out that what the hymn told him was also what the Apostle Peter said, "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold... but with the precious blood of Christ." (1 Peter 1:18, 1918Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: (1 Peter 1:18‑19).) He speaks of it as precious, just as the hymn does. And the Apostle John, too, learned its value, for he says: "The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." (1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7).)
Some years ago there lived a boy in Scotland who learned how his sins were blotted out, and how he was cleansed by the precious blood of Jesus. His name was David, and when he left school, he went away from his happy home to learn a trade.
After a short time spent largely in going his own way and doing his own will, he had a serious accident. He was now unfit for work and was taken home where he gradually recovered.
His spirits, however, were very low, and he often cried like a child, and no one was able to comfort him. The fact was that he had sinned against God, and had given up the truths taught him at home.
He wondered constantly if God would forgive him. He knew he deserved nothing but judgment and God's anger forever. These thoughts were in his mind day and night. He knew that he would have to give an account of himself to God, and that Jesus had said on earth that all will be raised from their graves, and that all will hear His voice and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." (John 5:2929And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. (John 5:29).)
David knew all this, and lived in fear that he would die unforgiven for his past and be lost forever. There was one thing, however, that David did not know. He had never realized the greatness and value in God's sight of the work of Jesus on the cross. He only thought of his sins and how he had left God out of his life.
With these gloomy thoughts in his mind, he became very depressing to the family. One day he had been praying in the woods, and came in looking full of joy.
"What has happened to David?" his sister asked.
His mother, seeing his happy face, said, "Why, David, what has made you so happy?”
“Oh, mother, he answered," I see there is more merit in the blood of Jesus than there is guilt in my sins, so why should I fear?”
What a wonderful truth he had learned, that the work of Jesus in dying and shedding His precious blood for guilty sinners covered all his sins, and, indeed, the sin of all who by faith claim its virtue!
Do let me beg of you to think quietly for a few moments of the value of Christ's precious blood. Of course, you know about it, but has it washed you white as snow.
The dying thief, on the cross, was the first to benefit by the death of Jesus and His shed blood, and since then thousands and thousands have proved its value, and have said with the psalmist David, "Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." (Psa. 51.)
So we hope that you, too, will be able to sing, as Teddy and his brothers and sisters did:
Precious blood that has redeemed us,
All the price is paid;
Perfect pardon now is offered,
Peace is made.