The precious blood of Christ

‘The precious blood of Christ.’ 1 Peter 1:19

Suggested Further Reading: Acts 8:25–40

Two soldiers were on duty in the citadel of Gibraltar; one of them had obtained peace through the precious blood of Christ, the other was in very great distress of mind. It happened to be their turn to stand, both of them, sentinel the same night; and there are many long passages in the rock; these passages are able to convey sounds a very great distance. The soldier in distress of mind was ready to beat his breast for grief: he felt he had rebelled against God, and could not find how he could be reconciled; when, suddenly, there came through the air what seemed to him to be a mysterious voice from heaven saying these words, ‘The precious blood of Christ.’ In a moment he saw it all: it was that which reconciled us to God; and he rejoiced with joy unspeakable and full of glory. Now did these words come directly from God? No. They did as far as the effect was concerned—they did come from the Holy Spirit. Who was it that had spoken these words? Curiously enough, the other sentinel at the far end of the passage was standing still and meditating, when an officer came by and it was his duty of course to give the word for the night, and with soldier-like promptitude he did give it, but not accurately, for instead of giving the proper word, he was so taken up by his meditations that he said to the officer, ‘The precious blood of Christ.’ He corrected himself in a moment, but however, he had said it, and it had passed along the passage and reached the ear for which God meant it, and the man found peace and spent his life in the fear of God, being in after years the means of completing one of our excellent translations of the Word of God into Hindi. Who can tell, dear friends, how much peace you may give by only telling the story of our Saviour.

For meditation: The mighty saving power of God is contained only in the straightforward gospel message of Christ crucified (Romans 1:16; 1 Corinthians 1:17–18,23–24). What a glorious message!

Sermon no. 621
26 March (1865)