In his book Written in Blood: A Devotional Bible Study of the Blood of Christ, Robert Coleman tells a powerful story of a little boy who became the donor for his sister’s blood transfusion. According to Dr. Coleman…
The doctor explained that she had the same disease the boy (her brother) had recovered from two years earlier. Her only chance for recovery was a transfusion from someone who had previously conquered the disease. Since the two children had the same rare blood type, the boy was the ideal donor.
"Would you give your blood to Mary?" the doctor asked. Johnny hesitated. His lower lip started to tremble. Then he smiled and said, "Sure, for my sister." Soon the two children were wheeled into the hospital room--Mary, pale and thin; Johnny, robust and healthy. Neither spoke, but when their eyes met, Johnny grinned.
As the nurse inserted the needle into his arm, Johnny's smile faded. He watched the blood flow through the tube. With the ordeal almost over, his voice, slightly shaky, broke the silence. "Doctor, when do I die?'
Only then did the doctor realize why Johnny had hesitated, why his lip had trembled when he'd agreed to donate his blood. He's thought giving his blood to his sister meant giving up his life. In that brief moment, he'd made his great decision.
Dr. Coleman then concludes his story with this insightful application:
Johnny, fortunately, didn't have to die to save his sister. Each of us, however, has a condition more serious than Mary's, and it required Jesus to give not just His blood but His life.
As Easter approaches, I am reminded that the Bible tells us (in the New Testament Book of Hebrews, chapter 9, verse 22) that because the Law of God in the Old Testament required sacrifice for the cleansing of sin, then without the shedding of blood, there can be no forgiveness for sin.
Enter Jesus Christ, the One and Only Son of God! Knowing that we were suffering under the deadly curse of sin, the Bible tells us (in the New Testament Book of Romans, chapter 5, verse 8) that “God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners!”
It was Jesus Himself Who said (in the New Testament Gospel of John, chapter 15, verse 13): “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” By God's grace, not only did Jesus preach this; He also practiced it!
May we always remember the great love that drew God’s Son to earth! May we always honor Him for His great sacrifice on our behalf! And may we forever worship his Holy Name!
SOURCE: Coleman, Robert E. Written in Blood: A Devotional Bible Study of the Blood of Christ (Grand Rapids: Fleming H. Revell Publishing, 1972). Dr. Coleman is Distinguished Professor of Evangelism and Discipleship at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He also served as dean of the Billy Graham International Schools of Evangelism as well as Director of the Billy Graham Center Institute of Evangelism at Wheaton College. The work for which he is best known, The Master Plan of Evangelism, has sold over three million copies.
ALSO AVAILABLE WIDELY ONLINE: See, for instance: https://christypovolish.wordpress.com/2011/12/01/we-need-a-transfusion/.
SCRIPTURE SOURCES: http://biblehub.com/hebrews/9-22.htm; http://bible
hub.com/hebrews/9-22.htm, and http://biblehub.com/john/15-13.htm.
The doctor explained that she had the same disease the boy (her brother) had recovered from two years earlier. Her only chance for recovery was a transfusion from someone who had previously conquered the disease. Since the two children had the same rare blood type, the boy was the ideal donor.
"Would you give your blood to Mary?" the doctor asked. Johnny hesitated. His lower lip started to tremble. Then he smiled and said, "Sure, for my sister." Soon the two children were wheeled into the hospital room--Mary, pale and thin; Johnny, robust and healthy. Neither spoke, but when their eyes met, Johnny grinned.
As the nurse inserted the needle into his arm, Johnny's smile faded. He watched the blood flow through the tube. With the ordeal almost over, his voice, slightly shaky, broke the silence. "Doctor, when do I die?'
Only then did the doctor realize why Johnny had hesitated, why his lip had trembled when he'd agreed to donate his blood. He's thought giving his blood to his sister meant giving up his life. In that brief moment, he'd made his great decision.
Dr. Coleman then concludes his story with this insightful application:
Johnny, fortunately, didn't have to die to save his sister. Each of us, however, has a condition more serious than Mary's, and it required Jesus to give not just His blood but His life.
As Easter approaches, I am reminded that the Bible tells us (in the New Testament Book of Hebrews, chapter 9, verse 22) that because the Law of God in the Old Testament required sacrifice for the cleansing of sin, then without the shedding of blood, there can be no forgiveness for sin.
Enter Jesus Christ, the One and Only Son of God! Knowing that we were suffering under the deadly curse of sin, the Bible tells us (in the New Testament Book of Romans, chapter 5, verse 8) that “God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners!”
It was Jesus Himself Who said (in the New Testament Gospel of John, chapter 15, verse 13): “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” By God's grace, not only did Jesus preach this; He also practiced it!
May we always remember the great love that drew God’s Son to earth! May we always honor Him for His great sacrifice on our behalf! And may we forever worship his Holy Name!
SOURCE: Coleman, Robert E. Written in Blood: A Devotional Bible Study of the Blood of Christ (Grand Rapids: Fleming H. Revell Publishing, 1972). Dr. Coleman is Distinguished Professor of Evangelism and Discipleship at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He also served as dean of the Billy Graham International Schools of Evangelism as well as Director of the Billy Graham Center Institute of Evangelism at Wheaton College. The work for which he is best known, The Master Plan of Evangelism, has sold over three million copies.
ALSO AVAILABLE WIDELY ONLINE: See, for instance: https://christypovolish.wordpress.com/2011/12/01/we-need-a-transfusion/.
SCRIPTURE SOURCES: http://biblehub.com/hebrews/9-22.htm; http://bible
hub.com/hebrews/9-22.htm, and http://biblehub.com/john/15-13.htm.