Morning    “Ye are come to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.”     Hebrews 12:24

Reader, have you come to the blood of sprinkling? The question is not whether

you have come to a knowledge of doctrine, or an observance of ceremonies, or to

a certain form of experience, but have you come to the blood of Jesus? The blood

of Jesus is the life of all vital godliness. If you have truly come to Jesus, we

know how you came–the Holy Spirit sweetly brought you there. You came to the

blood of sprinkling with no merits of your own. Guilty, lost, and helpless, you

came to take that blood, and that blood alone, as your everlasting hope. You

came to the cross of Christ, with a trembling and an aching heart; and oh! what

a precious sound it was to you to hear the voice of the blood of

Jesus! The dropping of his blood is as the music of heaven to the penitent sons

of earth. We are full of sin, but the Saviour bids us lift our eyes to him, and

as we gaze upon his streaming wounds, each drop of blood, as it falls, cries,

“It is finished; I have made an end of sin; I have brought in everlasting

righteousness.” Oh! sweet language of the precious blood of Jesus! If you have

come to that blood once, you will come to it constantly. Your life will be

“Looking unto Jesus.” Your whole conduct will be epitomized in this–“To whom

coming.” Not to whom I have come, but to whom I am always coming. If thou hast

ever come to the blood of sprinkling, thou wilt feel thy need of coming to

it every day. He who does not desire to wash in it every day, has never washed

in it at all. The believer ever feels it to be his joy and privilege that there

is still a fountain opened. Past experiences are doubtful food for Christians; a

present coming to Christ alone can give us joy and comfort. This morning let us

sprinkle our door-post fresh with blood, and then feast upon the Lamb, assured

that the destroying angel must pass us by.

Evening    “We would see Jesus.”     John 12:21

Evermore the worldling’s cry is, “Who will show us any good?” He seeks

satisfaction in earthly comforts, enjoyments, and riches. But the quickened

sinner knows of only one good. “O that I knew where I might find Him !” When he

is truly awakened to feel his guilt, if you could pour the gold of India at his

feet, he would say, “Take it away: I want to find Him.” It is a blessed thing

for a man, when he has brought his desires into a focus, so that they all centre

in one object. When he has fifty different desires, his heart resembles a mire

of stagnant water, spread out into a marsh, breeding miasma and pestilence; but

when all his desires are brought into one channel, his heart becomes like

a river of pure water, running swiftly to fertilize the fields. Happy is he who

hath one desire, if that one desire be set on Christ, though it may not yet have

been realized. If Jesus be a soul’s desire, it is a blessed sign of divine work

within. Such a man will never be content with mere ordinances. He will say, “I

want Christ; I must have him–mere ordinances are of no use to me; I want

himself; do not offer me these; you offer me the empty pitcher, while I am dying

of thirst; give me water, or I die. Jesus is my soul’s desire. I would see

Jesus!”

Is this thy condition, my reader, at this moment? Hast thou but one desire, and

is that after Christ? Then thou art not far from the kingdom of heaven. Hast

thou but one wish in thy heart, and that one wish that thou mayst be washed from

all thy sins in Jesus’ blood? Canst thou really say, “I would give all I have to

be a Christian; I would give up everything I have and hope for, if I might but

feel that I have an interest in Christ?” Then, despite all thy fears, be of good

cheer, the Lord loveth thee, and thou shalt come out into daylight soon, and

rejoice in the liberty wherewith Christ makes men free.