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REVIVAL AND THE BLOOD OF CHRIST

(SERMON NUMBER 23 ON REVIVAL)

by Dr. R. L. Hymers, Jr.

A sermon preached at the Baptist Tabernacle of Los Angeles
Lord's Day Morning, October 18, 2015

“In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:14).


Anyone who has read the history of revivals knows that there is no revival in the Western world today. We talk about revival – or at least we used to talk about it. We know that there have been great revivals in the past. And those who have studied the subject know there is no revival today. But very few ask why there is no revival.

Last Sunday I told you that one reason for no revival is the terrible condition of preaching in our time. The preaching is boring. It’s as simple as that. Preachers drone on and on and the people are hardly listening. If you ask 50 people what the sermon was about right after the service, I doubt that ten of them could tell you much of anything. They have gotten used to drifting off half asleep while the minister mumbles on and on. One of the reasons preaching is so ineffective today is that preachers try to teach people to live the Christian life who have never been born again, never saved, never converted. That goes on in most of our Baptist and evangelical churches, every Sunday. Let a man stand up in a pulpit and shout, “You are lost! You must come to Christ! You are in danger of Hell!” What would happen? Why, the people would huddle together after the service and actually talk about the sermon! If you asked 50 of them what he preached, every one of them would be able to tell you! Many of them would be angry, though. They would want to go back to their hazy, half-sleep – the kind of drugged feeling, that they had before! They would rather be drugged to sleep by verse-by-verse so-called expository preaching. That is the first reason we have no revival. And that is the first reason we are not going to have a revival in our modern churches.

But there is a second reason. Preachers speak on the wrong subjects. For instance, many of them talk about prosperity theology. “Just do this or that and you will be prosperous, and make a lot of money.” People listen to that junk all the time. They don’t seem to ever realize that they don’t actually make more money! All that preaching is a total waste of time. Don’t they ever read the Bible? Don’t they know that the Bible says, “The love of money is the root of all evil”? (I Timothy 6:10). Others teach “name it and claim it” – as though naming it and claiming it is real prayer and real faith! Don’t they know that the Bible says, “Ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts”? (James 4:3). I recently saw a big Joel Osteen meeting in San Francisco where seven or eight preachers “prophesied” great blessings on that wicked city! Don’t they know that the Bible says, “When they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them...and they shall not escape”? (I Thessalonians 5:3). Then there are those that teach the Bible verse by verse for years without it having any effect on their hearers. Don’t they know that the Bible says they are “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth”? (II Timothy 3:7).

I wonder when we are going to have preachers who speak like Jesus Christ, who said, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned” (Mark 16:16). There will never be a true revival until we preach sermons on Hell to those who are religious but lost. And there will never be a true outpouring of the Spirit of God until there are sermons on the broken body and shed Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ! Christ’s Blood, shed on the Cross must be the main subject of our preaching – or we will never, ever see young people come into our churches and be transformed by the power of God! The Blood of Christ is the very heart of the true Gospel – and any man who never preaches on Christ’s Blood is a false prophet and an unfaithful servant! There is a TV preacher who preaches on the so-called “blood moons.” He has written books on the “blood moons.” He has given one sermon after the other on the “blood moons.” What are they? Nothing more than a natural occurrence – an occurrence of nature. I cannot imagine wasting a sermon on “blood moons.” I must preach my sermons on the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ – shed for the remission of sins!

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones said, “There are Christian preachers who think they are clever in pouring ridicule upon this theology of blood. They dismiss it with scorn...And that is why the Church is as she is [today]. But in periods of revival, she glories in the cross, and makes her boast in the blood...the very nerve, the centre, the heart, of the Christian gospel is this, ‘Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood’ (Romans 3:25). ‘That he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus’ (Romans 3:26). ‘In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins’ (Ephesians 1:7)... That is the thing in which [the Apostle Paul] makes his boast and his glory. He says to the Corinthians, ‘I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified’ (I Corinthians 2:2)...I see no hope for revival while men and women are denying [or neglecting] the blood of the Cross” (Martyn Lloyd-Jones, M.D., Revival, Crossway Books, 1994 edition, pp. 48, 49).

“In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:14).

Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Are you washed in the blood,
In the soul-cleansing blood of the Lamb?
Are your garments spotless? Are they white as snow?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
   (“Are You Washed in the Blood?” by Elisha A. Hoffman, 1839-1929).

“In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:14).

Here are three reasons why Christ’s Blood is all-important.

I. First, the Blood of Jesus is the propitiation for your sin.

“Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood” (Romans 3:25).

The word “propitiation” is from the Greek word “hilasterion.” It means that Christ Himself bore the judgment of God on the Cross. He is our substitute. He is the atoning victim. When we put our faith in His Blood we will not be punished for our sins. Christ bore our punishment, in our place. We no longer have to fear that we will be punished by God for our sins. Christ was “set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood.”

“It pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin” (Isaiah 53:10).

When you put your faith in the Blood of Christ, His suffering on the Cross absorbs the wrath of God, and you will never be punished for your sin.

II. Second, the Blood of Jesus brings you peace with God.

The Apostle Paul said that Christ “made peace through the blood of his cross” (Colossians 1:20).

All Thy people are forgiven,
   Through the virtue of Thy blood;
Opened is the gate of heaven,
   Peace is made ‘twixt man and God.
(“Hail, Thou Once-Despised Jesus” by John Bakewell, 1721-1819).

Dr. Andrew Murray said, “Open your heart to the message that the blood can deliver you, yes, even you, at this moment. Only believe it...If you come as a guilty, lost sinner, longing for pardon...the blood which has already made a perfect atonement covers your sin and restores you immediately to the favor and love of God” (Andrew Murray, D.D., The Power of the Blood of Jesus, CLC Publications, 2003 edition, p. 44).

III. Third, the Blood of Jesus gives you power over Satan.

The Book of Revelation tells us that “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb” (Revelation 12:11). I have been a Christian for more than half a century. There have been times when I thought I was finished, completely overcome by Satan. But every time I have recovered. But not by my own power! No, no! It was always by the Blood of Jesus. Sometimes, without even realizing it in my mind, I “overcame him by the blood of the Lamb” – and so will you. Put your faith in the Blood of Jesus and you will never be lost again. You will be saved for all time and all eternity by the power of the Blood of Jesus! Praise His Holy Name!

There is power, power, wonder-working power
In the precious blood of the Lamb!
   (“There is Power in the Blood” by Lewis E. Jones, 1865-1936).

Yes, the Blood of Jesus will propitiate the wrath of God. Yes, the Blood of Jesus will give you peace with God. Yes, the Blood of Jesus will give you overcoming power, “In whom we have redemption through his blood” (Colossians 1:14).

Now listen to the words of two people in our church who have been saved by faith in the Blood of Jesus.

An Hispanic woman had gone to another Baptist church. Right away they asked her if she wanted to be baptized. She said, “yes.” They did not tell her about Jesus, and His Blood atonement for her sins. They baptized her even though she was still unsaved. She said, “I continued with my life as always, living for myself.” Later her daughter brought her to our church. She said she “thought [we] would ask her to come to all the services, and I didn’t want to because I thought that would take my time from me. I was selfish, thinking God would take away a lot of my time. But God...began to show me in my heart that I was only living for myself...God in His great mercy began to show me that if I died at any moment I would be judged for having rejected Jesus, and for all my sins. This made me worry and I had fear”... [Dr. A. W. Tozer said, “No one can know the grace of God who has not known the fear of God.”]. She went to the inquiry room under conviction of sin. Dr. Cagan asked her where Jesus is. She said He was in her heart. Dr. Cagan told her Jesus was in Heaven at the right hand of the Father. She said, “It was then that I came to Jesus to cleanse all my dirty sins in His precious Blood that was shed for me...Today I am happy. Jesus shed His precious Blood on the Cross so I could be saved...Jesus paid for all my sins with His divine Blood...Today I am happy to do the work of evangelism...to bring young people [to church] so they might also listen to our pastor. I feel happy when [Dr. Hymers] speaks to the young people about the Blood of Jesus...I have [a] pastor who cares greatly for souls and speaks to them of Jesus...Jesus shed His precious Blood on the Cross so that I could be saved...My beautiful Saviour Jesus!”

A Chinese college student said, “I walked into church and my heart was heavy. God had awakened me to feel I was a sinner...Although everyone around me was cheerful...I could no longer deceive [myself] that I was O.K. and a good person. I was not O.K. and there was no goodness in me. As I sat listening to the sermon [Dr. Hymers preached] I felt as if the pastor was speaking directly to me...Although I thought I could hide my sins from people, I could not hide them from God...I felt like Adam, trying to hide from God...

Then, as the sermon was nearing the end, I heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the first time [although she had come to our church for quite a while]. Christ died on the Cross, in my place, to pay for my sins...His Blood was shed for sinners. His Blood was shed for me! I desperately needed Christ. Rather than search for goodness in myself, by God’s grace my eyes were lifted away from me. I looked toward Christ for the first time, and in that moment He saved me! Christ did not turn me away, as I had done to Him for so long, but He received me, and washed me in His Blood...His Blood covered me and washed away all my sins. Christ clothed me in His Blood. He clothed me in His righteousness. His Blood washed my vile heart and made it new...My faith and assurance is in Christ alone. Now I understand what John Newton meant [when he said] ‘Amazing grace! How sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found; was blind, but now I see.’...I was a sinner, and Jesus Christ saved me...He received me and washed me in His Blood.”

Don’t people get tired of me preaching on the Cross of Jesus, and the Blood of Jesus? No, they do not! Not unless they have pastors who baptize lost people – like the preacher in Arleta, California who baptized Lidia Estrada, without making sure she trusted Jesus. Does he even know how to make sure? I doubt it! Away with such false prophets from the face of the earth!

As for me, I will preach on the Blood of Jesus Christ ‘till this poor lisping stammering tongue lies silent in the grave, then in a nobler, sweeter song I’ll sing Thy power to save. There is a fountain filled with blood, shed from the Saviour’s veins; and sinners plunged beneath that blood lose all their guilty stains!

Lose all their guilty stains, lose all their guilty stains;
And sinners, plunged beneath that flood, lose all their guilty stains.
   (“There Is a Fountain” by William Cowper, 1731-1800).

“In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:14).

Dr. Chan, please lead us in prayer. Amen.

If this sermon blessed you Dr. Hymers would like to hear from you. WHEN YOU WRITE TO DR. HYMERS YOU MUST TELL HIM WHAT COUNTRY YOU ARE WRITING FROM OR HE CANNOT ANSWER YOUR E-MAIL. If these sermons bless you send an e-mail to Dr. Hymers and tell him, but always include what country you are writing from. Dr. Hymers’ e-mail is at rlhymersjr@sbcglobal.net (click here). You can write to Dr. Hymers in any language, but write in English if you can. If you want to write to Dr. Hymers by postal mail, his address is P.O. Box 15308, Los Angeles, CA 90015. You may telephone him at (818)352-0452.

(END OF SERMON)
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These sermon manuscripts are not copyrighted. You may use them without Dr. Hymers’
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Scripture Read Before the Sermon by Mr. Abel Prudhomme: Colossians 1:14-20.
Solo Before the Sermon by Mr. Benjamin Kincaid Griffith:
      “Saved by the Blood of the Crucified One” (by S. J. Henderson, 19th century).


THE OUTLINE OF

REVIVAL AND THE BLOOD OF CHRIST

(SERMON NUMBER 23 ON REVIVAL)

by Dr. R. L. Hymers, Jr.

“In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:14).

(I Timothy 6:10; James 4:3; I Thessalonians 5:3;
II Timothy 3:7; Mark 16:16; Romans 3:25, 26;
Ephesians 1:7; I Corinthians 2:2)

I.   First, the Blood of Jesus is the propitiation for your sin,
Romans 3:25; Isaiah 53:10.

II.  Second, the Blood of Jesus brings you peace with God,
Colossians 1:20.

III. Third, the Blood of Jesus gives you power over Satan,
Revelation 12:11.