The Sanguine Blood Of Jesus
In preparing a sermon for Palm Sunday, I discovered that I didn't understand the correct meaning of the word sanguine. I had heard it many times but thought it meant sad or melancholy. However, as I did some research, I found I was quite mistaken. The word first and foremost is a color, "blood red." Further, it means to be optimistic or positive, especially in an apparently bad or difficult situation. Other synonyms include bullish, hopeful, positive, disposed to look on the bright side, confident, cheerful, cheery, bright.
We need to "resurrect" this word. The blood of Jesus covers a multitude of sins. His sanguine blood gives us every reason in the world to be sanguine. To be sanguine about our salvation, to be sanguine about our eternity, to be sanguine about our life. We, of all people, should be able to look on the bright side of life, being confident and cheerful because of the sanguine blood of Jesus.
"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin" (1 John 1:7).
"In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness" (Hebrews 9:22).
Jesus' Blood Was Shed For Me
In my lifetime, I have never owned a Rolex or a yacht. I have never known anyone who did. In my lifetime I have never, nor will I ever slam dunk a basketball because I am too short. I will never know the joy of riding the Derby-winning filly because I am too big to be a jockey. I will never pastor a mega church because there are simply things in this life that are not for me.
These things never were and never will be for me.
But there is, however, something that was meant for me and it's greater than all of the things that are not; the blood of Jesus. When his body was broken and His blood was spilled, it was for me and it was for you.
"And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, 'This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.'" (Luke 22:19).
"Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?" (1 Corinthians 10:16).
Can't Improve On Jesus
Zoe Kleinman with the BBC writes:
An "intelligent" toilet that opens when you approach it and self-cleans with every flush is on display at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
... Despite a $9,800 (£6,704) price tag, more than 40 million earlier versions of the Neorest toilets have been sold.
Bathroom firm Toto said the new prototype was still in development.
Its self-cleaning process uses a combination of a disinfectant and a glaze - made out of zirconium and titanium dioxide - which coats the bowl.
"Once it flushes it sprays the interior of the bowl with electrolysed water," explained Toto spokeswoman Lenora Campos.
She said the "proprietary process" essentially turns the water into a weak bleach.
"This bleaches the interior, killing anything in the bowl," said Ms Campos.
Meanwhile an ultraviolet light in the lid charges the surface.
That makes it super-hydrophilic - or water-loving, so nothing can stick to it - and also photocatalytic, enabling oxygen ions to break down bacteria and viruses.
"You don't have to clean the toilet bowl for over a year," said Ms Campos.
Although we are constantly coming up with new and improved versions of virtually everything, even toilets, no one has been able to develop a new and improved Savior! It’s not as though it hasn’t been tried, but how do you improve on a Savior who is God? How do you improve on a salvation that promises God’s righteousness in exchange for your sinfulness? How can anyone improve on the sacrificial and unconditional love of Christ?
Electrolysed water can’t compare to the waters of his baptism. Ultraviolet light can’t match the purifying brilliance of his glory. Oxygen ions and titanium dioxide can’t cleanse us from the contaminates of sin like the blood of Jesus. He is the only Savior who can take our sins away, not once a year, but once and for all time.
"For God's will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time" (Hebrews 10:10, NLT).