The Blood of Jesus
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Hebrews 7:23-28
23. The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office; 24. but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues for ever. 25. Consequently he is able for all time to save those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. 26. For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, blameless, unstained, separated from sinners, exalted above the heavens. 27. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people; he did this once for all when he offered up himself. 28. Indeed, the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect for ever.
This Sunday our pastor told us part of the following story. We also heard the voice of the homeless man from a CD that has recently been released. It was both haunting and humbling. I have heard it echoing in my head all week. As I could not arrive at a scripture this morning, I realized this is probably what I am to share with you.
I have quoted parts a sermon given by another pastor that has been posted on-line. “This is the story of the impact of the faith of one nameless, homeless street person over 25 years after his death. Tapes of this homeless man have been played in homeless shelters all across America. Most of us wouldn't know that because we aren't in shelters very often, are we?
Back in 1971, Gavin Bryars, one of England's leading musicians and composers, agreed to help his friend Alan Powers with the sound on a film that Powers was making about street people. Alan Powers was filming in an area around London's Waterloo Station. He filmed various people living on the streets. He caught their daily rituals, trials and joys on film. Some of the homeless people were obviously drunk, some were mentally disturbed, some were very articulate, and some were incomprehensible.
Back in the studio, Gavin Bryars went through editing the audio and video footage. That's when he became aware of a constant undercurrent, a repeating sound that was always there on the audio tape whenever one older man appeared on camera. But he couldn't tell what the sound was. At first it sounded like muttered gibberish. So Bryars removed the background street noise and cleaned up the audio tape. Then he discovered that the old homeless man was singing.
What distinguished this old man from other street people was his song. The song he sang under his breath was a simple, repetitive Sunday-school tune. He would sit and quietly sing it, hour after hour after hour. He would sing:
Jesus' blood never failed me yet, Never failed me yet
Jesus' blood never failed me yet,
There's one thing I know, For he loves me so...
It was like an endless loop. The song's final line fed into its first line, starting the tune over and over again without ceasing. The man's weak, old, untrained voice never wavered from pitch, never went flat, never changed key. The simple intervals of the tune were perfectly maintained for however long he sang.”
My prayer today is that you go out into the world walking in this old man’s simple faith. And that power of the blood of Jesus sustains you in your walk.
Mary
