The year was 1987. I was at my home church, Trinity Chapel, on Sunday morning and we were observing Communion. The Communion trays were being handed out as I sat on the pew next to my friend Ronnie Crites. It was a somber and solemn moment as we reflected on the death of our Savior and the blood that he spilled for us as a sacrifice. Soft worship music was being played. The juice tray was handed to me and I took out my cup as I handed the tray to Ronnie. He grabbed his cup and then grabbed the tray. Somehow during the exchange of hands Ronnie accidentally spilled his cup of grape juice on me. The stain quickly sank in to my khaki pants. For just a second there was complete silence as we both looked down at the spreading stain. Ronnie’s eyes got big as he looked up at me as if to say, “Oh man, I’m so sorry!” Then I looked at him and said, “That’s the blood of Jesus spilled for you and me!” And then it happened… that wonderful revelation of what Jesus did when he spilled his blood became REAL to us, and in a split second we both started crying… no, crying is not the right word… we sobbed! The reality of what Christ did for us was made plain as we looked at that stain on my pants… that awful, ugly, BEAUTIFUL stain.
The stain on my pants was just an accident… the stain on the cross was very much on purpose. The stain on my pants was a minor inconvenience… the stain on the cross cost Jesus His life. The stain on my pants was temporary and would soon be washed away… the stain on the cross was permanent and will never lose it’s power to wash away the sins of even the vilest sinner. “What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus!” Yes, the spill and the resulting stain that appeared that Sunday morning was an accident… a wonderful, revelation-filled accident that I will forever remember… then again, maybe it wasn’t an accident at all.
1 Peter 1:18-19
Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold,… But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot”
