You’ve been working outside in the sun on a hot July day. You are covered in sweat and grime from heat. You plan to go out later with your spouse to a nice restaurant. So you go inside, put on your good clothes, and head out.

What? No shower? Nobody would just change clothes without first washing off the dirt and sweat. When you are hot and dirty, nothing feels better than a shower.

In a similar sense, every single accountable person reeks of sin. Because the smell is so prevalent in the world, many do not realize their need for cleansing. Others may try to cover up the odor of their sin by putting on the clothes of their own works. But the Bible tells us of a way to truly be clean.

1. There is a fountain filled with blood
Drawn from Immanuel’s veins;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood
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.

2. The dying thief rejoiced to see
That fountain in his day;
And there may I, though vile as he,
Wash all my sins away.
Wash all my sins away,
Wash all my sins away;
And there may I, though vile as he,
Wash all my sins away.

3. Dear dying Lamb, thy precious blood
Shall never lose its power
Till all the ransomed church of God
Be saved, to sin no more.
Be saved, to sin no more,
Be saved, to sin no more;
Till all the ransomed church of God
Be saved, to sin no more.

4. E’er since, by faith, I saw the stream
Thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme,
And shall be till I die.
And shall be till I die,
And shall be till I die;
Redeeming love has been my theme,
And shall be till I die.

5. When this poor lisping, stammering tongue

Lies silent in the grave,

Then in nobler, sweeter song,
I’ll sing Thy power to save:
I’ll sing Thy power to save,
I’ll sing Thy power to save;
Then in nobler, sweeter song,
I’ll sing Thy power to save.

The Song

Verse one:  The Fountain is not filled with clean water, but the blood of Immanuel – the blood of Jesus shed on the cross. Only by entering the Most Holy Place by His own blood could He provide redemption for the world.

Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. Hebrews 9:12

·  Blood that saves was seen when the Isrealites rubbed lamb’s blood on their doorways so their firstborn would be saved. Blood that removed guilt and sin was seen in the sacrificial offerings of bulls, goats, sheep, and birds during the Mosaical period. All of these pointed to the sacrifice of the Lamb of God.

v  But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)

v  who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. (1 Peter 2:24)

Verse two:  “The dying thief”—Remember me when you come into your kingdom.

 Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” (Luke 23:42)

“Vile as he” —There is blood on our hands because our sins put Jesus on the cross. It’s Christ’s shed blood that can wash away our sins away.

Verse 3:  “Power in the blood”—Time has not diminished the power, the cleansing power, of Jesus’ blood.

¹⁸ knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, ¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. (1 Peter 1:18-19)

We are told by the apostle Paul that Christ “gave Himself a ransom for all.”

 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time, (1 Timothy 2:6)

One day we, the church, will be presented without spot or blemish.

 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. (Ephesians 5:27)

Verse 4:  “Redeeming love”—We are once again reminded of the cost to our savior of our sins. He was “wounded for our transgressions.”

But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)

As Christians, we must continue to have His redeeming love as our theme as we call others to Him.

Our Text:  In that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness. (Zechariah 13:1)

·  “in that day”—Christian age, Gospel age. Jesus came as a descendant of David to the Jewish people and was crucified there outside the “city” of Jerusalem. He opened that fountain so that all, Jew and Gentile, could be washed clean of sin and impurity.

We need to realize that we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23)

Don’t assume that just because you go to church, you don’t need the blood of Christ! You do!

·  This fountain is only available due to God’s grace. Our sins are offensive to God. If we are to be cleansed, it can come through God’s undeserved favor.

 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)

·  This fountain is inexhaustible. Regardless of what sin you may have committed, this fountain cleansed the sins of David who was an adulterer and a murderer. The apostle Paul was a blasphemer and a persecutor, but he was able to say this:

And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 1:14)

·  But you must come to the fountain yourself. You can’t send someone to do it for you. You must make up your mind and prepare by placing your faith in the Son of God, repenting of your past sins, and confessing His name. Then when you are buried in the waters of baptism, Christ’s blood washes all those sins away.

 And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’ (Acts 22:16)

·  But you must take frequent showers to wash off the defilement of sins you commit after baptism.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)