Jesus as a lamb

The meaning of sacrifice

The word "sacrifice" comes from the Latin sacrificium, which combines the concepts of sacred and sacrificial. A sacrifice is an offering to God or a deity in which an animal or person is offered up to be killed.

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

The New King James Version (Ro 6:23). (1982). Thomas Nelson.

"And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission."

The New King James Version (Heb 9:22). (1982). Thomas Nelson.

The concept of sacrifice is found throughout the Bible. In the Old Testament, animal sacrifice was a common practice among the Israelites. The most common sacrificial animals were bulls, sheep, and goats. The animal was typically killed and its blood was offered up to God to cover up the sin that they have done. But no animal could wash the sin away but only cover it. Only the blood of Jesus could wash away the sin completely. In the New Testament, Christ is referred to as the "Lamb of God" who was sacrificed for the sins of humanity. Christ's sacrifice is seen as the ultimate act of respect and submission to God. His death on the cross is seen as the ultimate act of love and obedience.

“Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again.

18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”

The New King James Version (Jn 10:17–18). (1982). Thomas Nelson.

"Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends."

The New King James Version (Jn 15:13). (1982). Thomas Nelson.

The history of sacrifice

The history of sacrifice is a long and varied one, but it ultimately boils down to one thing: the offering of something precious in order to gain or maintain favor with the divine God.

One early example of sacrifice in the Bible comes when God commanded Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac. Though Abraham was willing to do so, ultimately God provided a lamb to sacrifice in Isaac's stead.

From there, the practice of sacrifice only became more common, with lambs, goats, and other animals being offered up to God on a regular basis.

The most famous instance of sacrifice in the Bible, of course, is the story of the Passover Lamb. In order to spare their firstborn sons from death, the Israelites were instructed to sacrifice a lamb and smear its blood on their doorposts.

And finally, the ultimate sacrifice was made when Jesus Christ died on the cross. By giving up his life, he sacrificed himself for our sins, and in doing so, he opened the way for us to have a relationship with God.

The history of sacrifice is a long and varied one, but it ultimately boils down to one thing: the offering of something precious in order to gain or maintain favor with God. Though the practice of sacrifice has changed over time, its purpose remains the same: to cover up the sin of mankind. Because the wages of sin is death. An animal had to die for a person's sin to be covered by the blood that was spilt.

The Lamb of God

What is the Lamb of God?

The most famous instance of the Lamb of God is, of course, the story of the Passover Lamb. In order to spare their firstborn sons from death, the Israelites were instructed to sacrifice a lamb and smear its blood on their doorposts. Then the death angel would spare those with the smeared doorposts from death.

Jesus was described by John the baptist as the lamb of God.

"The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"

The New King James Version (Jn 1:29). (1982). Thomas Nelson.

And finally, the ultimate sacrifice was made when Jesus Christ died on the cross. By giving up his life, he sacrificed himself for our sins, and in doing so, he opened the way for us to have a relationship with God.

The Lamb of God is a powerful symbol of sacrifice, and its story is one that reminds us of the great price that was paid for our salvation.

The sacrifice of Christ

The ultimate sacrifice was made by Jesus Christ when he died on the cross. He gave up his life for our sins so that we might have eternal life. This is the ultimate act of love. He was the perfect sacrifice, without blemish or spot. He died in our place so that we could be forgiven and have eternal life. This is the Good News of the Gospel.

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

The New King James Version (Ac 22:16). (1982). Thomas Nelson.