The Conquering Lamb

Introduction

When Jesus made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem “the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” All throughout the 3 1/2 year ministry of Jesus this was the question everyone wanted to know.

Is he a crazy preacher claiming to be God?

Is he a demon casting out demons?

Is he a good man helping people?

Is he a prophet sent from God?

Is he the spirit of Elijah or Jeremiah?

Is he the Messiah?

Is he the Savior and Redeemer?

Is he the the Son of God?

Is he the resurrected Christ?

Is he the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords?

The way you answer this question will determine the course of the rest of your life.

So I ask you, “Who is this Jesus?”

Today we are here to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. I’m sure there are some that believe and some that question, but how you believe matters to your life and eternity.

What I think about Jesus and who he is doesn’t only stem from the resurrection. If Jesus was only a man then everything would rest on the resurrection. But when you are fully convinced through scriptural truth and true science that Jesus is God in the flesh, the resurrection is one more proof of his deity.

Colossians 1:15–17 ESV

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

This morning I want to take you on a little trip through the Bible looking at Jesus as the Lamb of God. It sounds sweet enough until you understand the use of a lamb.

The Coming Lamb

In the ancient world and to the ancient gods of worship, people would sacrifice their children on their altars. So when God came to Abraham and asked him to sacrifice his son Issac it was not a far fetched request. The request didn’t make any since knowing the plans God had for Issac, but He is the Lord and Abraham was going to obey. Up to this point God had required lambs for sacrifice.

A Lamb of Sacrifice

The Chosen Seed

Genesis 22:6–8 ESV

6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. 7 And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.

The Faith to Believe

Genesis 22:11–12 ESV

11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”

The Power of Resurrection

Hebrews 11:19 ESV

19 He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.

The Chosen Place

Genesis 22:14 KJV

14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.

Jehovahjireh: “The Lord will Provide” or “The Lord sees”

The place is Mt. Moriah.

The temple Mt. in Jerusalem

The Place Christ would Crucified

Transition:

So now we have the illustration of an only begotten son as a substitute sacrifice in a place called Mt. Moriah.

The Chosen Lamb

In the book of Exodus we see God bringing judgement on the gods of Egypt and the people who worshipped those gods with 10 plagues each representing one of the gods they served. But the last plague was different. God demanded a blood sacrifice for the sins of the people. To the Egyptians He required the first born of every house and animal. To the hebrews he required a lamb as a substitute.

A sacrificial lamb is chosen.

Exodus 12:5–6 ESV

5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats, 6 and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs at twilight.

The blood of the Lamb foreshadowed the cross.

Exodus 12:7 ESV

7 “Then they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it.

The Passover is established

Exodus 12:11 (ESV)

11 ... It is the Lord’s Passover.

The blood of the Lamb brings salvation to the house.

Exodus 12:12–13 ESV

12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord. 13 The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.

The Passover is a statue forever.

Exodus 12:14 ESV

14 “This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast.

Transition

So now we have an only begotten son as a substitutional sacrifice on Mt. Moriah at the time of Passover.

The Crucified Lamb

At God’s appointed time, He causes a virgin girl named Mary to bare a male child that is not tainted with the blood of Adam. He is God’s only begotten Son. The substitutional sacrifice for all humanity. The Lamb of God.

John 1:29 ESV

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

The Blood of the Lamb without blemish or spot.

1 Peter 1:18–19 ESV

18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.

The Blood of the Lamb secures our salvation.

Hebrews 9:12–14 ESV

12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

Transition

So now we have the only begotten Son as a substitutional sacrifice at the time of Passover with His blood applied on the mercy seat of God in Heaven that secures our eternal salvation. The story so far includes the birth, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus, but yet the story is not over.

the Conquering Lamb

We live in a time in which the gods of this world have returned to rule and reign over us. Our nation sacrifices our children on the alter of convenience and worships the sexual gods of old through our pornography and promiscuity. But the Lamb of God is not dead and gone.

Just as Issac walked down off that mountain with his father, and just like Jesus rose from the tomb and ascended to the Father, so the Lamb now sits on the throne as the conquering Lamb over all other gods.

The roaring Lamb

Revelation 5:1–5 ESV

1 Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” 3 And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, 4 and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. 5 And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

The resurrected Lamb

Revelation 5:6–10 ESV

6 And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. 8 And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, 10 and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”

The worshipped Lamb

Revelation 5:11–13 ESV

11 Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” 13 And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”

This is the Coming Lamb

This is the Chosen Lamb

This is the Crucified Lamb

This is the Conquering Lamb

John 3:16 ESV

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.