God's Lamb

Introduction

What Madmen Will Do: The rope dangled in the breeze. It hung from the limb of a giant oak tree. A curious crowd enveloped the country store. The people had come, not to barter nor to buy, but to witness a heinous crime. A black man, accused of murdering a storekeeper, had been apprehended and hanged. His lifeless body lay in the store of that small Virginia community.

· As a father and son drove home, the father said, “Son, today you have seen what madmen will do. The first murder was bad enough without adding another. I hope you will never be party to any such thing.”

However horrible this tragedy, it is not to be compared with what happened on a hill outside Jerusalem. There, not an alleged criminal, but the Christ; not an accused murderer, but the Lamb of God was slain.

Textual Idea: The Last Supper of Jesus clarified to the disciples Jesus’ role as God’s Lamb.

Sermon Idea: Jesus is God’s Lamb.

Interrogative: What is God’s Lamb?

Transition: I want to show you from a cursory look at the Bible, that Jesus Christ is God’s Lamb.

Background Information

“Lamb” – 193 times in 184 verses

Virtually every use in the NT is figurative (33 of 36 refer to Christ)…all based on OT imagery

The Lamb of the Passover

A Personal Sacrifice

Each family had to do this…not simply a corporate act for community

Each lamb died as a substitute for the first born male son…very personal!

A Perfect Sacrifice

The lamb had to be unblemished, spotless, blameless / Not just the best you had, but the best AVAILABLE

A Prepared Sacrifice

The lamb was kept from others for 4 days, this allowed time to assure the lamb was proper for the sacrifice.

Jesus was not Plan B…he was the planned and prepared sacrifice, set apart for us

Revelation 13:8 NASB95

All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.

A Painful Sacrifice

The lamb lost everything, complete and totally dead…the throat was slit, it bled to death, the flesh was then roasted to protect and maintain the integrity of the sacrifice. It took the ENTIRE LAMB to equal the sacrifice.

The Lamb of the Bible

Genesis 3:8-21

God walking in the garden…Adam hiding (sin causes separation from God)

Adam and Eve sinned…then something had to die

Hebrews 9:22 NASB95

And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

Genesis 22:2-14

Abraham and Isaac

God will provide a lamb

God offered a different sacrifice instead of Isaac, a lamb

Exodus 12:1-13

Moses and the Passover

Passover event – lamb killed, blood covered the door post = the pass over

Isaiah 53:7

Prophetic text about Jesus and the crucifixion

John 1:29

“Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world.”

Luke 22:7

Jesus sends his disciples out to prepare for the Passover meal…but also in preparation for what we call the “Last Supper” as He prepares for going to the cross as the “Lamb of God.”

Luke 22:19-20

Jesus compares his body and blood to that of the broken lamb…broken for YOU!!!

Acts 8:32

Phillip preaching to the Ethiopian eunuch (Isa. 53:7)

1 Peter 1:19

Our forgiveness is through the blood of the lamb, spotless and blameless which is Christ

The Lamb of Heaven

Revelation 5:1-13

Worthy is the Lamb

The only One worthy to open the 7 seals

Revelation 17:14

Satan’s doom in chapter 16…will be overcome by the Lamb

VIDEO: Worthy is the Lamb (Beware of bloodiness…but this is the reality of what Jesus did for us)

The Lamb of the Last Supper

1 Corinthians 11:28

Luke 22:7-20

The Bread

The Cup

Applications

What is something new that you learned today about “lamb” in the Bible?

Jesus Christ is God’s Lamb that saved you from eternal death. How does knowing that truth make you want to respond to Him

Paul told the Corinthians, “A man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup” (1 Cor. 11:28). As we prepare to receive the Lord’s Supper this morning, what areas of your life need examining? Do that now as we prepare.

Conclusion

On a little church in Germany stands a stone lamb which has an interesting history: When some workmen were building the roof, one workman fell to the ground. His companions hastened down expecting to see him killed. But he was unhurt. A lamb was grazing below when he fell on it, crushing the lamb. He was so grateful that he made an image of the lamb in stone and placed it on the building as memorial.

Appeal

o Jesus Christ is God’s Lamb that saved you from the eternal death as you fell in sin.

o The Lamb has been slain for the payment of our sin.

o Having heard what the Lamb did for you…are you willing to accept His Provision for your sin?