The Lamb Is the Focus

In preparing for this service, I looked up several resources, including Robert J. Morgan’s Nelson’s Annual Preacher’s Sourcebook. I have used them before for ideas and encouragement. Today’s message has its origin in the 2002 edition of that source. I found it enlightening, encouraging, enthralling, and challenging.

Our own statement of faith, The 2000 Baptist Faith & Message, Article I, last sentence reads, “All Scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is the focus of divine revelation.”

Think about this for a moment – the Bible, 66 books written by 40 authors over 1,500 years in three languages, fits together as one book. The Bible from Genesis to Revelation revolves around one theme and one person – Jesus. And in Jesus there is the ‘scarlet thread of redemption,’ which we will see in today’s message, with an emphasis on the statement John the Baptist made that is recorded in

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

(Personal translation, “The next day, he sees Jesus coming to him and he says, “Pay attention! The lamb of the true God, the one who is taking away the sins of the world!”)

INTEGRATING THOUGHTS

1. The Lamb Is Necessary— and .

When God first placed Adam and Eve in the Garden they were so innocent and pure that even clothing was unnecessary.

They were naked and not ashamed.

When they sinned against God, they became self-conscious.

Their thoughts flew to lust, and

they became aware that the children they bore through their sexual union would be infected with a sinful nature.

And so they made for themselves garments of fig leaves.

But by their own efforts, they could never cover up or wash away the guilt and shame that they felt.

And so the Lord killed an innocent animal and made garments for them from the skin of that animal.

Arthur Pink, in his book on Genesis, says that this is the first gospel sermon, preached by God, not in words but in symbol and action. From this one simple verse, we can learn four things about salvation:

(1) It is of God alone. We can never cover our guilt by our own efforts;

(2) it is accomplished by the death of an innocent substitute;

(3) it is accomplished by the shedding of blood (); and

(4) it is accomplished by the slaying of a spotless lamb. We aren’t told in that the animal slain was a lamb, but the follow-up story regarding Abel’s sacrifice in chapter 4 implies it.

2. The Lamb Is Provided—, , .

God demanded that Abraham offer Isaac as a sacrifice on Mt. Moriah, the Mountain of the Lord. This mountain is later identified in Scripture as Mt. Zion (). There Abraham was told that God alone would provide salvation on that mountain, that He would provide the Lamb.

3. The Lamb Is Slain—, .

The story of the Passover Lamb and the immortal words of verse 13 (“When I see the blood, I will pass over you”), is one of Scriptures most powerful “types of Christ.”

4. The Lamb Must Be Perfect—.

Without spot or blemish.

5. The Lamb Is Identified as a Suffering Savior—.

“He was led as a lamb to the slaughter” (v. 7).

6. The Lamb Is Jesus!—.

Notice John’s dramatic way of introducing the Messiah. He doesn’t say, “Behold the King of kings and Lord of lords.” He says, “Behold The Lamb. . . .”

7. The Lamb Is to Be Proclaimed to the Nations—.

In one of the first missionary stories in church history, Philip used to tell the official from Ethiopia about the Lamb of God.

8. The Lamb Is to Be Trusted for Salvation—.

9. The Lamb Is to Be Worshiped—.

We see the biblical song of the Lamb reach a crescendo in the Book of Revelation, with the angels of God gathered around the Lamb in rapturous worship.

Conclusion: Last of all, the Bible ends with a warning about the Lamb’s Book of Life (). The Lamb is keeping a book, and in it are the names of all those who come to God by faith in Him. There is no other way. This is the crimson thread that progressively unrolls throughout Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation, pulling all the books together around one master theme: God loves us, we disobeyed Him, and He redeemed us through the blood of the Lamb.

Will you come to the Lamb of God and

Trust the Lamb for Salvation ()?

Worship the Lamb?

Proclaim the Lamb to your neighbors?