Where is the Lamb?
Notes
Transcript
This morning’s Scripture lesson is taken from Genesis 22:1-7:
After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” 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. 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?”
In the last verse of this reading, we find one of, if not the most, important questions of life: “Where is the lamb?” It is probably not a question you have asked yourself in exactly those words, but rest assured you have asked yourself this question. You see, we all need a lamb.
We Need a Lamb
We Need a Lamb
In the context of this passage, a lamb is the necessary sacrifice for sin. Sin carries with it a penalty—the penalty of death and each and every one of us is a sinner.
The Apostle Paul writes, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) and that “the wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23)
On the surface, this this story seems to be one of glorious obedience. Abraham’s obedience to God’s command to sacrifice his son is legendary. However, a closer look at Abraham’s life shows that he too “sinned and fell short of the glory of God”. He too needed one to die as a substitute for his sins.
That is what a sacrifice is—it is a substitute. Theologians call this “substitutionary atonement.” So on that day, Isaac asked a very important question, “where is the lamb.” He had the wood and fire, but he lacked the proper sacrifice.
People everywhere and in every culture sense they are lacking something for an intimate relationship with God. We all have a sense of sin and guilt, even though we might not use those words. People sense that God is angry with them. Even now, many are wondering if COVID-19 is a judgement of God and as I said several weeks ago, the short answer is yes. Sickness and death came into this world because of sin.
Throughout all of history, people have come up with all sorts of ways to atone for their sins. Some have offered animal sacrifices. Some have even offered human sacrifices. The most common response has been to attempt to offer good works.
As I said before, Abraham’s obedience in this story is legendary, but when weighed on a balance it is found that he too is a sinner who has fallen short of the glory of God. The same is true of all of us; by the standard of God’s holiness, we have all fallen short!
If we cannot provide the lamb, who can?
God Must Provide the Lamb
God Must Provide the Lamb
Abraham’s answer to his son Isaac is one of the most important answers you will ever hear. It is recorded for us in verse 8:
Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.
Abraham knew that the blood of his son Isaac would no more cover his sin, than the blood of animals. The animal sacrifices of the Old Testament were always meant to be understood as pointing to something greater than themselves.
In the garden, where our first parents sinned, God covered the shame of their nakedness by sacrificing an animal, but the shame of Adam and Eve’s sin was not covered. This is clearly seen in their deaths years later. Death is the promised penalty of sin. In the Old Testament, those who died did not go to Heaven, but rather to Sheol. The saints of the Old Covenant spoke of the future hope of being released from Sheol, but only when the Lamb that God would provide came.
What separates saints from unbelievers is this one issue. Many claim to believe in God and many of them claim to be Christians. Many, if not most, of these people live good, moral lives, but what is sending them to hell is their belief that they can provide the lamb that will atone for their sin. Throughout human history, we see people relying on animal sacrifices, human sacrifices and their own good works. All of these things will fail to atone for our sin.
Perhaps you are one of those people. Your hope of eternal life is based partially or fully upon what you will provide.
If you are one of those people, I urge you to see the folly of your ways. Your only hope is the hope Abraham had—God will provide a lamb. The Good News of the Gospel is that God has provided the lamb. One day John the Baptist was out with his disciples and this is what he said:
The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
This brings us to the final point of this message:
Behold, the Lamb of God!
Behold, the Lamb of God!
From the time of Abraham to the time of John the Baptist, people had been looking for God’s promised Lamb. It is a great story of faith to read in the pages of the Old Testament, pictures of this coming Lamb. Perhaps the most vivid picture is found in the book of Isaiah.
Who has believed what he has heard from us?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
For he grew up before him like a young plant,
and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
and no beauty that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
How the hearts of John’s disciples must have leapt with joy and excitement when they heard John utter these words, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”
I wonder how many of John’s disciples really saw Jesus for who He was. We know that many of them believed, but did all of them? Perhaps some of them saw nothing more than a man in the distance.
Even today, that is all many see in Jesus—He was just a man, a historical figure. In fact, that is what most people see in Jesus. Some may see Him as a great teacher, but few see Him as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
I can never remember a time when I have not been in church. I learned about Jesus in Sunday School and from my parents. For the longest time I beheld Him, but I did not really see Him for what He was. At age twelve, I became aware that I needed a lamb. I realized at that time that I was a sinner. I saw at that time there was no way I could stand before a holy God. We began our service this morning by singing the song, “Holy, Holy, Holy.” That is a scary song for a person who realizes they are a sinner and is asking, “Where is the lamb?” Thankfully, that summer, God opened my eyes so that I could see Jesus for who He really is—He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!
What about you? Who do you see Jesus as? Do you see Him as the only one who can take away your sin?
Like everyone else you have a sin problem. That question Isaac asked is still as pertinent today as it was the day it was first asked. What are you counting on to take away your sin? If it is not the Lamb whom God has provided, you are still in your sin.
I urge you to see Jesus for who He really is. Behold Him! Believe in Him! If you do, His blood will take away your sin!
Let us pray.