The Lamb

Introduction

Sometimes, as I’m preaching, I know I’m saying things that sound crazy.

Preaching a moral or ethical stand that is so out of tune to the world.

During the pandemic as I’d see who was joining in for Bible Study or Worship Services and I’m wondering what they are thinking.

And that caused me to go through a process of making sure that I’m presenting clearly what Scripture says in such a way that even those who reject the claims of the Christian faith can comprehend even if they don’t agree with what I’m saying.

Things in Christianity that don’t make sense to the world:

Yes, the moral statements in there that are becoming more and more foreign to the rest of the world.

Creation - God spoke things into existence.

Miracles - Israel crossing through bodies of water.

Or, the dead coming back to life! (Elijah to Jesus)

Especially the resurrection of Jesus. Three days dead.

And in today’s world, the way we refer to Jesus - as a sheep.

Completely different than how our political parties have chosen to redefine that word.

Far different usage than how the Bible uses it.

But, one of the most powerful images in all of the Bible is found in Revelation 7.

Revelation 7:9–12 ESV

9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

God is personified as a Lamb. And there is this great multitude standing around this lamb and praising it.

Even more when you realize this isn’t just any Lamb. Pretty and white and fluffy.

Revelation 5:6 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.

No ordinary baby sheep.

Bloodied. Yet with great power and knowledge (seven horns and seven eyes).

This whole image of the entirety of the church, all believers through all ages, gathering and worshipping a sheep, sounds like foolishness on its surface, removed from the context of the Bible.

A concept which the Apostle Paul had wrestled with. As he would be preaching and thinking about how people must be receiving and rejecting what he is saying.

1 Corinthians 1:18 ESV

18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Today, on Palm Sunday, we will meditate on the death of God.

A concept which sounds foolish.

But, to those who believe, it is the power of salvation.

This morning, we will look at the origins of this language answering why Jesus was compared to a lamb.

Context of plagues.

Warning of

Exodus 11:1 ESV

1 The Lord said to Moses, “Yet one plague more I will bring upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt. Afterward he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will drive you away completely.

Judgment Is Coming

vv. 1-6

Over and over again, Pharaoh had chosen rebellion.

Now, he would experience the truth that rebellion leads to judgment.

While this judgment was intended for Egypt, there was preparation that the people of Israel would need to take as well.

You might think about an event that required a lot of preparation - prom.

Picking what to wear, hair, nails, make-up, cleaning your car (or renting a limo), what time to arrive, when to leave, after prom activities.

We put all this preparation into an event because it is an important event in the life of many high school students.

We prepare for important occasions.

For the Israelites, the most important day in their history was set to arrive - the LORD’s judgment upon Egypt.

This preparation represented a new beginning for Israel (v. 2).

As part of this preparation for judgment would be a meal (v. 3).

But, not just any lamb! “Without blemish, a male a year old” (v. 5).

The animal’s perfection in age and condition symbolizes whole-hearted devotion and emphasizes their own impurities.

Then there was a four day waiting period of separation for the lamb until the timing of its death and preparation (v. 6).

For Egypt, this judgment was promised because of their rejection of God’s Word.

Rebellion is just as real in our day.

Romans 5:8 ESV

8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:10–11 ESV

10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

What Scripture tells us about ourselves is that we are all deserving of God’s judgment.

If we are real honest with ourselves…we have broken God’s Word and are sinners.

Yet, paired with this reality of our natural relationship with God, being enemies, God was working for your rescue before you even had a first chance to sin.

Prepare for the promised judgment.

Hope Is Coming

vv. 7-13

This lamb that would provide a meal for their home, it was also to be a provision of protection.

Judgment was coming, but hope was promised.

When the lamb was slaughtered, its blood was to be collected.

Then the blood was to be spread around on the doorframe to the home.

This marking by the blood and the participation in the meal is then given a name: “It is the LORD’s Passover” (v. 11).

What does this word mean? A lot of different ideas. One, the destroyer would pass over the land of Egypt. Two: the destroyer would skip the homes marked with the blood.

The blood is important!

It is a sign, not to the destroyer, but to the Israelites (v. 13).

Signs are a memorial, a means of remembrance.

Hope is found in remembering who you belong to.

Frightening sounds outside. Weeping and crying. Leading to fear in the home.

They would question if they were truly safe.

Then they could look to the blood on the doorframe and remember.

The joys of shopping at Sam’s.

You buy something and you’re good for like months or years.

Box of taquitos. Every two months.

Laundry detergent. Every four months.

Paper towels. Every two years.

Trash bags. That’s a once every six year purchase.

Walking out of Sam’s…show them your receipt. Proof that you have the right to walk out with all that stuff.

The blood on the door frame served as a reminder to them that they had been received protection!

Victor Hamilton makes this keen observation:

“‘Hebrewness’ will not save them. Only the blood will.”

-Victor Hamilton

The blood of the lamb was directly related to their hope.

It could be found in nothing else.

Freedom Is Coming

vv. 21-27

Moses is given instructions for the participation in the meal in vv. 14-20.

Picks up the instruction to the people of Israel in v. 21.

Summary in v. 23.

But then notice this shift in expectation in v. 24.

Your sons. Maybe children…but sons.

Why is this significant? What was being done to the sons while in Egypt? Infanticide.

But here God is promising sons.

God promises life.

Then the beginning of vv. 25 & 26, “And when...”

This hope is not just a present hope, but it is a future hope.

The hope is in their impending freedom!

This future hope was bound together with their freedom from slavery.

The Israelites would be given victory over the most dominant nation in the world.

God’s hope cannot be defeated.

This alone is the power of God.

Conclusion

Notice the close of this - they worshipped (v. 27).

And they would worship.

This act of the Passover, this was the act of God’s provision of hope.

Then, the people were commanded to repeat this meal every year.

Those future meals were not a renegotiation for continued hope and freedom.

The Passover became a memorial, a remembrance of a one time act of God.

The death of the lamb became something that was remembered and honored.

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.

We also remember that Christ suffered and died.

This one time act provides for you hope and freedom.

Have you received hope for life and eternity?

Have you received freedom from sin and condemnation?

You may be carrying that with you because of the reality of sin.

Jesus died to give you hope and freedom.

Invitation - then communion.

Our own memorial of what Christ did for us, a one time act.

Hebrews 10:12 (ESV)

12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.

Receive forgiveness today.