The Lamb of God

Pastor Ben Hays
Life and Liberty Baptist Church

(4/1) "Church like it used to be. Church like it should be."

As we consider spring and the Easter season, we are reminded of the Lamb of God. Allow me encourage you to consider the Lamb every day of your life, not just during the Easter season. The Lamb of God is very much the central theme of the entire Bible. Let’s take a brief walk through the Bible and we will see that this Lamb is the only way to obtain eternal life.

First, The Lamb in the Garden

Genesis 4:3,4 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:

Hebrews 11:4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain. The first two men born into this world heard what was acceptable to God. One believed and the other did not. Their Father taught them that they would have to come to God by the blood of the Lamb.

Second, the Lamb on the Mountain

Many years after Able’s offering, we read of Abraham and Isaac.

Genesis 22:6, 7 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.

And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?

Abraham and Isaac did not have a Bible to read. Somehow, from Adam to Isaac they knew they needed a Lamb. Isaac acknowledged that they could not worship God without a Lamb.

Verse 8: And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

Nearly 2,000 years later, God did just that. He provided Himself and The Lamb.

Third, the Lamb in Egypt

Exodus 12:1-4 tells the story of the first Passover, when Israel would leave Egypt. Everyone was required to have a Lamb so the death angel would not stop by and kill the firstborn in the house. It does not say you should bring what you deem adequate. You must have a Lamb. Verses 5-7 tell us God wants a Lamb with no blemish!

God’s command is not for you to merely follow its example, hang a picture of it in your house, hang an image around your neck, or only talk about it. He wants you to take the blood and apply it. Anything more or less will not be sufficient.

The Bible says that good works are not sufficient to forgive you of your sins. Church membership, tithing, baptism, and being kind are all good, but you must apply the blood to your personal life. Many I speak with say they believe in God, and that they believe Jesus died and rose again, but have never trusted Him as their personal Lord and Saviour. Has there been a specific time in your life that you have repented of your sins and trusted Jesus alone to forgive you of all your sins?

Applying the blood in Exodus 12 is very specific. This reminds us that all roads do NOT lead to Heaven. Jesus is the only way!

Fourth, the Lamb in Bethlehem

As we continue to observe the central theme of the Bible, we again see the Lamb of God in Luke 2.

Luke 2:7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger. Did you see that? He was born in a manger. That should be no surprise because He is the Lamb of God. Luke 2:8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. Why did the angels not go to fisherman? Why not carpenters or religious leaders? Why Shepherds? Could it be that this was the Lamb of God?

Luke 2:16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

After Jesus is born in a manger, we do not read much more about Him until 30 years later.

Fifth, the Lamb of God

John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Jesus is kind, merciful, longsuffering, and even performs miracles, but none of these save lost sinners. It is the blood of the Lamb!

Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

Jesus was brought "as a lamb to the slaughter." They ripped his beard out. They hit him, telling Him to say who smote Him. They put the crown on his head and beat it down. They said, "If thou be the Son of God come down off that cross." These are awful acts, yet, Jesus endured these things for my sin and for your sin. He paid the penalty so that I would not have to.

Lastly, the Lamb in Heaven

In Heaven all the saved are gathered around one person doing one thing. In Revelation 5:9-12 the saints are singing a new song, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain." The Bible concludes where it began, with the Lamb of God!