The lamb of God

1. The Lamb of God – 12th
June 2916
"Behold,the Lamb of God,whotakes away the sin of the world!" (John1:29).
WhenJohnthe Baptistsaw Jesusapproaching,thisiswhathe proclaimedaswe can read: "Behold,the
Lamb ofGod, who takes away the sin ofthe world!" (John1:29). At a bible studyone participantwho
had beenreadingthe bible inquiredastowas Jesuswascalledthe Lambof God…isitbecause Johnthe
Baptisthappened tobe a close relationof Jesus?
Lambs playa major role inthe OldTestamentsacrificial systemaswell asinMessianic prophecy. The
offeringof the lambsymbolicallyatonedforthe sinsof the people sothattheycouldcommune with
God. We can learn thatJesusiscalledthe Lamb of God in John 1:29 and alsoin John1:36, “When he
saw Jesuspassingby, he said,“Look,the Lamb of God!” Itis referring to JesusChristasthe perfectand
ultimate sacrifice forsin of all mankind.InordertounderstandwhoChristwasand whatHe did,we
mustbeginwiththe OldTestament.The bible contains many propheciesconcerningthe comingof
Christas a “offering”aswe cab readfrom Isaiah53:10, “Yet it was the LORD’swill to crushhim and
cause himto suffer, andthoughthe LORD makeshis lifean offeringfor sin,he will see hisoffspringand
prolonghisdays, andthe will of the LORD will prosper in hishand”.In fact,the whole sacrificial system
establishedbyGodinthe OldTestamentsetthe stage forthe comingof JesusChrist,whoisthe perfect
sacrifice Godwouldprovide asatonementforthe sinsof Hispeople.We canlearnthisfrom Romans
8:3, “Forwhat the lawwas powerlessto dobecause it was weakened by the flesh,[a]
God didby
sendinghisown Son inthe likenessof sinful fleshto be a sinoffering.[b]
And so he condemnedsin in
the flesh”.
The sacrifice of lambsplayedaveryimportantrole inthe Jewishreligiouslife andsacrificial system. The
Jewsconductedadailysacrifice atthe temple inJerusalem.Everymorningandevening,alambwas
sacrificedinthe temple forthe sinsof the people aswe can learnfrom Exodus29:38-42. These daily
sacrifices,like all others,were simplytopointpeople towardsthe perfectsacrificeof Christonthe cross.
In fact,the time of Jesus’deathonthe cross correspondstothe time the eveningsacrifice wasbeing
made inthe temple.The Jewsatthattime wouldhave alsobeenfamiliarwiththe OldTestament
prophetsJeremiahandIsaiah,whoforetoldthe comingof One whowouldbe brought“like alambledto
the slaughter”as we can readin Jeremiah11:19; “Ihad been like a gentle lambled to the slaughter;I
didnot realize that they had plottedagainstme, saying, “Let us destroy the tree and itsfruit; let us cut
himoff fromthe landof the living, thathis name be remembered no more.” We can readagainin
Isaiah53:7, ‘He was oppressedand afflicted,yet he didnot open hismouth; he was led likea lambto
the slaughter,and as a sheep before its shearers issilent,so he didnot open hismouth”. It isthese
sufferings andsacrifice thatwouldprovide redemptionfor mankind.Of course,thatpersonwas the
atoningsacrifice was none otherthanJesusChrist,“the Lambof God.”
While the ideaof a sacrificial systemmightseemstrange toustoday,the conceptof paymentor
restitutionisstill one we caneasilyunderstand. AsChristianswe have beentoldthat the wagesof sinis
deathas we read from Romans6:23, “Forthe wagesof sinis death, but the giftof Godis eternal lifein
ChristJesus our Lord” We knowthat our sinseparatesusfromGod. We alsoknow the Bible teacheswe
are all sinnersandnone of us is righteousbefore God:“…forall havesinnedandfall short of the glory
of God,(Romans3:23). It isbecause of our sin,we are separatedfromGod, andwe standguiltybefore
Him.Therefore,the onlyhope we canhave isif He providesawayfor us to be reconciledtoHimself,and
that iswhat He didinsendingHisSonJesusChristtodie on the cross. Christdiedtomake atonementfor
sinand to pay the penaltyof the sinsof all whobelieve inHim.

2. It isthroughHis deathon the cross as God’sperfectsacrifice forsinandHis resurrectionthree dayslater
that we can now have eternal lifeif we believe inHim.The factthat God Himself hasprovidedthe
offeringthatatonesforour sinispart of the glorious goodnewsof the gospel that isso clearlydeclared
in1 Peter 1:18-21: “Foryou know that it was notwith perishablethingssuch as silveror goldthat you
were redeemed from the empty way of lifehanded downto you from your ancestors,19
butwith the
preciousbloodof Christ,a lambwithout blemishor defect. 20
He was chosen before the creationof the
world,but was revealed in these last timesfor your sake. 21
Throughhim youbelieve in God,who
raised himfrom the dead andglorifiedhim,andso your faithand hope are in God.