Lamb of God

1. The lamb the children of Israel slew was to be dedicated to God.

1) It was to be separated from the other animals.

2) They were to care for it for four days.

3) It was to be given to God.

4) It was the Lord’s Passover (Exodus 12:11).

2. Jesus is God’s dedicated Lamb today.

1) Because He is the only begotten of the Father.

a. John 1:14 “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

b. 1 John 4:9 “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.”

2) Because He fully dedicated himself to doing God’s will.

a. He never failed once to do exactly what God wanted Him to do.

b. He said “I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.” (John 5:30).

c. He said, “And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.” (John 8:29).

3) Because He fully dedicated himself to the salvation of man.

a. He said, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10).

b. Paul wrote, “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” (1 Tim.1:15)

1. The lamb was to be without blemish.

1) A male of one year.

2) We learn from Leviticus 22:22-24 that it was not to be blind, broken, maimed, crushed, bruised, scabbed, or having more than the normal amount of body parts.

3) It was to be perfect.

2. Jesus is also the lamb without blemish or spot.

1) Jesus was without blemish in His spiritual life–he knew no sin.

a. Hebrews 4:15 “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin”

b. 1 Peter 2:22 “Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth.”

2) Because he knew no sin, he could bear the sins of mankind.

a. 2 Corinthians 5:21 “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

b. The writer of Hebrews says that His innocence allowed Him to bear the sins of the guilty. “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” (Hebrews9:28).

1. The children of Israel were to kill the lamb in their house as a sacrifice to God.

1) They were to roast the lamb whole over fire.

2) They were to eat the lamb.

3) Whatever was left over they were to burn to ashes.

4) There was to be nothing left of the lamb on the next day.

2. Jesus is our perfect sacrifice today.

1) He sacrificed His station. Philippians2:5-7 “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:”

2) He sacrificed His livelihood.

a. No doubt he had learned the trade of carpentry from Joseph (Matthew13:55).

b. He asked others to sacrifice their livelihood (Matthew 4:19).

c. “And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.” (Matthew8:20).

3) He sacrificed His very life.

a. John 12:32, 33 “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This he said, signifying what death he should die.”

b. Hebrews 7:26, 27 “For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.”

1. The lamb that was slain provided salvation.

1) God was going to take the life of all the first born.

2) There was only one way that the Israelites could prevent death from entering their house.

3) They had to take the blood of the slain lamb and put it over and around their doorways.

a. Was the power to save in the door?

b. Was the power to save in the hyssop brush that put the blood on the door?

c. Was the power to save in the man’s work of applying the blood to the door?

d. The power was in the blood, but if not applied, then it would have done no good.

4) God said, “when I see the blood, I will pass over you.” (Exodus 12:13).

5) Death visited every house upon which the blood was not applied.

2. Jesus is salvation today!

1) Acts 4:12 — “In no other name is there salvation.”

2) The power of Jesus salvation today is in His blood. Jesus said, ” For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”

3) The sin of mankind merits eternal death, but when God sees the blood of Christ, He will pass over us and grant us LIFE!

3. But just as the blood would not cover them if they did not apply it, so today it will not cover us if we do not apply it.

1) We apply the blood of Christ to our life through baptism into Christ.

2) Peter says in Acts 2:38 that baptism is for the remission of sins.

3) When we are baptized, we come into the likeness of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6:1-11).

4) It is in obedience to God in baptism that we come in contact with the blood of Christ for Christ shed his blood during his death.

5) Is the power of salvation within the water of baptism? No.

6) Just as the power of salvation was not in that doorway for the Israelites–it was in the blood.