Friday, April 6, 2012

Our Only Chance: The Lamb Of God

OUR ONLY CHANCE: THE LAMB OF GOD

Matthew 26:46-27:56

Vv. 26:49-50

“Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, ‘Greetings, Rabbi!’ and kissed Him. Jesus replied, ‘Friend, do what you came for.’ Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested Him.”



God has always dealt with sin through the blood of sacrifices. While Jesus is known by many different names: Messiah. Lord. Christ. Rabbi. Teacher, for example.  The name that is most unusual—the most confusing—is Lamb of God. Those who don’t come from a Jewish background, find this to be a weird title.

Gentiles just don’t get it. John the Baptist clearly understood what he meant when pointing Jesus out in John 1:29: “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’”

Lambs were for sacrifice.

After Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, God killed an animal and used its coat to cover their nakedness (Genesis 3:21). The first Passover, each household covered the doorway with blood of a sacrificed lamb (Exodus 12:1-7). In Leviticus 16:15, a goat was sacrificed to pay for the sins of an entire nation. Now Jesus’ sacrifice, as the Lamb of God, takes away the sins of the whole world!

Jesus was our only chance for life.

Otherwise, animals would have had to be continually slaughtered to pay for human’s sins. And there would be no Christians—who are named for our Messiah—who died on the cross as payment for our sins. Usually, we honor people who achieve greatness for doing something while they’re alive. But think of what Jesus accomplished through His death!

Just as innocent animals were slaughtered for forgiveness of people’s sins in Old Testament times, Jesus was also innocent. We were the guilty ones. His perfect life trumps our sinful lives. Yet He died as payment for our sins. Isn’t something unbalanced in this equation? We’re not used to condemning the innocent as punishment of the guilty.

Human minds and senses cannot grasp all that the Lamb of God endured to bring us salvation. But we do get it that we owe Jesus our very lives. He took our place on the cross—let’s give Him first place in our hearts!

Take Home Nugget

Titus 2:12-13: “We should live...godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope.” It seems to us that Jesus is our only chance for victory in this fallen world. Nothing will get better until Jesus comes and sets up His kingdom here on earth. It’s our job to await the Savior’s return with prayer, watching, and working. He will not let us down!

With longing hearts we watch and wait

Our hope and praise for Him will not abate!

HONOR JESUS IN GRATEFUL REMEMBRANCE THIS GOOD FRIDAY

J.D Griffith


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