The Lamb of God
Hi River Family,
As we remember this week the passion of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, may we never take for granted the sacrifice he has made for us. Jesus, messiah, and lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world (John 1:29). He was the ultimate sacrifice sent by the Father to us, a dying and lost world. The Jewish people were well aware of what a sacrifice was. They knew that the Passover lamb was a substitute for their personal redemption. When John the Baptist declared in John 1:29 that Jesus was the lamb of God he was making a declaration that would connect the dots for the Jewish people selecting and preparing their lambs for Passover. A lamb was selected by a family, particularly the father of the household. Jesus was selected by the Father as the lamb to die for his fallen household. A lamb would be selected and brought into the home and inspected the days prior to Passover to see if there was any blemish or sickness. If there was any issue with the lamb whatsoever, then the lamb was unfit for sacrifice and replaced with another. It is interesting to note that while all of Israel was inspecting their personal lambs Jesus has entered the temple mount and was grilled with hard questions meant to trick him and find fault with him, by the pharisees, scribes, and lawyers. Even when taken by the Romans he was beaten and examined and questioned and ultimately, I believe Pilate prophetically declared what every head of the household in Israel declared when the inspection of the lamb was complete... "I find no fault in him," John 19:4. It is at this time that the lamb is brought to the priests of the temple to properly slaughter and place in the ovens to roast. It was at this time that Jesus was crucified and the Bible tells us that he descended (ovens) before he ascended (entered the veil in Heaven to place his blood on the mercy seat once and for all).
Hebrews 9:26b-28 NIV "But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him."
Amen and amen- we who put our trust in his sacrifice for us, wait for a hope of eternal redemption. The cross was final! The writer of Hebrews says he will not come to bear sin again but to save or redeem those waiting for him. Jesus isn't returning as a sacrificial lamb but a lion of the tribe of Judah to save his bride and bring justice to the earth. We look forward to that day! Come Lord Jesus come.
-Joel
Song List:
Marvelous-https://youtu.be/ch1TGbt83gY?si=K9bL8AH4Z-dVLxJ3
What a Beautiful Name/Worthy-https://youtu.be/t9jRPy7OpxI?si=ZBOCja4hUeRotbZn
Sunday is Coming-https://youtu.be/PJeiyCbVn6k?si=tzudjQK_9V6f_kcL