Series Title: Behold The Lamb
Behold The Lamb Promised
Bishop Jon C. Brown Sr.
Copyright © 2007
Now, I have no quarrel with anyone over how they celebrate Christmas. You can do it anyway you please. You can tell your children whatever you want to tell them about Christmas. However it is my responsibility to share the true reason for this season.
I want to preach a series which revolves around the real reason for the Christmas season. I would like to take the focus off fat guys in red suits; off pretty packages under decorated trees; off fictional characters like Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman and the Grinch; and place it squarely where I believe it needs to be.
I want to focus our attention for the next few weeks on Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. I want to preach a brief series which I am entitling Behold The Lamb. My desire is to magnify Him, edify you and help us all to be drawn closer to God during this special time of the year.
Genesis 3:1-21
THE LAMB IS PROMISED
This may seem like a strange place from which to preach a Christmas sermon. Yet, here in the midst one of man’s greatest tragedy is the revelation of man’s greatest hope. For it is in this tale of sin, judgment and death that we meet the message of the saving Gospel and the Person of the Lamb of God for the first time.
God has made man in His image. He created man in perfect innocence and placed him in a perfect environment. Adam has been given dominion over the Lord’s entire creation and he has been presented with a perfect companion, a woman called Eve. They live an idyllic existence, free from pain, disease, death and sorrow. Every need they have is met and they enjoy unbroken, unhindered fellowship with God Himself, Gen. 2:8-9. The only restriction they have regards one tree which is located in the Garden of Eden. This tree is called “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.”
Adam is warned to stay away from this tree, for to eat its fruit will bring death into the world, Gen. 2:15-17. Well, for an undefined period of time things go well in the Garden, until one day when Eve finds herself confronted by a serpent controlled by Satan. This serpent tells her that God is holding out on her and Adam.
He tells Eve that God does not want them eating of the fruit because God knows that when they eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they will be like him. Eve succumbs to the temptation of the devil and eats of the fruit. Adam also falls for the lie and eats as well.
In an instant, everything changes! They are no longer innocent and pure, but they have become sinners; they have become fallen beings. Immediately, they are aware that everything has changed. They become ashamed because of their naked condition and seek to cover themselves with fig leaves, v. 7.In the midst of this tragedy,God comes into the Garden to fellowship with Adam and Eve.
He calls out to them because they have hidden themselves from them, v. 8. God knows what they have done and extracts a confession from Adam, v. 10-12. Then the blame game begins. Adam blames Eve and God, while Eve blames the serpent, v. 12-13. God immediately pronounces judgment upon Adam, Eve and the serpent, and God casts them out of the Garden of Eden.
Yet, right in the middle of this tragedy is a flicker of hope. Verse 15 shines out of this darkness like a great beacon, illuminating the amazing grace of God. This verse has been called the “Protevangelium.” That is a Latin word that means “First Gospel.” Here in seed form is the Gospel of salvation through the grace of God.
Here, for the first time, we see a glimpse of the Lamb of God Who will later give Himself on Calvary’s cross to redeem a lost and dying world.
Here we can see the first stitch in the scarlet thread of redemption that courses its way through the entire Word of God. This precious verse gives us the very first promise in the Word of God regarding the coming Lamb.
I would like to take a few minutes to look into this passage as I try to preach on Behold The Lamb Promised. This passage reveals some precious truths regarding the promised Lamb. Please allow me to share these truth with you as we consider the thought: The Lamb Is Promised.
I. THE PERSONALITY OF THE PROMISED LAMB
A. This Lamb Is Unique In His Origin – We are told that this One Who is coming will the “the seed of the woman.” This is a strange statement because by God’s very design the “seed” is provided by the male members of every species. Here, we are told that the woman will produce an offspring without the aid of a man. This verse gives us the first kernel of a great truth that will be more fully revealed down the road. This verse is the first prophecy of the Virgin birth of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Satan did not understand it, Adam and Eve did not understand it; but God indicates that He will send His Lamb into the world through a woman without the involvement of a man! Of course, we know this is how the birth of Jesus came about.
Isaiah prophesied it, Isa. 7:14; and the angel Gabriel announced it to Mary, Luke 1:26-35, and to Joseph, Matt. 1:18-25. Why is this important? The Bible clearly teaches that sin and the sin nature are handed down through the man, Rom. 5:12.
Every person who has entered this world through the old fashioned method of a sexual union between a man and a woman has inherited a sin nature, and is in fact a sinner at birth, Rom. 3:10-23; Gal. 3:22.
The birth of Jesus was, however, very different. Since He came into this world without a human father, He was born without the taint of sin! He was born pure and sinless, thus He was qualified to die for the sins of humanity, 2 Cor. 5:21. Of course, what makes the birth of Jesus particularly unique is the fact that He was no ordinary baby, but He was, and is, God in the flesh, John 1:1; 14; Phil. 2:8-11.
B. This Lamb Is Unique In His Occupation – This Lamb was coming into the world to do battle with the forces of evil. We are told that He was coming to “bruise” the serpent’s head. This refers to a fatal injury. This Lamb was coming to this world not to show men a better way to live. He was not coming to improve their environment.
He was not coming to improve their social standing. He was coming to defeat evil. That was His sole mission, John 18:37; Heb. 2:14.
This promised One was coming to deliver humanity from the sin into which it had just fallen. Many men and women would battle evil over the years; this One would deal it a death blow.
He was coming to do for men that which they could never do for themselves. He was coming to secure their liberty and salvation from sin. More will be said about this in a moment.
II. THE PURPOSE OF THE PROMISED LAMB
A. He Would Come As A Warrior – The word “enmity” means “hatred or enemy.” Of course, it brings to mind the natural hatred humans have for serpents, but there is much more in view here. The enmity or hatred referred to here runs far deeper than that of a man hating a snake. It refers to the hatred Satan possesses toward the Lord and all that the Lord represents.
It refers to the hatred that resided within the heart of the devil that caused him to attack Adam and Eve in the Garden and tempt them to sin. It is a hatred that desires nothing less than the overthrow of the Lord and His kingdom.
It is a hatred that demands the death of God and the installation of Satan as god, Isa. 14:12-16; Eze. 28:11-19. This is the battle that was raging in Eden! It had less to do with mankind than it did with Satan’s desire to wage war on God Almighty.
We are told that the One Who is coming was coming to this world as a Warrior. He was coming as One Who would engage in warfare with a determined enemy.
He would take up the fight that Adam had lost in the Garden of Eden. He would come to do battle with Satan!
Of course, Jesus did just that! From the instant this prophecy was given in Genesis 3:15 until the moment Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose again from the dead; Satan did everything in his power to stop “the seed of the woman” from being born. He worked through Cain to kill Abel, Gen. 4. He sought to corrupt the human blood line through evil marriages, Gen. 6. He tried to kill the people of Israel in Egypt, Ex. 1-2.
He tried to bring about their destruction by leading them into gross idolatry during the kingdom years of Israel. Then when Jesus was born, Satan tried to destroy Him as an infant, Matt. 2. He tried to lead Him to sin on the Mount of Temptation, Matt. 4. He tried to get Jesus to claim the crown without going to the cross, John 6. He tried to kill the Savior in the Garden of Gethsemane, Luke 22. And, surely he thought he had won the victory when Jesus died on the cross.
What Satan did not realize was that the greatest salvo fired by Heaven was the instant God became sin and died in the sinner’s place. Jesus, the blessed Lamb of God, came into this world as a mighty warrior!
B. He Would Come As A Winner – The serpent is told that he will “bruise the heel” of the seed of the woman, but the seed of the woman will “bruise” the head of the serpent. Bruising the heel refers to an injury that is not fatal; while bruising the head refers to a fatal wound. The word “bruise” has the idea of “crushing or striking.” The serpent might strike the heel of the coming Lamb, but the Lamb would crush the head of the serpent.
Of course, this was fulfilled at the cross. The Lamb of God endured death for God’s elect, but death could not hold Him! On the third morning, He arose from the dead as the Victor in the greatest battle ever waged. But, in His dying and rising again, He inflicted a mortal would upon the head of the serpent that will ultimately end with him sentenced to an eternity in the Lake of Fire, Rev. 20:10.
The Prince of Life entered the arena of battle with the Prince of Death. When the battle had ended, the Prince of Life emerged as the lone Victor. Now, all those who know Him enjoy His victory and share in the spoils of His conquest. When He arose, He became the “First fruits from the dead”, 1 Cor. 15:20; and as such He promises eternal life to all who receive Him by faith, John 5:24; John 11:25-26. (We are not just “on the winning side”; we are on the side that has already won!
III. v. 21 THE PORTRAIT OF THE PROMISED LAMB
After God pronounces judgment on the guilty parties, He does something very remarkable. God Himself slays a beast of some type and uses its skin to make garments for Adam and Eve. In this graphic scene of death, there is a wonderful portrait given of the coming Lamb.
A. It Is A Portrait Of Sacrifice – Imagine the horror that must have filled the hearts of Adam and Eve as they witnessed death for the very first time! They had never seen blood before, now they watch as God, with His Own hands, slaughters an animal to provide a covering for their nakedness. It was in that instant that they saw first hand just how much their sin really cost. They finally understood that the wages of sin is death, Gen. 2:17, Rom. 6:23.
What we see in this verse is a clear portrait of what the coming Lamb would do for us. Remember that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Remember that He had never sinned, 1 Pet. 2:22, and that He did not deserve to die. Remember that He came to this world to have His heel bruised so that He might crush the head of the serpent.
Now, look away to Calvary. See the Lamb of God nailed to a cross. See His tormentors as they spit in His face. Watch them as they pluck the beard from His cheeks. Listen as they mock Him. Curse Him and deride Him. Watch as they very people He came to this world to save deliver Him up to be crucified. Can you hear the sound of the whip as the cruel strokes fall again and again upon His back? Can you feel the agony as He is nailed to that cross of wood and lifted up between Heaven and earth to die? Watch Him as the blood pours from the wounds in His head, His hands and His feet. Look at Him as the blood runs down the cross pooling up on the ground.
Now, understand that everything He went through; every stripe on His back; every agony He suffered; every disgrace He endured; everything He suffered during His life, His trial and His death was because of your sins! He was marred for you, Isa. 52:14. He bled for you. He died for you, Isa. 53:4-6
Realize that Calvary is God’s billboard, screaming out His love for fallen man, Rom. 5:8. Look at that scene and see the awful hatred God has for sin. Look at that cross and see the boundless love God has for sinners. Look to the suffering Savior and live!
B. It Is A Portrait Of Sufficiency – After Adam and Eve sinned and became aware of their nakedness, they attempted to cover themselves by making aprons of fig leaves. But, their efforts were insufficient and God killed an innocent animal to provide a covering for their bodies. God wanted to show them, and us, that the works of the flesh can never atone for, or cover, sin. It requires the death of the innocent in the place of the guilty. Sin is taken away only through the shedding of innocent blood, Heb. 9:22. This is a clear picture of the inability of man to make himself presentable to God through his own efforts.
The very best we can produce will always fall woefully short, Isa. 64:6. Man has always tried to craft for himself garments of righteousness and garments of religion. But, man’s effort never succeeds in covering his sins from the terrible gaze of Almighty God.
Man needs a covering that he cannot provide for himself. When Jesus, the Lamb of God, came into this world and died on the cross, He provided a sufficient covering for the sinfulness of man. When a person come to Jesus by faith and is born again, He robes them in His righteousness, and makes them worthy to stand in the presence of God, Phil. 3:9; 2 Cor. 5:21. When the Prodigal Son returned home, he was dressed in the Father’s robe. His filth was covered and he would have easily been mistaken for the Father, Himself.
The whole point is this: you can try anything you please, whether it is religion, good works, clean living, etc, to please the Lord; but, nothing will be sufficient to deal with your sin problem, until you come to Jesus and are saved by grace.
Then, and only then, can you stand before the Lord and be accepted by Him, Eph. 1:6! Only Jesus Christ and His shed blood is sufficient to allow us to stand in His presence, John 1:29.
Conc.: I am sorry that Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden. Imagine what the world would be like today if they had not. But, they did, and because they did you and I were born into this world with a desperate sin problem. I thank God that He saw our need and sent His Son Jesus Christ into the world to die on the cross as the perfect Lamb.
As we enter and move through this Christmas Season, do you know for sure that you know the real reason for the season?
Do you know Jesus as more than a baby in a manger? Is He your personal Savior? Or is He just a story in a book; a sweet thought but nothing more, during the busy holiday season? You need to be sure!
You see, just as surely as Adam and Eve came to end of their lives and eventually died and went out into eternity, you will too! You need to know where you will go when that event happens. And, where you go hinges upon what you do with Jesus Christ. Are you saved? If you are then praise the Lord! If you are not, you need to know you can be. If the Lord is calling you to come to Him, now is the time to do just that. Why not come to Jesus today and meet the Lamb of God?
Behold The Lamb Series -
Luke 1:26-38
BEHOLD THE LAMB PREPARED
Way back in the dawn of time, man violated a sacred trust and fell into sin. At that time, God promised man that there would come One Who would balance the scales, defeat evil and deliver humanity. For thousands of years men waited. And while men waited, God worked.
God worked by choosing a man named Abram from Ur of the Chaldees. Through this man God raised up a nation known as Israel. God worked through this nation to establish His Law and His worship in the earth.
Yet, the people of Israel were constantly turning away from the Lord Who had called them and bought them. But, He was patient with them, and He continued to work. He worked in spite of their tendency to follow false gods. He worked in spite of them turning a deaf ear to His Word and to the preachers and prophets He sent to lead them.
He worked in spite of the fact that they really did not seem to care about Him at all.
God worked because He was completing a plan that begun before the world was ever made. He worked because He was determined to send a Redeemed to this world to save the lost. He worked because He was motivated by a heart of love to see His people saved. So, He worked in spite of everything they did and in working, His love for them overcame every obstacle they placed in His path.
God kept on because He was had promised to send a Lamb into the world to die for sin. Today, I want to talk about that part of God’s work that brought His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, into this world. Of all the obstacles God faced in completing His plan to save lost sinners, t he most challenging, from a human perspective, was getting His Lamb into this world.
We have seen how God promised a Lamb; today, I want to see how that Lamb was prepared. I want to preach on this thought: Behold The Lamb Prepared. I want to take these verses and show you how God accomplished the impossible through the birth of His darling Son.
I. v. 26-28 THE PLACE RESERVED FOR THIS PREPARATION
A. It Was A Pure Place – We are told that the angel came to “a virgin.” The word used refers to a female that is sexually pure. In fact, the virginity of Mary is affirmed twice in verse 27. Contrary to what liberals and others may say, the word does not simply speak of a “young woman,” but it speaks of one who has never engaged in sexual intercourse. The vessel God chose to use to bring His Son into this world was a perfectly pure vessel.
Some might wonder why this is important. It is important because God promised that the Savior of humanity would be “the seed of the woman,” Gen. 3:15.
This simply means that God would send the Savior into the world through the body of a woman without the aid of a human male. Why? Because all humans are sinners and that sinfulness is passed on through the seed of the man, Rom. 5:12.
When Adam sinned in the garden, he became a sinner. And, just as he passed on his human nature to his offspring, Adam also passed along his sinful nature to his children. They inherited his sin and they too passed it on down the line.
God’s plan to send a Savior into the world involved Him sending a pure Savior, Who would not inherit the sinful nature of humanity, but One Who would inherit a physical body and a human nature. God accomplished this through the virgin birth of Jesus, Gal. 4:4.
By sending Jesus into this world through the womb of a virgin, God was able to give His Son a human body and a human nature, without His inheriting a fallen nature as well. This enabled Jesus to be born without sin; live without sin and die without sin. He was able to give His live as a pure, perfect sacrifice for fallen man, 2 Cor. 5:21. He was able to satisfy God forever through the offering of His Own body on the cross, 1 John 2:2; Heb. 9:11-14; Heb. 10:10-14.
I certainly do not understand all the mechanics of how God sent His Son into the world through the womb of a virgin, but I do know that the virgin birth of Jesus is a foundational doctrine of the Christian faith. Without a virgin birth, we do not have a Savior. Without a virgin birth, we have no hope. Without a virgin birth, we have no foundation upon which to build the house of our faith! To deny the virgin birth of Jesus is to deny Christ.
B. It Was A Prophesied Place – As I have already mentioned, God promised to send His Son into the world through a woman, Gen. 3:15. As the years past, that prophesy was expanded by the prophet Isaiah, Isa. 7:14; Isa. 9:6. Both of these verses tell us that God would move in a miraculous manner to bring the promised Messiah into the world.
Therefore, the virgin birth of Jesus should not surprise anyone. When God makes a promise, He is well able to make it happen, Rom. 4:21. When He makes a promise, He fully intends to bring to it pass.
C. It Was A Prepared Place – To watch Mary as these verses unfold is to see a young woman who has been prepared for this moment. History tells us that every faithful Jewish girl was looking for the messiah. We are also told that every Jewish girl hoped that she would be the vessel chosen through which God would send His Messiah into the world.
When the angel appears to Mary, she is amazed and she is startled, but she is a woman prepared to respond to the will of the Lord in faith and faithfulness, Luke 1:38. It appears that God, in His grace, had begun a work in her young heart long before this moment, so that when this moment arrived, Mary was ready and willing to do all the Lord desired of her.
Imagine the faith required for Mary to respond to the Lord as she did. For a young unmarried woman to become pregnant in that day was to be the focus of shame, disgrace and a possible death sentence.
But, Mary was willing to bear the shame and the burden of being the vessel through which God would send His Son into the world.
Thank God for people like Mary who are willing to do all the Lord requires, regardless of what it may require of them. May the Lord find a heart like that beating within every one of our chests! After all, nothing reveals our love for Jesus like our unquestioning obedience to all He requests of us, John 14:15, 21
II. v. 29-33 THE PROMISE REVEALED IN THIS PREPARATION
A. v. 31, 32 The Promise Of A Special Child – Mary is told that she will become the mother of a son, but that this Son will be no ordinary child. He will be her son, therefore, He will be a human; but He will also be the “Son of the Highest.” He will be a man, but He will also be God. This was the prophecy of Isaiah, Isa. 7:14. This was the message of the angel to Joseph, Matt. 1:23. This was most profound moment of all time and eternity!
This was the moment God became flesh and walked among men, John 1:1; 14; Phil. 2:5-8. This was the moment that the Creature became dependent upon the creature. When Jesus Christ was conceived in the womb of a virgin, the plan of the ages moved out of eternity and into time. God Himself robed Himself in human flesh and came into this world that He might die on a cross for save His people from their sins.
B. v. 31 The Promise Of A Saving Child – Mary is told that the child’s name is to be “Jesus.” This name was a common name in that day.
In the Hebrew tongue, it was the name “Joshua”. Many Jewish parents named their male children Joshua, or as the Greeks rendered it, Jesus. Of course, while the name might be common, the child to Whom it was given was not.
The name “Jesus” means “Jehovah is Salvation.” Although Mary did not understand all that she was being told, she hears for the first time that Name which is above every name! She does not understand it now, but the child she will name Jesus will grow up and one day He will die on a cross to save lost sinners from their sins.
He will be the only hope lost sinners have, John 14:6. His Name will be the only Name that will open the gates of Heaven; redeem the human soul from the bondage of sin; deliver lost men from the threat of Hell; and speak peace and hope to those who do not know God. For this child would be the fulfillment of a plan set into motion before the world was ever formed, Rev. 13:8; 1 Pet. 1:20.
He would die on a cross; rise from the dead and ascend back into Heaven to guarantee salvation for all who would trust Him by faith. Thank God for the day God sent His Son into the world to be the Savior of God’s people, Matt. 1:21; Luke 2:11.
C. v. 32-33 The Promise Of A Sovereign Child – Mary is also told that this special child, this saving child would also be a sovereign child. She is told that He would be a sovereign with a special pedigree. He would rule on the throne of David; thus fulfilling the prophecy given to David over 1,000 years before, 2 Sam. 7:11-13; Psa. 132:11.
He would also rule over the house of Jacob, thus fulfilling the prophecy of Jacob made thousands of years earlier, Gen. 49:10. Beyond that, He would also rule over a kingdom that would have no end. He would rule over His kingdom forever, thus fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah, Isa. 9:6-7; and others of the Old Testament prophets.
In these verses which describe this promised child, we learn the wonderful truth that God will become a man; that He will die for sinners; and that He will rise again to rule forever. All the wonderful truth concerning the life, ministry and death of Jesus that will be made plain later, is revealed here in seed form. The question for you and me is this: Do we know Him, or do we just know about Him? I know you have heard about Jesus, but have you ever trusted Him for your soul’s salvation? You see, this promise was made to Mary; but it is valid for all who will believe.
III. v. 34-38 THE POWER RELEASED IN THIS PREPARATION
A. v. 34-38 The Power To Conquer Our Doubts – Mary hears the words of the angel, but she confesses that she does not understand how this can happen. She, like all other Jews, expected the Messiah to enter the world by the old fashioned way. She wonders how she will be able to have a child, since she has never physically been with a man. To Mary’s mind this is a dilemma that cannot be surmounted.
Thankfully, the angel has the answer! He tells her that she is about to be part of the greatest miracle the world has ever known. God is about to turn Mary into a miracle! The angel speaks the words that conquer Mary’s doubts.
B. v. 35-38 The Power To Carry Out His Desires – The angel addresses Mary’s problem by giving her a promise, v. 35; offering her some proof, v. 36; and by declaring God’s power, v. 37. Mary is told that God is well able to do all the things He has said He will do. Gabriel declares the awesome power of God and offers hope and comfort for the heart of Mary.
Note: The whole point here is this: we hear the Christmas message and there is a human tendency to doubt. We hear about God becoming flesh and being born in Bethlehem, and there is a part of man that has trouble with that. We hear that He came and that He died because He loves us and that He did it just to save our souls from the fires of Hell, and part of says, “Well, what if He didn’t mean me?”
Well, Mary heard a message that was almost too fantastic to be believable. When she confessed the fact that she did not see how it could be real, the angel offered her the promise that God, in His power, was more than able to bring this thing to pass. If you have heard this message today and you are plagued by fears and doubts regarding the message if Jesus, here is what you need to know.
Everything God said is true! Jesus is His Son. Jesus did come into this world to die for you. He did die for you. He did rise from the dead. He did return back to Heaven. He is coming back to this earth some day. All those who trust Him by faith will be forever saved by His mighty power.
You say, “How can I know for sure?” In Mary’s case, the angel told her about what God had done for her cousin Elizabeth. Mary left immediately to go see Elizabeth, and when she arrived, she found that Elizabeth was pregnant, just like the angel had said, v. 39-56.
Mary had proof positive that God had worked in the life of Elizabeth, and that gave her confidence to believe that He would work in her own life as well.
For us, the proof that Jesus has the power to take a lost sinner, save them by His grace and change their life can be found by looking around this very room! All around are those lives transformed by the hand of grace. Look at what Jesus has done in the lives of those around and know that what He has done for others, He will certainly do for you, John 6:37.
Conc.: As we hear about the virgin birth and think about God sending His Son into this world to die for sinners, we might wonder why. Why would God go to all that trouble? Why would He send His Son into this world? Why would He allow that Son to die for lost people? There is only one answer and there is only one reason: He loves you! The Bible declares His love, John 3:16, and the death of Christ on the cross at Calvary displays it for all to see, Rom. 5:8.
The blessed Lamb of God was sent to this world through the womb of the virgin Mary so that He might be born without sin, live a sinless life and die for sin on the cross. So, the question is not really why did God do this? The question is what have you done about it? Have you trusted Jesus as your Savior? Are you genuinely saved by grace? Do you know the Lord? Or, is there a need for you to come to the Lord today and receive His Son Jesus by faith? God prepared the Lamb so you might be saved, and you can be if you will come to Him.
Behold The Lamb Series
Luke 2:1-20
BEHOLD THE LAMB PROVIDED
We have been watching as God’s plan to send His Lamb into the world has unfolded. When man fell into sin in the Garden of Eden, God made a promise that a Redeemer would one day come.
This Redeemer would come as the Savior of sinners. All through the Old Testament, God worked to bring this event to pass. Every sacrifice, every ritual of Jewish worship, every thing God did was moving steadily toward the moment when the Lamb of God would enter this world and pay the price to save men from their sins.
I think of one occasion when a broken hearted father named Abraham walked up a mountain side with his only son Isaac. He was taking that son to the top of that mountain to offer him to the Lord as a burnt offering.
On the way up that mountain, Isaac asked his father Abraham about what they were doing. Here is what was said that day: “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? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together,” Genesis 22:6-8.
Our text tells us about the night that father’s promise was fulfilled. It was also the moment when God’s promise to send His Redeemer into the world was fulfilled. As we look in on the events of that special night over 2,000 years ago, we can learn something about how God provided His Lamb.
As the Lord gives liberty this morning, I want to preach on the subject, Behold The Lamb Provided. I want to tell you how and why God sent His Son Jesus into this world and what His birth can and does mean for you. Allow me to share three aspects of the Lamb’s provision with you as we Behold The Lamb Provided.
I. v. 1-7 THE PLACE INVOLVED IN THE LAMB’S PROVISION
A. v. 4 The Planning Of That Place – The fact that Jesus was born in Bethlehem was no accident. It was predicted years before it came to pass, Micah 5:2. This was common knowledge among those who studied and knew the Scriptures, Matt. 2:1-6.
B. v. 1-6 The Providence Of That Place – While it should not surprise us that Jesus was born where the Bible says He would be, the events surrounding His arrival there are amazing. Verse 4 tells us that Mary and Joseph lived in Nazareth. This city is some 70 miles north of Bethlehem.
For the Messiah to be born in the right location, a series of events worked together to bring that to pass. A pagan emperor name Caesar Augustus living thousands of miles away issues a decree that all his subjects be registered and taxed. This order for a census is sent out far and wide. The call is issued in Israel and Joseph takes Mary and returns to the ancestral of his family, Bethlehem.
This may not mean much to you, but it does teach us that Caesar may have been ruling, but God was overruling! God, in His providence, worked out all the details necessary so that Jesus might be born where the prophets said that He would be! By the way, if He can do that, then surely He can take care of our little needs!
C. v. 7 The Poverty Of That Place – We are told that the Savior’s entrance into this world was anything but glorious. When the young couple arrived in Bethlehem, they discovered that there was no place for them to stay. They found refuge in a stall used to house animals. When Mary delivered Jesus, she placed the Baby in a feed trough.
You and I cannot even begin to comprehend the enormity of the truth contained here. Imagine, God Himself came into this world. The same God Who made the universe and all the treasures found within that universe. He came in to this world as a little Baby. But, He was not born into the lap of luxury. He was born into the squalor of abject poverty. He humbled Himself, and entered into this world in the “form of a servant,” Phil. 2:5-8.
His humble birth signified the kind of life Jesus would live all the time He was here on this earth. At one point in His ministry, He had no place to call home, Matt. 8:20. When He died, others provided the place and the things necessary for His burial, John 19:38-42.
The God Who made everything and Who could have had anything, chose to live a life of poverty. Why? There is just one answer: because He loves us!
Listen to 2 Cor. 8:9, “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.” He did it so that He might understand our burdens, Heb. 4:15-16. He did it so that He might enter into our suffering, die in our place and lift us out of our circumstances when we call on Him by faith! Thank God for the poverty of that place!
D. v. 7 The Pictures Of That Place – We are told that Mary took her baby and wrapped Him in “swaddling clothes.” People sometimes wrapped their infant children in strips of cloth in that time period to help strengthen the limbs and to provide protection for the child.
However, those strips of cloth were the same kind used to wrap dead bodies and prepare them for the burial. Even in His birth, there is a picture of His death. Another reason Jesus was wrapped this way was because those swaddling clothes were to serve as a sign to some seeking shepherds, v. 12. Again, the providence of God is on display! There are no accidents and coincidences along life’s way!
Then, we are told that she took the Baby and placed Him in a “manger.” This word refers to a feeding trough where animals would find their food. I do not believe that it was an accident that the “Bread of life” (John 6:35) was placed in a feed trough! He came to satisfy the hungry souls of dying men. Therefore, it was appropriate that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, which means “The house of bread” and that He was laid in a manger! “Have you tasted Heaven’s Bread”? Has the Lord Jesus entered your life and satisfied your hungry soul? If you will come to Him, you will find that He satisfies the hungry soul, Psalm 107:9; and that He is the Bread of Life, John 6:35; 1 John 5:12.
E. v. 7 The Promise Of That Place – I am glad that Jesus was born in a manger and not a palace. I am glad that He was born into humble surroundings and not into the opulence of wealth. Why? If He had been born in a palace, the shepherds we will talk about in a moment would not have had access to Him.
But, because He was born in poverty and in humble surroundings, He is more approachable to the common man. You and I would feel uncomfortable approaching a Savior reared in the lap of luxury; but we have less trouble coming to a Lord Who has walked some of the same hard paths we walk.
II. v. 8, 15-19 THE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE LAMB’S PROVISION
The birth of the Savior did not happen in a vacuum. While the people in Bethlehem were ignorant of the wonderful events happening in their town, God revealed the good news to some poor, humble shepherds who were outside the town on the Judean hillsides.
A. v. 8 Their Occupation – The Bible simply calls them “shepherds.” These were men who were responsible for watching over flocks of sheep. The work was dirty and hard. It required the men to be away from home for long periods of time as they searched for places to graze their flocks. They were often crude, vile men, known for their sinful lives and evil ways. Shepherds were often considered ceremonially unclean because of the duties their occupation required of them. Also their work prevented them from regular attendance at the Temple where they could be cleansed. As a result, these men were considered the lowest of the low. Of course, it may have been these very men who tended the lambs that would one day be used in the temple sacrifices. Yet, it was these men that heard the glad tidings first. It was these men who received the message of peace from the angel of the Lord.
What a blessing! Men may not care about you. People may look down on you in disgust because of who you are or because of what you have done in life. But, there is a God in Heaven Who loves you in spite of everything. There is a God Who desires to save you, if you will only come to Him! I sure am glad today that the Lord did not hold my past against me!
B. v. 15-16 Their Obedience – As soon as these men hear the news of the Savior’s birth, they leave their sheep on the hillsides and run into the town of Bethlehem to find the Lord Jesus. When they arrive, they find everything to be just as the angels had said. What a picture of grace! Regardless of a person’s past or of how low they have fallen in life, there is still hope in Jesus for them. The Lord turns none away, but invites all who will come to meet Him and be saved by the grace of God! Regardless of your station in life, if you will come to Jesus.
He will save your soul! Don’t let some sin, or some situation stand between you and Heaven. Come to Jesus today, because He will not turn you away, John 6:37.
C. v. 17-19 Their Obligation – As soon as they realize the magnitude of the things they have experienced, they begin to share the news with all they meet. They tell everyone about the Baby in the manger Who is Christ the Lord. Of course, the people who hear them are astonished to hear shepherds talking about such spiritual matters, but I like to think that some heeded the message and went to see for themselves.
One of the blessings of the Gospel of grace is that it is too good to keep quiet about. As soon as you experience its power, you want others to experience it also. In fact, those who know the good news of salvation through Jesus are under divine obligation to share that good news with everyone they meet as they pass through life, Mark 16:15; Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 1:8. We have a Savior and we have a message worth sharing. May the Lord help us to get out there and tell a lost world about a redeeming Lord!
III. v. 9-14; 20 THE PRAISE INVOLVED IN THE LAMB’S PROVISION
A. v. 9-14 There Was Heavenly Praise – As those shepherds go about the business of another boring night with their flocks, something astonishing takes place. There is the appearance of a heavenly entourage, bearing the good news that heaven has invaded earth, and that nothing would ever be the same again.
1. v. 9 The Heavenly Appearance – Suddenly, the angel of the Lord appears above those shepherds. No doubt the angel is blazing with the brightness of Heaven itself and like a flash, he lights up the night sky. The shepherds are instantly terrified by their heavenly visitor.
2. v. 10-12 The Heavenly Announcement – The angel does not leave them in fear for long. He begins to speak, and as he does, he shares with the shepherds a message from Heaven that earth had been waiting to hear for 4,000 years.
He tells them that the Hope of the Ages has been provided. He tells them that a Savior has been born. He tells them that the Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One, for Whom the world has waited since the Lord told Eve He was coming in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:15), has arrived. He tells them that the Lord has been born in Bethlehem!
He also tells them where to find the child and how to recognize Him when they arrived where He was. What an announcement! The world had wallowed in the grip of sin for thousands of years; waiting for the appearance of One Who would sever the bonds of sin and deliver men from the curse.
Now, He has come! The wait is over! Salvation will be accomplished, just as God had promised it would! And the announcement was made to those humble shepherds going about the ordinary business of life! You will notice that the angel made the message personal to the shepherds, “unto you is born,” v. 11.
Thank God the message is a personal one! It was given to those shepherds, but it was made available to all, Rev. 22:17. When God breaks in on the ordinary events of your life, please do not turn Him away! You never know when God will take the routine and the ordinary and transform it into a supernatural event in your life. When He does, it is His call for you to receive Him by faith and be saved by His grace!
3. v. 13-14 The Heavenly Anthem – As soon as this angel finishes delivering Heaven’s message to the shepherds, he is joined by a great multitude of angels who praise God and declare the truth that the message is indeed for all men! It is interesting that when the angels appear, the content of their statements are designed to praise and magnify the name of the Lord. What they did not sing! They did not sing about Satan Claus. They did not sing about Frosty or Rudolph.
They lifted their voices and they thundered forth praise to God above. We could take a lesson from that this Christmas season!
B. v. 20 There Was Human Praise – After the shepherds hear the message and meet the Master, they return to their flocks rejoicing as they go. Their voices are also lifted up to God in Heaven to praise Him for His glorious gift. But, notice the difference between their praise and the praise of the angels. The angels praise the Lord for what He has done for others, v. 11. The shepherds praise the Lord for what He has done for them, v. 20! There is a difference. I am glad you are saved and for all that the Lord has done for you; but I sure am glad the Lord has done something in my heart for which I can praise Him as well!
1. The Praise Of Convinced Hearts – When they heard the message, no doubt those shepherds were amazed and maybe a little skeptical as well. But, when they found Jesus, just as the angels said they would; when they met Him for themselves, they could praise Him from a heart that has been convinced of the truth!
I was brought up to believe the Christmas story. All my life I had heard of Jesus being born in Bethlehem and I believed it was true. And, that story has always brought joy to my heart, even as a lost man.
However, I will never forget the day when I met Him for myself just like the preachers and the Bible said I could. When I did, I could praise Him because I knew it was real! I knew He lived! I knew He was my Redeemer! I could praise Him because He had become more than a story; He had become my Savior! Is that your testimony? It needs to be!
2. The Praise Of Changed Hearts – It must have been something to watch a group of raw-boned, rough shepherds leave that town rejoicing and praising the name of the Lord. No doubt, the last time they came through Bethlehem they had been cursing and acting like the sinners they were. Now, they are new men and they are excited about it! They can’t keep their praises in and they return to their flocks while their shouts fill the night air!
That is what meeting Jesus will do for you! He may not make you shout, at least in this life, but He will change you, 2 Cor. 5:17. He will give you a new life and new way of life to go with it! When He comes in, He changes everything! And when He does, there will be some excitement about it. There will be some joy. After all, when He saves your souls, He changes you and fills you with “joy unspeakable and full of glory,” 1 Pet. 1:8. Surely, some of that will leak out from time to time! When Jesus takes you, saves you and changes you, you will want to praise Him for Who He is and what He has done in your life!
Conc.: Wouldn’t you agree with me that the Christmas story is a special story? That God would send His darling Son Jesus into this world to die for sinners is a blessing beyond description. That He would love us to that level is amazing beyond the power of words to describe.
Of course, it is nothing more than a story until you experience the power of the Lamb of God in a personal way. You may enjoy hearing the Christmas story and you may love Christmas time, but you have missed the real meaning altogether if you have never trusted Jesus as your Savior. Until you have received the Lamb of God as your personal Savior and until you know the power of His salvation, you will never really understand Christmas and the wonder of what God did when He provided His Lamb for the sins of the world.
Are you in a personal relationship with Jesus today? If you are, then you know what I am talking about. If you are not, you can come to know Him if you will come before Him and trust Him by faith. Will you do that today? Will you embrace Heaven’s Lamb as the Savior of your soul? The Lamb was provided for you, but He will do you no good unless you come to Him.
Behold The Lamb Series
Luke 2:21-38
BEHOLD THE LAMB PRAISED
Intro: Today is the day after Christmas. The presents have been given and received. The meals have been eaten and the festivities have, for the most part, come to an end for another year. That lime green scarf you received will go into the drawer to join the hot pink one you got last year. That brown paisley tie will quickly find its way to the back of your closet, soon to be forgotten. The tree and the decorations will come down and Christmas will be gone for another year.
Or will it? The fact is, Christmas really has nothing to do with the things I mentioned a moment ago. Christmas can go on 24 hours a day, 365 days per year. It can go on if allow Jesus to be the central Figure of Christmas.
In our text, the Lamb of God has been born. God has stepped out of eternity and entered human history. The Lamb was promised, He was prepared and He has been provided. Our text takes us to Jerusalem for an event that occurred 40 days after the very first Christmas.
When Jesus was 8 days old He was circumcised, as prescribed by the Law, Lev. 12:3. After 40 days, Mary has reached the end of her purification period, Lev. 12:1-4. In these verses, we are allowed to go to the Lord’s house with Jesus and His family as they take Him to be presented to the Lord and redeemed, also according to the Law, Deut. 18:4. What a thought: the Redeemer had to be redeemed!
While they were there, a special event occurred. Two old saints of God, Simeon and Anna, were in the Temple. They were there because the Holy Ghost has led them there. They were part of a faithful Jewish remnant that was looking for the appearing of the Messiah. When they met Jesus that day, even though He was just a 40 day old infant, they are overjoyed and begin to lift up praises to the Lord.
Today, I want to look into these verses and consider this thought: Behold The Lamb Praised. What we see here can teach us some things about the matter of praise. I think these verses have some lessons to teach us today, and they are lessons that we very much need to hear. Let’s take a few minutes and think about Behold The Lamb Praised.
I. THE MOTIVE FOR THE LAMB’S PRAISE
When Simeon enters the Temple and takes Jesus into his arms, the old man declares for all to hear the reasons for his joy. In his speech, Simeon gives us a three-fold motive for praising the Lord that is just as valid today as it was then.
A. v. 26-30 Praised Because Of Who Appeared – The name “Simeon” means “He who hears.” And, apparently, this man had been hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit, v. 26. He had been told that he would not die until He had seen Christ, the Jewish Messiah, and the Savior of the world for himself. When old Simeon sees Jesus, he is notified by the Spirit that this is Him and Simeon begins to praise the Lord because of Who had entered the world.
Just Who was this Baby? He is identified here as “the Lord’s Christ,” v. 26 and the Lord’s “salvation,” v. 30. Simeon understood Who He was, but few others did! Eight days earlier on the night Jesus was born, some humble shepherds became aware of Who He was. Some Heavenly angels knew Who He was. But, sadly, many others did not know Who He was.
The priest who circumcised Him did not know. The other people in the Temple that day did not know. The folks in Bethlehem also did not know Who this very special Baby was.
Sadly, most people alive today do not know Who this Child was and is.
Let me take just a moment to tell you Who this Baby they named Jesus was and Who He still is:
He is God in human flesh – John 1:1, 14; Phil. 2:5-8
He is the Lamb of God slain from before the foundation of the world – Rev. 13:8; 1 Pet. 1:18-20
He is the only Savior of sinners and the only Way to God – John 14:6; Acts 4:12, 1 John 5:12; John 8:24
Simeon is excited because the promised One has appeared. He knew Who Jesus was; the question you must answer is: do you know Who Jesus is? If you do, then you can praise Him like Simeon did.
B. v. 30-32 Praised Because Of Why He Arrived – As Simeon praises God the Father for the Baby Jesus, he tells us a little bit about why Jesus came in this world. We are told in verse 30 that Jesus is salvation. We have already covered that! Then, we are told that He has come to change the whole world.
The ministry He will fulfill will impact the Jewish nation and it will even reach into the Gentile world. Basically, Simeon is reminding us that Jesus came into this world to save all those who will come to Him by faith. Whether a person is a Jew or a Gentile; Jesus came to provide salvation to all who will receive Him. That is the promise of the Word of God, John 3:16; Rev. 22:17.
The truth that Jesus came into this world to set me free from my sins is a true motive for praise, Luke 19:10; John 15:13! That He would love me enough to die for me and to save me by His grace is a thought beyond the power of words to describe! If we can’t find any other reason to praise the Lord, surely we can praise Him because He loved us so much that He endured the pain, the shame and the horror of the cross to set us free from our sins! Listen to what Isaiah said about it – Isa. 53:4-6 – and bless His holy name!
C. v. 34-35 Praised Because Of What He Would Accomplish – Simeon continues his praise by offering a prophecy of what Jesus would accomplish in His life. In these verses, the old man speaks of a Stone, a Sign and a Sword. The phrase “fall and rising again of many in Israel” refers to Jesus as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophesy, Psa. 118:22; Isa. 8:14. Many in Israel would stumble over the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus. They would stumble in rejection and conviction, but a few would rise again in salvation. Jesus is the Stone!
Note: Let me just state for the record that Jesus Christ is still the Stone! He is the Salvation Stone, Matt. 21:44. He is the Judgment Stone, Matt. 21:44, Dan. 2:34, 45. And, He is the Touchstone, that is, He reveals men for what they really are. Everything in your spiritual life hinges around how you answer one question, “What think ye of Christ?”, Matthew 22:42. How you answer that question determines where your soul stands in relationship to God, 1 John 4:1-3. What is your answer?
He also talks about a Sign. The word “sign” means “miracle.” Jesus Christ is God’s miracle! But, instead of receiving him as the gift and revelation of God, His enemies attacked Him and crucified Him. His birth was a miracle, and they attacked it, John 8:41. His miracles were ridiculed and attributed to the work of Satan, Matt. 12:22-24. His character was called into question, John 8:48; 52; 9:24. They mocked Him as He died, Matt. 27:39-44. They lied about His resurrection, Matt. 27:62-66. Even today, men still doubt the Miracle Man by questioning His promise to return to the earth again, 2 Pet. 3:3-18.
Then, Simeon talked about a “sword.” Of course, this was Mary’s pain! She suffered as she watched Jesus fulfill His Father’s plan. The ultimate hurt came the day she watched Him dying on that cross for sinners.
The bottom line of all this is that Jesus Christ entered this world to provide salvation for the lost. Thank God for that wonderful truth! So, do you know the “Miracle Man”? Is Jesus the “Chief Cornerstone” of your life? When you stop to think of Who Arrived, Why He Appeared and What He Accomplished, you can see that we have a quite a motive for praising the Lord.
II. THE METHOD OF THE LAMB’S PRAISE
As we see Simeon and Anna magnify the name of the Lord, we can learn a lesson about how we should be praising Him in these days. A lot of what is passed off as praise now days is nothing more than a show in the flesh. There is a biblical way to offer the sacrifice of praise and these two aged people show us how to do it right!
A. v. 28 The Praise Was Vocal – Simeon didn’t just see Jesus and rejoice in his heart. He opened his mouth and lifted up his voice in praise of the Lord Jesus Christ. He did not keep what he felt bottled up on the inside; he let it out to the glory of the Lord.
B. v. 28 The Praise Was Visible – Simeon involved the entire person in the act of praise. He reached out, lifted the Baby Jesus, held Him high and praised the Lord. He was not embarrassed to vocally and visibly praise His Redeemer.
C. v. 38 The Praise Was Verbal – The Anna enters the arena of praise. She blends her voice with that of Simeon, but she adds an additional element. While Simeon lifted his hands, his heart and his voice to the lord; Anna praises the Lord, but she also tells others about what the Lord is doing. Her praise was vocal, visible and verbal!
Note: I realize that we are living in a day when old-fashioned praising the Lord is out of vogue. People are too sophisticated, too refined and too afraid of what others might think of them to be involved in vocal, visible and verbal praise to the Lord. But friends, let me tell you, God still likes it and He still expects it from His people! Let me just go ahead and state it for the record, there is nothing wrong with vocal, visible and verbal praise to God for what He has done, is doing and will do in our lives! If He has done anything for you at all, then you have a reason to praise the Lord. Listen to what the Bible says about this matter:
Vocal Praise
Psalm 47:1, “O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.
Psalm 98:4, “Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.”
Psalm 135:1, “Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the name of the LORD; praise him, O ye servants of the LORD. Ye that stand in the house of the LORD, in the courts of the house of our God, Praise the LORD; for the LORD is good: sing praises unto his name; for it is pleasant.”
Hebrews 13:15, “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.”
I think God thinks that vocal praise is in order. How about you?
Visible Praise
Psalm 63:4, “Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.”
Psalm 134:2, “Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the LORD.”
2 Samuel 6:14, “And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.”
Seems to me that He also likes visible praise.
Verbal Praise
Psalm 51:13, “Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.”
Psalm 107:2, “Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;”
Mark 5:19-20, “Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee. And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.”
I get the feeling that the Lord likes it when His children brag on Him to a lost world and in the company of the saints.
THE MINISTRY OF THE LAMB’S PRAISE
As the name of the Lord was praise publicly, three precious things took place that day. By the way, the same three things still happen today when God’s people take the time to praise Him for Who He is, what He has done, what He is doing and what He has promised to do!
A. v. 28, 38 The Sovereign Was Exalted – It brought glory to God when He was praised in the Temple. Everything in the Temple was about ritual, but when Simeon and Anna broke the rituals and began to praise the Lord, the focus was taken off the ritual and placed on the Lord God of Heaven.
Even today, when the Lord is praised and exalted in His church and in the world, He is lifted up. When we forget about our rituals and when we take the focus off ourselves and lift His name, then He is exalted. Thank God for the ministry of praise!
B. v. 33 The Saints Were Edified – Mary and Joseph hear these praises and they are given hope and encouragement by the praises of these precious saints of God. By the way, it still helps the Lord’s people when they hear others praising His name! There are days when I cannot feel a spirit of praise in my heart.
There are times when I am not in a position, spiritually, to praise His name. But, when I see one of my brothers or sisters in Jesus praise His name, it connects with my heart and it performs a ministry in my life. It lifts me up and encourages me! When I hear that precious child of God stand and give that testimony, it touches my heart and I can voice my own “Amen!” to the praise they are offering up.
So, whenever you feel like praising Him, don’t hold back on my account! When that testimony has to come out, don’t try to stifle it and quench the Spirit, let it out for the glory of God and because I and others like me need to hear it! Just let it rip and exalt the blessed name of our lovely Redeemer! After all, we have abundant reason to praise Him!
C. v. 38 The Sinners Were Evangelized – The Bible tells us that Anna went out and told others about this Baby she had seen. The Bible says that “she spake of Him!” My, what a topic of discussion! Because she was verbal in her praise, lost sinners heard where they could find Jesus too!
Friend, you will never know what a little testimony, a little praise, a little witness for Jesus will accomplish! God can take the sacrifice of praise you off in His name and use it to turn hearts toward Him! There is something attractive about a child of God who is saved and not ashamed of Jesus!
Conc: When Jesus was born, Heaven was excited. Angels came down and shared the message with some poor shepherds. These men heard the praise of the angels and went to see for themselves. They met Jesus and they came away praising His name also! Then, when Jesus was taken to the Temple at 40 days of age, He was greeted by the praises of two elderly saints of God, who could not contain their live for Him! All through His life, Jesus was praised by those who loved Him. There were even two occasions when the Father spoke His Own praises out of Heaven. He said, “This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.”
I wonder how we are doing in the praise department. If you are saved, then you have a reason to praise Him, Luke 10:20! If you have been holding back, why not come to Him, ask for forgiveness and get busy exalting His name, edifying His children and evangelizing the lost through your praise and testimony? If you are save, but you are not in a position to praise Him, please come to Him and make things right and let Him restore to you a heart of praise.
Of course, if you are lost, then you have a different set of needs today. Notice verse 30. Here Simeon talks about departing because he has seen the Lord’s salvation. Friend, it is of vital importance that you see God’s salvation before death takes you out of this world. After death comes for you, it will be too late! If you need to be saved, there is no better time than right now! Is there a need? Jesus can meet it. Come to Him right now!
Behold The Lamb Series
Hebrews 10:10-14
BEHOLD THE LAMN PRESENTED
Before this world was ever formed, God had been working toward a specific moment in time. Every event in the creation; in the early days of the world; and in the history of the nation of Israel was leading the world ever closer to the moment when God would accomplish a plan He had formulated before the foundation of the world.
You see, when man sinned in the Garden of Eden and fell into the awful clutches of sin, it did not catch God by surprise. In fact, God had already devised a plan whereby sin might be taken care of, even before sin became a reality.
This plan centered around One called the Lamb of God. This Lamb was promised to Adam and Eve just after they sinned, Gen. 3:15. This Lamb was prepared through the miracle of the virgin birth. This Lamb was provided when He was born in Bethlehem.
However, the plan could not be finished until the Lamb had been presented. The Lamb had to come into this world; He had to live here; but ultimately, to accomplish God’s plan, this Lamb had to die here as well. These verses speak about the presentation of Heaven’s Lamb.
These verses speak about the moment in time when the plan of the ages was accomplished. I want to take these verses and share the truths contained here as I try to preach on Behold The Lamb Presented.
It may be that the Lord just wants to encourage His children this morning. It may be that He wants to draw a wayward son or daughter home to Him today. It may be that He wants to speak to your heart and draw you to Himself in salvation. I do not know what the Lord intends to accomplish through this message, but I know He wants to do something eternal. Let’s hear what He has to say as we look at the subject Behold The Lamb Presented.
I. v. 10-11 THE TRAGEDY OF THE LAMB’S PRESENTATION
A. The Reality Of This Tragedy – The very phrases employed in these verses drive home the brutal nature of the death of Jesus Christ. Notice: “offering of the body of Jesus Christ,” v. 10; “sacrifice for sins,” v. 12. When the Lamb of God was presented as the perfect offering for sin, it was not some antiseptic, sanitary event. The death of the Lamb of God was horrible and brutal beyond belief.
Even a quick survey of the Bible bears out that fact.
1. Betrayed by Judas and deserted by the disciples - Matt. 26:47-56
2. Beaten by the Temple guards - Luke 22:63-64
3. Rejected by the very people He came to save - Matt. 27:17-25; John 1:11
4. Scourged - Matt. 27:26 (Ill. Furrows - Psa. 129:3)
5. Mocked by the soldiers and crowned with thorns - Matt. 27:26-29
6. Beard plucked from His face - Isa. 50:6
7. Stripped Naked - Matt. 27:35
8. Crucified - Nailed to a cross and hung up to die - Matt. 27:35
9. Absolutely marred beyond belief - Isa. 50:14
A doctor by the name of C. Truman Davis tried to describe the horror of the cross. Here is what he said: “The cross is placed on the ground and the exhausted man is quickly thrown backwards with his shoulders against the wood.
The legionnaire feels for the depression at the front of the wrist. He drives a heavy, square wrought-iron nail through the wrist and deep into the wood. Quickly he moves to the other side and repeats the action, being careful not to pull the arms too tightly, but to allow some flex and movement.
The cross is then lifted into place. The left foot is pressed backward against the right foot, and with both feet extended, toes down, a nail is driven through the arch of each, leaving the knees flexed.
The victim is now crucified. As he slowly sags down with more weight on the nails in the wrists, excruciating, fiery pain shoots along the fingers and up the arms to explode in the brain.The nails in the wrists are putting pressure on the median nerves. As he pushes himself upward to avoid this stretching torment, he places the full weight on the nail through his feet. Again he feels the searing agony of the nail tearing through the nerves between the bones of his feet.
As the arms fatigue, cramps sweep through the muscles, knotting them in deep, relentless, throbbing pain. With these cramps comes the inability to push himself upward to breathe. Air can be drawn into the lungs but not exhaled. He fights to raise himself in order to get even one small breath. Finally carbon dioxide builds up in the lungs and in the blood stream, and the cramps partially subside. Spasmodically he is able to push himself upward to exhale and bring in life-giving oxygen.
Hours of this limitless pain, cycles of twisting, joint-rending cramps, intermittent partial asphyxiation, searing pain as tissue is torn from his lacerated back as he moves up and down against the rough timber. Then another agony begins: a deep, crushing pain deep in the chest as the pericardium slowly fills with serum and begins to compress the heart.
It is now almost over—the loss of tissue fluids has reached a critical level—the compressed heart is struggling to pump heavy, thick, sluggish blood into the tissues—the tortured lungs are making a frantic effort to gasp in small gulps of air.
He can feel the chill of death creeping through is tissues. . . Finally he can allow his body to die.
All this the Bible records with the simple words, “And they crucified Him.” (Mark 15:24). What wondrous love is this?
B. The Reason For This Tragedy – Again, the words of our text tell us why this horrible event had to take place. “By the which will we are sanctified,” v. 10; “one sacrifice for sins forever,” v. 12. These two phrases make the point that Jesus was not dying for him.He was dying for others. You see, “the wages of sin is death,” Rom. 6:23. The Bible also says,
“The soul that sinneth, it shall die,” Eze. 18:4. When Jesus died, He died without sin, 1 Pet. 2:22; but He was dying for sin, 2 Cor. 5:21, “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:,” 1 Peter 3:18.
When Jesus died on that cross and endured that horrible, brutal, painful death, He was not dying for Himself. He was laying down His life for you and for me. He did what He did for you – John 15:13! The word “offering,” v.10,14,means “present or gift.” When Jesus Christ went to the cross of Calvary and died there, He did so to give lost people the greatest possible gift: The gift of His love manifested through His death, Rom. 5:8.
Sometimes this kind of sacrifice is foreign to us humans. For instance, there is a story of a man who went to the doctor after weeks of symptoms. The doctor examined him carefully, then called the patient’s wife into his office “Your husband is suffering from a rare form of anemia. Without treatment, he’ll be dead in a few weeks. The good news is, it can be treated with proper nutrition.”
“You will need to get up early every morning and fix your husband a hot breakfast—pancakes, bacon and eggs, the works. He’ll need a home-cooked lunch every day, and then an old-fashioned meat-and-potato dinner every evening. It would be especially helpful if you could bake frequently. Cakes, pies, homemade bread—these are the things that will allow your husband to live.
“One more thing. His immune system is weak, so it’s important that your home be kept spotless at all times. Do you have any questions?” The wife had none.
“Do you want to break the news, or shall I?” asked the doctor. “I will,” the wife replied.
She walked into the exam room. The husband, sensing the seriousness of his illness, asked her, “It’s bad, isn’t it?”
She nodded, tears welling up in her eyes. “What’s going to happen to me?” he asked. With a sob, the wife blurted out, “The doctor says you’re goanna die!
Of course, there are time when self-sacrifice is very evident among humans. It has been told that while boarding the SS Dorchester on a dreary winter day in 1943 were 903 troops and four chaplains, including Moody alumnus Lt. George Fox. World War II was in full swing, and the ship was headed across the icy North Atlantic where German U-boats lurked. At 12:00 on the morning of February 3, a German torpedo ripped into the ship. “She’s going down!” the men cried, scrambling for lifeboats.
A young GI crept up to one of the chaplains. “I’ve lost my life jacket,” he said. “Take this,” the chaplain said, handing the soldier his jacket. Before the ship sank, each chaplain gave his life jacket to another man. The heroic chaplains then linked arms and lifted their voices in prayer as the Dorchester went down. Lt. Fox and his fellow pastors were awarded posthumously the Distinguished Service Cross.
Thank God, Jesus Christ did not hold back, but willing gave His all on the cross so that we might be saved from our sins! As the song writer said, “He did it all for me!”
II. v. 10-14 THE TESTIMONY OF THE LAMB’S PRESENTATION
A. v. 10 A Testimony Of Conversion – The word “sanctified” means “to be holy; to be dedicated to God.” The idea here is that through the death of Jesus Christ on the cross and through the shedding of His precious blood; all those who trust Him by faith are made holy. Now, if you know anything about the Bible, you will know that we are anything but holy when we enter this world, Rom. 3:10, 23; Eph. 2:1-3.
Thank God, there is power in the blood of the Lamb! There is power to save the lost soul, 1 Pet. 1:18-19. There is power to transform the lost sinner into a redeemed saint of God, 2 Cor. 5:17. There is power to bring about an instant, complete and eternal transformation in the life of the person who comes to Jesus for salvation! Thank God for His converting power!
B. v. 11-12 A Testimony Of Conquest – As verse 11 tells us, for thousands of years, on the Day of Atonement, the Jewish priests had offered blood sacrifices to atone for the sins of Israel. These sacrifices had never cleansed away one single sin.
All they had done was to cover them over for another year. Every year, the high priest had to enter the holy of holies and offer more blood. He even had to offer blood for his own sins. Yet, with millions of gallons of blood shed in the tabernacle and the temple, not one sin had ever been washed away.
When Jesus died on the cross everything changed! He offered Himself one time on that cross and when He did, He shed pure, innocent blood and He forever satisfied the demands of God for sin, 1 John 2:2; Rom. 3:25-26. In other words, Jesus accomplished in His death what the deaths of millions of animals had failed to do: He finally and fully paid for sin for all who will trust Him for salvation!
Now, no one has to die in their sins! Anyone who will trust Jesus by faith can be saved from their sins, and can be liberated from sins power and penalty, Rom, 10:13; John 6:47.
C. v. 14 A Testimony Of Completion – The phrase, “perfected for ever them that are sanctified,” is a statement of completion! The death of Christ guarantees salvation to all those who come to Jesus by faith. When a sinner responds to the Gospel message and embraces Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, that person is made complete and whole in Jesus.
]They are no longer seen as a sinner, but as a saint of God. Their sins are washed away and they are given the perfect righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, Rom. 4:22-24. God no longer sees us as we are, but He sees us as Jesus is! I will never be holy; He will never be anything but holy! When I was saved, I was given His righteousness and He took my sins away! Praise God!
Not only does the death of Jesus bring about salvation from sin, it also guarantees all those who trust Him eternal life. One of the greatest truths in the New Testament is the truth that those who are saved by the grace of God enjoy His eternal security! The words “for ever” bear this out! Those who are saved need never fear being lost again, 1 Pet. 1:5; John 10:28; Phil. 1:6.
III. v. 12-13 THE TRIUMPH OF THE LAMB’S PRESENTATION
When Jesus died on the cross, His death was not the end of the story! These verses tell us something about the ministry of Jesus after the cross!
A. v. 12 The Triumph Of His Resurrection – This is an interesting verses. It moves directly from picturing Jesus on the cross to showing Him seated at the right have of God. Between these the cross and the crown is a monumental event called the resurrection. You see, Jesus died on the cross, but He did not stay dead! He arose from the dead to secure eternal life for all those who believe in Him. His death paid for our sins, but His resurrection gives life to all those who trust Him, John 11:25-26. Thank God, because He lives, we can live also!
B. v. 13 The Triumph Of His Reigning – We are told that the risen Lamb sits at the right hand of God in heaven; waiting for the day when His enemies will be defeated. I don’t know if you know it or not, but Jesus is special! He died on the cross; He rose from the dead and He will reign throughout eternity because He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
In fact, one day, every knee will bow to Him and every tongue will confess Him as King, Rom. 14:11. By the way, if you will bow and confess now, it will result in the salvation of your soul. If you wait until you are forced to bow and confess it will merely seal your doom in Hell!
Conc.: The Lamb of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, was sent into this world for you. He was born for you; He lived for you; and He died for you! He did everything He did so that you might be liberated from your sins and have the hope of a home in Heaven when you die. He gave Himself willingly to death so that you might taste life. Not just any life, but eternal, everlasting, new, heavenly life. He presented Himself for you, the question is, have you presented yourself to Him?
Jesus wants to save you, and He will, if you will receive Him by faith. Would you like to be saved? Would you like to be sure of a home in Heaven when you die? Would you like to become a child of God? If He is speaking to your heart and calling you to come to Him, then come! Come today while there is still time. Come while He is near and while He is calling you.
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