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The Lamb of God Msg 912 - Pastor Chuck Swindoll Insight for Living (64k) · INSIGHT FOR LIVING: Biblical Wisdom For Everyday Living

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Speaker 1: I think people would be surprised if Jesus were to
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Speaker 1: appear again on this earth, and I think they would
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Speaker 1: be surprised at the same thing. I do not think
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Speaker 1: they would be surprised necessarily at his appearance. He looked
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Speaker 1: like any other Jewish Man would look today, or like
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Speaker 1: any other Jewish Man would look in the first century.
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Speaker 1: His appearance wasn't any different from that of any other jew.
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Speaker 1: I don't think that we would be surprised at his power,
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Speaker 1: because we have been well informed that he is able
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Speaker 1: to still the sea, and cleanse the leper and heal
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Speaker 1: the sick, and give sight to the blind, and even
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Speaker 1: raise the dead. I don't think his power would surprise
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Speaker 1: most people, nor his teachings. I don't think many people
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Speaker 1: would be surprised at what he taught, for it has
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Speaker 1: been well documented in the New Testament, and it would
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Speaker 1: simply fit in with what we have heard all these
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Speaker 1: centuries from his lips. I believe people would be surprised
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Speaker 1: at his temperament because I do not think he fits
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Speaker 1: the stereotyped image of a strong leader. I think his
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Speaker 1: temperament might in fact disappoint some, as it did in
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Speaker 1: his day. We live in a day of high rollers
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Speaker 1: and strong willed individuals. We like visionary entrepreneurs. They're the
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Speaker 1: people who change the face of our nation and shape
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Speaker 1: our future. We like strong speakers. We like folks who
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Speaker 1: carry themselves with a little bit of a swagger. We
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Speaker 1: like the aggressive types. They're the ones who get it
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Speaker 1: seems on television. They're the ones who attract the attention
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Speaker 1: of a city when a crusade is held. They're the
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Speaker 1: ones who are able to sway the masses people who well,
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Speaker 1: they represent a style that attracts the attention of the crowd.
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Speaker 1: Jesus didn't have that style. As a matter of fact,
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Speaker 1: I think for those who simply saw him beside the
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Speaker 1: road and he wasn't doing his work of miracles or
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Speaker 1: teaching his remarkable and radical message, I believe they just
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Speaker 1: passed him by. There was no aura about him. There
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Speaker 1: is only one place in all the Bible that Jesus
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Speaker 1: describes his temperament, and it isn't strong and impressive, full
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Speaker 1: of charisma power. The only place you will find his
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Speaker 1: describing himself is over in Matthew's Gospel Chapter eleven. Matthew
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Speaker 1: eleven twenty eight through thirty come to me all who
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Speaker 1: are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
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Speaker 1: Take my yoke upon you and learn from me. Now
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Speaker 1: watch carefully. This is the only time Jesus tells us
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Speaker 1: of his personality, or I'm calling it of his temperament.
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Speaker 1: For I am gentle and humble in heart, and you
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Speaker 1: shall find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy,
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Speaker 1: my load light. He would have never made it before
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Speaker 1: the cameras meek, and how does he put it? Gentle
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Speaker 1: and humble people don't attract a crowd. Those who the
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Speaker 1: public will follow readily are those who know how to
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Speaker 1: how to do it whatever it is. They know how.
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Speaker 1: Jesus had plenty of power, of course, being God, he
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Speaker 1: had all of the strength and then some of heaven.
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Speaker 1: But he never ever in himself, performed are attempted to impress.
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Speaker 1: I'll be frank with you. Of all the things about Christ,
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Speaker 1: I think I admire this the most. The one who
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Speaker 1: had the ability to abuse his power never came anywhere
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Speaker 1: near it. He was known for his gentleness and his
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Speaker 1: humility of heart. He didn't look the part of a
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Speaker 1: leader that is the kind we think of today. As
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Speaker 1: a matter of fact, when his closest colleague. In the
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Speaker 1: early part of his ministry, a blood relative named John
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Speaker 1: the Baptizer spoke of him over in John chapter one.
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Speaker 1: John the Prophet announced, and if you'll turn John one,
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Speaker 1: verse twenty nine. When he saw the Lord Jesus coming
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Speaker 1: near him and a few with him, John pointed over
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Speaker 1: towards Jesus and said, behold, behold the Lamb of God,
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Speaker 1: who takes away the sin of the world, the Lamb
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Speaker 1: of God verse thirty six or thirty five. Again. The
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Speaker 1: next day, John was standing with two of his disciples,
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Speaker 1: and he looked upon Jesus as he walked and said, behold, look,
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Speaker 1: it's the Lamb again, the Lamb of God. I love
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Speaker 1: the fact that the Bible brings us back to reality
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Speaker 1: and is not impressed with our times or our style.
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Speaker 1: I love it that the Bible written in this era
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Speaker 1: fits all eras that would follow. The reason I say
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Speaker 1: that is because the lamb is not really an impressive thing.
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Speaker 1: Jesus is never called the Bear of God, never call
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Speaker 1: the Lion of God, at least not by his followers,
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Speaker 1: not even Stallion of God. He's called the lamb. Lamb somehow,
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Speaker 1: doesn't have Madison have a new appeal. I don't think
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Speaker 1: there's a group of ad writers today struggling over how
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Speaker 1: to use the thought of a lamb and getting people
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Speaker 1: attracted to their product. It's not good public appeal. National
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Speaker 1: heroes won't won't ever use it. Vote for Jones. He's
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Speaker 1: a lamb of a man. You'll never ever hear that.
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Speaker 1: Never he's a lamb of a leader. No car will
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Speaker 1: ever be called afford lamb. You see, you laugh because
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Speaker 1: you see right away it doesn't fit the style of
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Speaker 1: a fast, sleek, strong kind of engine or vehicle. You
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Speaker 1: will have the Cougar and the road Runner, and the
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Speaker 1: Mustang and the Pinto, which should cause some to laugh,
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Speaker 1: and the Cobra and the Bronco, but you will never
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Speaker 1: have the lamb. Never mark it down. Here's the world.
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Speaker 1: Next year they'll come out with a lamb, and I'll
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Speaker 1: hear from you. Just doesn't seem to fit. I'm glad
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Speaker 1: it doesn't. This is one of those word pictures that
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Speaker 1: were simply forced to accept, even though it doesn't appeal
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Speaker 1: to our to our human nature. He is meek and
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Speaker 1: he is gentle, and few of his followers are meek
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Speaker 1: and gentle, And we say it to our shame. We
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Speaker 1: who tend to get so caught up in what the
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Speaker 1: public wants to see in us, want to give an
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Speaker 1: image that is altogether un christ like. Paul perhaps came
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Speaker 1: as close as any when he simply talked about his
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Speaker 1: weaknesses and struggles and failures and failures, and had no
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Speaker 1: interest in impressing all of those things before that were
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Speaker 1: so impressive. And did he have the letters He counted it,
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Speaker 1: but refuse that he might gain Christ. Paul's desire was
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Speaker 1: to be a lamp of a man. Yes, even in temperament. Yes,
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Speaker 1: Now when I trace Lambs through the scriptures, I come
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Speaker 1: across some other insightful things traffic with me through the Bible.
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Speaker 1: Let's go way back to Genesis, and we'll wind up
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Speaker 1: in Revelation, and by then we'll be hungry, ready to
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Speaker 1: eat again. Genesis twenty two is a time of great emotion.
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Speaker 1: The father Abraham has obeyed God and with his son
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Speaker 1: has gone up Mount Mariah, and they're on their way
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Speaker 1: to the destination, the place of the altar. And twenty
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Speaker 1: two to seven picks up the story. Verse six says
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Speaker 1: Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid
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Speaker 1: it on Isaac, his son. He took in his hand
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Speaker 1: the fire and the knife. So the two of them
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Speaker 1: walked on together. You and I have groaned and sometimes
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Speaker 1: wept through this scene as we have imagined a father
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Speaker 1: and a son, a grown son old enough to carry
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Speaker 1: the wood. That tells us he wasn't a little elementary
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Speaker 1: school boy. He was a young adult, certainly an older teenager.
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Speaker 1: And Isaac spoke to Abraham, and he said to his father,
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Speaker 1: my father, he said, here I am, my son, said,
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Speaker 1: behold the fire and the wood. Where's the lamb? Isn't
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Speaker 1: that interesting? He doesn't say where's the sacrifice? He calls
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Speaker 1: it what it was. Where's the lamb? Where's the lamb
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Speaker 1: for the burnt offering in God? And Abraham said, God
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Speaker 1: will provide the lamb for the offering, my son. So
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Speaker 1: the two of them walked on together. In Exodus chapter
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Speaker 1: twenty nine, the lamb appears again in the form of
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Speaker 1: a sacrificial offering twenty nine thirty eight through forty one. God,
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Speaker 1: directing his plan for the Jews through Moses, tells them,
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Speaker 1: this is what you shall offer on the altar. Exodus
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Speaker 1: twenty nine thirty eight. This is what you shall offer
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Speaker 1: on the altar two one year lambs each day. Continuously
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Speaker 1: imagine that one lamb you shall offer in the morning,
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Speaker 1: the other lamb you shall offer a twilight. There shall
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Speaker 1: be one tenth of an of fine flour mixed with
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Speaker 1: one fourth of a hen of beaten oil, and one
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Speaker 1: fourth of a hen of wine for a libation. With
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Speaker 1: one lamb and the other lamb, you shall offer a twilight,
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Speaker 1: and shall offer with it the same grain, offering as
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Speaker 1: the morning, the same libation for a soothing aroma, and
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Speaker 1: offering by fire to the Lord. Lambs offered lamb after
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Speaker 1: lamb after lamb, by the hundreds, by the thousands, by
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Speaker 1: the millions, lambs lambs, always lambs offerings to God. It
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Speaker 1: got to where children raised in Jewish homes just had
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Speaker 1: that as part of their vocabulary, the sacrificial lamb, called
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Speaker 1: the pasca. It came to be a part of their vocabulary.
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Speaker 1: It was the lamb offering. Of course, Jewish feasts included lambs.
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Speaker 1: Leviticus twenty three, verse nine. Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
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Speaker 1: speak to the sons of Israel, and say to them,
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Speaker 1: when you enter the land which I'm going to give you,
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Speaker 1: and when you reap its harvest, then you shall bring
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Speaker 1: in the sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest
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Speaker 1: to the priests. Were in Leviticus twenty three eleven. He
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Speaker 1: shall wave the sheaf before the Lord for you to
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Speaker 1: be accepted. On the day after the Sabbath. The priest
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Speaker 1: shall wave it. Now on the day when you wave
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Speaker 1: the sheaf, look at the feast time. Now you shall
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Speaker 1: also offer a male lamb one year old without defect
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Speaker 1: for a burnt offering to the Lord. Its grain offering
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Speaker 1: shall then be one tenth or two tenths of an eph.
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Speaker 1: And he describes all of that as we just read.
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Speaker 1: But the time of a feasting would include the smell
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Speaker 1: of burnt offering another burnt lamb. It would offer be
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Speaker 1: offered on an altar when vows were taken by those
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Speaker 1: who were to be Nazarites numbers chapter six. You'll observe
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Speaker 1: that lambs were a part of it. I really don't
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Speaker 1: intend to go through the Deuteronomy, Joshua judges Ruth. For
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Speaker 1: some of you are checking your calendar. Wonder when we'll
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Speaker 1: get through this. Kind of just want you to see
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Speaker 1: how it is interwoven in the Old Testament. This is
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Speaker 1: just picking and choosing some of the more familiar sections.
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Speaker 1: Number six, The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, speak to
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Speaker 1: the sons of Israel, and say to them, when a
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Speaker 1: man or woman makes a special vow, the vow of
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Speaker 1: a Nazarite to dedicate himself to the Lord, he shall
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Speaker 1: abstain from wine in strong drink. He shall drink no vinegar,
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Speaker 1: whether made from wine or strong drink. Neither shall he
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Speaker 1: drink any grape juice, nor eat fresh or dried grapes.
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Speaker 1: All the days of his separation, he shall not eat
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Speaker 1: anything that is produced with the grape vine, from the seeds,
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Speaker 1: even to the skin. You think God was in particular,
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Speaker 1: when was the last time you peeled a grape? All
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Speaker 1: the days of his vow of separation, no razors shall
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Speaker 1: pass over his head. He shall be holy until the
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Speaker 1: days are fulfilled for which he separated himself to the Lord.
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Speaker 1: He shall let the locks of his hair on his
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Speaker 1: head grow long. Right now, you're thinking of Samson. Yes,
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Speaker 1: he was a Nazarite, but the strength was not in
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Speaker 1: his hair. The strength was in God's a power which
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Speaker 1: he placed on Samson, and it was in the symbol
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Speaker 1: of his hair, but he had his hair grow long
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Speaker 1: because he was a Nazarite. All the days of his
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Speaker 1: separation to the Lord, he shall not go near a
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Speaker 1: dead person. He shall not make himself unclean for his
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Speaker 1: father or for his mother, for his brother or his
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Speaker 1: sister when they die, because his separation to God is
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Speaker 1: on his head. All the days of his separation, he
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Speaker 1: is holy to the Lord. But but if a man
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Speaker 1: dies very suddenly beside him, and he defiles his dedicated
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Speaker 1: head of hair, then he shall shave his head on
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Speaker 1: the day when he becomes clean. He shall shave it
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Speaker 1: on the seventh day. Then on the eighth day he
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Speaker 1: shall bring two turtle doves or two young pigeons to
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Speaker 1: the priest to the doorway of the tent of meeting,
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Speaker 1: and the priest shall offer one for a in offering,
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Speaker 1: the other for a burnt offering, and make atonement for
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Speaker 1: him concerning his sin because of the dead person. And
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Speaker 1: that same day he shall consecrate his head and shall
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Speaker 1: dedicate to the Lord his days as an Azirite, and
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Speaker 1: shall bring a lamb, a male lamb a year old,
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Speaker 1: for a guilt offering. But the former days shall he
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Speaker 1: shall be void, because his separation was defiled. Verse fourteen.
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Speaker 1: He shall present his offering to the Lord one male
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Speaker 1: lamb a year to one lamb a year old without
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Speaker 1: defect for a burnt offering, and one you lamb a
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Speaker 1: year old without defect for a sin offering, and one
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Speaker 1: ram without defect for a peace offering. But of all
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Speaker 1: the scenes that and I'm leaving out some, there's a
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Speaker 1: great scene in First Chronicles twenty nine where David is
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Speaker 1: exulting in all of the preparation for the temple. Though
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Speaker 1: he wasn't able to build it, being a man of war,
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Speaker 1: he thought of it, and he saw it in his
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Speaker 1: mind's eye, and envisioning it, he extolled, God is the
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Speaker 1: God of heaven and earth. And there were lambs that
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Speaker 1: were offered, in fact, thousands of lambs at that time,
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Speaker 1: of a personal dedication of the temple in David's mind. Now,
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Speaker 1: but of all the scenes where lambs are most significant,
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Speaker 1: of course would be the passover. And if you'll slip
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Speaker 1: back to Exodus twelve, you'll just get that scene once
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Speaker 1: again familiar in your mind. And then I want to
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Speaker 1: read a bit about it from a writer. Exodus twelve,
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Speaker 1: the people of Israel have been under bondage for these
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Speaker 1: four hundred and thirty years, and God through Moses, is
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Speaker 1: on the verge of delivering them from Egypt. And just
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Speaker 1: before deliverance, God says, this is how we're going to
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Speaker 1: do it. Not only will it get us out of Egypt,
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Speaker 1: this will be This will be a memorial that you
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Speaker 1: will never stop doing. It will be a permanent remembrance
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Speaker 1: every year every year. Now, the Lord said to Moses
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Speaker 1: and Aaron in the land of Egypt, this month shall
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Speaker 1: be the beginning of the months for you. It is
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Speaker 1: to be the first month of the year. God even
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Speaker 1: rearrange the calendar based on the Pasca. The Passover speak
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Speaker 1: to all the congregation of Israel, saying on the tenth
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Speaker 1: of this month, they are each one to take a
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Speaker 1: lamb for themselves according to their father's household, a lamb
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Speaker 1: for each household, but not just any lamb. If a
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Speaker 1: household is too small for a lamb, then he and
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Speaker 1: his neighbor nearest to his house are to take one
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Speaker 1: according to the number of persons in them, according to
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Speaker 1: what each man should eat. And you are to divide
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Speaker 1: the lamb. Your lamb shall be an unblemished male, a
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Speaker 1: year old. You may take it from the sheep or
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Speaker 1: from the goats. You shall keep it until the fourteenth
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Speaker 1: day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of
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Speaker 1: the Congregation of Israel is to eat it at twilight. Moreover,
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Speaker 1: they shall take some of the blood and put it
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Speaker 1: on the two door posts and on the lintel of
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Speaker 1: the houses in which they eat it. And they shall
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Speaker 1: eat the flesh that same night, roasted with fire. Notice,
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Speaker 1: roasted with fire. And they shall eat it with unleavened
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Speaker 1: bread and bitter herbs. Do not eat any of it
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Speaker 1: raw or boiled it, or boiled at all with water,
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Speaker 1: but roasted with fire, both its head and its legs,
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Speaker 1: along with its entrols. And you shall not leave any
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Speaker 1: of it over until morning. But whatever is left of
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Speaker 1: it until morning, you shall burn with fire. Now you
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Speaker 1: shall eat it in this manner. He even tells them how
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Speaker 1: to dress for the eating of the land at the
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Speaker 1: first passover. This is a beautiful moment. Coins girded, your
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Speaker 1: sandals on your feet, your staff in your hand. You
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Speaker 1: shall eat it in haste. Sounds like the way a
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Speaker 1: lot of us eat our lunches, doesn't it? You eat
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Speaker 1: it on the run, as it were why because they're
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Speaker 1: leaving Egypt, and on the way out of Egypt, you
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Speaker 1: eat this lamb is a reminder that you're delivered from
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Speaker 1: this bondage. It's a beautiful scene. You'll eat it exactly
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Speaker 1: as I've described it, and you'll eat it in haste.
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Speaker 1: It is the Lord's passover. Or I will go through
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Speaker 1: the land of Egypt on that night and strike down
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Speaker 1: all the first born in the land of Egypt, both men,
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Speaker 1: both man and beast, and against all the gods of Egypt.
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Speaker 1: I will execute judgments. I am the Lord, and the
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Speaker 1: blood shall be a signed for you on the houses
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Speaker 1: where you live. And when I see the blood, this
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Speaker 1: is where the name comes from. I will pass over you.
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Speaker 1: No plague will befall you to destroy you. When I
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Speaker 1: right the land of Egypt. Lambs not a calf, not
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Speaker 1: a yearly, not a turtle dove. It's got to be
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Speaker 1: a lamb. That's God's plan. You think those Jewish fishermen
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Speaker 1: didn't understand it when John looked across the way and said,
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Speaker 1: behold the Pascal of God, the lamb. He's the lamb
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Speaker 1: woven into their entire fabric. While growing up in a
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Speaker 1: Jewish home, was the passover was the use of the lamb.
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Speaker 1: The talk about the lamb, the references to the lamb,
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Speaker 1: it was in them, thoroughly in them. Based on this
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Speaker 1: passage we've looked at. In Exodus, one man writes, of
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Speaker 1: all the pictures of the lamb used of Jesus, this
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Speaker 1: is the one most definitely and directly applied to him.
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Speaker 1: The Passover feast stood at the very heart of Jewish
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Speaker 1: life and religion. Every adult male Jew who lived within
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Speaker 1: twenty miles of Jerusalem was bound by law to attend Passover,
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Speaker 1: and it was the ambition of every devout Jew who
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Speaker 1: lived outside Palestine to attend at least one Passover feast
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Speaker 1: in Jerusalem, even if he had to save for half
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Speaker 1: a lifetime to do so. The Passover Lamb stood for
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Speaker 1: two things. First, the passover Lamb was the symbol of deliverance,
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Speaker 1: and second, the passover Lamb was the means of deliverance.
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Speaker 1: It is said distinctly and in so many words, that
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Speaker 1: it was on the preparation for the Passover about twelve
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Speaker 1: o'clock mid day that Jesus was crucified John nineteen fourteen,
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Speaker 1: And that is precisely when the Passover lamb was to
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Speaker 1: be killed. The Passover lamb was not killed by the
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Speaker 1: individe Jewal worshiper. It was killed in the temple. It
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Speaker 1: was killed with the priests. Its throat was slit, its
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Speaker 1: blood was collected in a silver bowl and thrown upon
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Speaker 1: the altar. Then the body of the lamb was given
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Speaker 1: back to the worshiper that it might be cooked and
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Speaker 1: eaten at the feast. This was all done at midday
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Speaker 1: and in the early afternoon preceding the feast. This is
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Speaker 1: to say that Jesus was being crucified at exactly the
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Speaker 1: time when the Passover lambs were being killed. Beyond question,
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Speaker 1: the symbolism is that he is God's passover Lamb, sacrificed
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Speaker 1: for the deliverance of God's people over. In the New Testament,
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Speaker 1: we find in Mark chapter fourteen a reference to preparing
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Speaker 1: the Passover Mark fourteen twelve. And on the first day
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Speaker 1: of unleaven Bread, when the Passover Lamb was being sacrificed,
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Speaker 1: his disciples said to him, where do you want us
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Speaker 1: to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?
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Speaker 1: And he sent two of his disciples and said, go
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Speaker 1: into the city, and a man will meet you carrying
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Speaker 1: a pitcher of water. Follow him, and wherever he enters,
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Speaker 1: say to the owner of the house. The teacher says,
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Speaker 1: where is my guest room in which I may eat
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Speaker 1: the Passover? Notice what it's called. It's not called celebrating
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Speaker 1: the Passover. It's called eating the Passover because the entire
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Speaker 1: sacrificial scene was the Passover. It was the eating of
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Speaker 1: the lamb. You ate the passover. Didn't look at the
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Speaker 1: passover or read about the passover. You ate the Passover.
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Speaker 1: And I will eat the Passover with my disciple Pipel
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Speaker 1: and he himself will show you a large upper room
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Speaker 1: and furnished and ready prepare for us. There isn't that
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Speaker 1: significant that he would not tell them how to do it? Well?
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Speaker 1: They knew how to do it. If your mother, all
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Speaker 1: through your life, had prepared every year the passover lamb,
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Speaker 1: do you think you would know the process? Do most
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Speaker 1: young women who marry know how to fix a Thanksgiving turkey?
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Speaker 1: Don't answer out loud. That may not fit everybody. Most
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Speaker 1: young brides, most ladies who marry and fix their first
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Speaker 1: Thanksgiving know pretty well how to do it. They've seen
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Speaker 1: it all through their years. Even more so here because
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Speaker 1: the Jewish, the godly Jewish home, the devout father and
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Speaker 1: the devout mother, would not just fix it. They would
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Speaker 1: explain it. They would talk about it. This is why
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Speaker 1: we fix the caro chef like this. This is why
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Speaker 1: it's a paste. It represents the mortar that held the
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Speaker 1: bricks that became a part of the walls that were
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Speaker 1: built around the land of Egypt. This became part of
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Speaker 1: those massive structures that our forefathers built and died while
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Speaker 1: building and mixing. And this is why we serve the
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Speaker 1: meat like we do. And they would explain it. And
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Speaker 1: these little children, in the most impressive years, would with
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Speaker 1: mouth open learn from their mom and dad. It was
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Speaker 1: in the whole being of the jew We operate a
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Speaker 1: little at at a point of ignorance, being gentile, because
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Speaker 1: we haven't that in our heritage. From Mark fourteen, look
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Speaker 1: at first Corinthians five verse seven, Paul is rebuke is
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Speaker 1: rebuking the Corinthians because of their loose living, because of
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Speaker 1: their licentious lifestyle. In fact, had even boasted about it,
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Speaker 1: and he says to them in one Corinthians five six,
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Speaker 1: You're boasting is not good. Do you not know that
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Speaker 1: a little eleven levens the whole lump of dough, and
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Speaker 1: that reminds him of the of the Pascal scene when
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Speaker 1: he was a little boy. No doubt, clean out the
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Speaker 1: old eleven. They did that. It passover. It took out
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Speaker 1: all of the old eleven. The house was totally cleaned,
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Speaker 1: completely cleaned. It passover. That you may be a new lump,
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Speaker 1: just as you are, in fact on leavened for Christ
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Speaker 1: our passover. Look at that Christ, our passover also has
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Speaker 1: been sacrificed. Ties in with Isaiah's words, doesn't it Isaiah
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Speaker 1: Chapter fifty three, verse seven. I love it. He was oppressed,
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Speaker 1: and he was afflicted. Yet he opened not his mouth,
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Speaker 1: like a lamb led to slough, like a sheep that
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Speaker 1: is silent before his shearers. He did not open his mouth.
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Speaker 1: We've seen Biblical, our Old and New Testament references to
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Speaker 1: the lamb. Let me show you the scene of the
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Speaker 1: lamb on the earth. And we just read. I just
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Speaker 1: read from Isaiah fifty three. Turn to Acts chapter eight.
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Speaker 1: I want to show you why I would say that
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Speaker 1: has reference to Christ, the servant of God yet to
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Speaker 1: come in the days of Isaiah, though he wrote it
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Speaker 1: seven eight centuries before Christ. One might wonder, well, how
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Speaker 1: can you say that he wrote it with reference to Messiah,
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Speaker 1: the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, let's let the Lord himself,
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Speaker 1: through that is, the Holy Spirit, interpret it for us.
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Speaker 1: Acts Chapter eight, Verse thirty two. Philip the evangelist is
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Speaker 1: is a follower of Christ. Now that Jesus is gone
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Speaker 1: and left his message, he has heard of the Savior.
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Speaker 1: He's believed in Christ, and he's dedicated himself to making
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Speaker 1: Christ known. And Philip finds himself out in the middle
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Speaker 1: of nowhere, and along comes a chariot, And in that
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Speaker 1: chariot sits an official of Ethiopia and of all things
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Speaker 1: verse thirty two. The passage of scripture which he was
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Speaker 1: reading was this, he was led as a sheep to slaughter,
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Speaker 1: and as a lamb before its shearers, is silent, so
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Speaker 1: he does not open his mouth. Now pause just a minute.
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Speaker 1: Imagine that in the middle of nowhere you see a
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Speaker 1: chariot coming. And when he gets nearer and near in error,
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Speaker 1: this official says, come join me, and you sit up
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Speaker 1: in the chariot with this stranger. And he's reading from
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Speaker 1: the Old Testament scrolls Isaiah fifty three. And so he
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Speaker 1: reads of his humiliation, and his judgment was taken away,
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Speaker 1: and who shall relate his generation and his life is
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Speaker 1: removed from the earth? And the eunuch, that is this
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Speaker 1: official from the Treasury department overeath over the of the
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Speaker 1: eunuch said to Philip, tell me of whom does the
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Speaker 1: prophet say this? Of himself or someone else? That's a
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Speaker 1: great question. I'm reading here in Isaiah, and I can't
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Speaker 1: imagine who he's referring to. Wouldn't that be wonderful to
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Speaker 1: be on a flight and to have someone say, pst st.
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Speaker 1: I'm reading in Isaiah fifty three. Do you have any
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Speaker 1: idea who the lamb before his sharers is done? Who
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Speaker 1: do that refer to? Oh, I'm glad, you asked, I'm glad.
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Speaker 1: And Philip opened his mouth. And beginning from this scripture
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Speaker 1: you think he didn't know his Bible. Beginning from this
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Speaker 1: scripture he preached Jesus to him. Of course, who it
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Speaker 1: refers to? Isaiah wrote of him seven eight centuries before
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Speaker 1: he came. And then now that the passage has been
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Speaker 1: preserved into the first century, and this this eunuch is
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Speaker 1: reading of it, Philip, led by God, tells him about
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Speaker 1: Jesus Christ our passover. First Peter chapter one, verse eighteen.
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Speaker 1: On Peter one eighteen, knowing that you were not redeemed
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Speaker 1: with perishable things like silver or gold, from your futile
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Speaker 1: way of life inherited from your forefathers, but you were
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Speaker 1: redeemed with precious blood as of a lamb, unblemished and spotless,
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Speaker 1: the blood of Christ, the blood of Christ, the lamb.
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Speaker 1: In Revelation chapter five, John is transported to the scenes
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Speaker 1: yet future, and five six he sees something that will
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Speaker 1: someday be seen by God's people. I saw between the throne,
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Speaker 1: with the four living creatures and the elders, a lamb
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Speaker 1: standing as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes,
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Speaker 1: which are the seven spirits of God sent out into
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Speaker 1: all the earth. And he came and took it out
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Speaker 1: of the right hand of him who sat on the throne.
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Speaker 1: And when he had taken the book, the four living
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Speaker 1: creatures and the twenty four elders fell down before the lamb,
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Speaker 1: each one having a harp and golden bulls full of incense,
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Speaker 1: which are the sprayers of the saints. And they sang
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Speaker 1: a new song, worthy art thou to take the book?
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Speaker 1: Verse twelve. Worthy is the lamb that was slain to
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Speaker 1: receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor
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Speaker 1: and glory and blessing. Go all the way to chapter
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Speaker 1: twenty one, verse twenty two the scene. Yet Future John says,
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Speaker 1: I saw no temple in it, for the Lord, God
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Speaker 1: the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the
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Speaker 1: city has no need of the sun or of the
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Speaker 1: moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God
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Speaker 1: has illumined it, and its lamp is the lamb. All
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Speaker 1: the way to the end of the book is the
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Speaker 1: picture of the lamb slain for the sins of the world.
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Speaker 1: It cannot be denied that these color full, varied portraits
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Speaker 1: painted the pens of these writers of scripture cannot be
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Speaker 1: denied they had more in mind than mere lambs, literal lambs.
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Speaker 1: I can see at least four symbolic meanings. First of all,
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Speaker 1: there's a symbol of sacrifice. We've seen that from the
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Speaker 1: earliest pages of scripture. Second, there's a symbol of dependence,
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Speaker 1: of reliance on another, as a little lamb would rely
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Speaker 1: on its mother. There's a symbol of innocence in the lamb.
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Speaker 1: There's a symbol of course of meetness and gentleness and humility,
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Speaker 1: all of which are extremely commendable and rare. One of
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Speaker 1: the routes that Cynthia and I run in the early
35:50
Speaker 1: morning time together takes us along an area near the
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Speaker 1: Fullerton College where the students in the college are raising
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Speaker 1: various animals. You know you're getting close before you get there.
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Speaker 1: But what is interesting is watching each morning as the
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Speaker 1: sun rises, watching these various animals. And the special attention
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Speaker 1: has been a little flock of sheep. It's our only
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Speaker 1: scene in Fullerton of sheep, and so it's of interest
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Speaker 1: to us. One of these u lambs has been carrying,
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Speaker 1: has been carrying a sheep a little tiny lamp for
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Speaker 1: the longest time. I checked with our resident zoologist, Gary
36:43
Speaker 1: Richmond and found that it's one hundred and eighty day
36:47
Speaker 1: gestation period. To tell you how much I know about animals,
36:51
Speaker 1: I asked him about the link of the gestation period
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Speaker 1: of the ram. He said, well, rams don't carry sheep,
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Speaker 1: use carry sheep. We got that cleared up, and I
37:02
Speaker 1: said how long is He said, it's about six months.
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Speaker 1: Let me check it. He said, sure enough to the day,
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Speaker 1: one hundred and eighty days and not long ago. She
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Speaker 1: delivered this adorable little lamb, And now that it's gotten
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Speaker 1: on its feet, little wobbly legs, you just want to go,
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Speaker 1: just snuggle up to it. You just want to jump
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Speaker 1: the fence and grab it. Of course, there are others
37:28
Speaker 1: in there that might not like that idea, so we've
37:30
Speaker 1: just enjoyed it from a distance. But I cannot remember
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Speaker 1: having seen a creature in the field that was more
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Speaker 1: inviting than a little lamb, little cuddly, innocent lamb. Christ
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Speaker 1: is never called the sheep of God, only the lamb.
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Speaker 1: A sheep is more powerful, a sheep stronger. But in
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Speaker 1: this species, which is already weak and dependent, is an
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Speaker 1: even more fragile little creature. And that's the picture God
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Speaker 1: uses of his son. Now, men and women, let's all
38:30
Speaker 1: be exhorted from the same thought. Those of us so
38:35
Speaker 1: impressed by visible strength, and by great charisma and loud
38:41
Speaker 1: voices and strong will leaders and impressive, polished, well groomed,
38:47
Speaker 1: tailored entrepreneurs. Let's be careful. I am convinced Jesus wouldn't
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Speaker 1: present himself that way. He wouldn't be bumbling and awkward.
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Speaker 1: Don't misunderstand. There would be enormous strength the strength of God,
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Speaker 1: but it wouldn't be displayed to impress you. Jesus never
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Speaker 1: did a miracle and then looked over his shoulders to
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Speaker 1: see how they liked it. Never he did many of
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Speaker 1: his best works alone with the victims. We love the
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Speaker 1: applause of the public. We love the slightest admonition or
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Speaker 1: encouragement from our fawning public. Christ never saw that that
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Speaker 1: little lamb we see in the field each morning is
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Speaker 1: as unconcerned with impressing us as he can be. I
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Speaker 1: find four wonderful qualities of a lamb worthin, and I
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Speaker 1: hope you will not forget them. First, a life of dependence.
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Speaker 1: No lamb even looks like it can make it on
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Speaker 1: its own. It is at the mercy of the wolves.
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Speaker 1: I am sure if I were a wolf, that's the
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Speaker 1: creature I would want to get first. It can't run,
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Speaker 1: it can't defend itself, and it certainly would be easy.
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Speaker 1: Pray doesn't trot to fake as though it can be strong,
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Speaker 1: stays near its mother, and has no visible appearance of
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Speaker 1: ferocity or defense. Remember the words of Proverbs. Trust in
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Speaker 1: the Lord with all your heart, and don't lean to
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Speaker 1: your own understanding. Most of us are far too capable
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Speaker 1: when it comes to the affairs of our lives. If
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Speaker 1: we would simply, like a lamb, lean hard on our God,
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Speaker 1: not only the life of dependence, but I think to
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Speaker 1: be lamb like would be the presence of approachability. No
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Speaker 1: one was afraid to come near Christ. You never read
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Speaker 1: in this book of his intimidating anyone. There was this
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Speaker 1: presence of approachability. Perhaps it was that that attracted the
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Speaker 1: unlearned men of Galilee. First I noticed that when he
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Speaker 1: was presented by John the Baptizer as the Lamb of God.
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Speaker 1: Peter and John followed. They weren't afraid. There was something
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Speaker 1: about his approachability that attracted them. He never gave on,
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Speaker 1: gave off airs, even though within him dwelt the fullness
41:49
Speaker 1: of the Godhead. Bodily, he said, it come to me,
41:54
Speaker 1: all who are weary and heavy lyden Come to me
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Speaker 1: and I will I will give you rest. I'm approachable.
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Speaker 1: As you have become successful in life, have you remained approachable?
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Speaker 1: Are you more removed? Are you still vulnerable? Are you
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Speaker 1: still lamb like? Third is a heart of innocence, a
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Speaker 1: heart of innocence. I found a wonderful verse again I
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Speaker 1: had taught through Romans several years ago and had forgotten
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Speaker 1: this marvelous verse. Let me just read it to you
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Speaker 1: in Romans sixteen nineteen. For the report of your obedience
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Speaker 1: has reached all. Therefore I'm rejoicing over you. But I
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Speaker 1: want you to be wise in what is good, and
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Speaker 1: innocent in what is evil? That great. Isn't it refreshing
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Speaker 1: to meet someone innocent and evil? Isn't it a pleasure
43:09
Speaker 1: to marry an innocent bride, an innocent groom. Isn't it
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Speaker 1: a joy at times to come across someone who is
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Speaker 1: naive in the things of this world? I find that
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Speaker 1: terribly refreshing. Where people are not street wise, but like
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Speaker 1: a lamb, they still blush, They're still shocked by nakedness
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Speaker 1: on the screen. Are ugly, vulgar statements made in the
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Speaker 1: public the heart of innocence. Stay surprised, don't be I'm
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Speaker 1: curious about what is done in secret places. Keep the
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Speaker 1: filth out of your mind. It'll only hurt you, it
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Speaker 1: won't help your walk with God. Fourth is a spirit
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Speaker 1: of sacrifice. Of all the scenes with lambs, the great
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Speaker 1: preponderance of them is sacrificial. The spirit of sacrifice Paul says,
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Speaker 1: I am poured out as a drink offering. My life
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Speaker 1: has come to an end. I fought a good fight.
44:36
Speaker 1: I've finished the course, I've kept the faith, and I've
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Speaker 1: lived this life sacrifice to God, a life of dependence,
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Speaker 1: the presence of approachability, the heart of innocence, and the
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Speaker 1: spirit of sacrifice. Look back over that list, is it
44:57
Speaker 1: the way you're living? Is that what yours shooting for?
45:01
Speaker 1: In this busy age in which we live? I hope
45:05
Speaker 1: so you plan to present before the Lord a pure virgin,
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Speaker 1: innocent of evil and heart, sweet of spirit, meek, lowly, gentle, saintly.
45:30
Speaker 1: Robert McShane, Robert Murray McShane once said, it is not
45:37
Speaker 1: great talent God blesses so much as great likeness to Jesus.
45:43
Speaker 1: Not a wonderful statement. It is not great talent God
45:47
Speaker 1: blesses so much as great likeness to Jesus. I think
45:56
Speaker 1: the finest compliment that can never be said of anyone
45:59
Speaker 1: is that he or like Christ. You want to be
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Speaker 1: like Christ? Study the lamb you will be. It is
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Speaker 1: not great talent that you bless our Father. It is
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Speaker 1: great likeness to Jesus. We spend too many hours of
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Speaker 1: our year working on ways to impress the public, make
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Speaker 1: a good impression, cause them to remember some significant deed
46:41
Speaker 1: we have done. How carefully we watch our image, how
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Speaker 1: seldom we reflect on the Lamb, a lamb that was slain.
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Speaker 1: Forgive us, lead us and use us for your greater glory, Lord,
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Speaker 1: in the name of the Lamb, I pray, and all
47:18
Speaker 1: the people said amen.
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Speaker 2: The preceding message The Lamb of God was copyrighted in
47:26
Speaker 2: nineteen eighty eight, nineteen ninety two, and nineteen ninety eight,
47:30
Speaker 2: and the sound recording was copyrighted in nineteen ninety eight
47:34
Speaker 2: by Charles R. Swindall, Inc. All rights are reserved worldwide.
47:39
Speaker 2: Duplication of copyrighted material for commercial use is strictly prohibited.