Lambs and a Shepherd.

Yesterday I sent a briefing called “Of Lambs and Knives” which was a lesson on how God-fearing people ‘paid’ for their sins before the birth and crucifixion of Jesus …  but since many were on holiday, I should like to first point you back to that briefing, because in seeking to understand God’s plan for humanity, it is good information.

 Before the cross, what had God-fearing people done about their sin?   

In the Old Testament, when a person sinned, he was required to take the very best, blue-ribbon lamb he could find, one without any spots or blemishes, to the priest at the temple.  There, in front of the priest, the sinner would grasp the lamb with both hands and confess his sin.  His guilt was transferred to the lamb as though it had traveled through his arms and hands to the terrified little creature.  The priest would then hand the sinner a knife, and the sinner would kill the lamb so that it was obvious the lamb had died as a result of the sinner’s action.  Then the priest would take the blood of the lamb and sprinkle it on the altar to make atonement for the man’s sin.

  Throughout the years, rivers of blood flowed from the temple altar as God’s children sought his forgiveness for their sin.   The writer to the Hebrews put it bluntly: “it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats [and lambs] to take away sins.”  So why the sacrificial slaughter?

  The entire bloody ritual was like an IOU note that bought the sinner temporary atonement until a perfect sacrifice would come and pay it off.  And the perfect Sacrifice did come.

  One day as John the Baptist was standing beside the River Jordan, a rather ordinary-looking man walked past.  John recognized him as his cousin, Jesus of Nazareth.   John pointed and identified him as “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”  John was making the most remarkable announcement since the angels had heralded the birth of the Baby in Bethlehem, recognizing that Jesus himself would be the perfect Lamb who would pay off all those IOU notes with the sacrifice of himself.

  We all must grasp the Lamb with our hands of faith and confess our sins.  We then must acknowledge that he was slain for our sins as surely as if we had plunged the knife into his heart.  At that moment, the Lamb becomes our High Priest and offers his own blood on the altar of the cross on our behalf.  God accepts the sacrifice and we are forgiven!  God makes sin forgivable for everyone.

Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness.4  And so Paul explains that Jesus, being the perfect sacrifice, defeated the power of sin in our lives, when we apprehend his grace, and set our course to follow him.  He writes:

“We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin.  For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin.  And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him.  We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him.  When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God.  So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.”  Romans 6.6-11

After roughly 1500 years of animal sacrifices, the Jewish people’s Messiah freed them from the practice—once and for all.  As a result, you and I will never know what it is to have to hold a little lamb, name our sins, and then kill it.  Phew!

But you know, as difficult as it is to think of holding a little lamb and then having to kill it ourselves, there is a lot of imagery in Scripture about our Shepherd and lambs.  Quite a few years ago now, I came through a very rough time—emotionally—and what rebuilt me was meditating on the 23^rd Psalm. 

The Lord is my shepherd;  I have all that I need.

He lets me rest in green meadows;  he leads me beside peaceful streams.

He renews my strength.  He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.

Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid,

for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.                              

I have officiated at many a funeral, and David’s words are always of comfort.

Tomorrow will be another such service, and the Shepherd will show up … what’s more the Shepherd will do what only he can do ~ truly take care of us sheep, no matter where we find ourselves.  Amen.

Christine

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