Yesterday (Sunday), I was preaching at the 2nd Preview Service of The Pursuit Christian Church. Specifically, we were in John chapter one where John (not author of John) the Baptist saw Jesus and actually twice on two consecutive days identified him as "the lamb of God (vs. 29 & 36)." In 1:29, John even adds, "who takes away the sins of the world."
Due to the length of the message, I decided to post the five most probable meanings of this phrase here on the blog. In all five, I still believe John's point is to identify Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah (or God's chosen one). So here's possibility #1:
Read Genesis 22:1-19
Abraham and his wife Sarah, had always wanted kids but she was unable and both were well passed the years of having kids (11:30). However, God miraculously gave them a son in their old age and they named him Isaac (21:2-3). God promised Abraham that he would become a mighty nation and he would be the father of numerous generations. Then came the test in chapter 22. God asks Abraham to sacrifice Isaac.
Ever met a parent who was overly cautious when it came to their child? Most parents are like that with their first child and after they get used to the parenting gig they loosen up. I should know I was the 4th and baby of the family. Imagine how cautious Abraham and Sarah would have been. This is not just their only child for now but unless God has another miracle up his sleeve this is going to be their only one ever. Now God is asking Abraham to give him up.
Unwavering from his faith, Abraham takes his son to the mountain where the sacrifice was going to take place. Burnt offerings to God were common practice but usually a lamb was the object of sacrifice (note the term sacrificial lamb). We don't know how old Isaac is here but he's smart enough to know something is missing (vs. 7).
The father says in faith, "God himself will provide the lamb." Two things here: 1) I believe Abraham knew God wouldn't allow him to go through with this action. Don't get me wrong, I'm 100% sure he was sweating and asking, "What if?" However, Abraham could take refuge in the fact God promised him that many generations were going to come from him. Plus in verse 5, he tells his servants, "we will come back to you." 2) This is also a prophetic statement in the sense that God would provide the ultimate lamb in His own Son, Jesus.
As the knife was about to be lowered on his son, the Lord saw Abraham's great faith and stopped the sacrifice from happening. Just then Abraham saw a ram whose horns were caught in the bushes. God had indeed provided the lamb just as he had told Isaac.
Before they left Abraham aptly named the place, "The Lord will provide."
So possibility #1 is John the Baptist, whose job from God was to prepare the people for the Messiah, saw Jesus as the fulfillment of "the lamb God would provide" who had come to "take away the sins of the world."
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