Behold the Lamb of God (Read John 1:29-36)

By Jimmy Cox

1. Speak of the subject in John 1:29-36

2. Passover lamb (Ex. 12:1-30) "Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. And you shall keep it up until the 14th day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses wherein they shall eat it. And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where you are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt."

(A) Christ is our passover.

1 Cor. 5:7 - Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our passover, was sacrificed for you.

3. Isaiah spoke of Christ. READ Isa. 53: 3-7. B Christ in prophecy is spoken of as a Lamb

4. Rev. 13:8, speaks of Christ as "Lamb slain from the foundation of the world."

I. Like A Lamb, Jesus was Innocent

1. His life was not touched with sin.

Heb. 4:15 - "For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin."

1 Pet. 2:22B Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth.

2. His life is our example C 1 Pet. 2:21B For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps.
(A) Notice the limitation Paul refers to in 1 Cor. 11:1 - Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.

3. The life of Jesus was completely pureC John 8:46 - "Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe me?"

4. No reasonable, honest person has ever found fault in the life of our dear Lord.

- Judas: Matt. 27:4 "Saying, I have sinned by betraying innocent blood." And they said, What is that to us? You see to it!"

- Pilate: Luke 23:4 - "So Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowd, I find no fault in this Man."
- Pilate's wife: Matt. 27:19 - "Have nothing to do with this just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him."

- Peter: 1 Pet. 1:18-19 - "You were redeemed... With the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot."

II. Like a Lamb, Jesus was Gentle

1. He never spurned a true penitent. (Woman taken in adultery).

John 8:3-11: "He who is without sin among you. Let him throw a stone at her first." "Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing with him." "Then Jesus asked the woman: "Where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?"
She said, No one, Lord. And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more."

2. Only when gentleness would not reclaim the wayward, did he manifest anger. Matt. 21:12-13--"Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He said to them, "It is written, My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves."

III. Like A Lamb, Jesus Was A Sin Offering

1. In Old Testament time lambs and other animals were offered for sin.

Heb. 10:4 - "For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins."
Heb. 10:9-10 - "Then He said, Behold, I have come to do Your will O God. He takes away the first that He may establish the second. By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."

2. Jesus offered himself as a sacrifice for sin.

Heb. 9:26 - "He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself."

Heb. 10:10 - "By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."

Matt. 26:28 - "For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."

IV. Like a Lamb, Jesus Was Meek

1. Matt. 11:28-30 - "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden light."

2. Acts 8:32B (Philip and the eunuch from Ethiopia). "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so He opened not His mouth."

3. Jesus submitted to God and His will.

Luke 22:41-42 - "And He was withdrawn from them about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done."

- Jimmy W. Cox lives in Sandy Hook, MS and attends the Columbia church of Christ in Columbia, MS. He may be contacted at coxsandyhook@yahoo.com