The Lamb of God

Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned--every one--to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? Isaiah 53:4-8 ESV

We find the ultimate expression God’s love in the Suffering Servant; the Lamb of God, slain to take away the sin of the world. Father God did not manipulate Jesus to obey His design, nor did the soldiers drag him to his death. He decided to die. He willingly went to the judgment and to the cross, silently, like a sheep before its shearers.

Instead of crushing the bruised or discouraging the depressed, he took their wounds and transgressions on himself; he suffered the punishment for their sins and the stripes for their healing. Jesus: the totally sufficient sacrifice lamb.

“Lamb of God, forgive me, heal me, encourage me. You are the only adequate sacrifice. Thank you for forgiving me and cleansing of my sins.”

Matthew 27:13, 14; John 1:29; 1 Peter 1:19; Revelations 5:6

Advent 17: The Spirit of the Lord Is Upon Me

Advent 1 - In the Beginning