Place: Lurgan Baptist 24:3:2002

Reading: Exodus 12:1-14, 29-30

IT TOOK A LAMB

Many years ago a lady missionary was led to visit the camps of nomadic Arabs who passed, and camped near the town where she lived. On one of her visits she came to a tent where a woman stood engulfed in deep sorrow and anxiety. Upon entering the tent, she saw lying on a mat on the floor an Arab boy sick, emaciated and dying of tuberculosis. She asked the mother, " may I tell him a story ?" Receiving a nodded assent she knelt down beside that dying lad and began to tell the story of the Lord Jesus and His sufferings and death for sinners. She described how Christ was beaten, crowned with thorns, led outside the city of Jerusalem, nailed to a cross and left to die. She explained simply how Christ there bore our sins, but now lived in Heaven to forgive the sins of those who trust in Him. The lad lay with closed eyes, but toward the end of the story he opened them and began to take some interest. She left, but returned the next day, and told the same story, emphasising the fact that the blood of Christ was shed on the cross for the forgiveness of the lad's sins if he would come to Christ.

This time the sick boy showed a greater interest and his face seemed to light up toward the end of her time with him. The next day that missionary went to his tent again and thinking that it might be good to introduce something new into her message, she began to tell him of the birth of Christ and was describing the place where Christ was born when that sick boy raised his hand and said, " Not that, not that ! Tell me about the cross and the blood and the forgiveness of my sins." And again the same moving and marvellous story was told. When the missionary returned the next time, she found the mother of that lad weeping bitterly, and there was not boy on the mat inside her tent. She asked the mother how he had died. The mother when she saw that he was dying, had called the Mohammedan priest who came with his copy of the Koran, and began to read aloud to the dying boy. Then she described how he had feebly raised his thin hand and said, " Not that, not that, tell me about the cross and the blood and the forgiveness of my sins." My .... thats exactly what I want to do this .... !

To tell you that the cross, the blood and the forgiveness of sins took a lamb. Threaded all through the rope used by the Royal Navy is a thin red cord so that no matter where it us cut into, identity of ownership is immediately established. My .... from Genesis to Revelation there is one scarlet thread that runs through this book. Its the thread of the blood, of the Lamb slain for God has no other way to save you and me except by

" the shedding of blood." ( Heb 9:22 ) It took a lamb to make Abel's sacrifice acceptable to God, it took a lamb to bring Israel out of Egyptian bondage, it took a lamb to make Israels approach to God worthy, it took a lamb, the Lord Jesus to die for the sins of the world ! My .... the question in the OT is " Where is the Lamb ?"

( Gen 22:7 ) In the four gospels the emphasis is,

" Behold the Lamb," ( Jn 1:29 )

And after you after trusted Christ you can sing with the heavenly choir " Worthy is the Lamb," ( Rev 5:12 )

" Where is the Lamb ? Behold the Lamb, Worthy is the Lamb .... " My .... it took a lamb on that never to be forgotten night in Egypt. For that was a night when Israel:

(1) DECIDED UPON THE LAMB

Can you picture an Israelite family going out to the flocks of sheep and selecting a lamb to be slain ? Yet even in their selection they were not left to their own ideas and methods. God gave specific instructions for the selection of this lamb. According to God's Word:

(a) THE LAMB HAD TO BE PERFECT:

" Without blemish, a male of the first year." ( 12:5 ) I mean if it were blind, broken, bruised, diseased it was no use. ( Lev 22:21 ) My .... had there been one flaw, stain, spot in Christ then He would have been incapable of being our Saviour. But though, living in a sinful world, He remained, " holy, harmless, undefiled and separate from sinners." ( Heb 7:26 ) And my .... its because He is sinless that He can save, its because He is innocent that He can redeem, its because the Lord Jesus is faultless He can forgive. Do you know what the Bible says about the sinlessness of Christ ? Peter says, " He did not sin." ( 1 Pet 2:22 ) Paul says, " He knew no sin."

( 2 Cor 5:21 ) John says, " In him was no sin."

( 1 Jn 3:5 ) He was perfect as the babe in Bethlehem, perfect as the boy of Nazareth, perfect as the Christ of God on Calvary's cross ! Perfect. My .... what fault can you find in Christ ? Oh you say " preacher I can see many inconsistencies in Christians." Oh, you misunderstood the question. What fault can you find in the Lord Jesus that you won't trust Him ? (a)

(b) THE LAMB HAD TO BE PROVEN:

They had to take it on the tenth day ( 12:3 ) and keep it until the fourteenth day. Why ? So that the lamb might be carefully examined and tested. You see, this four day period gave ample opportunity to discover a blemish if such there had been ! The Lord Jesus was tested. Heaven tested Him and the Father said, " This my beloved Son .... " ( Matt 3:17 ) Earth tested Him and Pilate said, " I find in Him no fault at all." ( Jn 18:38 ) Hell tested Him and the demons cried out, " I know who thou art the Holy One of God." ( Mk 1:24 ) My .... Heaven, Earth, Hell, unite to testify to the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. Have you come to the place of recognising the perfection of the Lord Jesus ? Do you realise that Christ and Christ alone was the only one who could bear your sin ? " There was no other ..."

(c) THE LAMB HAD TO BE PERSONAL:

There is an interesting progression of words found in

( 12:3-5 ) Listen to the change of words. " A lamb, the lamb, your lamb." The indefinite has become definite, and the impersonal has become personal. A number of years ago while visiting Westminster Abbey, a Christian stopped for a moments to look at the nativity scene as presented in a large glass encased creche.

Quite a number of people were pausing to view the scene, the manger, the Christ child, Mary the mother and Joseph. Standing in the corner somewhat out of proportion to the other figures was a large white toy lamb. As the Christian continued to look at the scene, a mother with her little boy stopped near him. The little fellow became excited as he looked at the various models in the glass case. Back at home he must have had a similar toy and for breaking the silence of the Abbey he questioned his mother and said, " Mummy is that My lamb ?" Uncertain in his mind he wanted to make sure that the lamb is the glass case was his. " Is that My lamb ?" My .... is Christ your Lamb ? Do you view Him as the one who " bare your sins in His own body on the tree ?" ( 1 Pet 2:24 ) Have you made Christ your Saviour ? Can you say with the hymnwriter:

" Upon a life I did not live

Upon a death I did not die

Anothers life, Anothers death

I stake my whole eternity."

(2) DEPENDED UPON THE LAMB

You see, it was not sufficient for Israel to Select the Lamb, they had to Slay the Lamb. For God said, " When I see the blood I will Passover you." ( 12:13 ) God intended the death of the lamb to be a substitute in the place of others ! That meant two things:

(a) THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB WAS SHED:

The death of the lamb had to be Accomplished:

" And ye shall kill ye ( singular ) in the evening."

( 12:6 ) You see, a living lamb carefully selected could not save the Israelites, it had to die. And the Saviour's life of righteousness apart from the cross would have done us no good. You see, the unvarying teaching of the Bible is, " Without shedding of blood there is no remission of sins." ( Heb 9:22 ) My .... will you come with me to Calvary this .... ? Let us stand together under the shadow of Golgotha's brow. Let us count together the purple drops of blood which fall from His hands, His feet, His side. Look at the face that was marred more than the face of any man ! Look at that brow which was pierced with many a thorn ! Look at that back that was ripped in sinless shreds ! Now, have you beheld Him ? Do you see Christ as God's sacrifice ? As God's lamb ? As God's sin-bearing Son ? (a)

(b) THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB WAS SPRINKLED:

The death of the lamb had to be Appropriated:

You see, it was not the blood shed that made Israel

safe rather it was the blood sprinkled, the blood applied.

How was this done ? By means of a bunch of hyssop ! And just as hyssop was the means of conveying the blood from the bason to the doorposts, so faith is the means of making the sacrifice of Calvary of personal benefit to you ! My .... have you appropriated the sacrifice of Calvary ? Are you trusting in the blood of the Lamb, to save you ? You see:

1. NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD CAN EVER SAVE:

What do you think would have happened if some foolish Israelite had said, " Well, I'm going to beautify these door posts with jewels of gold and silver." They would have perished. (1) My .... there is no other way whereby we must be saved. I tell you, your good works, your self-righteousness, your religious exercises, your tears, your prayers cannot save. " Nothing can for sin atone, nothing but the blood of Jesus." What is it that you're trusting in to gain acceptance with God ? My .... whatever it is if its not the blood of Christ it will dam your soul. 1.

2. THE BLOOD AND NOTHING ELSE CAN SAVE:

Put anything beside the blood and you're lost. Its not the blood of Christ and your works, its not the cross and sprinkling or baptism. Its not the blood and your religiosity. Its the blood, and the blood alone. My .... there is not sin that the blood cannot pardon, no stain that the blood cannot cleanse, no life that the blood cannot purify. My .... you may have blasphemed Christ, despised Him, rejected Him, but " His blood can make the foulest clean, His blood avails for you." (1) (2)

(3) DELIVERED BY THE LAMB

Listen to these words " It is a night to be much observed unto the Lord for bringing them out from the land of Egypt." ( 12:42 ) A night to be remembered. Will this be such a night for you ? A night when you can look back and say, " That was the night I got saved." Or in hell will you this remember this night and say, " that was the night I heard God's final call." My .... they were (3)

(a) FROM THE MISERY OF BONDAGE:

For down there in Egypt Pharaoh deprived them of their Freedom: ( 1:10 ) he deprived them of their Families:

( 1:22 ) he deprived them of their Future: ( 5:2 ) Here they were dwelling in a dark land, subject to a ruthless tyrant, bound to clanking chains ! Could that be a picture of you spiritually this .... ? Are you controlled by the devil ? ( Eph 2:2 ) Are you bound by the chains of sin ? ( Rom 7:14 ) Do you recognise that you're under a power that is greater than your own ? The power of Satan and the power of Sin and Only Christ can set you free ! (a)

(b) FROM THE CERTAINTY OF DEATH:

Do you know what the edict of God was ? " All the firstborn in ( not of ) the land shall die." ( 11:5 ) You see, God has condemned our first birth. The first born in the land of Egypt were condemned to die. My .... God cannot accept your first birth. Oh, you may be proud of your first birth, you may say, " I was born into a wonderful home, with a great deal of privilege and talent." But God rejects your first birth and says that you must have a second birth. " Ye must be born again." ( Jn 3:5 ) You see, the first born in the land of Egypt were condemned to die. All were under the sentence of condemnation. In the midnight hour judgement was about to fall.

My .... do you realise this .... because of your first birth you're under sentence of death. Let me give you the Word of God " condemned already." ( Jn 3:18 ) We're just like the man sitting in his cell on death row waiting for the moment of execution. Oh, you say you believe the Bible, but my .... if you believed this you could not sleep at night and be indifferent as you are. Oh, you rise, eat, sleep, laugh, talk, as if there was nothing wrong yet God says you are " condemned already." How long will it be before the sentence will

be executed ? How long will it be before the sword of Divine justice will be unsheathed ? Before the arrow of death finds it ways to your heart ? How long before the appointed time comes and you're summoned to stand at God's judgement bar ? " Condemned already."

You say preacher, " Is there someone who can save me from hell and bring me to heaven ?" Thank God, there is but " IT TOOK A LAMB." God's lamb, the Lord Jesus, the Lamb slain ( set apart ) from the foundation of the world. My .... can you see the Saviour in the Glory ? The Bible says, " He was rich .... " ( 2 Cor 8:9 ) He was rich in worship, in honour, in adoration ! Can you see Him as He begins the journey to earth ? The Bible says,

" He took upon Him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men." ( Phil 2:7 ) What a stoop ! From the highest in heaven to the lowest on earth, from Sovereign of all, to Servant of all. But my .... Christ did not stop there for He came right down to the last rung of the ladder of our salvation. He " became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." ( Phil 2:8 )

To that place, to that death, to that depth Christ's journey from the skies took Him. Will you look Him now at Calvary ? " Behold the Lamb of God .... sin."

You say, " Why, why did He do it ?" To deal with the sin question ! To open a way back to God ! To save you from hell ! IT TOOK A LAMB ! God's Lamb, sinless, spotless, Lamb of God ! And my .... It will take a Lamb, this .... the Lord Jesus to give you pardon for your past, power for the present and hope for the future !

In a small oriental town several men were working on a scaffold high above the street below. Suddenly one of the men lost his footing and fell to the pavement below.

Horrified his friends quickly descended from where they were, expecting to find his body broken and mangled. But to their surprise they discovered that their friend was unhurt. At the exact moment of his fall some sheep were passing in the street beneath him and he landed on the back of one of those animals. There it lay crushed and dead but the man was saved. As he gazed on that lifeless creature he was heard to say, " It died for me."

Will you look by faith to Calvary's Cross and say, " He died for me." Will you do that now ? Just where you are, whoever you are. Will you behold the Lamb ?

For " IT TOOK A LAMB."