Open your Bibles, please, to John chapter 1. I can think of no other theme from the Word of God that thrills my soul and blesses me like the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. John chapter 1, verse 29. The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. I think I could almost close the message now. That says it all. I think it was at the Valentine banquet that I said something about I was going to be preaching on the Lamb of God, and the music department grabbed it and ran with it. I think that A chorale song was written by Dan Haddock, wasn't it? One of our graduates. I'm thankful that Dr. Scoville and Mr. Scoville did take that theme and run with it. The Lord Jesus is referred to as a lamb throughout the New Testament. In fact, I checked my strong concordance and found over 30 times that Jesus Christ is referred to as the Lamb of God, or as a lamb. In the New Testament, he is the substance of the shadow that is all through the Old Testament. I urge you, students, to spend time in the book of Leviticus and see the Lamb is slain there. It was a picture of the Lamb that one day would come to the cross come into the world. F.J. Hugel, in his book, The Cross Through the Scriptures, says that the cross, and therefore the Lamb, is the central theme of the Bible. And it's true. It's a fitting title for the one who came to take away our sins, to pay the price for our sin and rebellion against a holy God. I want us this morning to behold this wonderful Lamb of God, in seven different aspects of his ministry. Now don't worry, you'll be out in time for lunch. Let's pray. Father, this is too much of a subject for the human mind to consider, and yet You've told us to behold the Lamb of God. I don't think it means just giving a glance. I think it means beholding, looking upon Him, glorifying Him, praising Him, honoring Him with all that we say and do. God, help us this morning to behold the Lamb of God. Please speak to hearts this morning. God, may we be changed as a result of our being here this morning and hearing the Word of God. Help me to remember that I am crucified with Christ. I can do nothing Spirit of God, take over. Thank you. In Christ's name I pray. Seven different aspects of the Lamb and His ministry. First of all, behold the simple Lamb. The simple Lamb. I want you to think with me for just a couple of moments of a Lamb. Is there anything anything that is completely dependent upon another that you can think of. I don't know of anything but a lamb that is just absolutely dependent upon someone else. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth me beside still waters. He restoreth my soul. He leadeth me in paths of righteousness for his namesake. He. Jesus in his humanity was completely dependent upon the Father for everything. John chapter 5 and verse 30, Jesus said, I can of mine own self do nothing. I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which sent me. He had no strength of his own. He had no wisdom of his own. He had no power. He had no schemes. He had no agenda, no programs, no doctrine. Would you consider, please, in John chapter 6 and verse 38, For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. Verse 57, As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father, So he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. Look at chapter 7. John chapter 7 and verse 16. Jesus answered them and said, My doctrine is not mine. but He that sent me. Look at chapter 14 and verse 10. Chapter 14 and verse 10. Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I speak unto you, I speak not of myself, but the Father that dwelleth in me. He doeth the works. Totally dependent Behold the simple lamb. And then, secondly, behold the shorn lamb. The shorn lamb. Philippians chapter 2, verses 5 through 8, let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, thought himself not I better look, my mind has just gone blank. It happens when you reach the age of 20. See, I know it. It's got to be the age of 20. I teach those folks. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, and made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of man, and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." It's the most horrible kind of death. He was willing to be shorn of all his rights His reputation, His glory, His liberty. Do you realize that in the ages past, in eternity past, angels fell at His throne and praised Him and glorified Him and He left it all. Romans chapter 15 and verse 3 says, for even Christ pleased not himself, but as it is written, the reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me. In Psalm 22 and verse 6, the prophet prophesying the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ said, I am a worm and no man. In Mark chapter 10 and verse 45, Jesus said, even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many. In John chapter 17 and verse 5, as he prayed, and I believe it was just prior to his going into the Garden of Gethsemane, as he prayed to the Father, and he said, And now, O Father, glorify Thou me with Thine own self, with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was. And he left it. For me, I can hardly contain it. Behold, behold the shorn lamb in John chapter 13, on his hands and knees, washing the feet of his creation. For me. Thirdly, behold the spotless Lamb. 1 Peter 1, verses 18 and 19. For as much as you know that you are not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ. as of a lamb without spot and without blemish. First Peter 2.22, who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. As he stood before the Pharisees, in John chapter 8 and verse 46, he asked the question, which of you convinces me or can convict me of sin? Six times in the Gospels, Pilate said, I find no fault. I find no fault in him. And he yielded to the crowd. and sent Jesus to the cross, spotless, without a blemish, basically in fulfillment of the Passover lamb. Then number four, I want you to notice, to behold the silent lamb. Isaiah 53 has been Such a challenge to my life over these many years. I can never get away from it. Who has believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant and as a root out of a dry ground. He hath no form nor comeliness. And when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised. Think of it. Despised and rejected of men. a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, and we hid, as it were, our faces from him. He was despised and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows, yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray. We've turned everyone to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted. Yet he opened not his mouth. He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb. So he openeth not his mouth. 1 Peter 2 and verse 3 says, Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again. When he suffered, he threatened not, but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously. Silent in the face of scorn. Silent in the face of mockery. Silent in the face of false accusations. Silent in criticisms. Silent. He did not defend himself. The high priest said, answerest thou nothing? But Jesus held his peace. Behold, the silent lamb. Fifthly, behold the substitute lamb. God had said in Genesis chapter 2 and verse 17, Don't eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die. The wages of sin is death. The soul that sinneth, it shall die. But God provided a substitute for Adam, coats of skins. And I don't have any biblical proof of this, but in my heart, I believe that God slew a lamb and gave us the picture in the proto-evangelism of what he was going to do for us. God provided a substitute. For 4,000 years of human history, God provided a substitute. I think of Abraham taking his son Isaac up the mountain. I'm reminded of a message that I heard Dr. Comfort preach that when Abraham was going up one side of the mountain with his son Isaac, coming up the other side of the mountain was the ram. Abraham took the wood and he laid it on his son Isaac and they went up the mountain and Isaac said, Here is the fire, here's the wood, where's the land? And Abraham said, my son, God will provide himself. I like to stop there. I'd like to put a period in there because that's exactly what God did, provided himself. Think of the Passover. God said the firstborn of everyone in Egypt is going to die. But Israel, you're going to substitute a firstborn so that your firstborn doesn't die. Take the lamb, a perfect lamb, and slay it. Take the blood, put it on the lintel, and I'm on the doorposts. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you. in the tabernacle, in the temple. As I said, study the book of Leviticus. Through the years, the people had a shadow. Four thousand years, a shadow. And now, John says, Behold the Lamb of God. Behold the substance of the shadow. There is the substance. 1 Peter 3.18, For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, being that he might bring us to God. 2 Corinthians 5.21, For he hath made him, Jesus, to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 1 Peter 2.24, Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree. Isaiah 53 verses 4 and 5, Surely he hath borne our sins, and carried our sorrows, but he was wounded for our transgressions. bruised for our iniquities. Behold the substitute Lamb. You see, you and I were under sentence of death, but God provided the substitute. So behold the substitute lamb, but above everything else, but above everything else, behold the slain lamb. Behold the slain lamb. Revelation chapter 5 and verse 6, John said, I beheld and lo, a lamb as it had been slain. Verse 12, multitudes in heaven Saying with a loud voice, worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing. Worthy is the Lamb. Psalm 22, verse 1, prophetically speaking, and Jesus fulfilled it on the cross. He said, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Verse 14 says, I am poured out like water. All my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax. It is melted in the midst of my bowels. Ah, the liberals and the others can say we ought to follow the example of Jesus. Can say we, Jesus came to heal and to teach. And he did. The great example. Great teacher. Great healer. But listen to me. The only thing that will do any good is to behold the Lamb that was slain. Hebrews chapter 9 and verse 12 says, Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood. He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. Think about it. Verse 22 says, without the shedding of blood is no remission. Behold the slain lamb. for you and for me. But I recall a preacher who was in Argentina, preaching in Argentina. And the missionary said, What are you going to be preaching on, Jack? Jack said, I'm going to be preaching on the crucifixion. Missionaries said, well, whatever you do, don't leave Christ on the cross. Majority of the people in this country worship a dead Christ. So behold the slain lamb, but finally, behold the seated sanctifying lamb. Hebrews chapter 1. And verse 3, Hebrews chapter 1 and verse 3, who being the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down. Why? Because on the cross he cried, it is finished! And it was! He is not in heaven preparing a place for us, as some would like us to think. He sat down! The risen, seated, sanctifying Lamb. Look at chapter 2 of Hebrews. Chapter 2 and verse 18. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted. Isaiah says that he would not forget us. I have graven thee on the palms of my hands. I used to say my name is graven on the palms of his hands. But then I realized the scripture didn't say that. I am engraved on the palm of his hand. And I think it was with a nail, a spike that engraved me on the hand of the Lord Jesus Christ. And he's seated there at the right hand of the Father. What's he doing? He's making intercession for us. He's praying for us that we might be sanctified, that the Spirit of God might take control of our lives and change us into what God wants us to be. One of the great blessings of the Word of God to me was when Jesus spoke to Peter. He said, Peter, Satan has desired you that he might sift you as wheat, but I have prayed for you. May I say that not only as he prayed for Peter, but for all eternity is seated at the right hand of the Father, praying for each and every one of us, constantly. Chapter four of Hebrews, Hebrews chapter four, verse 14, seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens. Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession, for we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us, therefore, come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in the time of need. Behold the Lamb of God, relying on the Father. Behold the Lamb of God, relinquishing His rights. Behold the spotless Lamb before the world. before the silent Lamb, before His accusers. Behold the Lamb taking my place and yours. Behold the Lamb of God pouring out His blood for us. Behold the Lamb of God seated at the right hand of the Father, making intercession for us. What are you going to do about it? Look at John chapter 1 again. Verses 36 and 37. When I speak of and think of the Lamb of God, I have to ask the question, what will you do with Jesus? John 1, verses 36 and 37. And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God. And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. Bow for prayer. Father, I thank you so much for the Word of God. I thank you, dear Father, that it is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword. And I pray this morning, dear Father, as we have looked into the Word, I pray that we might behold the Lamb of God and recognize that he taketh away the sin of the world. Help us to understand and realize and respond, dear Lord, give our lives wholly and completely to Him, and allow Him to have His way in our lives. May we follow Him.