Jesus: The Lamb of God

JESUS: THE LAMB OF GOD


The annual event always drew a crowd. The priest would solemnly ascend the temple steps, cradling in his arms a lamb. As the people waited outside,he would pass through the great curtain and enter the Holy of Holies. He would kill the lamb upon the altar and pray that the blood would appease God. The sins would be rolled back. And the people would sigh with relief.

A great curtain hung as a reminder of the distance between God and man. It was like a deep chasm that no one could breach. Man on his island...quarantined because of sin.

God could have left it like that. He could have left the people isolated. He could have washed his hands of the whole mess. He could have turned back, tossed in the towel, and started over on another planet. He could have, you know.

But he didn't.

God himself breached the chasm. In the darkness of an eclipsed sun, he an a Lamb stood in the Holy of Holies. He laid the Lamb on the altar. Not the lamb of a priest or a Jew or a shepherd, but the Lamb of God. The angels hushed as the blood of the Sufficient Sacrifice began to fall on the golden altar. Where had dripped the blood of lambs, not dripped the blood of life.

"Behold the Lamb of God. And then it happened. God turned and looked one last time at the curtain.

:No more." And it was torn...from top to bottom. Ripped in two.

"No more!~"
"No more lambs!"
"No more curtain!"
"No more sacrifices!"
"No more separation!"
And the sun came out. (From On the Anvil by Max Lucado)

I'm always amazed when I think of God's Love, his grace. He has continually made it easier over time for us to worship him in faith. He gave us his son and broke down all the barriers. We have a direct line to him. It's a shame that we forget and don't always use it!

Apostle's Creed (A Prayer of Faith)
I believe in God the Father Almighty,Creator of Heaven and earth;I believe in Jesus Christ,His only Son, our Lord,He was conceived by the Holy Spiritand born of the Virgin Mary.He suffered under Pontius Pilate,was crucified, died, and was buried.He descended to the dead.On the third day He rose again.He ascended into Heavenand is seated at the right hand of the Father.He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit,the Holy Catholic Church,the communion of Saints,the forgiveness of sins,the resurrection of the body,and the life everlasting. Amen.