“All Honor and Glory to the Lamb”

Scripture: Exodus 12:1-13, 5; John 1:29-31; 1 Peter 1:18-21; Revelation 5:6-14

The earliest mention of using lambs for a purpose other than the obvious, is found in Genesis 21:22-34, when Abraham and Abimelek come to an agreement over the well that Abraham had dug, and he gives Abimelek 7 lambs as a sign of his oath. But the most general use of lambs has always been in sacrifice for forgiveness.

In Exodus 12:1-13, as we read of the last of the ten plagues of Egypt, Israel was to take an unblemished lamb, sacrifice it, smear its blood on the doorframes of their house, and eat the roasted lamb, leaving nothing as leftovers for the next day. That night, the Angel of Death would visit Egypt, taking the life of all first born males, sparing only those who were in a house containing the sign of blood. This would become the primary symbol for Passover.

Over the years, many different animals would be used in sacrifice, but the lamb and its blood would continue to be Israel’s most prevalent sign of God’s love and forgiveness.

Read John 1:29-31

We remember that John the Baptist’s father was Zechariah, a priest. John knew, full well, the significance of a lamb in Israel’s religious life. The lamb was a daily sacrifice in the temple for the sins of the nation, and was an acknowledgment, on behalf of the people, that they could only be worthy of Jehovah God through his forgiveness.
The lamb and his blood were seen as the means of God’s forgiveness and their worthiness. But John doesn’t just refer to Jesus as the sacrificial lamb – he calls him “the Lamb of God”! The lamb of sacrifice was innocent and pure, and died on the altar at the hand of Israel. But through John’s statement, this blameless and gentle Lamb – Jesus – is being united with the power and mercy of Almighty God. I believe that this was a new concept for the nation – that the lamb was actually an instrument of God, and not so much as that of the nation. This Lamb would serve God’s purpose for salvation.

But the remainder of that sentence, “who takes away the sins of the world!”, would have appalled the Jews. Jehovah God had chosen them, not all the rest of “them”! Jehovah God would accept their sacrifice, not the offering that the rest of the world lifted up. Jehovah God would forgive them, and no one else! The rest of the world would, deservedly, be condemned. But would they?

The statement in verse 30 would also be seen as cryptic, but John was saying that Jesus may have come into the world after he had, but that he had existed long before John was ever conceived. This Lamb was far more than just the lamb of Passover – he was the sign of God’s oath, he was the gentleness and love of Almighty God, he was the authority of God, and he would soon become the means of finding forgiveness in God. Jesus, the Lamb of God, is God.

In Genesis 12:1-3, the Lord tells Abraham that, among other things, he is being blessed so that all the people of earth could be blessed through him. Jesus was bringing, and enabling that blessing to the world, but before the rest of earth could know him, he had to be revealed to all. John’s baptism of the people, which were predominantly Jewish, was their, and our, introduction to God in Christ.

The promise, the covenant of God, is revealed to us in Jesus Christ, by the meek and gentle Lamb, as well as by the power, the majesty, and the authority of our Eternal God. Can the promise of hope get any more certain than that?

Read 1 Peter 1:18-21

Abraham Lincoln has been called the Great Emancipator for his commitment in freeing the American slaves. But as much as Lincoln detested slavery, he still never quite came to a decision for racial equality. He would be polite and compassionate toward the freed slaves, he would work with them in any cause, but it has been written that his primary purpose for the Emancipation Proclamation was to save the Union, and not specifically for the destruction of slavery. He had to bring about freedom, but he never actually saw the need for equality.

Jesus, on the other hand, came to win freedom for the people of earth and to guarantee them the opportunity for a friendship with him. In 1 Corinthians 12:27-31, Paul writes that there are many parts in the Body of Christ, but that every part, regardless of the honor that each may receive, are equally important in God’s plan for the ministry begun by Jesus and continued by us. The gifts of the Spirit are given according to the ability of each and every person to carry them out effectively.

The Civil War required the surrender of hundreds of thousands of lives, their blood was spread over many states, from the north to the south, and the war has had a profound impact on our nation ever since. On the other hand, Jesus’ sacrifice was of his life only, and his blood only saturated the ground at a few places in the city of Jerusalem. But think about the impact that his life, and his death, and his blood, and his resurrection have had on lives throughout the earth for 2 thousand years?
Slavery began when the first African was abducted by slave traders, and its downfall began when the first European was sickened by the practice. But the end has yet to come - the final outcome of freedom and equality for African-American lives continue to rest in the dedication of all people around the world.

Freedom from sin and death was planned by God long before creation, and before the couple in the Garden chose to ignore the word of the Lord. But unlike human slavery, slavery to sin and its resultant death, was destroyed when the Lamb of God was sacrificed at Calvary. Freedom was won, once and for all, and the sacrifices made by the hands of humanity would be supplanted for all time.
And even though our freedom has absolutely been won and guaranteed for all who will believe, the forces of evil will continue to cause doubt, the false prophets of earth will continue to spread lies, the prince of darkness will not surrender, and human denial of Christ’s living gift of freedom will continue until the Day of Certainty arrives with the return of the Lamb of God.

And on that Day, the Lamb who had been sacrificed will sit on the Throne of Judgment with the full authority to judge the hearts and souls of all. But there was still much to come before that Day could come to fruition.

Read Revelation 5:6-14

But this chapter of John’s vision wouldn’t be the end – it was only the beginning of the end. As we continue to read through this book, we discover that the Lamb of God begins opening the seals of the scroll, one at a time, and that the seven years of Tribulation would begin. This will be a time of unprecedented persecution and agony, and a time of incredible witnesses, first the 2, and later the 144,000, to give the people one last chance to come to the way of God.

The Lamb of God is upon his throne, awaiting that time to begin. And no, I don’t believe that we are there yet, but I also have no idea as to when that time will arrive. But the one thing that I am certain of is this – that the time for us to wait until the “right time” comes, is over. Today is the day when all who have yet to claim the saving grace of Jesus Christ must discover that they can no longer depend on their own understanding. Now is the time to give our condemned and sinful lives over to salvation - the salvation that can only come through faith in the Lamb of God, for there is no other hope but in him!

“The Anchor of our Soul”

Scripture: Hebrews 6:13-20

Since the earliest days of the Church, the anchor has been one of its most descriptive of all symbols. It has been combined with other symbols to indicate the connection that we have to Jesus, and it is one that has survived for nearly two millennia. But why an anchor?

The most common application for an anchor is in a nautical context. Ever since humanity began using ships in commerce, they quickly realized that there are times that their craft needed some means to secure their location against the tides and winds. Initially, anchors were simply a weight secured to the end of a line, but as mariners gained experience, they realized that specific designs, beyond just weight, were more effective.

An anchor holds a vessel in a specific place, even when the flows and storms would tend to take it into dangerous places. However, the anchor doesn’t help a bit if it is never lowered into the water.
Jesus is the “Anchor” for our faith - when we allow him to be. The movement of our culture can subtly take us from safety in the harbor of life, and into the dangerous shoals of sin and compromise. Without the truth and stability of our “Jesus Anchor” when the storms of life begin raging around us, our life will be driven onto the rocks and cliffs of death and destruction.

Jesus is the Anchor that we can depend upon, and no other can hold us secure and safe than the way of our Christ.


Read Hebrews 6:13-15

The promises of God are so absolute that when made, they will never be withdrawn. The promise itself is enough, but in this promise that we read for Abraham, the Lord not only promised in his word, but he promised with an oath. The writer of Hebrews is referring to Genesis 22:15-18, in which “the angel of the Lord” offers this promise of God. This person is referenced to in Zechariah 12:8, and in that context, it would appear to be the 2nd Person of the Trinity who is making the promise of countless descendants. Abraham has just proven his worthiness by following the word of God, by taking his only legitimate son Isaac to Moriah where he was to become a sacrifice to Jehovah. Of course we all know from this story of faithful obedience, that God, at the very last moment, presents a ram as a substitute offering and releases Isaac to carry out the divine promise of “many descendants”. (Genesis 22:1-14)

When we read that the Lord “swears by himself”, I was reminded of the 1977 move “O God” where God (played by George Burns) is being sworn in for a court appearance, and he swears to tell the truth with the phrase, “so help me Me”.

After all, what other name could God swear upon? So when we read that God makes an oath in His own name, it becomes a double promise – once in his word, and once in his name. Why would God need to do that? Certainly not for his own purpose, but think about Abraham – the double oath would have been additional reassurance for the man. And the promise? The first time that Abraham received this word is found in Genesis 17:6-7 – “I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you.” Nations! More than just Israel. And the proof of this covenant is in the Church of Jesus Christ.

Read Hebrews 6:16-20

God doesn’t lie! When his word is given, and when he takes an oath in his own name, it is absolutely and doubly sure. Jesus, the “angel of God”, is the guarantor of all of God’s promises, through all that he taught and all that the Holy Spirit does in his name. Jesus is the hope of God for all who will believe in him.

Let’s take a moment and think about this in the context of the symbol “Anchor”. A ship without an anchor will be taken wherever the forces of this world would have it be. Without intervention, it has no hope of remaining where it is desired to be. But it’s the anchor that holds it fast, the anchor holds the ship where it belongs. But even if we have an anchor on board, if there is no trust that it will hold us, if we set the anchor in a way that it won’t keep us out of trouble, if the line that connects us to the anchor is worn and frayed, the ship is in dire straits and could easily be lost.

Almighty God wanted us to fully understand what his will and promise means for our lives, so he sent us his truth and his promise through the life and teaching of his Son. He has become the anchor for our lives, for without him, we will drift with the tides and winds that the world brings against us. We don’t have to worry about where to set the anchor, for the Lord has predetermined where that should be – and that is in the truth of God. And what holds us to our divine Anchor? Faith is the line of hope that connects us to Jesus. But if our faith is “frayed”, if our hope is directed toward the wiles of earth, this line will never hold, it can never stand against the storms and onslaughts of this life. Faith, if it is to hold true, must be properly connected to our Anchor.

And if it holds strong? The author of this book tells us that “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” And what does this gain for us? It leads us through the curtain and into the “inner sanctuary”. This would be a very obvious statement for Israel, but for us, maybe not so much.

In the temple, there were several courts, several places for people to gather. There was an outer court where anyone could come, including gentiles, the next would be the court for women, then the court for men, and finally the inner court, the Holy of Holies, the residence of Jehovah God. This final court could only be entered by the High Priest, and only after extensive ritual cleansing of all of his sin, and then only on the Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur. It would be a day of sacrifice, and fasting, and confession – it was a day of acknowledgment that the people were broken and sinful, and it was the time when the High Priest entered into God’s Presence to offer incense and a blood sacrifice on behalf of the nation. This act would bring forgiveness for all that the Hebrews had done against the ways of Jehovah during the past year.

Now, though, we read that Jesus has entered into that holy place on our behalf, and in addition, in Mark 15:37-39, we read that at the moment of Jesus death, this curtain, the curtain that separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the world, was torn from top to bottom. Jesus had entered the place of atonement, he had become the sacrifice for our sin, and he was now the way had been opened to all who would follow him from the world into the Holy of Holies – the place where God lives, and where we will also be welcomed for eternal life.

That is the Anchor that Jesus is for us – a promise, a covenant made in his own sacrificial blood, he is the Anchor that will never fail, he is the Way that leads us into eternal life. Jesus is our High Priest, our Redeemer, and our Savior forever.

William Barclay writes this in his commentary on the book of Hebrews:
“Before Jesus came, God was the distant stranger who only a few might approach and that at peril of their lives. But because of what Jesus was and did, God has become the friend of every [one]. Once [we] thought of him as barring the door; now [we] think of the door to his presence as thrown wide open to all.”

The Hope of God, the Anchor for our lives, has done it all out of his love and passion for all who will trust in the way he has created – the sure and certain door to eternity. But we still have to enter through him!

“The Power of the Name”

Scripture: Acts 8:4-13 (Chi-Rho)

Throughout the Gospels and the other writings of the New Testament, we read that there is power in the name of Jesus. “Whatever you ask in my name…” is far more than just a call to prayer – it’s a call to faith and trust in the NAME of Jesus, and from there, to lift up our burdens and praises to the Lord (John 14:13-14). For Israel, your name was more than just a personal identity – it indicated who and whose you were, it showed relationship with your family, it established your relationship to the nation. And for us, without hope in the name of Jesus, we have no eternal family, no unbreakable identity, no one who will be able to help us in our struggles.

In Luke 4:16-30, we read of Jesus’ experience in his hometown of Nazareth. He read the scriptures and he spoke of his mission, but it was too radical for the leaders of the synagogue, and they were ready to kill him. But as much as they wanted that to happen, they had no power or authority to carry their desires through to completion. The name of Jesus, and the truth of God that rests upon that name, is more powerful than anything the world could ever conceive.

Today, we consider the Christian symbol Chi-Rho, which represents the name of Jesus. This two-part symbol consists of the first two capital letters of the Greek word for Christ. As a bit of historical trivia, the first letter, our “X”, would be used as an abbreviation in the word Christmas – or Xmas! Interestingly, the “X” doesn’t represent the unknown – it very specifically represents the name of Jesus! Now I am not advocating for a return to wishing our friends a “Happy Xmas”! It is just that I want folks to understand that the word itself does not imply a pagan understanding of Christmas. In its original context, it was Christian through and through.

Tradition also tells us that the Emperor Constantine had a dream one night in which he was being told to put the Chi-Rho symbol on the shields of all his soldiers. The next morning he ordered that very thing, and when the time of battle arrived in his conflict with the Roman Emperor Maxentius, on October 28 in the year 312, the Roman army was soundly defeated. The symbol would remain on the army’s shields, and in some instances, it may even have been placed on their battle flags.

Anyway, our symbol today is Chi-Rho (“ki” or “kee”) – a representation of the name of Jesus which proclaims the power that rests in that holy name.

Read Acts 8:4-8

Following the stoning of Stephen, persecution of the followers of Jesus began in earnest. Torture and execution of the faithful became everyday events, and to escape the attacks, the faithful fled Israel in order to make new homes, primarily in Gentile lands. It’s a lot like hitting a piece of mercury – you can never destroy it, but it will spread in numerous small blobs all over the place! But mercury is mercury, and even when it is hit hard and abused, it never changes. It just splits and spreads. And when it does touch, it reunites once again.

In our passage from Acts, Philip has followed some of these folks to Samaria. Now we have to remember just who the Samaritans were – they were half-breed Jews who Israel had proclaimed as the ultimate sinners and that they were the most unworthy of all people on the face of the earth. In John’s gospel (John 4:1-26), we see Jesus tearing down these boundaries when he had that conversation with the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well, and it is important to realize that his disciples were following in his footsteps. The power of that holy name works, not only in lives to bring new believers into the family, but also in the hearts and minds of the faithful to enable them to do all that the Spirit would have them do.

In our passage, we can see just what Philip has been led to do. He begins by sharing the life of Messiah – who he is, and all that his life can mean for those who believe. The truth of God becomes the impetus for unlocking the power behind the name of Jesus. By proclaiming him as Messiah, Philip is able to cast out demons, to heal the lame, and probably many other unnamed miracles.

But no matter what the Spirit does for us, and no matter how much joy he may enable within us, there is always someone who thinks that they are even better and more powerful than the Lord.

Read Acts 8:9-11

Simon the sorcerer had no compunction whatsoever in proclaiming his own greatness. Scripture tells us that Jesus was humble and never “tooted” his own horn. He was certainly worthy of great honor, but he left that word up to those whose lives had been changed through his presence. The power and authority of Jesus came from God – as for the abilities of Simon, we have no idea of the source of his abilities. However, he had so impressed the people that they all decided that his power must have come from Almighty God.

In Matthew 24:23-28, Jesus tells us that we must be wary of “false messiahs and false prophets”. He says that they will “perform great signs and wonders” with the express purpose to deceive us, and that even the faithful will fall for his lies. These are Satan’s disciples who work to deceive, to confuse, to bring doubts to bear on our lives. Satan has that power, but he will never have the power to build up and to bring worthiness to our lives. He can’t forgive, he can’t proclaim Jesus, he can’t open the way to eternal life, and he has absolutely no truth within him. He can only tear us down, and he rejoices in that!

In verse 11, we read that the reason that people had begun following Simon is that he “amazed them”. Not that they believed that he was right, but that they couldn’t explain how he did what he did. Of course, “amazement” was also part of Jesus’ way, but on its own, that could never hold the attention of anyone very long. Jesus’ life was about the truth of God, and as strange as some of his teaching was, some would realize that his way was exactly what their lives needed.

The lure of amazement will last only so long, but eternal truth will bring revival to our lives. And that is what Philip had come to bring to the people of Samaria.

Read Acts 8:12-13

Did Philip proclaim signs and miracles? No! He brought the Good News of heaven and the name of Jesus Christ, and the people believed. They were baptized in their new found faith, and that is the change that the power of Christ can institute in our lives. It wasn’t amazement, it wasn’t the signs that brought them to Christ – it was divine truth.

And who else came to that realization? SIMON! Go Figure! A new believer, forgiven for his errant ways, committed to Christ in baptism, and leaving his previous life behind. He began following Philip, learning from his teaching about Jesus, and he was amazed – not through the power of the signs he saw, not because he envied Philip’s ability to do miraculous things, but at the power that will come through faith in the one Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Chi-Rho – the name of Jesus – had been imprinted on his life – not on his worldliness, but on the faith that he now possessed. It is the power of the name that brings salvation to all who believe; it is the power in his name that can free us from bondage to the ways of the world; it is the power of faith in that wonderful name that can heal our every ill and infirmity; it is the power that Philippians 2:5-11 says will take every knee down and every tongue up in honor and proclamation of the power that lives within the name of Jesus.

And all we have to do to allow this incredible and amazing power to begin working in our lives, is to believe in the precious and powerful name of Jesus.

“All Are Welcome”

Scripture: Revelation 22:12-17; Matthew 2:1-12

Today we begin a new series of messages. During discussions at one of our Worship Team meetings, the topic of Christian symbols and their significance in faith came up. Some very interesting thoughts were shared, along with ideas regarding some specific symbols. As I did some research on items that represent our faith, I discovered even more ideas for the series. Some of the symbols that I have chosen will be familiar, while others may be strange to you.

I have already found scripture that points toward half of the list, which is a great start, and I fully believe that the rest will all fall into place. Each will reveal certain aspects of our faith, and some will bring totally new thoughts into the light of Christ. Today, we begin with a symbol that is actually a combination of signs, but one that has been part of the Christian faith for many years.

Today’s symbol is “The Alpha and the Omega” – the first and last letters in the Greek alphabet.

Read Revelation 22:12-17

This Sunday is also Epiphany – the day that is celebrated as the day of God’s revealing to the Gentile world through the arrival of the Magi. But before we open their story, we begin by asking – “why would God want to mix outsiders in with his “chosen” people.”
The first clue is contained in these first two verses – “My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done.” Jesus, and he alone, has authority over the reward of heaven. Not only is he the one who offers the reward of salvation, but he is the one who has the final say as to who is rewarded and who isn’t. It has nothing to do with who we are in a human sense, it has nothing to do with how wonderful we are in a worldly sense, it has nothing to do with how much good we have done – it’s about who and what we are in Jesus Christ. Earthly standards no longer apply, and Jesus will do what God has planned since before time began.

And the second clue is in the personal description that he offers – he is the beginning and the end of all that is. Jesus was involved in the Creation, and he will be there when all that we know comes to a screeching halt! This means that before anyone ever existed, and before anyone thought that they had exclusive hold on God’s grace, and after all the world’s authority has vanished from reality, God has already made, and will continue to be making, all the decisions of what life is all about. And for some reason, we continue to think that we are in the know!

Bottom line, God’s plan of salvation never has been, and never will be bound by human standards of conduct. Eternal life will be granted according to the Lord’s wisdom. Period.

As this passage continues, we read that “those who wash their robes” will have access to the tree of life. But the question is what are we to “wash” our robes in? Obviously, it doesn’t mean soap and hot water (!), as that would imply that it is all about our doing. The truth of the matter is that these words are telling us that it is faith in the sacrifice of Jesus at Calvary that washes us clean of the dirt, of the sin of this world – in other words, it is about being “washed in the blood” of Jesus. And this is the only key to the gates of heaven.

And those who will be left outside of those gates? Those who have never come to the saving grace of Jesus Christ – those who are still trusting in their own interpretation of what is worthy and what falls short. But the invitation is still offered to the entire world, whether it is accepted or not.

Jesus, the Root of Jesse, the offspring of David, is the lineage that qualifies him to be the Messiah (Isaiah 11:1-5), and in that, he has the authority to invite whoever he wishes to join him in this new life. But we also see that even though the offer is made, we still have to make the effort to move toward the Lord, and it will never be the other way around. We need to recognize our need of Christ’s refreshment (to satisfy our “thirst”), and even though the gift of new life is right there in front of us, we have to freely, at our own initiative, accept the gift. Ours must be the first step, and then the grace of God will carry us the rest of the way to eternity.

The only way is through the way of the great Alpha and Omega.

Read Matthew 2:1-4

This brings us to the visit that the Magi paid to Jesus at his birth. The Christmas Carol would tell us that they were “3 kings from the orient”, but the truth is that we only know that they were wise intellectuals (the actual number is unknown – we only know that there were three distinct gifts that were presented to the Christ Child), and they were from the east. They would have been gentiles, and as far as the Hebrew people were concerned, these men would have been unworthy to come into the presence of Messiah. And yet, these foreigners and the unclean shepherds were the ones who came to rejoice over the birth of the Christ.

As a matter of fact, the star that they followed allowed them to make a stop with King Herod who, apparently, didn’t have a clue as to this holy birth. His trust had no faith, and it wasn’t even grounded in the law – it was based in his own security and authority and what he could do to preserve it (much like many of our politicians today!) He was even unaware of Micah’s prophecy (Micah 5:2), that Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, and he only learned of it through his court advisors.

Read Matthew 2:5-8

But Herod still needed to know if these words had actually come to pass. He knew that the Magi had more information about this birth than he did, so he planned to use their knowledge to his gain. And his gain would be the elimination of this threat to his throne! Remember that the Magi had asked for his assistance in locating the actual place, and that they had described the Child as the “King of the Jews”. If that didn’t terrify Herod, nothing would!

But notice that his first question to these visitors wasn’t where is this new “King” – it was “when did you first see the star”! Herod knew that he was going to have to sort out this child from all the others in the area, so he wanted to figure out just how old he might be. He was beginning to form a plan in his mind on how he was going to rid himself of this irritation.

And he sent them out believing that the king wanted to come and worship this new King, too, but his heart was in a totally different place. His only plan was to destroy this false pretender to his authority and throne. He had no intention of showing any allegiance and praise to this baby – the only ones who he was willing to work with were the Roman occupation forces who oppressed his nation, and even that violated the laws of Israel.

Herod didn’t believe. He never would believe. He only believed in himself and his personal prestige and authority.

Read Matthew 2:9-12

Isn’t it interesting that the star that led them to Israel and Jerusalem, initially failed to finish the trip. If it could lead them to the manger now, why not before? It seems that Herod had to know that there was “a new King in town”, and it would be the Magi’s assignment to make the announcement.

But the star picks right up where it had left them, and carries them directly to the Lord’s side. And they praise God’s great gift to earth, and honor him as the King they knew him to be, with their own gifts – gifts that reflected the very nature of the Baby. They brought gold – a royal gift; they brought frankincense – a priestly incense for the High Priest of creation; and they brought Myrrh – a gift used for embalming the dead.
The Kingly and High Priest of earth, who would die to preserve his Kingdom for all time and for all people, was lying right in front of them. To say that these wise men rejoiced at being in the presence of the Christ, is possibly the greatest understatement of all time. And Herod, the king of Israel, who should have been there with them, rejoicing just as they were, missed it all.

But the Lord’s providence didn’t end here for the out-of-towners. God was continuing to keep these faithful worshippers safe by warning them to go directly back to their own countries, without letting Herod know where the Christ was. And the king of Israel lost out a second time.

God is truly Alpha and Omega. There is nothing that he doesn’t know, there is nothing that he cannot do, there is no one who he would exclude from knowing his glory, and there is no one who he would not want to spend eternity with – as long as he is shown the honor that is due him, and is acknowledged for who he truly is - Lord and King of their life. God is all things for our life, and he is our beginning and our end – not just as Alpha and Omega of creation, but truly that very thing that brings immortality to our soul.