2014 Easter Cantata Worthy is the Lamb Sermon - LBC 4/20/14
Today we Celebrate Easter - Resurrection Sunday --- the resurrection of Jesus Christ was Jesus
Proof of Victory that everything He said was true; that He really was God the Son who came
from heaven to provide the power to forgive mankind. By His resurrection, He said: “ I have
overcome the wages of sin which is death, despair, confusion, hopelessness to have the power
to give a new life to all who believe on me.” In Scripture, that road that led to the resurrection
is illustrated by Jesus being offered as a sacrificed Lamb.
----Like the Biblical Story of Nicodemus coming to faith in Jesus, the Lamb – I would like present
what the Bible says about Jesus and lead you to faith in Him:
From the beginning, God gave mankind the choice to obey him or to disobey Him and face the
penalty of disobedience which ultimately is death (physical death, and spiritual death: forever
separation from God in the lake of fire) That may seem a very high penalty, but I would tell
you that the price is steep because the person we are offending is HOLY GOD – The first
people chose the pleasures of sin, of course, and from that point on, all of us have been born
with sin natures and continue to sin. Like sheep the Bible says…we go astray from God.
Mankind could not keep God’s law because of our nature of sin --- so God created a
system to show sorrow for sin and faith in God by offering a substitution that would be
sacrificed symbolically to pay for the people’s sins. That was the substitution death of lambs
and other animals in the place of the people:
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 Leviticus 1:2-4 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an
offering unto the LORD, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd, and of the flock.
(3) If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer
it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD. (4)
And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make
atonement for him.
** The sacrifice of those lambs in the Old Testament demonstrated that the penalty for
disobeying God is death. Day after day, year after year the sacrifices would be made **It was
obvious from the beginning of the continual sacrifices that those animal sacrifices were never
sufficient – it would just keep being done more and more over and over because man was
continually sinful, and sacrificing lambs was not enough to change the heart or fully forgive.
But God always had a Bigger Plan in Mind – A Greater, Permanent, Once for all Sacrifice in
mind to be put forth when the time was right in human history -- ***Those sacrificed lambs
were only a foreshadowing of the ultimate Lamb that would come to take away the sins of
everyone who would trust on Him ---- the Lamb Jesus Christ
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Those lambs had to be perfect, without spot or blemish to be offered ------Jesus shed
His blood as one who had never sinned, without blemish and without spot.
Imagine He was God the Son, born a human and for over 30 yrs. kept God’s commands
perfectly – Scripture says he “knew no sin” and kept the law . Never thought an angry
sinful thought like we do, He never lusted, He never was jealous, He never coveted
other’s possessions, never dishonored His parents, never lied-- He obeyed God and was
totally righteous ---- in other words, He was not Worthy of Death as WE ARE– He was
Pure, Innocent, without spot, without Blemish just like the required lambs ------
**See - only a Perfect Lamb could be sacrificed in place of sinful people - that’s the price to pay
for your Sin ------ I would like to show you a passage of Scripture that tells us this – there are
several verses, but focus on the fact that Jesus became the permenant, sufficient sacrifice:
Listen -- Hebrews 10:1-4
For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image
of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the
comers thereunto perfect. (2) For then would they not have ceased to be offered? …(4) For it is not
possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy
will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. (10)By the which will we are
sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (11) And every priest standeth
daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins
(12) But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
(13) From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. (14) For by one offering he hath
perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

**Folks, just like these continual animal sacrifices – people try today to satisfy their
consciences and satisfy God with things that are simply inadequate. Being religious; trying to
do more good, works of charity, comparing themselves to others who are more wicked, etc. --Listen, God is Holy and unless you can live PERFECTLY all his commands, all your attempted
righteousness is as filthy rags to Him. You fall short, you are doing worthless sacrifice – all
that is inadequate --- Only the Ultimate Sacrifice, God the Son is able to wash away, forgive,
pardon all your life sin (– He died for all of them on that cross- past and future once for all)
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Did you see that last verse “For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that
are sanctified.” Sin is a serious matter to God that must be Judged –But God already
judged Jesus for you, if you will believe and trust in that Lamb – Imagine, you can be
perfected forever if you will trust Jesus’ offering. Forever sanctified as God’s child!--
What thousands of sacrificed lambs could not accomplish over thousands of years, the
Lamb of God accomplished that day on the cross. Christ took the guiltiness for every sin
you have committed so that you could be pardoned and have a clean account!
 If you will believe this is true with all your heart, God will count Jesus death as PAID IN
FULL for the penalty you deserve; and will also place Jesus perfect righteousness on you.
------------I am telling you this Easter Morning to admit your Guilty sin - put all your hope and
Trust on Jesus The Lamb who was slain for you. ---- This is not Religion, this is not just about a
Holiday – This is the Greatest Act of Love and Grace in the World – it must become YOURS.
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** Believe that God Created You and holds you to a standard of Obedience – Believe you
cannot live up to that Standard; Believe in Mercy God saw your insufficiency and Sent His Son
to be your Substitutionary Lamb; Trust on the Work of Jesus on that Cross for your forgiveness,
your new birth in God, in a new life for you now and in heaven some day.

That Lamb of God did not stay dead, but arose 3 days later to give Great Hope to all who
will believe on Him. The Resurrection of Jesus brings the hope of someday your body
being reconstructed and raising from the dead to live with Jesus; more immediately the
power of the resurrection offers a New Life for those who are downtrodden, confused,
alone, and without hope – See, when you trust on the living Jesus, He comes into your
life and becomes a Compass to you (I’m talking about real give-and-take relationship of
Jesus leading you and growing you)– He makes you alive to God as your Father for the
first time ever and represents your weaknesses, hopelessness, and needs right there at
God the Father’s side – He intercedes for you because He is alive – He aids you because
He is alive. You can really have answered prayer and closeness with God.

Christ’s resurrection offers the hope of really understanding what this world is about. It
isn’t about the Careers, the Materialism, gaining power, being Successful, being
accepted, etc. -- The scripture says that the Lamb is going to return to overturn the
injustices, the broken governments, the crooked politicians – He is going to return to be
KING himself and set up His Kingly Throne. - He certainly came the first time to be King
of your heart, and He will return a second time to be the King of the World:
 Rev 5:11-13 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts
and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of
thousands; (12) Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and
riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. (13) And every creature which
is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them,
heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne,
and unto the Lamb forever and ever.
***This is the entire Story of the Lamb of God --- this is what the Resurrection of Jesus was
about --- it was Saying --- “Jesus is the Truth! His life and Death had purpose. He is the Victor
and will give all who believe on Him a New, forgiven life with God as their Father – a life of
meaning, of truth, of Hope. Come sinful, broken to Jesus – He will receive you with Love!
Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Baptism – 1st step of following Christ – confessing Him/Blue book
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