The World's-Wounded-Worthy-Wrathful Lamb

It's certainly been a privilege to be with the saints here today, and for those of you who are in your sins, it's a privilege for you to hear again the invitation from the Lord himself to come unto me. Now let's read from the Bible, from the Gospel of John, please, and Chapter 1. John's Gospel and Chapter 1. John Chapter 1, and we read at 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.

Verse 35. Again, the next day, after John stood, and two of his disciples, and looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God. Now let's turn over to 1 Peter, please, towards the back of the Bible, and 1 Peter Chapter 1. 1 Peter Chapter 1, these are well-known verses.

Verse 18. Forasmuch as ye know, Peter's writing to believers, that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things of silver and gold from the vain conversation received by tradition from your father, but, so he's working on that word redeemed. He were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, as of the Lamb, without blemish and without spot, who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory, that your faith and hope may be in God.

Now over to the book of Revelation, and Chapter 5. This is a scene in heaven. Verse number 9. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and open the seals thereof, for thou was slain, and has redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation, and has made us unto our God kings, and priests, and we shall reign on the earth. 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, an innumerable number, 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, and every creature which is in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, forever and forever.

And the four beasts said, Amen, and the four and twenty elders fell down, and worshipped him that liveth forever and forever. Turn the page to chapter six, please. Verse fourteen, And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every man and every free man hid themselves in the dens, and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of his wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand? What's the answer to that question? No one. No one.

Now the Lord will bless to us the further reading from his word with what we've been privileged to hear already. We were reminded already today that we have just passed by in the calendar that time of year that is referred to as Easter, or in Jewish quarters as Passover. It is celebrated by the Jews to this day as Passover.

It is looking backward to a time when the nation of Israel were held captive in the land of Egypt. Our brother read his first scripture from the book of Exodus, and I thought maybe perhaps he was going to take up that subject and work on that, but he moved on. Important to hear what the Lord has to say.

And he told Moses on that occasion what to do. That the firstborn in the land of Egypt was going to die. It was a judgment on Egypt.

And it was the necessity to take the Lamb, and to take its blood, apply it to the doorposts, and you know this story well. And in that way the firstborn was sheltered from death by the blood of the Lamb. Now as we make our way through scripture we find that the Bible will take up the Lord Jesus Christ under different metaphors, and even in the animal realm there are different animals that are used to bring out features of his character, and of the work that he does for God.

We're not going to get into that tonight, simply to say that one of those animals is the Lamb. And the Lamb is known for its submissiveness, but we want to see from these scriptures that the Lord Jesus being referred to as the Lamb, it is pointing us to the salvation that he provides. That God has provided in the person of his own dear Son.

He is the taker away of the sin of the world. Now we'll examine that in closer detail. I want you to think first of all with me of the world's Lamb.

That's John chapter 1 where we read, the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. It is a Lamb that has been provided for the world. It's the Lord Jesus.

Then we want to notice from 1 Peter and 2 John chapter 1, we want to consider him as the wounded Lamb, because his blood has been shed for redemption. He was wounded unto death for our redemption. The wounded Lamb.

In Revelation chapter 5, we don't have to go anywhere to find the word, it's right there in the text. He is the worthy Lamb. The worthy Lamb that was slain, that has redeemed us to God by his blood.

And then finally, the last scripture we read, you'll notice it spoke about the wrath of the Lamb. And we want to think about the wrathful Lamb. For those that refuse him as their Savior, there are consequences that follow.

Now in John chapter 1, these words are well known and I'm sure each boy and girl here tonight that has been to Sunday school could readily quote them. Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. The word behold carries with it the idea of not just a look, but a surprised look.

Look! The Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. You see, the people of Israel had sinned against God, they had departed from God and for 400 years God has been silent to them. He hasn't spoken to them through a prophet for 400 years because they have turned away from God.

And now into this scene there comes the very Son of God from heaven, the Lord Jesus Christ. Marvelous to think of that. That down from the glory the Savior came, down to the cross and the death of shame, gazing in wonder, I dare exclaim, Jesus died for me.

The word in the gospel tonight is just the same. Take a look at this and wonder at it. The Lord Jesus Christ.

Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. And when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman made under the law that he might redeem them that were under the law. Now after 400 years, here's the last of the prophets classified as an Old Testament prophet.

John the Baptist, and he has the privilege to stand that day on the banks of Jordan and appoint him out. Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. Look at him.

Look at him thoughtfully and learn. Look at him by face and live. You remember back in Exodus in chapter 12, that Passover lamb that was to be taken.

It's interesting how the text of scripture focuses in on that lamb. It was to be a lamb of the first year, a meal of the first year, and there are certain qualities that are stated about it. But they were to take first of all a lamb.

A lamb. And not only was it a lamb, and then as you read on down a little bit, you read this, the lamb. That's a bit more focused isn't it? The lamb.

And then the next little expression is this, your lamb. Your lamb. You know it's wonderful to look at the Lord Jesus and understand that God sent him into this world to be the Savior, and to be the Savior of the world.

That's tremendous. That God should ever look upon a race of humanity that were rebels in their hearts, sinners natural born, sinners before God. And he looks upon them with love enough to send his Son into this world.

He gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. That's tremendous. It's available tonight for the whole wide world.

God's great salvation in the person of his own dear Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. But my question to you just now in the quietness of your own soul is this. What does he mean to you? Is he a lamb? A Savior? Perhaps you might even go as far as to say he is the lamb.

He's the Savior. But where is that soul in the meeting this evening that could say he's my lamb? He's my Savior. He died for me.

The blood of that lamb was shed. And by the shedding of the blood of that literal lamb there in the land of Egypt, the blood was applied to the doorpost and that firstborn was delivered from death. It was a lamb for a house.

And all who were sheltered inside were safe, particularly the firstborn. But it was a lamb for a house. But you know when God sent his own dear Son into this world, John the Baptist didn't say behold the lamb of God which taketh away the sin of a house.

No, no. He says he taketh away the sin of the world. God has held nothing but in the great provision that he has made.

God's lamb is for the whole world of humanity, which are every one of them under the sentence of death. How did that ever come about? Well, that's back to the book of Genesis, isn't it? Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world and Adam disobeyed God and the whole human race became infected right from the source with this thing called sin and death by sin. And so the sentence of death is passed upon all men for that all sinned.

When Adam sinned we all became infected with this thing called sin. And so God now provides a remedy for that tremendous problem. And God's remedy is the lamb of God.

The lamb of God's providing which taketh away the sin of the world. That's why he came from highest heaven, from the very throne room of God. He came forth from the father and he came into this world and down he came down through the heavens right to the manger in Bethlehem.

Oh, the wonders of his love. See him coming from above. What for? To atone and die for thee.

Praise him, praise him cheerfully. That lamb in Egypt had to be without blemish and it had to be without spot. And so it must be for the Savior.

For anyone who would be the lamb of God, he would have to be without sin himself. The Lord Jesus came into this world without a trace of Adam's sin. A man unique in origin, all fair without, all pure within our blessed Lord.

And John now as he takes a look at him walking there, it's after the 40 days in the wilderness. Mark the timing, brethren. It's after the 40 days in the wilderness and he stands in obedience to God.

Where Adam failed in a garden and the Lord remains spotless and holy and pure in a wilderness after 40 days being hungered. The Lord Jesus is without sin and he did no sin and in him there was no sin. He is the spotless lamb of God.

But not only that, if he is to take away the sin of the world and as Peter will later point out in chapter 2, that he will bear our sins in his own body upon the tree. I mean, just think of that. Think of all the sins that humanity have committed.

Think of every lie that has been told. Think of every wrong thought that has entered our heads. Every act of sin against God and God took note.

But on that cross he will bear our sins in his own body upon the tree. Only an infinite person could do it. Only the Son of God from heaven could do it.

One who must be holy and spotless and pure, a true man. And there upon that cross he did just that. He bear our sins in his own body upon the tree.

I am very thankful tonight that he took my sins upon him. God who knew them laid them on him and every single one of them is gone in the sight of God. He is my lamb.

The lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. We're here to tell you tonight he can remove your sins. And as we have been hearing already and we emphasize it again and brother emphasize it every time you preach the gospel.

The problem that you have is not so much that you're unsaved as we say. Your problem is your sins before a holy God and they'll sink you down to hell until you have them removed. You need your sins taken away and there's only one who can take them away and that is the lamb of God, the Lord Jesus.

Make him your lamb tonight and enter into the good of what he has done on your behalf. You trust him as your savior. Now over to first Peter.

We've already been working on first Peter but here Peter is writing to believers and he says you know this. He says you were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. So we learn this again from this scripture that redemption is through the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb.

The blood of the lamb must be shed. The blood of the lamb must be poured out and before the eye of God. The death of the Lord Jesus on the cross of Calvary.

Let us remember this. It was primarily for the eye of God to see. God looked upon a sacrifice that would answer to his justice, would satisfy his throne and would allow God and righteousness to come out and to forgive the sinner that is sheltering in the precious blood of Christ.

For blood to be shed that lamb must be wounded. The Lord Jesus was wounded. Men wounded him.

With wicked hatred they did it. They dragged him outside that city wall having been scourged with a crown of thorns upon his back and they laid him out and they crucified him. They lifted him up to die.

Men wounded him. But God wounded him. He was wounded for our transgressions and he was bruised for our iniquities.

The punishment to bring us into peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed. Now we do not divide up the death of Christ into compartments. He was on that tree for six hours.

It was all necessary. He bare our sins in his own body on that tree. It says the psalmist there was a daytime and there was a night season and you write over the whole thing, forsaken of God.

My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Oh, the plan was God's. The perpetrators were God's. The perpetrators were wicked men.

But the instrument upon which he hung was the cross where he was wounded for our transgressions. It was all necessary for the Lamb of God to take away the sin of the world, to take away the sin of even one sinner in the room tonight. He hung there on that cross until the full death payment was made and at last he cried it is finished.

And as we look to that cross tonight in all our need and see the precious blood that was shed as the Savior enters into death, we say like the hymn writer, precious, precious blood of Jesus, shed on Calvary, shed for rebels, shed for sinners, shed for me. And that answers to God the problem of my sin. How do I enter into the good of it? It's by faith.

But I take that for myself. What the Savior has done by faith, listen to what Peter says, who by him do believe in God that raised him from the dead and gave him glory that your faith and hope might be in God. You take him as your very own, as your Savior, as your Redeemer, as your Lamb, as whose precious blood has answered to God for the problem of my sin.

Now he's found to be the worthy Lamb in Revelation chapter 5. The question is asked who is worthy to take this book. It's the title Deeds of Earth. Who can reclaim planet Earth for God? And no one was found worthy.

And we read that John wept much at the thought that no one is going to be able, there's going to be no salvation. John wept much as he thought about this, that no one can restore planet Earth back to God. And what about all those who have been believing in God all this time? Until John hears the word, weep not, for the lion of the tribe of Judah has prevailed to open the book.

And John turned and he saw a Lamb as it had been freshly slain. Who is it? It's the Lord Jesus. He has the right to restore planet Earth, and he will.

And he has the right to take out of his kingdom all things that offend. And sinners in their sins have many offenses against him. And he must deal with sin and take it out of the world.

He's the Lamb. The Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. He does it either in salvation for those that trust him, or he will do it in wrath for those that reject him.

That's a very solemn thought. We read in chapter 5 of those who are standing before him in the day when he comes in his glory and his power for the great day of his wrath has come and who shall be able to stand? And they're trying to get away from him and they can't. And we come over to chapter 14 and we read that the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation.

God is indignant against those that reject Christ. The cup of his indignation. And he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of his holy angels.

Listen to this. And in the presence of the Lamb. They made their choice.

They said we'll not have this to reign over us. Because of the choice that they made, they are eternally expelled from the bliss of heaven. Because of their own choice.

They'll come underneath the wrath of the Lamb. Who could have been their savior. But they rejected him.

Don't put it off tonight. Don't reject him any longer. You think of the great provision that God has made for the world.

And you're in the world. And take it in. It was made for me.

And what he did on that cross is enough to satisfy God. And it's enough for me. You trust your soul to him for eternity.

And you'll be saved, redeemed. And fitted for heaven. By the Lamb of God.

Which taketh away the sin of the world. Let's pray. Our Father, we thank thee again for the word of God that has been before us throughout this day.

And again tonight in the gospel. And we pray that thou will bless it to every heart. We think of poor souls in all their need and in their sin tonight.

And in danger of the wrath of God. But we thank thee that there is one who has taken the wrath that we deserved upon the cross. One who has borne the judgment of God.

And he bare our sins in his own body on the tree. And we thank thee that he has put them all away. For those that enter into the good of it by faith in him alone.

We pray that tonight that there would be a soul in simplicity. Would rest their all upon the Savior. And be saved for time and for eternity.

We ask then for thy parting blessing as we give thanks for the day. In the worthy name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.