It was Passover/Easter in the Spring of 1982 in Bandung, Java, Indonesia. We had been living in this bustling Asian city of 6 million since the first of the year in order to attend language and culture training. Now it was a holiday and we decided to celebrate with some of our new friends. We invited about 30 internationals to a Passover-type meal. A live lamb had been purchased at the beginning of the week and kept in our backyard to contentedly munch grass. Our children spent time each day petting and enjoying it. But the end of the week brought an unpleasant task. The animal had to be slaughtered for our holiday meal. Dear husband and our gardener took turns passing the knife back and forth. “No, you.” “No, you.” Eventually, the deed was done. Husband told me that the lamb had made no resistance.
“He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth.” Isaiah 53:7
This experience certainly made Passover and the harshness of the sacrifice of the Lamb of God a stark reality. After eating our delicious meal together, our friends gathered in our living room. I’ll never forget the feeling I had sitting in a circle with those friends from different parts of the globe, different languages, different cultures, different ages and yet unified in Jesus as we celebrated the Lord’s Supper by passing bread and wine. But the cost of this unity was high.
“It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.” 1 Peter 1:19
“Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us.” 1 Corinthians 5:7
When we face upheaval, loss, or problems, we want a mighty, impressive, and overpowering Lion to come and rescue us from our situation. Roaring and scattering our problems. Chasing away our troubles. Intimidating or annihilating our foes.
Instead, we get a quiet, unassuming, gentle Lamb to come and be with us in our situation. Modeling victory by sacrifice. Resisting without retaliating. The power of purity.
“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29
If you had a choice of an animal to defend you, I doubt it would be a lamb. They have few natural defenses and certainly are no match for animals with claws and fangs. On the other hand, even lions that have been tamed by humans or have been habituated to human contact are still wild animals who are capable of turning on a human without warning. So which to choose? I choose a Lamb that against all odds has proven himself victorious.
“Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David’s throne, has won the victory. Then I saw a Lamb that looked as if it had been slaughtered . . . “You are worthy to take the scroll
and break its seals and open it.
For you were slaughtered, and your blood has ransomed people for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation.” Revelation 5:5-6 (My note: He’s called the Lion, but he looks like a Lamb)
“they will go to war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will defeat them because he is Lord of all lords and King of all kings. And his called and chosen and faithful ones will be with him.” Revelation 17:14
Jesus shows us by example the irresistible power of sacrificing ourselves for others. This isn’t weakly caving to the demands of others. This is giving ourselves to others for their good. Sometimes it’s refusing to do for them what they can do for themselves because it’s more loving to require them to step up. We’re giving up the desire to be the good guy, to be liked. We’re sacrificing our comfort for the higher good of helping that person become responsible and mature. It’s gently correcting another at the risk of being rejected. It’s taking the hard road for the good of others. It’s giving up our time to invite others to our home for their encouragement and building friendship when we could be using the time for our own projects. It’s using our skills to make a gift when we could be using our skills to earn money. (Not mutually exclusive, of course.) It’s doing everyday chores wholeheartedly because our work benefits those we love. Self-sacrifice is doing the most loving thing no matter the cost to ourselves. The most loving thing may be giving or it may be withholding. Either way, we sacrifice something. Either way, we lovingly contribute to the well-being of others. This is the way of the Lamb.
“the Lamb who was slaughtered before the world was made.” Revelation 13:8
“Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Jesus in Matthew 11:29
No one has ever loved me like Jesus. He alone loved me at the cost of His life…. This compelling love invites me to abandon my plans, my desires and goals and to trust Him. After all, The One who died for me must have the best plans made for my life and blessings: both on this Earth and for eternity.
Yes!