THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT<br><br>

PROGRAM AIR DATE: 2-11-18<br><br>



LESSON TITLE: “THE LAMB OF GOD”

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WELCOME<br><br>

      TODAY WE ARE BLESSED WITH A WONDERFUL GIFT FROM GOD, THE BIBLE. THIS BOOK IS GOD'S LIVING WORD. IN ITS PAGES, WE ARE TOLD “FOR THE WORD OF GOD IS LIVING AND POWERFUL AND SHARPER THAN ANY TWO-EDGED SWORD.” IT IS IN THIS BOOK OF BOOKS THAT WE FIND THE ANSWERS TO ALL OF MAN'S QUESTIONS AND NEEDS. THIS MORNING YOUR AREA CHURCHES OF CHRIST WELCOME YOU TO A PROGRAM COMMITTED TO THAT PERFECT LAW OF LIBERTY AS WE PRESENT THE LIVING WORD. NOW HERE IS YOUR HOST, RAY SULLINS.<br><br>

      WHAT A PRIVILEGE WE HAVE THIS MORNING TO JOIN TOGETHER IN THE STUDY OF GOD'S LIVING WORD. AND WE'RE HAPPY THAT YOU HAVE CHOSEN TO BE WITH US AND WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE TO APPROACH OUR FATHER'S THRONE AND GLORIFY OUR CREATOR. MAY WE EACH DO OUR PART THIS DAY TO MAKE THIS TIME ACCEPTABLE IN HIS SIGHT AND ACCORDING TO HIS PERFECT WILL. NOW, LET'S APPROACH OUR FATHER'S THRONE IN PRAYER. <br><br>

      PRAYER: OUR GOD AND FATHER IN HEAVEN WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS DAY, THE MANY GREAT BLESSINGS OF LIFE, THE PRIVILEGE THAT WE HAVE TO BE CALLED YOUR CHILDREN, AND TO BE SERVANTS IN YOUR KINGDOM. AND FATHER, WE ASK THIS DAY AND EVERY DAY THAT YOU MIGHT HELP US TO SHINE AS LIGHTS IN THIS WORLD THAT OTHERS MIGHT KNOW YOU THROUGH US AND THAT WE MIGHT LIVE IN SUCH A WAY THAT WE MIGHT ALWAYS DO THOSE THINGS THAT CAUSE US TO BE RECIPIENTS OF YOUR WONDROUS BLESSINGS AS WELL AS ETERNAL LIFE. WE THANK YOU FOR JESUS, FATHER, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT ONLY THROUGH CHRIST THAT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY OF ETERNAL LIFE AND SALVATION. AND FATHER, WE ALSO ASK THAT YOU WILL HELP US IN THE END TO RECEIVE THOSE GREATEST OF ALL REWARDS. AND IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY, AMEN.<br><br>

      IT'S TIME TO SING OUR SONGS OF PRAISE AND BEGIN THIS MORNING WITH OUR FIRST SONG SO WON'T YOU JOIN WITH THE CONGREGATION AS WE SING TOGETHER, “PURER IN HEART.” <br><br>



DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS<br><br>

      THE BIBLE IS FULL OF EXAMPLES AND COMMENTS WHICH SHOW THAT MANY THINK THEY ARE RIGHT BEFORE GOD AND EVEN ACCEPTABLE WHEN REALLY THEY ARE NOT PROPER BEFORE HIM AT ALL. I REMEMBER A VERSE IN MATTHEW IN WHICH OUR LORD DEALS WITH THIS VERY TOPIC. READ WITH ME FROM MATTHEW CHAPTER 7 BEGINNING THERE IN VERSE 21. THERE THE BIBLE SAYS, “‘NOT EVERYONE WHO SAYS TO ME, “LORD, LORD” SHALL ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, BUT HE WHO DOES THE WILL OF MY FATHER IN HEAVEN. MANY WILL SAY TO ME IN THAT DAY, “LORD, LORD, HAVE WE NOT PROPHESIED IN YOUR NAME, AND CAST OUT DEMONS IN YOUR NAME AND DONE MANY WONDERS AND WORKS IN YOUR NAME?” AND THEN I WILL DECLARE TO THEM, “I NEVER KNEW YOU; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.”’” <br><br>

      NOTICE IN THIS READING THAT MANY BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE RIGHT AND PROPER BEFORE GOD AND YET THEY ARE NOT. HERE, THESE FOLLOWERS WERE EVEN DOING THE THINGS THAT THEY DID IN THE NAME OF GOD. AND SOME OF THE THINGS MIGHT HAVE VERY WELL BEEN ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD. HOWEVER, IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THEY WERE NOT COMPLETELY RIGHT AND THAT THEY WERE LACKING SOMETHING BECAUSE THE LORD HIMSELF SAID, “DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.” LAWLESSNESS IS THE IDEA OF DISREGARDING LAW AND THAT EQUALS SIN! SO THEY WERE SINNING IN RELATIONSHIP TO KEEPING ALL OF GOD'S LAW. <br><br>

      JOHN UNDERSTOOD THIS SAME IDEA THERE IN HIS BOOK, FIRST JOHN CHAPTER 2 AND VERSE NINE. THERE THE BIBLE SAYS, “HE WHO SAYS HE IS IN THE LIGHT, AND HATES HIS BROTHER IS IN DARKNESS, UNTIL NOW.” SOMEONE MAY THINK HE IS IN THE LIGHT AND A GOOD FOLLOWER OF CHRIST YET HE MIGHT HATE HIS BROTHER. JOHN SAYS THIS MAN IS REALLY IN DARKNESS. YOU SEE, MAYBE THIS BEGINS TO SHOW US WHY SOMEONE MIGHT THINK THEY ARE OF GOD AND YET THEY REALLY ARE NOT. <br><br>

      THE POINT OF THESE SCRIPTURES IS TO REALIZE THAT IT DOES MATTER WHAT WE DO AND WHAT WE SAY IN LIFE. GOD JUDGES ALL ACCORDING TO HIS WILL JUST AS WE HAVE READ ABOVE. THE ONE WHO DOES THE WILL OF MY FATHER IN HEAVEN IS THE ONE WHO IS ACCEPTABLE BEFORE GOD IN ALL THINGS. IN OTHER WORDS, DOING WHAT GOD WANTS IN GOD'S WAY. <br><br>

      THIS IDEA CAN FINALLY BE SEEN IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION AS WE AGAIN FIND THE WORDS OF OUR LORD RECORDED THERE IN REVELATION CHAPTER 2 AND VERSE 10. THE BIBLE SAYS, “BE FAITHFUL UNTIL DEATH, AND I WILL GIVE YOU THE CROWN OF LIFE.” TRUE LOVE FOR GOD AND CHRISTIANITY DEPENDS ON OUR WILLINGNESS TO DO WHAT GOD COMMANDS EACH AND EVERY DAY OF LIFE EVEN UP TO THE POINT OF DEATH. HOWEVER, AS WE READ HERE, IT WILL BE WELL WORTH OUR EFFORTS BUT WE WILL RECEIVE THE PROMISE OF GOD WHICH IS THE CROWN OF ETERNAL LIFE. SO THE QUESTION IS: ARE YOU GIVING YOUR ALL TO GOD AND FOLLOWING HIM COMPLETELY AS HE HAS COMMANDED? IF SO PRAISE BE TO GOD! IF NOT, WHY NOT CORRECT YOUR LIFE AND DO ALL THAT GOD COMMANDS TODAY? <br><br>

      TODAY WE WILL AGAIN CONTINUE CONSIDERING OUR SERIES ON JESUS WHICH IS ENTITLED THE CONCEPTS OF WHO JESUS IS IN THE BEGINNING. IN OUR SPECIFIC LESSON IN RELATIONSHIP TO THESE THINGS THIS DAY IS “THE LAMB OF GOD.” SO WE HOPE YOU WILL CONTINUE WITH US THIS DAY AS WE WILL BE SPEAKING ON THIS TOPIC IN JUST A FEW MOMENTS AFTER OUR NEXT SONG TOGETHER. AND SO THAT MEANS IT'S TIME NOW TO JOIN IN OUR SECOND SONG OF THE MORNING. THE NAME OF THE HYMN, “REDEEMED.” <br><br>



LESSON<br><br>

RAY SULLINS<br><br>

      WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CONTINUING WITH US TODAY AS WE NOW GO TO GOD'S WORD. AND I'D LIKE TO BEGIN TODAY WITH A STORY FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT IN GENESIS CHAPTER 22. YOU MIGHT REMEMBER WITH ME THE TIME THAT ABRAHAM TOOK HIS SON ISAAC TO SACRIFICE HIM. AND IN RELATIONSHIP TO THAT STORY, YOU MIGHT ALSO REMEMBER THAT AFTER ALL THE PREPARATION HAD BEEN MADE AND THEY ARRIVED THERE AT THE MOUNTAIN THAT THEY WENT UP INTO THE MOUNTAIN AND THE SON ASKED A QUESTION IN VERSE SEVEN. “AND ISAAC SPOKE TO HIS FATHER AND HE SAID, ‘MY FATHER!’ AND HIS FATHER SAID, ‘HERE AM I, SON.’ THEN HE SAID, ‘LOOK, THE FIRE AND THE WOOD, BUT WHERE IS THE LAMB FOR THE BURNT OFFERING? AND ABRAHAM SAID TO HIS SON, ‘MY SON, GOD WILL PROVIDE FOR HIMSELF THE LAMB FOR THE BURNT OFFERING.’ SO THE TWO OF THEM WENT TOGETHER.” YOU WILL FIND HERE THAT ABRAHAM TOLD HIS SON SOMETHING CONCERNING WORSHIP. THE WORSHIP OF GOD EVEN UNDER THE PATRIARCHAL PERIOD. WELL, BEFORE THE MOSAIC LAW THAT IDENTIFIED AGAIN ONE OF THE ASPECTS OF THE BURNT OFFERING AND THAT WAS TO GIVE A LAMB. A LAMB WITHOUT SPOT, A LAMB WITHOUT BLEMISH. AND HOW INTERESTING IT WAS THAT THE SON WAS WELL AWARE OF THAT TRUTH WHEN HE ASKED HIS FATHER, ‘LOOK, HERE'S EVERYTHING ELSE FOR THE SACRIFICE BUT WHERE IS THE LAMB?’ YOU SEE, HE WAS CONFUSED AS TO WHY HAVE WE NOT PREPARED AS WE ALWAYS HAVE PREPARED AND WOULD PREPARE FOR THAT SACRIFICE. AND THEN HE SAYS, ‘WELL, GOD WILL PROVIDE.’ <br><br>

      AS WE GO THROUGHOUT THE OLD TESTAMENT WE CONTINUE TO SEE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE LAMB. YOU MIGHT REMEMBER WITH ME THERE IN THE BOOK OF EXODUS. REMEMBER THERE AFTER THE 10 PLAGUES IN CHAPTER 12, WHAT WAS IT THAT ISRAEL WAS TOLD? TO PREPARE A PASSOVER LAMB. AND WHEN THEY PREPARED THE LAMB AND THEY PUT THE BLOOD ON THE SIDES OF THE DOOR AND ABOVE THE DOOR POST, WHAT DID THE LORD DO? HE PASSED OVER THE HOMES OF THE ISRAELITES OR GOD'S CHILDREN, AND THEREFORE THE FIRSTBORN WERE SPARED WITHIN THEIR HOMES. YET AGAIN, THE SACRIFICIAL PRICE OF A LAMB. THE BLOODSHED OF A LAMB THAT GAVE SOMEONE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REDEEM THEMSELVES OR TO REDEEM SOMETHING THAT THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO OVERCOME THAT WHICH WOULD KEEP THEM FROM GOD. AND THE SAME IS TRUE AS WE MOVE OVER INTO THE BOOK REALLY OF LEVITICUS AND EVEN DEUTERONOMY WHEN WE BEGIN TO SEE THE LAWS OF SACRIFICIAL OR THE SACRIFICIAL LAWS. WITHIN THE SACRIFICES, THERE WERE MANY TYPES OF SACRIFICES THAT WERE TO BE GIVEN BUT WITHIN THE SACRIFICES WE ALL SEE THE SAME PURPOSE. THE PURPOSE OF AN ANIMAL, A LIFE BEING GIVEN FOR WHAT? THE REDEMPTION OF SOMETHING ELSE. AND CERTAINLY ONCE AGAIN LAMBS WERE INVOLVED IN THAT PRICE. A LAMB IS SIMPLY A SHEEP WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR OF ITS LIFE. AND THE LAMB IS SOMETHING THAT WAS USED, AGAIN IN THE PATRIARCHAL PERIOD AND ALSO THE MOSAIC PERIOD BUT ALSO IS SOMETHING THAT IS REFERENCED WITHIN EVEN THE NEW COVENANT WHEN WE THINK ABOUT JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF. <br><br>

      TURN NOW IF YOU WILL WITH ME TO OUR MAIN TEXT THAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT NOW FOR MANY WEEKS THERE IN JOHN CHAPTER 1. AND AS WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT ALL THESE BEAUTIFUL CHARACTERISTICS OF CHRIST JESUS, IT IS INTERESTING THAT WHEN JOHN IDENTIFIES JESUS TO SOME OF HIS DISCIPLES, THE WAY THAT HE REFERS TO HIM DOWN FURTHER IN THE TEXT, CHAPTER 1 AGAIN OF THE GOSPEL OF JOHN BUT VERSE 29, THE VERSE SAYS THERE, “THE NEXT DAY JOHN SAW JESUS COMING TOWARD HIM, AND HE SAID, ‘BEHOLD! THE LAMB OF GOD WHO TAKES AWAY THE SINS OF THE WORLD!” THE FIRST THING THAT WE SEE AS HE IDENTIFIES HIM AS THE LAMB. JESUS IS THE LAMB. WHAT IS THAT POINT THEN? HE IS THAT SACRIFICIAL LAMB. HE IS WITHOUT BLEMISH. HE IS WITHIN THE ACCEPTABLE CONDITIONS AND THAT WHICH IS REQUIRED OF BEING WHAT? PERFECT AND SINLESS AND THEREFORE, HE WAS THE PERFECT SACRIFICE. AND WE KNOW THAT TO BE THE CASE BECAUSE IN VERSE 29 HE ALSO SAYS “THE ONE WHO TAKES AWAY THE SINS OF THE WORLD.” WHAT DO WE KNOW THAT THE BLOOD OF JESUS WAS FOR? REMISSION OF SINS. EVEN IN ACTS CHAPTER 2 AND VERSE 38 WHEN PETER TOLD THEM, “‘REPENT, AND LET EVERYONE OF YOU BE BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS.’” ANNAIS TOLD PAUL THAT IN ACTS CHAPTER 22 VERSE 16, “‘“WHY ARE YOU WAITING? ARISE AND BE BAPTIZED, AND WASH AWAY YOUR SINS.”’” IN REVELATION CHAPTER 1 AND VERSE FIVE, WE SEE THAT THEY WERE WASHED IN THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB. YOU SEE HOW ALL THESE BEAUTIFUL CONCEPTS COME TOGETHER TO SHOW US THAT JESUS WAS A SACRIFICE? HE CAME TO THE EARTH TO BE THAT SACRIFICE, TO BE A LITERAL SACRIFICE AS THE SACRIFICES OF OLD AND THE SACRIFICE OF A LITERAL LAMB WOULD BE TO SHED THE BLOOD TO PAY A PRICE. JESUS DID THE SAME, AS HE HUNG ON THE CROSS AND AS HIS BLOOD FLOWED FORTH, HE ALSO SHED HIS BLOOD AND ULTIMATELY GAVE HIS LIFE AS THE PERFECT LAMB. THE LAMB WITHOUT SPOT AND BLEMISH, THAT HE WAS THE PERFECT SACRIFICE SO THAT THEREFORE, YOU AND I MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO WHAT? NOTICE. OVERCOME SIN. THE LAMB CAME, THE LAMB OF GOD, JESUS, TO TAKE AWAY THE SINS OF THE WORLD. NOT ONLY THERE IN VERSE 29, BUT LATER IN THE SAME TEXT WE SEE THAT JOHN ALSO MENTIONS AGAIN JESUS THERE IN VERSE 36. AND HE SAYS, “AND LOOKING AT JESUS AS HE WALKED, HE SAID, ‘BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD!’” AND IT WAS AFTER THAT DECLARATION THAT THE DISCIPLES WHO HAD BEEN WITH JOHN AND WHO ARE JOHN'S DISCIPLES ACTUALLY THEN BEGAN TO FOLLOW WHO? THE LAMB! JOHN DIDN'T SAY, ‘I AM THE LAMB, I CAN SAVE SIN. I CAN SAVE YOU FROM THE WORLD OR FROM THE SIN OF THIS WORLD AND I CAN GET YOU TO HEAVEN.’ JOHN DIDN'T SAY THAT. HE SAID THIS IS THE LAMB. THIS IS THE SACRIFICE. JESUS IS THE LAMB OF GOD. NOT JUST ANY LAMB. NOT JUST ANY SACRIFICE BUT THE LAMB OF THE GOD. THE ONE AND ONLY! THE UNIQUE LAMB! THE SPECIAL LAMB! THE LAMB AS A MAN. HOW MANY TIMES WE READ IN THE BIBLE OF A MAN SACRIFICING HIS OWN SELF, HIS OWN BLOOD, SHEDDING HIS OWN BLOOD TO SAVE ONE FROM SIN. WE READ THAT ONLY IN JESUS CHRIST. SO HE WAS NOT JUST THE BLOOD OF AN ANIMAL AS WE READ BY THE HEBREW WRITER THERE IN HEBREWS CHAPTER 8 AND ALSO CHAPTER 9. WE SEE THAT JESUS WAS THE HUMAN LAMB WILLING TO GIVE HUMAN LIFE, A PERFECT LIFE, WHICH HAD NEVER KNOWN SIN. YET HE GAVE HIS LIFE FOR SIN, OUR SIN, THAT WE MIGHT OVERCOME THROUGH HIS BLOOD AND FIND SALVATION. <br><br>

      ISN'T THAT INTERESTING THEN THAT EVEN LATER AFTER THE CHURCH IS ESTABLISHED THAT WHEN THEY PREACH JESUS THEY ALSO PREACHED THE LAMB OF GOD? IN ACTS CHAPTER 8, YOU MIGHT REMEMBER WITH ME WHAT IT IS THAT PHILIP TOLD THE EUNICH. BUT WHAT WAS IT THAT THE EUNICH HAD BEEN READING THERE IN THE TEXT? IN VERSE 32 OF ACTS EIGHT, THE BIBLE SAYS, “‘AND HE WAS LED AS A SHEEP TO THE SLAUGHTER; AND AS A LAMB BEFORE IT SHEARER IS SILENT, HE OPENED NOT HIS MOUTH.’” IN HUMILIATION, HIS JUSTICE WAS TAKEN AWAY AND WHO WILL DECLARE HIS GENERATION FOR HIS LIFE IS TAKEN FROM THE EARTH. AS WE LOOK HERE, THE READING THAT WAS BEING CONSIDERED BY THE EUNUCH AS HE WAS IN HIS CHARIOT IS FOUND IN ISAIAH 53. I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU IF YOU HAVE TIME TODAY OR EVEN LATER TODAY GO AND READ ISAIAH 53 AND YOU'LL FIND IT IS NOT JUST THIS SECTION ON THE LAMB THAT WAS BROUGHT BEFORE THE SHEARER, BUT IT'S ALSO THE ENTIRE CHAPTER THAT DEALS WITH THE PROPHECY OF THE COMING OF JESUS. THE ONE WHO WOULD DIE FOR MAN. THE ONE WHO WOULD BE THE MESSIAH AND THE ONE THAT WOULD BE THAT SACRIFICIAL LAMB. DO YOU ALSO NOTICE THERE, THERE IN THE TEXT THOUGH, HOW THAT IDENTIFIES FOR US CLEARLY THAT HE WAS THE ONE WHO WAS BROUGHT BEFORE THE SHEARER TO BE SLAUGHTERED. THE LAMB OF GOD. JESUS WAS BROUGHT BY HIS OWN PEOPLE, BOUGHT BY THE LEADERS, THE PRIEST AND THE HIGH PRIEST HIMSELF OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD AND FOR WHAT PURPOSE? TO BE SLAUGHTERED. NOW THEY DIDN'T KILL HIM FOR A SACRIFICE IN THE SENSE THAT WE ARE THINKING OF. BUT WHAT THEY DIDN'T REALIZE IS THAT THEY WERE FULFILLING THE PROPHECY IN THE PLAN OF GOD THAT HE WOULD BE THE BLOODSHED SACRIFICE, THE LAMB, THAT THEN WOULD BE THE REDEMPTIVE PRICE FOR ALL OF MANKIND. NOT JUST THE JEWS BUT ALSO THE GREEK. THAT ANYONE BELIEVING IN JESUS AND OBEYING HIS WILL WOULD FIND SALVATION THROUGH THE BLOOD OF CHRIST. <br><br>

      NOW WITH THAT IN MIND NOTICE THAT IN THE SAME TEXT, ACTS CHAPTER 8, AFTER HE MENTIONED THE GREAT PROPHECIES THERE OF THE LAMB BROUGHT BEFORE THE SHEARER TO BE SLAUGHTERED, TO BE KILLED NOTICE THERE THAT AFTER HE QUOTES FROM ISAIAH 53 THAT IT SAYSWHEN PHILIP BEGAN TO PREACH TO HIM, VERSE 35, HE OPENS HIS MOUTH AND HE BEGINS AT THIS SCRIPTURE AND HE PREACHED JESUS TO HIM. OH, YOU SEE THERE, JOHN, THE CHOSEN APOSTLE WHO SAID THERE THAT JESUS WAS GOD. EVEN JOHN THE IMMERSER, JOHN THE BAPTIST WHO IDENTIFIED JESUS AS GOD, JESUS AS THE LAMB OF GOD. PAUL AND PETER, AS THEY ALL DECLARED JESUS TO BE THE CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD, HE WAS THAT LAMB! HE WAS THAT INDIVIDUAL WHO CERTAINLY WAS NOT ONLY FROM GOD BUT WAS GOD. AND WHEN THEY PREACHED JESUS TO MAN, THEY PREACHED THAT HE WAS THE LAMB. THE SACRIFICIAL LAMB OF GOD HIMSELF. <br><br>

      WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME LEFT BUT I'D LIKE TO NOW GO TO THE BOOK OF REVELATION. BECAUSE WITHIN THE BOOK OF REVELATION AS WE BEGIN TO LOOK AT SOME FINAL THINGS IT IS QUITE BEAUTIFUL THAT OVER 10 TIMES IN THE BOOK WE FIND REFERENCES AGAIN TO JESUS SPECIFICALLY AS THE LAMB OF GOD. THERE WITHIN THE EARLIER PARTS AS WE'VE ALREADY SAID IT REFERS TO BEING WASHED IN THE BLOOD WHICH WE WOULD KNOW THE BLOOD OF THE SACRIFICE OF THE LAMB THERE IN REVELATION 1 VERSE FIVE. BUT IF YOU MOVE OVER TO CHAPTER 5, WE SEE A BEAUTIFUL SCENE OF THE THRONE ROOM OF HEAVEN BEGINNING THERE IN CHAPTER 4 WITH GOD THE FATHER ON THE THRONE. AND THEN IN CHAPTER 5, WE HAVE NOTED THAT GOD THE FATHER HAS A SCROLL, THE WORD OF GOD OR THE WORDS OF GOD WITHIN HIS HAND. AND NO ONE IS ABLE TO OPEN THOSE WORDS TO REVEAL THOSE WORDS TO GOD'S CREATION. NO ONE IN HEAVEN. NO ONE ON EARTH. NO ONE UNDER THE EARTH. AND GUESS WHO IT IS THAT FINALLY IS ABLE TO TAKE THE SCROLL? AS WE READ THERE IT MENTIONED SEVERAL THINGS CONCERNING CHRIST TO IDENTIFY WHO HE WAS. BUT NOTICE SPECIFICALLY VERSE SIX AFTER HE HAS BEEN CALLED THE ROOT OF DAVID, THE TRIBE OF JUDAH, AND THE ONE ALONE WHO WAS WORTHY. VERSE SIX SAYS THIS, “AND I LOOKED, AND BEHOLD, IN THE MIDST OF THE THRONE AND OF THE FOUR LIVING CREATURES, AND IN THE MIDST OF THE ELDERS, STOOD A LAMB AS THOUGH IT HAD BEEN SLAIN, HAVING SEVEN HORNS AND SEVEN EYES, WHICH ARE THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD SENT OUT INTO ALL THE EARTH.” OH, WHAT A BEAUTIFUL SCENE! THE SACRIFICIAL LAMB, AND WHAT WAS ON THE LAMB? THE BLOODSTAIN. THE SACRIFICIAL. THE VERY BLOOD REMAINED ON THE LAMB SHOWING THAT THIS IS THE CHRIST WHO SHED HIS BLOOD ON THE CROSS IN ORDER THAT WHAT? WE MIGHT HAVE THAT REMISSION OF SINS. BUT IT DOESN'T STOP THERE. IF YOU ACTUALLY GO DOWN INTO THE TEXT YOU'LL NOTICE THAT HE THEN BREAKS DOWN THOSE WHO ARE IN HEAVEN. AND IT SAYS, AS THE LAMB IS IN HEAVEN, VERSE EIGHT, THAT ALL OF THE 24 ELDERS AND THE LIVING CREATURES DO WHAT? FELL DOWN BEFORE THE LAMB. AND WHAT DO THEY DECLARE THE LAMB? HE IS WORTHY TO TAKE THE SCROLL. HE IS WORTHY TO OPEN THE SEALS. WHY? HE IS THE SLAIN LAMB. THE REDEEMER OF GOD. THE REDEEMER OF GOD BY BLOOD ITSELF. THERE IT IS AGAIN, THE LAMB OF GOD. THE BLOODSTAINED LAMB. THE SACRIFICIAL LAMB. THE KING OF KINGS. THE LORD OF LORDS. THE ONE WHOM EVERY NATION, EVERY TRIBE, EVERY KING WOULD BOW BEFORE. AFTER THAT WE SEE A NUMEROUS HOST IN HEAVEN AND IN VERSE 11 OF CHAPTER 5. AND GUESS WHAT THAT HOST OF ANGELS AND THE HEAVENLY HOST ARE SAYING? “WITH A LOUD VOICE,” VERSE 12, “‘WORTHY IS THE LAMB WHO WAS SLAIN.’” AGAIN, THE DECLARATION. AND THEN IT EVEN SAYS AND THEN THE EARTH AND THE SEAS, THE UNIVERSE, JOINS IN. AND GUESS WHAT THE UNIVERSE DECLARES AS THEY WORSHIP THE LAMB? VERSE 13. IT SAYS, “‘GLORY BE TO HIM WHO SITS ON THE THRONE, AND TO THE LAMB, FOREVER AND EVER!” ISN'T THAT BEAUTIFUL TO SEE JUST WHO JESUS IS? JESUS, REVELATION 7 VERSE 17, WHO IS IN THE VERY MIDST OF THE THRONE, JESUS AND WHOM THEY SANG THE SONG OF IN REVELATION 15:3 THE SONG OF MOSES AND THE LAMB JESUS IN WHOM WE ARE BLESSED BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN INVITED TO THE MARRIAGE SUPPER OF THE LAMB, REVELATION 19:9. JESUS WHO NOW RESIDES IN THE TEMPLE OF GOD ITSELF, REVELATION 21:22, AND IN VERSE 23, THE VERY LAMB AS HE IS IDENTIFIED AS THE LIGHT OF HEAVEN. THE GLORY OF GOD AND THE GOD HIMSELF. BUT FINALLY, REVELATION 22 VERSES ONE THROUGH THREE, THERE FROM THE THRONE OF GOD WHAT IS IT THAT IS THERE? THE LAMB OF GOD. GOD THE FATHER AND THE LAMB. ARE YOU FAITHFUL TO THE LAMB OF GOD? <br><br>



CLOSING COMMENTS<br><br>

      LET ME THANK YOU AGAIN FOR CHOOSING TO BE WITH US TODAY FOR THE LIVING WORD PROGRAM.  I HOPE AND TRUST THAT TOGETHER WE'VE ALL BENEFITED FROM THE SERVICE BEFORE THE THRONE OF GOD AND LET ME INVITE YOU BACK EACH AND EVERY SUNDAY MORNING AT 7:30 AS WE GIVE THIS TIME TO OUR CREATOR AND DOING THOSE THINGS THAT HE HAS COMMANDED OF THE FAITHFUL. <br><br>

      BUT FOR NOW LET ME ASK IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT TODAY'S LESSON. MAYBE YOU WOULD LIKE A FREE TRANSCRIPT OR FREE CD OR DVD OF THE PROGRAM OR POSSIBLY WE MIGHT ASSIST YOU WITH FREE BIBLE MATERIALS OR BIBLE CORRESPONDENCE COURSES? NO MATTER WHAT YOUR NEED IS PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT US AT THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS: <br><br>

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      MAY WE ALL STRIVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT OUR SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST IS THE LAMB OF GOD. AND AS THE LAMB OF GOD, HE WAS WILLING TO SHED HIS BLOOD THAT WE MIGHT ALL HAVE HOPE OF ETERNAL LIFE, THEREFORE MAY WE LOOK TO JESUS AND MAY WE ALWAYS DO WHAT IT IS THAT JESUS HAS ASKED OF US, FOR AS THE LAMB OF GOD. HE PAID THE ULTIMATE PRICE THAT WE MIGHT BE SAVED.

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