“Be A Lamb In Character!”

“Be A Lamb In Character!”
The sheep as an animal of sacrifice is common to many religions. African Wisdom holds that the animals were having a general assembly. All the animals were present except the sheep. When it was agreed upon that there was need for regular sacrifices, somebody suggested that since the sheep wasn’t present it should be used for sacrifice. The sheep has suffered this fate till date.
The sheep is also seen as a dull creature. My people would say, “you are as dull as a sheep.” The word ‘sheepish coined out of sheep means “showing or feeling embarrassment from shame or a lack of self-confidence.” Even when a sheep is taken to be slaughtered or to be sheared it does not resist. No doubt Isaiah consider that Jesus “was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth”(53:7).
The sheep has been a sacrificial animal since from the time of Abel (Gen. 4:2b-4). God had rejected human sacrifice in favour of the sheep when he provided a ram in place of Isaac(Gen. 22:13).
The gravity and intensity of human sin could not be atoned through the blood of sheep, so God sent his Son to be the “Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” The lamb is the young of a sheep. It is tender, meek and innocent; so too was Jesus Christ! So too must be his disciples who have been saved by grace, through faith. When humanity was dead in sin, God who is rich in mercy, made us alive in Christ.
John the Baptist grew up with, and played with Jesus but he did not know he was the “Lamb of God…” In his own words, “I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptise with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptised with the Holy Spirit'”(Jn. 1:29-34).
When God calls, he anoints and equips. God through Isaiah says, “…before I was born the Lord called me…”(49:1). Both John the Baptist and Jesus were preordained. Jesus the Lamb has not limited salvation to the Jews alone because it was foretold through Isaiah, “…I will also make you a light for the gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth”(49:6). That is why Jesus is “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
Today you and I are reminded, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Jesus Christ to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do”(cf Eph. 2:1-10).
My friend, you have seen the qualities of the Lamb and sheep as a whole. Those qualities have been attributed to Christ. As his follower that is what you too must reflect while doing the good works which is your assignment!
More to the qualities of the Lamb and the sheep is what was intended by the simile of the Spirit descending like a dove. The dove is a symbol of peace and mercy. You too should be a person of peace demonstrating mercy at all times!
Happy Sunday! Peace be with you!