*Editor’s Note: This is the last in a 5-part blog series on the new Advent worship song, “Once and Again,” written and produced by CRBC Music Minister, Eric Wall. You may follow all the related posts on councilroadwomen.org. Catherine Wayne is the pen name of a CRBC missionary.
The final verse of “Once and Again” refers to Jesus as “the Lamb of God.”
Sheep are interesting creatures. In the wild of these Central Asian mountains I am looking out from right now, I see (and smell) herds upon herds of sheep of every shape and size. In this part of the world, one comical and notable feature of sheep is their distractingly large rumps consisting of pure fat. When they run into roads, traipse over busy train tracks, and foolishly trip along obviously dangerous mountain paths, their massive rumps and tiny brains tumble along.
So, why on earth would God choose to call His own Son “the Lamb of God?” Why would the Lion of Judah, Conqueror of death itself, Creator of the universe, reduce Himself to writing on His name tag, “God’s Sheep?” What does it mean?
The first one to publicly call Jesus “the Lamb of God” was His cousin, John. John’s biggest claim to fame was being chosen by God to fill the role Isaiah described in Isaiah 40. God reserved this prophesied role for John as the one who would prepare the way for Jesus. John knew his calling and fulfilled this role when he saw his cousin approaching him and proclaimed to the crowds, “Look, the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world! I myself did not know Him, but the reason I (came) was that He might be revealed... I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God.” The full account is shown to us in John 1.
But let’s rewind and break down some typical “christianese” words. Sin is rebellion against God (1 John 3:4; Deuteronomy. 9:7; Joshua 1:18). Every person has sinned (Romans 3:23). We know the cost for sinning is death (Romans 6:20-23). A simple question to follow these truths is, “How could I possibly pay the debt through death and still have the opportunity to live a life reconciled with God?” If we paid our own debt (by dying), we would never know the fullness of joy and reunification with our Creator because we’d be… well… dead.
So, God made a way for our debt to be paid as well as for us to experience a relationship with Him in this life. How generous is that! He instructed His people thousands of years ago to figuratively place their sins on a spotless animal which they would then kill as symbolic of their debt being paid. If they consistently did this sacrifice throughout their lives, God would count their debt paid. Have you guessed by now with what animal He told them to perform this act? A lamb.
While this worked for the time being, God had another plan in the works to permanently make a way for people to be back in relationship with Him in a more full and perfect way. Why would He plan for that? Why wasn’t “good enough” good enough? Oh, friend, because He loves us! God isn’t a jailer or pawn shop owner just wanting what’s due to Him. He’s a Father who wants His children back in relationship with Him.
God’s ultimate plan was to provide, if you will, a “better spotless lamb.” The requirements were complicated though. The lamb had to be spotless, without flaw, without sin. The lamb had to be the purest and best being in order to shoulder not just the sins of an individual, but the sins of the world. The lamb had to be an eternal being so as to permanently mark the payment of the debt. Since these requirements could never come from a literal, dependent, fat-rumped lamb, something… Someone greater had to fill this role.
Enter God’s chosen Lamb—Jesus Christ—God’s own Son. He is spotless and without sin (1 Peter 2:22; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; 1 John 3:5). He is great and powerful (2 Corinthians 12:9; Ephesians 1:19; 1 Corinthians 1:24; Luke 5:17; John 19:11; Acts 10:38). He is eternal (John 8:58; Isaiah 9:6; 1 John 1; Hebrews 7:3). Along with fulfilling these requirements of a perfect lamb, Jesus was additionally something quite wonderful. He was willing (Isaiah 50; John 15:13; Titus 2:14; Matthew 26).
So, when John proclaimed, “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!,” he was pointing at the greatest hope earth had ever known. The hope was not just for a debt paid, but for an eternally restored relationship with the Creator. This Lamb would come to die for our sins and would come back to life as an eternal stamp of the payment fulfilled and the relationship restored!
How do we get in on this goodness? How can we claim the Lamb of God as our own lamb which covers our sin forever? Romans tells us the way is to “confess with your mouth that ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, (then) you will be saved… For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”
Believe in this reality and respond accordingly.
Eric Wall has beautifully turned Scripture’s most beautiful realities into lyrics in “Once and Again.” When we sing from the ending, “the Lamb of God has ransomed us,” we are rejoicing that we fall under the paid debt and eternal accomplishment of Jesus Christ Himself—provided by our perfect, loving Father. Hallelujah!
As the song meaningfully declares, “It is finished, it is done… Eternity has just begun.”
Meet the Author!
Catherine Wayne is the pseudonym of a beloved CRBC international missionary.