Tag: Lamb of God

Worship Him :: Jan van Eyck, “The Adoration of the Lamb”

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Jan van Eyck, The Adoration of the Lamb (detail of the Ghent altarpiece); oil on panel; between 1425 and 1429.

“Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders.” (Revelation 5:6)

One of the most striking aspects of the book of Revelation is the imagery that abounds within the heavenly scenes of worship. Jesus, who first appears to John in overwhelming glory (Revelation 1:9-20), now appears in chapter 5 as a Lamb looking as if it had been slain. This is a strange picture unless one is familiar with sacrificial imagery throughout Scripture, and particularly references to Jesus as “the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). The Gospel writers labor to show the connection between Jesus and the Passover festival, highlighting Jesus as the One who reveals the love of God and brings ultimate salvation and healing between God and humanity through His sacrifice. “The Adoration of the Lamb” serves as a moving centerpiece of the revered Ghent Altarpiece, assembled by Jan van Eyck and his brother, Hubert. Looking at it, our attention is immediately drawn to the Lamb, standing strong yet bleeding, on the heavenly altar at the very center of this panel, which is surrounded by eleven interior panels on the altarpiece. The quotation mentioned above from John 1:29 is written in Latin on the altarpiece itself, while the fountain below the Lamb has written on it in Latin the phrase: “This is the fountain of the water of life, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb” (drawn from Revelation 22:1). All around the Lamb at the center are angels and human figures who gather in worship before Jesus Christ the Lamb of God. When we consider the wonders of what Jesus has done through His life, death, and resurrection, what can we do but worship Him? He is worthy!

Good Friday 2021: The Real Sacrifice of Christ

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Join with us for worship this Good Friday at Eastbrook Church as we remember Christ’s crucifixion and sacrifice with in-person and streamed worship services. We will have two identical services at 12 pm and 7 pm. RSVP for in-person services, or join us online at Eastbrook at Home. You can also download a companion “Good Friday at Home Experience Guide” put together by the Eastbrook Church staff.

The basis for our engagement with Jesus’ passion this year is through Matthew’s Gospel, taking us to Matthew 26:31-27:66 for Good Friday.

Maundy Thursday 2021: welcoming Jesus and Jesus welcome to us

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Join with us for worship this Maundy Thursday at Eastbrook Church as we remember Christ’s Last Supper with a simple reflection on Scripture and response. The Maundy Thursday experience is available today all day at any time online here or you can watch it below. You can also download a companion “Maundy Thursday at Home Experience Guide” put together by the Eastbrook Church staff.

Before He went to the Cross, Jesus gathered with His disciples for one final Passover meal. The basis for our engagement with Jesus’ passion this year is through Matthew’s Gospel, taking us to Matthew 26:17-30 for Maundy Thursday.

17 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”

18 He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’” 19 So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.

20 When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. 21 And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.”

22 They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?”

23 Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. 24 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”

25 Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?”

Jesus answered, “You have said so.”

26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”

27 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the[a] covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

30 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Who Is Jesus?: insights from Hebrews 7

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image 2 - Jesus Pantocrator

Hebrews 7:26 begins by telling us that Jesus is “a high priest [who] truly meets our need.” What does this tell us about Jesus? Well, the writer continues by telling us that Jesus meets our need in two ways, both of which are directly related to who Jesus is.

That first way that Jesus meets our need is found in the rest of verse 26. Here’s the entire verse:

Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. (Hebrews 7:26)

Who is Jesus? First of all, Jesus is “holy” – that means He is unlike us and He is like God. He is “the holy One of Israel”; the One whom Israel has been looking for throughout all their history. We need someone like this.

Next, Jesus is “blameless, pure, set apart from sinners.” No one could assign any sin or blame to Jesus. He is unstained and undefiled. Nothing has come into Him or gone out from Him that reflects sin or evil. He is, as it says in Hebrews 4:15, “one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet did not sin.” We need someone like that.

Finally, we are told that Jesus is “exalted above the heavens.” He is no ordinary man. He is both the One “through whom [God] also made the universe” while also “the exact representation of [God’s] being.” After His death and resurrection, Jesus is now ascended and given by the Father the name above all other names. Jesus is magnificent and glorious. We need someone like that.

The first answer by the author of this letter to the question, “who is Jesus?”, is that Jesus is unlike us and beyond us. We need someone like that because, as we have seen throughout human history, we cannot bring the answer to all our wrongs merely from our own efforts and abilities. We need the answer to come from beyond us.

Now, the second answer to the question, “who is Jesus?” and how does he meet our need, though familiar to us, comes somewhat unexpectedly. Look at verse 27:

Unlike the other high priests, [Jesus] does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. (Hebrews 7:27)

All that we said before has emphasized how transcendent Jesus is – pure, sinless, holy, exalted – but this verse now emphasizes how earthy and humble Jesus is.

He is a priest offering a sacrifice. But He is not some priest who offers the sacrifice and then washes His hands and goes home. No, Jesus is so earthy, so humble, so in the midst of the muck and mire, that He actually offers Himself as the once-for-all sacrifice. John the Baptist helps us here when he says of Jesus:

“Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)

What does this mean? Well, it means Jesus has entered into humanity’s real need to such a great extent that He has actually Himself become the offering. He has become the sacrificial offering so that God’s true blessing might come into the world. As that Passover Lamb, Jesus took judgment that humanity might live. He entered death’s captivity so we might go free.

As the writer sums up in verse 28, Jesus “has been made perfect forever.”

Who is Jesus?

The writer of the epistle known as Hebrews tells us:

  • He is sinless, even set apart from sinners…yet He is the sin-bearer.
  • He is holy and pure…yet He becomes wholly defiled for our life and salvation.
  • He is exalted…yet He is humble.

Here, the writer of Hebrews gives us a most helpful and essential picture of Jesus: He is perfectly what we need.