In a nativity scene, there is always a shepherd with sheep. This reminds us that an angel spoke to shepherds, who were taking care of their sheep out in a field, telling them about Jesus being born. The shepherds went to the stable where the baby was to see if what the angel had said was true. The shepherds were there at the stable right after Jesus was born.
Having sheep in the nativity scene should remind us of two things about Jesus: He is the Lamb of God and our Good Shepherd.
When he saw Jesus for the first time, John the Baptist said, (John 1:29) “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John was saying that Jesus is the sacrificial lamb that takes away the sin of the world.
In Micah 5:4-5a there is a prophecy about the Savior, “He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. And he will be their peace.”
This prophecy says that the Savior will come to shepherd us and lead us into God’s presence where we can dwell forever in perfect peace and safety. He will be known throughout the whole earth.
Sheep are not very smart animals and if they don’t have a shepherd watching over them, they easily get lost and run into all kinds of trouble. 1 Peter 2:25 describes our condition, “For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”
We as people are like lost sheep. We need a shepherd to lead us to God so we can live in safety. If we turn to Jesus, he will lead and guide us in his truth. We will not be lost in our sin and have to wander in darkness.
Under the sacrificial system of the Old Testament, the priests sacrifice a perfect lamb to cover the sins of the people. This was an outside covering of sin. Jesus came to cleanse us from sin on the inside, once and for all.
Hebrews 10:11-13 says, 11 Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. [picture CA3-3]
Before Jesus came, the priests had to make an animal sacrifice every day to cover the sins of the people. An animal sacrifice couldn’t take sin away; it could only cover it.
Jesus offered his own body as a perfect sacrifice. His sacrifice doesn’t have to be made over and over again. He only had to do it once. As the perfect Lamb or God who was without sin, Jesus actually paid the penalty for all our sin: past, present and future. The sacrifice of animals had to be done over and over again.
Hebrews 10: 14 continues, 14 For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
“Made perfect forever” is referring to a completed past action done to us that has future benefit. Because of what Jesus did for us on the cross God sees us as perfect, so when we stand before him in judgment we won’t be condemned for all the wrong we have done. This is called justification. God sees us just as if we had never sinned. He, for all eternity, will see us as perfect.
“Being made holy” refers to sanctification, which is an on-going action being done to a person, making that person holy or perfect. We know we aren’t perfect, even though the verse says we have been made so forever. We are still sinners and do what is wrong.
The good news is that when we believe in the work of Jesus on the cross we are justified; the Holy Spirit is at work in us changing us into what we should be. Sanctification is the work of the Holy Spirit in us making us holy by enabling us to do what we ought to do and be obedient to Christ. We are on a continual path of being made better by the work of the Holy Spirit in us.
- Physical Birth –A person is born with a sin nature into a state of condemnation.
- Justification – (made perfect forever = delivered from the penalty of sin)
A right standing with God is gained when a person confesses belief in who Jesus is and what he came to do and is therefore justified by Christ’s redemptive work on the cross. This is the judicial aspect of salvation as a person is saved from the guilt and penalty of sin and gains the promise of eternal life in heaven.
- Sanctification – (being made holy = being released from the power of and bondage to sin)
With confession of faith, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in a person, sanctifying him and enabling him to follow Christ and make right choices in life. This is the health aspect of salvation. A person enters the healing process: being made well from the destructive aspects of sin and being released from the power of sin.
- Physical Death
Ultimately, in death a person who has confessed belief in Jesus enters the state of glorification and is delivered from the very presence of sin, dwelling in a perfect state with Christ in heaven. A person who doesn’t believe in Jesus stays in a state of condemnation.
- Overview Questions: What is the meaning of the following words: condemnation, justification, sanctification, glorification?
- Thought Question: Why is it necessary that our sins be covered and atoned for?
- Prayer: Thank God for sending his Son to die for you so that you could be made holy by the covering of your sin and enter into a right relationship with God for all eternity. Pray that Jesus would so fill your heart that you would want what he wants and do what is good and right.
- This Week’s Memory Verse: 1 Peter 1:18-19 How is Jesus the Lamb of God?
Jesus lived a perfect life and shed his blood to redeem us from our sin.
18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.
Questions: What does it mean to be redeemed? How are we redeemed? What do we have to do to be redeemed?