A Beautiful Death

[GCTSGRice]

Day 24 – A Beautiful Death
There is nothing beautiful about the death of the lamb designated for slaughter. Its description leaves the reader as speechless as the author was during the slaying of this innocent creature. For what good reason would this blood be spilt? Yes, it is a necessary part of animal husbandry, and those who have grown up on a farm are very familiar with this scene. Those of us who are “grossed out� by the practice either do not know its necessity or have little desire to associate with such an experience. Even the author’s need for a more direct and even intimate experience could not fully prepare him for what he would perform firsthand. The sheep that didn’t struggle or even move was simply a lamb to the slaughter. But there is another lamb who was led like a sheep to the slaughter. This lamb’s life and death were different – very different. Jesus – the Lamb of God – lived his life, like the sheep, for the purpose of the slaughter. But his wasn’t merely an execution carried out at the hands of evil people. Jesus was the sacrificial Lamb, and his death was a beautiful death. This powerful reality is captured succinctly in Isaiah’s prophecy (chapter 53). “Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, so he did not open his mouth.� (53:7) What Jesus’ voice did not speak, his life blood would refuse to remain silent. His blood was poured out for the ransom of many (Mt.20:28). Those called to follow him and emulate his Supreme Sacrifice cannot do so in the same way. We are called to be living sacrifices. The death of even a large number of Christians can never accomplish what the death of this one Lamb secured. Our calling to be a living sacrifice means that we set self aside to serve others in a costly way. We must die to self; crucify the flesh and its sinful desires, in order to seek the interests of others above our own. We lay down our own lives as our life is poured out for others like a sacrificial offering because of the joy it brings to us (See Phil. 2:17). We are called to this life of sacrifice which involves death – death to sin, death to self, death to selfish living – all because of Jesus’ sacrifice. And there will be blood required, because there is no sacrifice without the shedding of blood. It may not mean death for us, for living sacrifices must go on sacrificing daily. But it will require blood (and sweat and tears) because “leading means bleeding.� It is when we have shed some blood – through our painful experiences for others, or our painful sacrifices on behalf of others – that we can begin to comprehend what this Lamb of God has done for us. Only then will we truly know “what the Lamb expects� of us!