Today’s selected reading continues in the New Testament gospel account of the life and ministry of Jesus the Christ as written and recorded by the apostle John. More specifically, today’s passage is found in the first twenty-one verses of the third chapter. When you come to this particular portion of Scripture you will find the apostle John transitioning within the gospel account of the Lord Jesus Christ to an encounter Jesus had at some point during His public ministry. The encounter we read about here in the third chapter is actually quite a contrast to the idea and concept of the public ministry of Jesus the Christ, for what we find here is not Jesus interacting with one publicly in the company and presence of the others, but rather one interacting with Jesus in a personal and private way. THE PUBLIC MINISTRY OF JESUS THE CHRIST AND PRIVATE ENCOUNTERS WITH THE TEACHER! I have to admit that as I sit here this morning and consider that which is found within this passage of Scripture is quite remarkable and astounding, for to my knowledge—after reading each of the four gospels—this is the only time when there was one who had a personal and private audience with Jesus the Christ. If you consider how the first chapter of this gospel concluded you will find that it concluded with Jesus choosing some of His earliest disciples—namely, Simon who was also called Peter, his brother Andrew, and Nathaniel. When the first chapter of the New Testament gospel of John draws to a close, it does so with Jesus having called and chosen some of His first disciples who would abandon everything in order that they might walk with and follow Him. As you transition from the first chapter of this gospel you will find that after having chosen certain of His disciples, both Jesus and His disciples were invited to a wedding in Cana of Galilee where His mother was also present. One of the things I find to be most fascinating about the second chapter of the New Testament gospel of John is that one of the first recorded actions of Jesus the Christ after being publicly manifested by the Father and the Holy Spirit at the Jordan River was attend a wedding ceremony and celebration. If you turn your attention back to the language that is found and contained within these verses you will find the apostle John writing concerning the events which took place on this particular occasion as being the first of many signs and miracles which Jesus did to manifest His glory. What’s more, is that the apostle John would go on to write and declare how this beginning of miracles which Jesus performed at the wedding of Cana in Galilee produced a strong belief within the hearts and spirits of the disciples concerning His identity and person.

Thus far within the New Testament gospel of John we have found John the Baptist publicly proclaiming concerning Jesus that He was truly and indeed the Lamb of God. What’s more, is that you will find within the first chapter of this same gospel how John the Baptist not only declared and proclaimed once that Jesus was the Lamb of God, but proclaimed that Jesus was the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Pause for a moment and consider the tremendous reality of this declaration, for John spent a great amount of teaching preaching concerning sin and the need to repent of ones sins in order that they might be ready for the kingdom of God which was beginning to manifest itself within the earth. Consider if you will for a moment that the baptism which John baptized men and women was a baptism unto repentance for the forgiveness of sins, thus directly linking the physical act of baptism with a willful and deliberate turning away from ones sins in order that they might turn to a life of holiness and righteousness in the sight of the living God. This same John the Baptist who proclaimed repentance for sins, and this same John the Baptist who preached repentance for the forgiveness of sins and the need to repent of ones sins beheld the Lamb of God for himself and emphatically declared that there was One walking among them who was not only the Lamb of God, but also the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. It is absolutely necessary to think about and consider this tremendous reality, for when you take the time to consider it you will find the language of sacrifice and offering in his emphatic declaration. For John the Baptist to emphatically declare and proclaim Jesus as the Lamb of God, that which he was doing was bringing forth the Old Testament language of sacrifice and offering and directly connecting it to the person of Jesus the Christ. If you turn and direct your attention to the Old Testament—specifically the fifty-third chapter of the Old Testament book of the prophet Isaiah—you will find a wonderful and powerful description and declaration concerning the suffering Servant of the Messiah, and how the Messiah would indeed and would in fact be the lamb of God. In fact, before we get into that which is found within the third chapter of the New Testament gospel of John, I would draw your attention to three distinct passages within the Old Testament. The first is found in the Old Testament book of Leviticus concerning the sin offering which was to be offered unto the Lord. The second is found in the Old Testament book of the Psalms and is David’s prayer of repentance before the living God after committing sin in His presence and in His sight. The third passage is found in the Old Testament prophetic book of the prophet Isaiah which describes the Messiah as being the suffering Servant who would indeed be the Lamb of God which would take away the sins of the world. Consider if you will the words which are found in each of these passages, and how they are directly linked and connected to that which is found in the New Testament gospel of the apostle John:

“And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a soul shall sin through ignorance against any of the commandments of the Lord concerning things which ought not to be done, and shall do against any of them: If the priest that is anointed do sin according to the sin of the people; then let him bring for his sin, which he hath sinned, a young bullock without blemish unto the Lord for a sin offering. And he shall bring the bullock unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord; and shall lay his hand upon the bullocks’ head, and kill the bullock before the Lord. And the priest that is anointed shall take of the bullock’s blood, and bring it to the tabernacle of the congregation: and the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times before the Lord, before the vail of the sanctuary. And the priest shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the Lord, which is in the tabernacle of the congregation; and shall pour all the blood of the bullock at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And he shall take off from it all the fat of the bullock for the sin offering; the fat that convereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take way, as it was take off from the bullock of the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall burn them upon the altar of the burnt offering. And the skin of the bullock, and all his flesh, with his head, and with his legs, and his inwards, and his dung. Even the whole bullock shall he carry forth without the camp unto a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn him on the wood with the fire: where the ashes are poured out shall he be burnt” (Leviticus 4:1-12).

“And if the whole congregation of Israel sin through ignorance, and the thing be hid from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done somewhat against any of the commandments of the Lord concerning things which should not be done, and are guilty: when the sin, which they have sinned against it, is known, then the congregation shall offer a young bullock for the sin, and bring him before the tabernacle of the congregation. And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands upon the head of the bullock before the Lord: and the bullock shall be killed before the Lord. And the priest that is anointed shall bring of the bullock’s blood to the tabernacle of the congregation: and the priest shall dip his finger in some of the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before the Lord, even before the vail. And he shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar which is before the Lord, that is in the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall pour out all the blood at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And he shall take all his fat from him, and bunt it upon the altar. And he shall do with the bullock as he did with the bullock for a sin offering, so shall he do with this: and the priest shall make an atonement for them, and it shall be forgiven them. And he shall carry forth the bullock without the camp, and burn him as he burned the first bullock: it is a sin offering for the congregation” (Leviticus 4:13-21).

If you continue reading in the fourth chapter of the Old Testament prophetic book of Leviticus you will find two more sets of instruction given concerning the sin offering—a set of instruction for those rulers or that ruler who has sinned, and concerning that common person or those common people who have sinned and transgressed against the commandment of the Lord. In all reality, the entire premise of what is found within the fourth chapter of the Old Testament book of Leviticus deals exclusively with sinning and transgressing against the commandment of the Lord, and needing to bring and offering unto the Tabernacle in order that by presenting it unto and before the priest you might bring it before and unto the Lord. The entire reality surrounding the fourth chapter of the Old Testament book of Leviticus centers around the reality and concept of sinning against the Lord, and the need for an offering and sacrifice to be made for atonement for the sin which was committed against the Lord. In fact, some translations would describe this offering as “the sin offering,” while others would describe this offering as “the trespass offering.” I am convinced that it is absolutely necessary to consider the need for a sacrifice and offering to be made for sin—not only on an individual basis, but also on a corporate basis—for the children of Israel, of when you come to the Old Testament poetic book of the Psalms you will find the psalmist David sinning and transgressing against the Lord by committing adultery with Bathsheba, attempting to lie to cover it up, and ultimately committing murder in order to try and conceal the manifestation of his sin and transgression. Consider if you will the language which is found in the fifty-first chapter of the Old Testament book of the Psalms beginning with the first verse of the chapter:

“Have McElroy upon me, O God, according to thy loving-kindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions; and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest by justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Created in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. For thou desirest not sacrifice: else I would give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. DO good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem. Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offerings and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar” (Psalm 51:1-19).

What we find within this particular passage of Scripture is of course a cry and prayer of repentance from the heart and soul of David after not only committing sin and adultery against the Lord, but also after being confronted with the reality of his sin by the prophet Nathan. What is actually quite interesting and unique about this chapter is what you find towards the end of the chapter, for when you come to the end of the chapter you find David declaring concerning the Lord that He does not desire sacrifice, or else he would give it. You find David going on to declare that the Lord does not delight in burnt offering, but rather the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit—a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Furthermore, David goes on to cry out to the Lord to do good in His good pleasure unto Zion, and to build the walls of Jerusalem, and then would He be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with the burnt offering and the whole burnt offering. Moreover, David would go on to declare that then would the people offer bullocks upon thine altar. Please don’t miss the direct link and connection found within this passage of Scripture and that which is found in the Old Testament book of Leviticus, for what we find in David’s prayer of repentance is actually a tremendous sign pointing back to the sacrifice and offering which would be made at the Tabernacle when an individual sinned and transgressed against the Lord, when the congregation as a whole sinned and transgressed against the Lord, when a ruler sinned and transgressed against the Lord, and when a common person or commune people sinned and transgressed against the Lord. What we must understand is that David was in no way declaring that the sin offering was no longer necessary, and that the Lord did not require burnt offerings or even sin offerings in His sight and in His presence. David was in no way declaring that the Lord did not delight in sacrifices and burnt offerings, but rather that there was something much deeper that was connected with such offerings and sacrifices. While the Lord did in fact instruct the children of Israel and the priests to present their offerings unto the Lord as a sacrifice before and unto Him, I would dare say that the Lord was more concerned with the posture of the heart of one who brought the offering and gift unto the priest at the Tabernacle. In fact, I would dare say that this is what was so significant about the one who brought the offering unto the Tabernacle themselves killing that which was brought into the sight and presence of the Lord in order that a sacrifice might be made. The question I can’t help but ask myself and wonder is whether or not those who brought their offerings and gifts unto the Lord at His tabernacle remained at the Tabernacle and watched as the process of preparing the offering to be present as a sacrifice was completed. Were those who brought their offerings to the Lord required to remain at the altar as the priest drained the blood of the sacrifice, and as the priest removed the various parts of the offering in order that they might be arranged upon the altar? Furthermore, would those who brought their offerings unto the Lord required to remain at the Tabernacle until the entire process of the sacrifice of their offering was completed?

BEHOLDING THE SACRIFICE! BEHOLDING THE PREPARATION OF THE SACRIFICE! I can’t help but see a strong similarity between the priests of the Old Testament and under the Old Covenant draining the blood of the offering after it was killed, and preparing the offering for sacrifice, and that which was done to Jesus after He had been betrayed and falsely accused by the chief priests, scribes and elders of the people of Israel. You will recall that after Jesus was betrayed by Judas and was wrongly accused, the suffering and torture began as through anger and hatred those present during that time punched, slapped and struck Him. What’s more, is that Jesus was beaten with Roman whips which had pieces of glass and bone embedded in the cords of the whip, which tore apart and tore away His flesh. Pause for a moment and consider how much blood was shed before Jesus even made it to the cross. Consider the image of the Old Testament offering being drained of the blood after it had already been killed, and how when speaking of Jesus, His blood began to be drained before He was killed and died upon the cross of Calvary. Consider how much blood was shed at “the door of the Temple” if you will, and how much blood was spilt before He was ever nailed to the cross. By the time Jesus was mailed to the beams of the cross He had already shed so much blood—a reality which was only compounded when His wrists and His feet were nailed to the cross as more blood was shed and spilt. Consider those present who beheld the draining of the blood and the preparing of the sacrifice, and consider the reality of men and women under the Old Covenant remaining at the door of the Tabernacle watched as the blood was drained from their sacrifice, and as the offering which they brought was directed and the pieces of its body arranged upon the altar. THE DRAINING OF BLOOD AND CONSUMED IN THE FIRE! I can’t help but behold within my mind the imagery of men and women not only killing the offering they brought before and unto the Lord, but also watching the blood of their offering being drained, and the offering they brought being placed in the midst of the altar and consumed with fire. I can’t help but wonder how many men and women would choose to remain at the tabernacle and behold the process of sacrifice being made, and how many men would simply bring their offering to the Tabernacle or Temple, kill the offering themselves, and then leave the sanctuary as soon as death had taken place. Consider what great posture of heart would need to be present within one’s heart and soul to remain in the place of the draining of blood and in the place of being consumed with fire, and w hat it would take to remain within that place.

Now, you might be wondering why I would even mention this reality, but there is something unique about the words which John the Baptist declared concerning Jesus the Christ, and that which David wrote in the fifty-first chapter of the book of the Psalms. John the Baptist instructed those before him to behold the Lamb of God, and again to behold the Lamb of God which took away the sins of the world, and David spoke of the sacrifices which the Lord delights in being a broken and a contrite heart in His sight and in His presence. There is something about beholding the offering as the blood is being drained from it, and as it is being prepared to be presented unto the Lord upon the altar, and even as it is being consumed in the fire upon the altar that speaks of contrition of one’s heart and one’s spirit. There is something about beholding Jesus as the blood was drained from His body as a result of being beaten and flogged with a whip made of cords laces with chips of bone and shards of glass. There is something about beholding the sacrifice as it is being presented as an offering for your sin, and even for the sins of others. What David was declaring was not that there was no longer a need for sacrifice and/or offerings, but that directly linked and directly connected to sacrifice and offerings that was beneath the surface and wasn’t always visible. If David was in fact declaring that there would somehow no longer a need for sacrifices and offerings, then why would He in the final verse of the chapter go on to speak about the Lord being pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering, with whole offering, and with bullocks being offered upon His holy altar? That which David was speaking about was the direct link and the direct connection between the posture of one’s heart and the offering which was presented as a sacrifice before and unto the Lord. Of course we know that through the sacrifice and offering of Jesus the Christ there is no longer a need for the sacrifice and offering of the blood of sheep and goats upon the altar, but that does not negate the posture that is needed within our own hearts and souls. Even if and even though we may behold the Lamb of God which takes away the sins of the whole world, there is a posture that is needed within our hearts, and there is a contrition that is desperately needed within our heart and spirit before the Lord. I can’t help but wonder how many beheld Jesus as the flesh was stripped from His body, and as His body was broken at the hands of the Romans before even being nailed to the cross. I wonder how many were actually present at Calvary and Golgotha on the day He was crucified and nailed to the cross—this besides Mary Jesus’ mother, the apostle John, and other women. Oh there is something about beholding the sacrifice as is it being offered for your sins and transgressions in order that you might find forgiveness, atonement and redemption in the sight and presence of the living God. With that being said, consider if you will the words which are found in the fifty-third chapter of the Old Testament prophetic book of Isaiah concerning this suffering Servant and the sacrifice that was made for your sins, for my sins, and for the sins of the entire world:

“Who hath believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? For He was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was He stricken. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make His soul and offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travel of his soul, and shall be justified: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered within the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:1-12).

That which we find in this particular portion of the Old Testament prophetic book of Isaiah is perhaps one of the greatest Messianic prophecies recorded in the entire Old Testament, for Isaiah was permitted to catch a glimpse of the sacrifice that was to be made for the atonement for the sins of man. The words which we find within this passage of Scripture are truly astonishing and remarkable, for these words bring us face to face with the incredible reality of the suffering which Jesus would face and experience in order that He might be the propitiation and atonement for our sins. The prophet Isaiah was permitted to catch a glimpse of the sacrifice the Servant of the Lord would make on behalf of the sins of man, and how He would be sacrificed on the altar in order that He might make atonement for the sins of many. In the New Testament we find John the Baptist emphatically declaring and proclaiming, “Behold the Lamb of God,” and again, “Behold, the Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world,” and in this chapter within the Old Testament we find the prophet Isaiah himself seeing that Lamb, and beholding the Lamb of God which takes away the sins of the world. As I am sitting here this morning, I can’t help but be reminded of the song which bears the title “Watch the Lamb,” and even another song bearing the title, “Now, Behold the Lamb.” At the end of this writing I will include the words from both songs as an added emphasis to the picture we find here before us. With that being said, if you turn and direct your attention to the words which Jesus spoke during His personal and private encounter with Nicodemus, you will find Jesus Himself speaking concerning the reality of the Lamb of God, and even the reality of the sacrifice of the Lamb of God. If you being reading with and from the tenth verse of the third chapter of the New Testament gospel of John you will find the following words which were spoken by Jesus unto Nicodemus when they shared a personal and private evening encounter. Consider if you will those words which were spoken unto this chief of Pharisees on this tremendous night:

“Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do not know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so much the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God” (John 3:10-21).

When speaking unto Nicodemus by night Jesus began by speaking unto him concerning the need to be born again—and not only the need to be born again, but also the need to be born of water and of the Spirit. I have previously written and firmly believe that this reality of being born of water and of the Spirit is a direct reference to being born of and born through the water of baptism, and being born of and born through the baptism of fire and of the Holy Spirit. I can’t help but view the words which Jesus spoke unto Nicodemus concerning being born of water and of the Spirit as being directly linked and directly connected to the baptism of the Messenger and the baptism of the Messiah, as the baptism of the Messenger was a baptism of water, while the baptism of the Messiah was a baptism of fire and of the Holy Spirit. When Jesus spoke unto Nicodemus we find Him speaking of this being born of water and being born of the Spirit, and how those who are not born of both the water and the Spirit cannot enter into and inherit the kingdom of heaven. I can’t help but see a direct connection between the words which Jesus spoke unto Nicodemus and the encounter which the prophet Elijah had atop mount Carmel as he not only called for the baptism of the altar and sacrifice with water, but also called for the fire of God to come down from heaven and consume the sacrifice, the dust and the dirt which was around the earth. When the fire of God came down from heaven during the days of Elijah—not only did it consume the sacrifice which was upon the altar, but it also touched the earth as well, as the earth itself experienced the fire of God. As I read the words which were spoken by Jesus the Christ, I can’t help but see a strong connection between the baptism of water, as well as the baptism of fire to the sacrifice which was upon the altar, for during the days of Elijah—not only was the sacrifice baptized with water, but the sacrifice was also baptized with fire. Within the exchange and encounter which took place between Jesus and Nicodemus—not only do we find Jesus speaking concerning the baptism of water and the baptism of fire and the Holy Spirit, but we also find Jesus speaking of the sacrifice as well, for Jesus would go on to speak concerning God so loving the world that He gave His only begotten Son, in order that whosoever would believe in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Please don’t miss the incredible significance of this, for here on this night we find Jesus speaking unto one of the chief teachers in Israel concerning the baptism of water and of the Holy Spirit [and fire], as well as concerning the sacrifice of the Lamb of God. The question we must ask ourselves when we read these words is whether or not we are willing to behold the Lamb of God, and whether or not we are willing to behold the sacrifice which took and takes away our sins—and not only our sins, but also the sins of the world. I leave you at the end of this writing with the words of the song “Watch the Lamb,” which was written by former contemporary Christian singer Ray Boltz:

Walking on the road to Jerusalem,

The time had come to sacrifice again,

My two small sons,

They walked beside me on the road,

The reason that they came was to watch the lamb.

“Daddy, daddy, What will see there,

There’s so much that we don’t understand”,

So I told them of Moses and Father Abraham,

Then I said “dear children watch the lamb”.

“There will be so many in Jerusalem today,

We must be sure the lamb doesn’t run away”,

And I told them of Moses and Father Abraham,

Then I said “dear children watch the lamb”.

When we reached the city,

I knew something must be wrong,

There were no joyful worshipers,

No joyful worship songs,

I stood there with my children

in the midst of angry men,

Then I heard the crowd cry out

“Crucify Him”.

We tried to leave the city but

we could not get away,

Forced to play in this drama

a part I did not wish to play,

“Why upon this day were men condemned to die?,

Why were we standing here, Where soon they would pass by?”.

I looked and said, “even now they come”,

The first one cried for mercy,

The people gave him none,

The second one was violent, He was arrogant and loud,

I still can hear his angry voice

screaming at the crowd,

Then someone said “there’s Jesus”,

I could scarce believe my eyes,

A man so badly beaten,

He barely looked alive,

Blood poured from His body,

From the thorns upon His brow,

Running down the cross, Falling to the ground.

I watched Him as He struggled,

I watched Him as He fell,

The cross came down upon His back,

The crowd began to yell,

In that moment I felt such agony,

In that moment I felt such loss,

Till a Roman soldier grabbed my arm

and screamed, “you, carry His cross”.

At first I tried to resist him,

Then his hand reached for his sword,

So I knelt and took the cross from the Lord,

I placed it on my shoulder,

And started down the street,

The blood that he’d been shedding

was running down my cheek.

They led us to Golgotha,

They drove nails deep in His feet and hands,

Yet upon the cross I heard Him pray

“Father, forgive them”.

Oh, never have I seen such love in any other eyes,

“Into thy hands I commit my spirit”

He prayed and then He died,

I stood for what seemed like years,

I’d lost all sense of time until

I felt two tiny hands holding tight to mine,

My children stood there weeping,

I heard the oldest say,

“Father please forgive us, the lamb ran away”.

“Daddy, daddy, What have we seen here?,

There’s so much that we don’t understand”,

So I took them in my arms,

And we turned and faced the cross,

Then I said “dear children watch the lamb”