Reparations of the Slaughtered Flesh
(John 1:14, John 1:29)
Introduction:
As a parent, I've had the privilege of watching my sons grow and embark on their own journeys. The military has its way of condensing what would typically be a two-year technical school into a few intense months.
So, I shared a piece of advice that has served me well over the years. I told him, "Son, pay attention to one thing—the key lesson of the day. When your instructor emphasizes something, when their voice rises, IT DOWN, Focus on that, because it's often the linchpin of your training."
The Bible is like that intense military school; but there's one central message that transcends all others, one key lesson that rises above everything else—the reparation of the slaughtered flesh.
I know the term, reparation, might stir some emotions. It speaks of expiation, propitiation, and restitution—a process of making right what was once wrong, of correcting every imbalance.
This phrase, my friends, is the mustard seed of faith. It's what Jesus alluded to in Matthew 17 when He spoke of faith that can move mountains, the kind of faith that can truly transform your life. If you believe the lamb of God, the Son, died for your sins…IT CHANGES EVERYTHING!
Part One: God Became Meat
Let's dive right into it. The profound message we're exploring today begins with these words: "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us." (John 1:14)
So, what is this "Word" we're talking about? In Greek, it's referred to as "logos," and it encompasses a world of meaning—it's the thought, the idea, the expression, the character, the personality of God Himself as revealed throughout the Bible. Remember when God spoke, "Let there be light"? That was His Word in action. He conveyed His Word to Moses, to the prophets—it's God communicating with us. In essence, the Word is God, and it's also a New Testament Title for Jesus. Yes, Jesus is the Word.
Now, picture this: when the tumultuous events of the world culminate, as we see wars unfolding and new ones on the horizon, Jesus returns. He's riding on a horse, donning a robe dipped in blood. But in that moment, He's referred to as the Word of God. (Rev 91:13) Jesus, the Son, is God eternal. He is the Word from the very beginning to the end of your Bible.
Now, let's focus on the phrase "the Word became flesh." It's a staggering declaration. Would any of us introduce ourselves like this: "Hello, I'm Chris, and I'm essentially a bag of flesh"? Probably not. Yet, this is precisely what the author of this passage does. The author proclaims that God Himself became flesh, and by "flesh," we mean meat. Yes, God became meat.
Consider this for a moment. In Greek, there are two words that the author could have used to introduce Jesus as human. The first is "anthropos," from which we derive "anthropology," the study of humanity. Most people in the author's day were familiar with this term. But the author doesn't choose this word to describe Jesus as merely human.
Instead, the author opts for "sarks" (σάρξ), the Greek word for flesh, the same term used for an organ, a body, or even the meat you'd find in a slaughterhouse. This is what the author wants us to grasp—God became meat, the very essence of our physical existence. Picture the meat section in a supermarket. The One who spoke the universe into existence and currently sustains it, became flesh—He became meat.
Part Two: What Kind of Meat is Jesus?
Now, let's ponder the "why" behind this profound declaration: "the Word became meat." Why didn't the author choose the word "anthropos" to simply signify Jesus as human? Why opt for "sarks" (σάρξ), meaning meat?
The answer lies in the profound symbolism of the Lamb of God. You see, the flesh of a lamb is precisely what was needed. It's the heart of the matter—the meat of a lamb, a lamb from the slaughterhouse. The entire Bible, from Old Testament to New, points to the meat of a lamb.
Consider how John introduces Jesus in his Gospel. He says, "the Word became meat." Then, a few verses later, John, the one baptizing people, sees Jesus and declares, "Behold the Lamb of God." (John 1:29) The author is weaving all of this together for a purpose.
Jesus isn't just any meat; He's a lamb—a sacrificial lamb. This is what the early Church preached. You may not hear this perspective as often nowadays, but it's a vital aspect of our faith.
I recently had an engaging conversation with an atheist on the Internet, and he was interacting with various Christians trying to explain Christianity to him. When I shared the Gospel with him, he described it as a "blood cult." I couldn't help but acknowledge the accuracy of his observation. Indeed, our faith centers around the concept of blood sacrifice.
Jesus, foretold as the lamb in Isaiah, fulfills these prophecies. During Christmas, we often sing about the child born to us, but these very prophecies talk about Jesus as the lamb that was slain. They describe Him as a sheep led to the slaughter, as silent as a lamb before its shearer. This imagery conveys that the Messiah, the God in the flesh, the Word incarnate, is a lamb. (Isa 53:7)
When John witnesses Jesus entering the scene, he proclaims, "Behold the slaughterhouse Lamb who takes away the sins of the world." Also, in Acts8, there's a remarkable encounter with an Ethiopian eunuch who's reading the same prophecy and asking who is the slaughterhouse lamb? The early Church's (Phillip) message is crystal clear—it's all about Jesus, the Lamb.
So, why was Jesus slaughtered?
Part Three: Slaughtered as Our Reparation for Sin
This is the message of Scripture—it all points to Jesus as the sacrificial Lamb.
Now, why was Jesus slaughtered as a lamb? It's because He was slaughtered specifically for one reason—to atone for our sin, for the sins of the world, for the sins of whosoever will believe. John tells us that Jesus is "the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world." (John 1:29)
This concept would have resonated deeply with the Jewish people. Consider the Passover lamb in Exodus. The Israelites, captive in Egypt, had to kill a lamb and apply its blood to their doorposts. This act of obedience was a blood oath, and it protected them from God's judgment. Jesus, as the Lamb of God, also came as a blood oath. The beauty of a blood oath is that it's unbreakable. Jesus, in His sacrifice, offers an unbreakable promise of redemption.
Think about the story of Cain and Abel. Abel's sacrifice to God was the firstborn of his flock—a lamb. The very first lambs mentioned in the Bible were offered in sacrifice.
Even in Leviticus, it specifies that a sin offering must be a female lamb without blemish—a lamb without sin. Jesus, throughout His life, was without blemish. Yet, He was unjustly condemned and slaughtered, just as Pontius Pilate acknowledged, he was innocent!
The story of Abraham and Isaac adds another layer. Abraham was willing to sacrifice his firstborn son, Isaac. When Isaac asked about the sacrifice, Abraham responded, "God will provide a lamb." This foreshadowed God's ultimate provision—the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, the firstborn Son sacrificed for our sins.
In 1 Corinthians 5:7, Paul tells us, "For Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed." This emphasizes that Jesus is the Lamb of God, the slaughterhouse lamb, offered for the sins of the world.
Now, what does this mean for you, believers….It’s so easy: we're called to bring the message of Jesus' sacrifice everywhere we go. The blood of Christ covers every sin, and His death on the cross is the heart of our faith.
And for those who are not yet believers, consider this: I, too, was once lost, searching in various religions and philosophies. But at a pivotal moment, I heard the message of the Gospel—the simple truth that Jesus Christ died on a cross as a butchered lamb for my sins. If you find yourself here today, it's not by chance. Jesus is calling out to you, pursuing you relentlessly. If you believe in that one thing—that Jesus, the Son of God, died for your sins—you become right with God.
Everything in my life, every change, every hope, every joy, every peace, and every love—all because of that one thing. It's the mustard seed of our faith, and it changes everything.
So, believe in the Son of God and be baptized for the remission, the reparation, the expiation, and the propitiation of every sin. Believe.
