The Lamb That Was Slaughtered

In this message centering on the prophecy of Isaiah 53, Chuck Swindoll traces the biblical theme of the "Lamb" to reveal the heart of the Gospel. He begins by noting the paradox of the lamb: it is an animal representing weakness rather than power—sports teams are named lions or giants, never "lambs"—yet God chose this humble image to represent the Savior who rescues humanity [9–11]. Swindoll conducts a biblical survey of the Lamb, moving from the Old Testament types to New Testament fulfillment. He examines Genesis 22, where God provides the lamb for Abraham and Isaac; Exodus 12, where the Passover lamb’s blood protects Israel from death; and Isaiah 53, written 700 years before Christ, which predicts a Savior who would be silent before His shearers and crushed for our iniquities [14, 19, 32–33]. The sermon emphasizes the doctrine of substitutionary atonement—that Christ did not just die a martyr's death, but took the specific penalty of our "transgressions" upon Himself. The message concludes by applying the characteristics of a lamb to the Christian life. After establishing that we are redeemed by the "precious blood" of Christ—a concept Swindoll defends against modern critics who call it "butcher shop theology"—he challenges believers to emulate four lamb-like qualities: a life of dependence, the assurance of approachability, a heart of innocence, and a spirit of sacrifice [46–48, 57].

Message Key Facts:

• The Mascot Test: Swindoll illustrates the perceived weakness of a lamb by noting you will never see a "Cadillac Lamb" or a "New York Lambs" football team. The world values power, but God values the sacrificial nature of the lamb [10–11].
• Isaac’s Age: In analyzing Genesis 22, Swindoll points out that Isaac was likely a young adult, not a small boy, because he carried the wood for the offering up the mountain. This implies that the sacrifice involved not just Abraham’s obedience, but Isaac’s willing submission [16–18].
• The Balloon Analogy: To explain Paul’s warning in 1 Corinthians 5 about "a little leaven," Swindoll uses the image of a pin and a balloon. It only takes one pin to burst a balloon; similarly, a small amount of tolerated sin ("leaven") destroys the whole life [27–28].
• The "Butcher Shop" Defense: Quoting W.A. Criswell, Swindoll confronts liberal theologians who find the "preaching of the blood" offensive, labeling it "religion of the butcher shop." Swindoll argues that without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin, calling the blood of Christ "the greatest detergent ever known to humanity" [47–48, 51].
• The Unapproachable Professor: Swindoll shares a vulnerable story from his time at Dallas Seminary. Amidst a car wreck, a miscarriage, and his wife’s injury, he sought 10 minutes of comfort from a professor who cracked his door, claimed he was too busy, and shut it. Swindoll uses this to contrast human coldness with the approachability of the Lamb [63–67].
• Four Qualities of a Lamb: Swindoll lists four traits believers should emulate:
  1. Dependence: Like a lamb or baby, we cannot make it on our own.
  2. Approachability: Avoiding the intimidation of others as we grow in knowledge [59–60].
  3. Innocence: A lack of duplicity and a "naivety toward wickedness" [68–69].
  4. Sacrifice: A willingness to be "poured out" for God's purposes.
• The Silence of the Savior: Swindoll reflects on the movie The Passion of the Christ, noting that the most striking element was Jesus' refusal to scream in retaliation, fulfilling the prophecy: "Like a sheep that is silent before its shearers" [40–41].

Message References:

• Isaiah 53:3–7: The primary text prophesying the Messiah as a "man of sorrows" and a lamb led to slaughter who opens not His mouth.
• Genesis 22:1–8: The account of Abraham offering Isaac, where Abraham prophesies, "God will provide for Himself the lamb."
• Exodus 12:3–13: The Passover instruction requiring each household to take an unblemished lamb and apply its blood to the doorposts.
• 1 Corinthians 5:6–7: Paul’s declaration: "For Christ our Passover has also been sacrificed."
• John 1:29: John the Baptist’s announcement: "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"
• 1 Peter 1:18–19: "You were not redeemed with perishable things... but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless."
• 2 Timothy 4:6: Paul’s final reflection: "I am already being poured out as a drink offering."

Message Speaker:

Pastor Chuck Swindoll