Why Jesus Can Save Lost Sheep

Palm Sunday began the week in which the Lord Jesus was set apart as God's Lamb, and put to death to rescue His people from the wrath of God for our sin.

Christ's sacrifice was, of course, the first and only perfect offering, the only one that could take away sin. It was the only offering that could heal the straying of God's people, Christ's sheep.

When Elijah confronted Baal's prophets in the great sacrifice competition, those false prophets could get no response from their false god. But Elijah built up an altar and laid on a proper sacrifice, and prayed for God to consume the offering, and God did so in a startling way.

But in one way, Elijah's prayer was overly optimistic. He asked that God's response would show that Jehovah had turned the people's heart back to God again.

But no matter how fitting the sacrifice or dramatic its presentation, it could not change the hearts of the people. They went right on worshiping Baal and rebelling against God.

Why? Because that offering could not take away the people's sin! All those sacrifices, all those years, didn't make a dint in the people's sin and straying from God.

Hebrews makes it clear that animal offerings could never perfect the sinner who made them. "It is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sin."

Thus, these animal sacrifices cannot take away the straying of God's sheep, which straying is our sin.

Elijah's hope was dashed, because the sheep were still just as lost.

But now, at last, the week comes when the Lamb is selected and slain that does take away our sin!

Jesus could take away our straying, our sin, because He is the only Lamb Who never strayed!