1) The Passover Lamb – In the book of Exodus, God commanded the Israelites to sacrifice a lamb as part of the Passover celebration. The blood of the lamb was to be spread on the doorposts and lintels of their homes, and when the angel of death came through Egypt, he would “pass over” their homes and spare their firstborn children.
2) The Lost Sheep – In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus tells a parable about a shepherd who leaves his flock of 99 sheep to go in search of one lost sheep. When he finds the lost sheep, he calls his friends and neighbors together to celebrate its safe return.
3) The Good Shepherd – In the Gospel of John, Jesus refers to himself as the “good shepherd” who lays down his life for his sheep. He contrasts his love and care for the sheep with the hireling who runs away when danger comes.
4) The Lamb of God – In the Gospel of John, John the Baptist sees Jesus coming toward him and proclaims, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” This title is a reference to the sacrificial system in the Old Testament, where lambs were offered as sacrifices for sin. Jesus is seen as the ultimate and final sacrifice for humanity’s sin.
