Proverbs 28:1, John 21:15-16, Psalms 34:10
Proverbs 28:1, (msg) The wicked are edgy with guilt, ready to run off even when no one's after them; Honest people are relaxed and confident, bold as lions.
Boy I love that! I picture a lion standing on a rock! Overlooking the landscape! Piercing eyes, stone hard jaw, paws in position to pounce, ready to defend or offend. Lions are the fiercest beast of the jungle. I love the old song "In the jungle the lion sleeps tonight."
Yet, God told me he was looking for lions that weep and lambs that roar! At first I wanted to say to God "you got that backwards Jesus! It doesn’t work that way… I didn’t understand this." Then I began to realize what God was saying.
OOPs there it is Protector of the Pride! We have been protecting our pride too long!
Recently, God spoke to me, “son I am not looking for those who finish the race first, but those who can finish the race with a limp called brokenness.
There is a call from heaven for the strong to be broken and the weak to lift their voice in triumph. The church has operated as a place where the strong at heart blurt their opinions, run their committees, voice their desires, while so long those tender of heart have sat on the sidelines, waited their turn, and wept in their pillows!
There is a supernatural shift taking place. We are moving into the land of the opposites. The land is crying out for the wanderers of Holy Ground to arise with a holy passion and for the prowlers of Spirit to weep and wail.
Recently- I stood on a stage in front of thousands in FL. The powerful and very pure worship band had just finished its set. It was now my turn to speak. My heart was heavy. The night before worship was incredible. Thousands of students were crying out for God. Yet, when the speaker began to speak the students were inattentive. As I began to speak God told me to share with the thousands of students that if they were not careful they would be the Saul Generation. They love worship because it soothes their demons, but when the word comes they pick up spears to kill the Davids. Instead of soothing our demons we must get free of them. My prayer is that while worship is awesome we must have the word. That day I felt as a weeping lion. Students ran to the altars wailing, and many had supernatural miracles take place. Many of the cutters in the room had their scars disappear.
Thus I must share weeping Lions and roaring lambs.
Mass confusion has infiltrated the body. We no longer fight for he unborn, we vote with our greed on our sleeves, we are careful to not say right from wrong so that the wind doesn’t shift in our direction…. Today I say enough is enough.
There is a stirring in the atmosphere: As Israel’s winter begins while it is being surrounded by the Arab Spring, while occupy wall street protesters defecate in the streets with a starbucks and Iphone in their hands, while our nation ponders a secularist or a Mormon for the office of president, while the stock market rises and falls on corporate whims, while the homosexual agenda invades every child media outlet, while the church has no trouble with winning the world as long as they can continue to look, act, and smell like the world, preaching shallow holiness and weak grace…
Key verse- Amos 3:4, (message) Does a lion roar in the forest if there's no carcass to devour?
Does a young lion growl with pleasure if he hasn't caught his supper?
In other words why are we roaring if we haven’t done our job?
Where is the call for holiness! Where is the roar for defining salvation on every level? Most do not even know when they got saved, or what they gained through salvation. Oh that God would remove our roar until we hearing the bleating of the lambs!
Part 1- Weeping Lions:
There seems to be very few voices to stand tall for Jesus.
Psalms 58:6, (NASV) O God, shatter their teeth in their mouth;
Break out the fangs of the young lions, O LORD.
I believe the eyes of the Lord are roaming. He isn’t wearing bi-focals so he can see some from a different perspective. Choosing which way to tilt his head. God see's us all the same.
II Chronicles 16:9, (message) God is always on the alert, constantly on the lookout for people who are totally committed to him.
#1. Lions have grown weak?
You see we are called to protect the pride. We are called to stand firm!
Psalms 34:10, The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
We have all grown tired and weak, but if we seek Him!
#2. The Lion surrounded by worshipers!
Rev. 5: 4-5, (message) I wept and wept and wept that no one was found able to open the scroll, able to read it. One of the Elders said, "Don't weep. Look—the Lion from Tribe Judah, the Root of David's Tree, has conquered. He can open the scroll, can rip through the seven seals."
The scroll is the title deed to earth which Jesus snatched back from the Devil . God the Father is holding it - seven seals means completeness. Who is worthy? - no one, so John wept- John WEPT!
But the Lion of the Tribe of Judah is because he has prevailed in His mission!
But what is the significance of calling Jesus the Lion of the Tribe of Judah?
Judah 4th son- (4 means creation or universal truth) son of Jacob who fathered the 12 tribes
Why didn' t Jesus descend from the 1st son Reuben? Well, Reuben committed incest with his father's wife. The 2nd & 3rd sons (Simeon & Levi) had the blood of the Schechemites on their hands after avenging their sister Dinah's rape. So the birthright fell to the 4th son Judah
Judah- means -Praise, praised, thankful
King David was also from Judah's bloodline which is why Jesus is called the Root of David about whom it was prophesied, the throne of David shall be established before the Lord forever (1Kings 2:45)
Judah means praise- Judah is a lion's whelp- lions cub
KEY: Lions that weep- represents the brokenness that must fall once again on the worshipers!
John the revelator was weeping and therefore the Lion stepped up to open the seals! The Lion of the tribe of Judah is the one who receives worship! We are his cubs and we must worship!
Part II- Roaring Lambs!
#1. The Lamb of God has come!
We know that Jesus was both Lion and Lamb! We know the lamb has always represented that acceptable sacrifice! The lamb skin would cover the nakedness of man in the garden. It would cleanse the people of their sins when the priest would make sacrifice.
Jesus was the Lamb! He came wrapped in flesh! He was born at an Inn- to show that he would be staying only for a short time- Just behind the Inn was a stable (manger) where the animals ate- He was born in filth and poverty.
II Corinthians 8:9- 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.
Facts about lambs- Lambs- Up to 20 percent of newborn lambs can die soon after birth unless they are given improved conditions. Some starve if their mothers reject them! Many farmers will have special areas for ewes to give birth in so they can keep the lambs warm and fed. Sheep have a flight zone, which is the space they like to keep between themselves and others. Sheep don't like to walk in water or move through narrow openings. They prefer to move into the wind and uphill than down wind and downhill.
#2. Shepherds must find the lamb!
Who did the angels speak to first- Shepherds abiding in the fields watching- God always uses the shepherds. Look at Moses and David they were shepherds. They were shepherding when their lives were interrupted. The night Jesus was born the shepherds were looking for a lamb! A shepherds job entailed looking for the lost lambs! They also encountered a lion! In essence they were searching this time for a lamb that would save them and a lion that would rise again! They were probably running- They were probably weeping- here these lowly shepherds were the first evangelist!
Luke 2:812, And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Can you imagine? As the shepherds approached the manger? God chooses the simple things to confound the wise. He chose the watchers of the lambs! These shepherds were going to find the Head Shepherd.
1 Peter 2:25- For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
Mom and Dads you are the watchers of the lambs!
The shepherds could hear the animals, they could feel the excitement in the atmosphere, the night was lit up, but there under the wooden roof lay a king. A lamb that would take away the sins of the world. A lamb who would later roar like a lion!
#3. Disciples must declare the Lamb!
John the Baptist was sent to prepare the way. He declared the lamb of God.
John 1:29, The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world
Then the next day John declared it again! This would cost John two disciples!
John 1:35-37, (message) The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.
#4. The Lamb must be led to the slaughter!
Isaiah 53:7, He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
The Passover Lamb was to be observed from the 10th day until the 14th day of Abib (This is the new moon of he new year when the barley is ready for harvest)
Exodus 12:3, (NIV) Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household.
Jesus Christ was the Passover Lamb that the priests sacrificed.
Matthew 25:27-31, Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. 30 They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. 31 After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.
Matthew 27:25 (NIV) All the people answered, "Let his blood be on us and on our children!"
#5. The Lamb Roared!
Matt 25:45-46, From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. 46 About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).
The lamb was in such agonizing pain! His father turned his back on him. Isaiah was right! He was being slaughtered. The noise reached the heavenliness!
Matt 25:50 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
So Jesus was the lamb that roared!
The Lion and the Lamb- While it was the Lion of Judah who was deemed worthy to open the scroll, it is actually the Lamb who sits on the throne and opens each of the seven seals.
III. Jesus died as our lamb and arose as our lion!
Let me set the scene. Jesus has died on the cross. He was the lamb led to the slaughter! The disciples were scattered. Simon Peter- The Rock- The big mouthed disciple who had rejected Christ at his worst moment
Mark 14:72, Immediately the rooster crowed the second time.[a] Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows twice you will disown me three times.” And he broke down and wept.
Peter would become the lion of the church! The one who would lead, preach, and exhort! But for now he had broken the heart of God!
Now three days have past. Peter and some disciples were now out fishing.
John 21:4-5, Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. 5 He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”
John 21:7- Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water.
Peter swims to the shore to see Jesus. They then shared breakfast.
John 21:15-16, (message) After breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" "Yes, Master, you know I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my lambs." 16 He then asked a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" "Yes, Master, you know I love you." Jesus said, "Shepherd my sheep."
Key- When lambs are hungry! A lamb bleats the loudest and longest when it is hungry. The lamb is dependent on food constantly, and as it grows, is always foraging for food. Appetite is an indicator of health.
Jesus was saying- you were a weeping lion, but now you must feed the roaring lambs! The lambs are hungry! He is the Lion of the tribe of worshipers! We are his cubs! We must weep again! Roaring lambs are the ones who hungry for freedom!
We must get back to weeping! The lambs are roaring! They are hungry, but we are so busy roaring we cant hear their cries!
The lion and the lamb shall commune together in the millennial reign! Isaiah 11:6-9
IV. The lion and the lamb awaits his bride!
Rev. 19:9, Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.”
Today, it is time for us to weep again and listen for the roaring of the hungry lambs! Let the lions weep and the lambs roar!