Finding the Perfect Lamb

2 April 2026  Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14

Thursday of Holy Week

“This month shall stand at the head of your calendar; you shall reckon it the first month of the year.” (Exodus 12:2)  

Since the days of the Roman Republic, January 1 has been the first day of the year. It was moved there from March 1 in 153 B.C. to coincide with the inauguration of new consuls. When Julius Caesar reorganized the calendar in 45 B.C. he left January 1 alone to reassure people that he wasn’t turning everything upside down. In the Middle Ages there were various attempts to align the first day of the year with Easter, but because Easter fell on a different day every year, it was havoc for record-keeping. So, when Pope Gregory XIII reorganized the calendar in 1582, he restored January 1 as the first day of the year. The British, and the American colonies, finally adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1752, and made January 1 New Year’s Day, moving it there from March 25, the Feast of the Annunciation. 

But the Lord said to Moses, “This month shall stand at the head of your calendar” (Exodus 12:2). This is the month of Passover, and you shall eat the Passover meal like people on the run. And so the Hebrews have, for many centuries now.

Many Jews have thought, over the generations and centuries, that if they could find the “lamb without blemish,” and make the perfect sacrifice, then the Messiah would come. Just once. Year after year, that was the quest – find the lamb without blemish.   And, of course, they did.

The most spiritually discerning among them have always pointed out the great challenge of finding the “lamb without blemish” to make the perfect sacrifice. Many Jews have thought, over the generations and centuries, that if they could find the “lamb without blemish,” and make the perfect sacrifice, then the Messiah would come. Just once. Year after year, that was the quest – find the lamb without blemish.

And, of course, they did.

The timing was perfect. The Romans had shown their true colors – they were tyrants who turned their emperors into gods for the cynical purpose of creating an “imperial cult,” the better to control the people. The first prophet in 400 years had arisen and was baptizing people by the thousands in the Jordan River, and one day he announced that he had found the lamb without blemish: “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Now the Messiah would come!

And, of course, He had.

Only He wasn’t the Lamb people were thinking of. He did many marvelous things, to be sure; He healed the sick, raised the dead, made the deaf hear, and the blind see, to the point that people were asking, “What would the Messiah do that He hasn’t done?” (John 7:31). He even made it possible for us to receive in our hands and in our persons the very life of God Himself. It was perfect, but still people wondered, and doubted. They wonder and doubt still.

So, what do we do? Well, we can make this the first day of the year. Heck, we can make it the first hour of the day, every day, when we can hold out your hands and hear the words, “This is My body that is for you…. This cup is the new covenant in My blood” (cf. 1 Corinthians 11:23-26).

Every day, until we all get it through our heads that this is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, that the perfect sacrifice has already been made, that the flaming sword of Eden has been taken away (Genesis 3:24) and the gate to heaven is open.

We can do that. Every day. Starting today. Until He comes again.