The Lamb of God

Have you ever waited a really long time for something important? Maybe you spent weeks waiting to see an old friend, for news about a medical diagnosis, or for someone to respond to a message you sent them.

In the first century, the people of God had waited hundreds and hundreds of years for the coming of a Savior. John the Baptist was sent to be the forerunner of that coming Savior. God planned for John to prepare the people for Jesus’ arrival, and call them back to repentance.

John waited his whole life for Jesus. He spent his days in eager anticipation of the coming of a Savior who would save his people. And on that day when Jesus did arrive, John the Baptist cried out in excitement.

John calls Jesus the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. In the old covenant, lambs were sacrificed on behalf of the sins of the people. Their sacrifices were a temporary means to restore a person’s relationship with God.

But Jesus’ coming heralds a new covenant between God and His people.

Jesus’ death is a sacrifice on our behalf, but one that’s permanent and complete. Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection pave a path for us to enjoy a restored relationship with God, and to live in freedom from sin. This is the new covenant that John the Baptist is describing when He says that Jesus takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).

Take a moment this morning to thank God for the amazing gift that Jesus offers to each and every one of us. Because of Jesus’ faithfulness, we can walk in new life and enjoy a restored relationship with God. 

Think of one small step you can take to share this good news with someone who doesn’t yet know Jesus. This free gift is great news for every single person, and we are given the privilege of sharing it with everyone.

My Thoughts

We all wait for something: a phone call, an email, a letter, a package, a visit from a loved one, and ultimately an answer from God about something we have been praying for. I have prayed almost a year for a job for our grandson Isaac. No answer yet, but I am sure that God is preparing just the right job for him, one in which he can thrive physically, emotionally and spiritually. So, I wait, sometimes anxiously, sometimes almost demanding in my prayer time, but always with the same answer from God: wait.

I cannot imagine John’s excitement when he sees Jesus walking toward him and knows that this is the Lamb of God for whom he has been waiting. His whole purpose in life is to be a forerunner, a prophet of Jesus. And here He is! John doesn’t run and hide or say, “Look at me! Now my purpose in life is fulfilled.” No, he says, “Behold, the lamb of God!”

So often when God sends the answer, as He did when He sent Jesus as the final sacrifice for our sins, we don’t recognize that the answer is right there in front of us. Since it isn’t the answer we were expecting, we continue to look for another one. May the Lord make us aware of the answer when it comes so that, like John, we recognize it and give God the glory.