Read: John 1:15-36
Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (v. 29)
To the Jews, the lamb slaughtered for Passover was a central part of the celebration. After all, it was by the blood of the lamb that they were spared in Egypt. When the angel passed by during the night and saw the blood on their doorposts he did not strike them (Exod. 12:13). God himself commanded that every family had to slaughter and eat a lamb each Passover as a reminder of the salvation God provided for his people.
But in today’s reading, God speaks a new message through John the Baptist. As soon as John saw Jesus, he said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (v. 29). John prophesied that Jesus Christ is the Lamb through whom God takes away the sins of the whole world. In John’s eyes, Jesus was a man, but suddenly, inspired by the Holy Spirit, he saw Jesus’s true nature.
God provided a wonderful grand salvation that is even greater than that first Passover. Not only was this salvation for Israel, but it now included all the people of the world. We all are sinners, but God condemned our sin by purchasing us with the blood of his Son. God provided the Lamb so that sinners could be cleansed and reconciled to him. Since God provided the Lamb, will you not trust in him and thank him for providing salvation for you?
As you pray, thank God for providing for your salvation through his Lamb, Christ Jesus.
Gentian Dogani is a pastor of two small churches in two different small towns in the southern part of Albania. He is married to Nikoleta, and they live in the town of Memaliaj. Since his conversion, Gentian’s desire has been to reach people and preach the good news of the gospel, “for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Rom. 1:16).
