April 4 - The Lamb of God

April 4 – The Lamb of God

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”

Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”  (John 1:29-34)
Before Jesus begins His ministry, John the Baptist identifies Him as the Lamb of God.  He is and will be the sacrifice, the perfect offering which will remove sin from the world.

John is the only one of the Gospel writers to use this terminology for Jesus (Lamb).  We see it again in the Revelation.  The Lamb is a central figure in the throne room. When we first see Him though, the sacrifice has already been completed:

“Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders.  He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.” (Revelation 5:6)

The verse just previous is as amazing in its description as this verse:  “…See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed.  He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.” (Revelation 5:4)

Jesus Christ, is the Lion of the Judah and the Lamb of God.  He is the King of all and the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world.  Only in Him can we find redemption.

One of the profound doctrines of Christianity is that of the Trinity.  The Father, Son and Holy Spirit exist in a manner that is nearly impossible to comprehend and, though never delineated in scripture as the Trinity itself, these three are found together at important times. 

The Baptism of Jesus is one of those times.  The Father speaks, the Son will baptize, the Spirit will indwell.  Moments like this in the ministry of Jesus remind us of the power of the mystery, the glory of the possibilities and the blessings of God that fill our lives.  We may not be able to understand it all, but we know that God is in His Son and sends the Spirit to dwell within us and guide us.