Anchor My Faith

More about the Lamb of God

Scripture: John 1:29

In the previous lesson we began the discussion about Jesus being the Lamb of God. In this lesson we will finish that discussion. We were looking at: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

The connection between the lamb and Jesus was made in Isaiah 53:7 (ESV): “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.” Jesus was led by his Father, like a lamb, to the slaughter on our behalf. As Jesus was being falsely accused, he did not open his mouth in defense as he needed to go to the cross in our place. This is clearly seen in 1 Peter 2:23 – 24 (ESV): “When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.”

Among the Jews, a lamb was an emblem of patience, meekness and gentleness, which was displayed by Jesus as the Lamb of God, especially when he was falsely charged. When Jesus was sacrificed on the cross, God brought darkness over the whole land between the sixth and ninth hour (between noon and 3 P.M.), to provide the effects of a twilight sacrificial offering. The sacrifice of Jesus, as our Passover lamb, turned away the anger of God, and by his blood saved us sinners from eternal death and the vengeance of God.

John said: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away.” This taking away denotes the removal of our sin by Jesus taking it upon himself and suffering in our place on the cross. This is expressed in Isaiah 53:4 (ESV): “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.” Jesus took our place and was afflicted by God; a punishment that was rightfully ours. Why was Jesus sent into the world by his Father? 1 John 3:5 (ESV) tells us: “You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.” He who knew no sin became sin for us. Through his suffering what did Jesus accomplish for us? 1 Peter 2:24 (ESV) tells us: “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. We were dead in our sin, so Jesus died that we might have eternal life and live to righteousness.

John said: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” “Of the world” means both Jews and Gentiles, not just the Jews. The provision of salvation, provided by Jesus, was not limited to any given people group or any region of the world, but all people everywhere can benefit. Through his death, Jesus opened the way of pardon for all. He became the propitiation (to make peace with God) for the sins of the whole world; everyone who believes is included.

Prayer

Father, thank you for the gift of salvation, which required the sacrifice of your Son. The question before us is, as your children, your purchased possession, are we willing to pick up our cross daily and surrender our lives to you. Father, we each need to seriously evaluate how well we are living out “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20 ESV). Day by day is it I who is living or is it Christ living in me who is living?