5/28

John 1:29,33-34

²⁹The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him

³³I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' ³⁴I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God."

Throughout the Jewish history, all the way back to Abel, a lamb had been slain as a sacrifice. The lamb never really took the sins from the people. Each sacrifice was a look forward in faith to the perfect Lamb that would. It was an expression of faith that one-day God would provide. That expression of faith made them right with God. It did not take away guilt, however. Each year the atonement sacrifice was made again.

John the Baptist was sent ahead of Jesus to prepare people's hearts for Jesus' ministry. The Holy Spirit had given a very specific sign to John. The One on whom he sees the Holy Spirit come down like a dove is the One who will baptize people with the Holy Spirit. This One is the Son of God. John saw that happen when he baptized Jesus.

As Jesus walked by, John told his disciples, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world." This was the Lamb of which millions of lambs throughout history were just a foreshadow. He is God's Lamb. He is the One God provided to be the perfect sacrifice for sin. He had to be a sinless man who could take on the sins of others and take the curse of death for that sin in their place. The time had come. The Messiah was present.

Meditation: Look! Fix your eyes on Jesus. He takes away the sins of the world, your sin and mine. What a beautiful Lamb God has provided! He is the Son of God! There is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.