The Lamb of God who takes away our sins! John the Baptist’s phrase “The Lamb of God” may not kindle our minds as much as the minds of the Jews, of his times. The image of the Lamb is familiar for any Jew, being associated with the sacrifices offered in the temple and knowing their history. The phrase “Lamb of God” takes greater significance, when they recount the story of Abraham, who was asked by God to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. Abraham then restated his faith “God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering” and the Lord indeed provides him a Lamb for sacrifice miraculously in place of his beloved only son (Gen. 22:8, 13). Later, when the sanctuary service was established, two lambs were to be sacrificed on the altar each day, continuously: one in the morning and the other at twilight (Exod. 29:38-39). All these sacrifices were symbols of the coming Messiah, who was led as a lamb to the slaughter because the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all (Isa. 53:6-7). During His earthly ministry, Jesus repeatedly announced His impending death, although initially it was hard for His disciples to grasp, why He had to die (in Matt. 16:22we can see Peter rebuking Jesus). Gradually and patiently, Jesus expounded to them the purpose behind His death. Jesus indicated to them that He is going to die as a substitute for man. “…the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many (Matt. 20:28).” “The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep (John 10:11).” Is there any other love, greater than this? “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13). This holds true even if we do not understand nor accept His sacrifice. On the cross, Jesus shed His blood “for many for the remission of sins” (Matt. 26:28). It is important for us to understand that Jesus did this all voluntarily. As the Father gave His one and only Son, so the Son gave His own life to redeem the human race. Nobody forced Him to do so. “No one takes it [my life] from Me, but I lay it down of Myself”, declared Jesus (John 10:18). How surprising to note that even Caiaphas, who openly rejected Jesus and plotted to kill Him, proclaimed unknowingly Jesus’ atoning death in place of us, “…it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.” (John 11:49-51). Really we deserve to die, because of our sins. But Christ took our place on the cross and paid the death penalty that, otherwise, rested on us. Although fully sinless, He took on our guilt and received our punishment so that we, being sinful, could be declared innocent. Through Him, instead of perishing we receive eternal life. John 3:15 makes this amazing promise to us: “whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life”. We may sometimes think that we can experience the taste of eternal life only after Jesus’ second coming. Although we are still living in this world, we can at least partly start to enjoy, what it means to have eternal life. The promise of salvation is expressed in the present tense: He who believes in the Son has everlasting life (John 3:36). Whoever believes in Christ has everlasting life now, and shall not come into judgment in the final day, but has passed from death into life (John 5:24). Thus, even if we die and sleep in the grave, we are sleeping in Christ, with the reality of eternal life, ever present with us. When Jesus becomes our Savior, our life acquires a whole new meaning, and we can enjoy a richer and a fuller existence. I have come, stated Jesus, that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly (John 10:10). Instead of transitory worldly pleasures, which fill us up without really satisfying us, He offers us a life lived in a completely different way, full of inexhaustible satisfaction in Him. This new abundant life includes our whole being. May God bless you to have complete faith in this Lamb of God, Jesus, who takes away our sins and let us live a life worthy of this faith! Please visit my page for more messages,like and share them https://facebook/SomeTruthsThatYouShouldNotMiss
Posted on: Fri, 25 Jul 2014 14:06:56 +0000
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