The Lamb of God (John 1:29-34)

Today's scripture: John 1:29-34

"Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!"

I spent the weekend in the Oakland area of California. I presented at a conference on Saturday, and then I drove about 20 miles to have dinner and spend the night at my dad's. As I drove, I meandered through farm country and passed by several sheep ranches. I was disappointed that there weren't any fluffy little lambs bounding about.

Lambs are so cute, but when Christ is described as the "Lamb of God," the metaphor is anything but a cute fluffy lamb. According to a commentary by Albert Barnes:

A 'lamb,' among the Jews, was killed and eaten at the Passover to commemorate their deliverance from Egypt (Exodus 12:3-11). A lamb was offered in the tabernacle, and afterward in the temple, every morning and evening, as a part of the daily worship (Exodus29:38-39). The Messiah was predicted as a lamb led to the slaughter, to show his patience in his sufferings, and readiness to die for man (Isaiah 53:7). A lamb, among the Jews, was also an emblem of patience, meekness, gentleness. On 'all' these accounts, rather than on any one of them alone, Jesus was called 'the Lamb.' He was innocent (1 Peter 2:23-25); he was a sacrifice for sin the substance represented by the daily offering of the lamb, and slain at the usual time of the evening sacrifice (Luke 23:44-46); and he was what was represented by the Passover, turning away the anger of God, and saving sinners by his blood from vengeance and eternal death (1 Corinthians 5:7). (Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible)

Our Savior, our Messiah, came to earth to shed His bled for us, to cover our sin. He, the perfect, sinless Lamb, chose to suffer and die ... for us.

He is indeed the "Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world." Your sin. My sin.

How can we be anything but grateful? How can we do anything but surrender everything to Him?