The Lamb of God

God's People Worship
First Things
First Freedom

Beginning of Passover

John 1:29-38

The Message

^29-31 The very next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and yelled out, “Here he is, God’s Passover Lamb! He forgives the sins of the world! This is the man I’ve been talking about, ‘the One who comes after me but is really ahead of me.’ I knew nothing about who he was—only this: that my task has been to get Israel ready to recognize him as the God-Revealer. That is why I came here baptizing with water, giving you a good bath and scrubbing sins from your life so you can get a fresh start with God.”

^32-34 John clinched his witness with this: “I watched the Spirit, like a dove flying down out of the sky, making himself at home in him. I repeat, I know nothing about him except this: The One who authorized me to baptize with water told me, ‘The One on whom you see the Spirit come down and stay, this One will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ That’s exactly what I saw happen, and I’m telling you, there’s no question about it: This is the Son of God.”

^35-36 The next day John was back at his post with two disciples, who were watching. He looked up, saw Jesus walking nearby, and said, “Here he is, God’s Passover Lamb.”

^37-38 The two disciples heard him and went after Jesus. Jesus looked over his shoulder and said to them, “What are you after?”
They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”

For Reflection

Christ, is understood to be God's sacrificial lamb.  We are reminded of the passover when the lamb was the vehicle for salvation.  And now, God sends His son to baptize us with the Holy Spirit, to be the Rabbi, the teacher, the great one to free us from self-dependence, and cultural oppression.  To what extent are you embracing the freedom God has given you?  What kind of steward of the Kingdom are you becoming? 

Pray

That you will embrace the call to praise God for the birth death and resurrection of His son.  Pray that you will continue to use the freedom He has given you to be compassionate and just stewards of His Kingdom on Earth.