John 1:19-34
19 “This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ 20He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, ‘I am not the Messiah.’ 21And they asked him, ‘What then? Are you Elijah?’ He said, ‘I am not.’ ‘Are you the prophet?’ He answered, ‘No.’ 22Then they said to him, ‘Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?’ 23He said,
‘I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness,
“Make straight the way of the Lord” ’,
as the prophet Isaiah said.24 Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. 25They asked him, ‘Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?’ 26John answered them, ‘I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, 27the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal.’ 28This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing.
29 The next day he saw Jesus coming towards him and declared, ‘Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30This is he of whom I said, “After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.” 31I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.’ 32And John testified, ‘I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, “He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.” 34And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.’”
If you wanted to sit down and count which creature is mentioned the most within the entire Bible, lambs are up there. (And no, I did not sit down to count, Google is a good friend to answer these types of queries.) Unfortunately, lambs are most frequently mentioned in regard to their appropriability as an acceptable offering to God. And the complicated and drawn-out rules and regulations of ancient Judaism is, for us Christians, not something we are terribly familiar, but this identification of Jesus as the Lamb of God may be. There are many symbols and names used throughout the years and through the New Testament to identify Jesus as God’s Son. The Messiah, anointed by God to save the people and the Lamb of God as referenced by John is one such instance. The hope of generations and of readers today of a Savior is identified by John the Baptist from the very opening of the Gospel John, this man is about to make all things new, ‘come and see.’
Prayer
Lamb of God, though we may see your meekness and humble service as weakness, you are really showing us power, power that conquers all, even death. May our gratitude for such love allow us to be ones who humbly serve as your disciples, Amen.
