Look to the Lamb of God!
“Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; and looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.” John 1:35-37
We may not count it important to just point people to Jesus, but that is what John the Baptist did. He was standing with two of his disciples when Jesus walked by, and he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!”
The Lamb of God is that one foreshadowed by the ram caught by its horns in a thicket that was the substitute God provided to be offered up to the LORD in the place of Abraham’s son Isaac (cf. Gen. 22:1-19). The Lamb of God is that one foreshadowed by the paschal lamb whose blood was put upon the two door posts and the lintel of each Israelite home that the angel of death might pass over and not kill the firstborn of the Israelites when God carried out His judgment upon the Egyptians (Ex. 12:1-28). The Lamb of God was foreshadowed by the many unblemished lambs offered for generations to make atonement for the sins of the people (cf. Lev. 1).
Jesus is “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (v. 29). He is sinless and unblemished, having fulfilled all the righteous demands of God’s law in our place (cf. Heb. 4:15; 1 Pet. 1:18-19). And Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for our sins. The LORD God laid our sin and iniquity upon Jesus, punishing Him in our stead (cf. Isa. 53:6; 1 John 2:2). Therefore, when we look in faith to Jesus, the crucified and risen Lamb of God, we sinners have forgiveness and life — He paid in full for the sins of the whole world!
So also today, we who know Jesus can direct others to Him, telling them to look to Jesus, that Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Look to Jesus! He is the Son of God and the Savior of the world! He paid in full for mankind’s sins when He suffered and died on the cross. He rose from the dead and lives, and all who look to Him in faith for forgiveness and life eternal are graciously pardoned and received into God’s everlasting family.
Through John’s witness, the two disciples of John followed Jesus to learn more about Him. Through the Gospel witness of believers in Christ Jesus, the Holy Spirit works to bring others to Jesus so that they too might know Him and trust in Him as their sacrifice for sin, their Redeemer and Savior!
As the two disciples of John heard John’s witness concerning Jesus and followed Him to learn more, so also today, people directed to Jesus by your witness and mine may be called by God’s Spirit to come to Jesus, learn of Him, and believe in His name. We may not be able to preach like John the Baptist; but we can still tell people to look to Jesus, for He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
In Jesus the Messiah, God offers forgiveness and life everlasting to all. Look to Jesus, for in Him you will find mercy and forgiveness. In Him, you will find eternal life!
O dearest Jesus, thank You for going to the cross and bearing the guilt and punishment for all my sins. Grant that I also might point others to You so that they too might follow You, learn of You, and receive forgiveness and life everlasting through faith in Your name. Amen.
Scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible. Devotion is by Randy Moll. He may be contacted by email at rmoll@nwaonline.com. More of Moll’s devotional writings are freely available at https://goodshepherdonline.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author.