John 1:29

PASSAGE: John 1:29 - The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

PAUSE: Humanity has a huge problem! Our sinful rebellion against God has caused us to be spiritually lost & separated from God and in desperate need of His salvation. In this state of sinful separation from God we stand before Him as guilty and under condemnation. (See John 3:16-18). In the Old Testament, we learn that God established a sacrificial system in which animals were sacrificed in order to make atonement for the sins of His people. Now these animals were not actually able to provide ultimate forgiveness for sin (See Hebrews 10:4). But they pointed the way forward to the time when God would send His Son to die for the sins of the world once and for all. John the Baptist uses this OT animal sacrifice imagery (“Behold the Lamb of God”) and then gives a precise, prophetic statement of Jesus' ultimate mission, to “take away the sin of the world!” Notice that God sent no others to accomplish this salvation. He sent His One and Only Begotten Son! 

PRAYER: God our Savior, we praise You that Your Son Jesus, the Lamb of God, took away our sins through His loving sacrifice. Amen.