“Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29
All of us treasure events we have personally witnessed – a presidential inauguration, a World Series, or a Superbowl game. We freely tell about our experience.
John’s Gospel records a dramatic moment in history. John the Baptizer watches a man walk among the crowds of Israel. It is the long-awaited moment when the Messiah begins His public ministry. John, aware of this decisive moment, bears joyful witness: “Look, the Lamb of God” may have sprung from a recollection of Isaiah 53, where the Messiah is described as a lamb led to the slaughter. Clearly John labels Jesus as the Savior of the world.
We also need to bear witness. Each of us has seen the Lamb of God, crucified and risen, in the pages of Holy Scripture. By our lives of service and our words of witness we can say to others, “Look, the Lamb of God!” Yet we often fail. Our witness fades when the going gets rough. Sometimes it loses steam. Or we fall into the trap of witnessing to ourselves – our faithfulness, our commitment – instead of to the Lamb of God.
John could have experienced the same witness problems. But God chose John, empowered him through the Word, and disciplined his life so that his witness to the Lamb never faded. He would not bend, nor would he permit the crowds to give him the honor that was due Jesus. He focused steadfastly on the Lamb of God.
The same God who sent the Lamb to be sacrificed on our behalf also makes us His strong, unwavering disciples through a disciplined life of Word and prayer. Refusing honor for ourselves, we steadfastly bear witness to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
PRAYER: O Lamb of God, help us always to bear witness to You. Amen.
(Devotions from “My Daily Devotion” by Dr. Stephen J. Carter, copyright 1988, CPH. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be printed, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of Concordia Publishing House. For ordering information, please contact CPH at 800-325-3040 or visit www.cph.org.)
Today's Bible Readings: Job 25-27 Matthew 12:24-50
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