The Lamb
by Rev. Clark Gies

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John 1:29

The Lamb     

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”  

           “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”  With these words the evangelist John has established the theme of his gospel.  From this point on, John will not deviate from the theme that Jesus, the Christ, is the very Lamb of God, the Savior of the world.

            On the banks of the Jordan the true Lamb of God is identified.  The whole force of the Good News in Jesus Christ is summed up in John the Baptizer’s statement.

            Jesus will take upon Himself the sin of the world.  It is beyond comprehension.  This “sin” is the great mass of sin—the staggering sum total of all the sin of the world.

            As many people as there were, are, and will be in the world—each with his own accumulation of daily sins—sins of omission and sins of commission—sins of his mind and mouth and hands—each with his own life’s total of sins—all these masses of sin set together in a total supermass—these are the “sin” of the world.

            In the judgment of God even one sin is deadly—damning.  Multiply the sin by millions and multiply it again and again—it has all been laid upon the back of Jesus, who in His death—like the scapegoat of old—bore it all away to be remembered by God no more.

            The Law of God is a terrible and terrifying taskmaster.  Its frightening “Thou shalts” and “Thou shalt nots” lead only to damnation, for they are incapable of being kept—or of giving relief.  The Law shows us our sins—condemns us for them—but does not remove them.

            All the mental gymnastics—all the psychological exercises we might engage in—do not remove our sin.  All our good works do not remove our sin.  We are left with it to weigh us down—a tremendous burden.

            There are only two places for the burden of sin to rest.  It either stays on us, or God lays it on his Lamb.

            In effect, God is saying to us, “Dear man, dear woman, dear child, you cannot bear your own sin and guilt, for the load is more than you can carry.  You cannot free yourself from my judgment against your sin.  Therefore, look, I lay your sin upon my Lamb and free you of it.”

            Behold the Lamb of God—the Lamb misunderstood by his people—betrayed by one of his own—crucified in the company of thieves—dead and buried.

            Behold the Lamb of God—the Lamb risen from the dead—ascended into glory—sitting at the right hand of the Father—and the hope of all the world.

O Lamb of God, we thank you for taking all our sins upon yourself.  Freed from the burden, the guilt and the condemnation of sin, we can live in grace and love as you have first loved us.  Amen.

Rev. Clark Gies

Director of Ministry

Fairfax, South Dakota