Lunch: Jesus, the Holy, Spotless Lamb

by Hillary Mortensen

John 1:29

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

Jesus is the Lamb of God. But what exactly does that mean? To truly understand this, we need to take a look back at the story of The Passover. (See Exodus 11-12:42.) Passover, which is observed and celebrated by Jews this week, is a time for remembering when God rescued his people, the Israelites, from the plague of the death of the firstborn by passing over their homes when the blood of a sacrificial lamb (without defect) was wiped on the door frame of their homes, just as the Lord had instructed. The people bowed down and worshiped God as they recognized that God saved them.

Later in Exodus, we see that again, for generations, a lamb was sacrificed at the temple both morning and evening to atone (make amends for) for the sins of the people.

Throughout the New Testament, when Jesus is referred to as a lamb, we see that he is the perfect, ultimate, spotless, holy lamb who sets us free from and atones for our sins. This is why we no longer need to sacrifice lambs to receive forgiveness of our sins and to enter into the presence of God. Consider how these passages about Jesus relate to the story of Passover:

1 Peter 1:18-21

For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

Romans 6:22-23

But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 Corinthians 5:7

Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast--as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

1 Corinthians 11:23-26

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.



Pray

• Thank God for saving us from sin and (spiritual) death
• Thank Jesus for pouring himself out as an offering for us
  
• Ask God to reveal your fears to you, which will indicate where you are placing your faith apart from Him
• Recognize our need and dependence on God, especially as we go through trials like Adam and his family are encountering
• Tell God he is holy (not because he doesn't know, but to serve as your reminder) and praise him for it