The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29 NKJV)
As we move from Thanksgiving to Christmas, God has nudged me to make Christmas even more special with a study of the names of Jesus. I’ve ventured into the names of God before, but let’s look at the names of Christ.
The Lamb of God might sound odd to Americans living in this age, but the Jewish people knew exactly what it meant. If we travel back to the Garden of Eden, God killed animals to provide coverings of animal skins for Adam and Eve after the fall. God is holy, and He cannot look upon sin. Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin (Heb. 9:22).
Let’s move forward to the first Passover. The last of the ten plagues God sent on Egypt was the death of the firstborn of each household. God instructed the Israelites to kill the Passover lamb and apply the blood to the doorposts. When the death angel came, he would pass over the houses where the blood had been applied (Ex. 12:13).
For centuries, the priest made sacrifices on behalf of the Jews on the Day of Atonement for their sin. This was only a temporary atonement. Only the perfect Lamb of God could make one sacrifice once and for all for sin.
As John the Baptist looked in the distance, he saw Jesus approaching him. He declared, “Behold!”
This means look, here comes someone amazing. This Christmas, let’s look to Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. He is the perfect lamb, without spot or blemish.
Jesus met the three standards which uniquely qualified Him to be the perfect sacrifice to forever atone for our sin. In Tony Evans’ book, The Power of Jesus’ Names, Jesus was perfect. Next, Jesus was a man, and finally, He had to be like us. He not only had to be God in the flesh, but He had to live in this world with the sufferings and temptation that we face.
He paid sin’s penalty on the cross for us. Each of us have sinned, but we don’t have to pay the debt for that sin in order to be rescued from hell. We could never pay it anyway, but Jesus Christ, the spotless Lamb of God paid it in full. Have you accepted His free gift of salvation? If not, and you feel a tug on your heart, that is the Holy Spirit saying, “Come on! What are you waiting for?”
Pray a similar prayer like the one below, and if your heart is sincere, welcome to the family of God.
Heavenly Father, I am a sinner. I have lied, gossiped, and much more. Today, I want to stop living for me and begin living in Your will. I accept Your free gift of salvation. Forgive me for my sins, and help me live obediently from now on. In Jesus’s name. Amen
DIG DEEPER
Read Revelation 12:11:
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.:
HIKING THE TRAIL
If you are a child of God, how special is the blood of the Lamb of God to you? Thank God for His Lamb of God and tell someone about Jesus today.
RELATED RESOURCE
Celebrate each day of Advent with a quick devotion based on the names of Jesus. Each reading reflects on a name of the Savior from a biblical and historical perspective.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1683149203/ref=cm_sw_r_awdo_navT_a_3E94YE5PC0H38SGVGQRZ
*Tony Evans, The Power of Jesus’ Names, Harvest House Publishers, Eugene OR, 2019, chapter 4, Kindle version.
Originally posted on December 6, 2021 @ 3:00 am
I find it sad that the reference to “sheep” has become something negative in our society. I read so often things like “i am not a sheep!” or “if you believe _____ you are acting like a sheep” Well I personally am proud to be a sheep who needs a shepherd (Jesus). Without Jesus i will wonder off, get lost or even trapped someplace I never should have been at and if not found and rescued will die. Sheep are not the brightest animal God created but they do know who to follow to keep them safe they follow their shepherd. So, I am proud to be a sheep who follows Jesus my shepherd.
Amen