Discovering the Identity of JesusSample

The Jewish leaders want to know on whose authority John the Baptist is introducing a new religious rite: baptizing Jews for repentance. The Baptist points them to someone far superior to him, someone to whom he’s not worthy to be the lowest slave.

The next day, John sees Jesus and announces, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” He says God sent him to baptize and to pronounce Jesus as God’s Son.

To the Jews steeped in Old Testament teaching, “Lamb of God” could refer to one of several figures: (1) the Passover lamb whose sprinkled blood saved the Israelites from death (Exodus 12:3); (2) the purification offering that commoners gave for unintentional sin (Leviticus 4:32); or (3) the suffering servant who would be led to slaughter like a lamb as an offering for guilt (Isaiah 53:7,10).

But all of these died to save people’s lives.

That Jesus will take away sins is good news. However, it creates a question. How could the Christ who rules forever also be a Lamb who dies?

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What does it mean to you to have your sins taken away?