Psalm 37:1-18
Deuteronomy 7:6-11
Titus 1:1-16
John 1:29-34
John 1:29-34 New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
Jesus the Lamb of God
29The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' 31I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel."
32Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' 34I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God."
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It is fitting, that the Gospel reading for the first day following Ash Wednesday would go back to the river Jordan and Jesus' baptism. John the Baptizer knew the reason that Jesus had come to earth. He boldly proclaimed:
"Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!"
Lent can be thought of as an unveiling of God's ultimate plan for the world. God did not just take on human flesh when Jesus was born to see what it felt like to be human. God took on human flesh because he had a plan for Jesus. As we journey through Lent together, that plan will hopefully become more and more clear to us.
For John, though, the plan was already evident. Jesus came to take away our sins!
Prayer: Lord, unveil your plan to us as we journey towards the cross this season of Lent.
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