Another Mystery Solved

He [John] himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. . . . The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:8, 29

Still looking for that perfect Christmas gift? Wouldn’t it be great if you could find that one gift that would be perfect for everyone on your list? Well, God did, and it’s the one gift that’s perfect for everyone. What is that gift? It’s a lamb.

Standing on the banks of the Jordan River in ancient Israel, John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

Now, why would John call Jesus—the one who was God’s Son and who became also a true human being on that first Christmas Eve—a lamb? The Old Testament solves this mystery for us. God had designated that lambs, innocent male lambs, be used as sacrifices. The many lambs that were sacrificed pointed to Jesus, the sinless male, who was going to sacrifice himself on the cross to pay for the sins of the world. Seven hundred years before it happened, Isaiah prophesied, “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He . . . was led like a lamb to the slaughter” (Isaiah 53:6-7).

That truth about Jesus shines like a bright Christmas light in this sin-darkened world. The light of that truth enables us to see that because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we have freedom from sin’s guilt and power, the assurance of God’s blessing in this life, and the guarantee of a place in heaven when this life is over. What a blessing it is that God in grace had John the Baptist’s testimony about that light recorded for us in his Holy Word.

When it comes to spiritual Christmas shopping, we don’t have to shop around. God in grace has given us the perfect gift: Jesus, his Lamb, our Savior. It’s the one gift that’s perfect for you and me and everyone else. Don’t hesitate to regift it as the opportunity presents itself.

Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us that perfect Christmas gift, your Son, and for revealing to us that he is also your Lamb who has taken away the sin of the world. Amen.

Rev. John Schmidt, professor emeritus, served
Martin Luther College as a professor of Greek.