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!

Immediately after Jesus’ baptism, we have this declaration of who He was and why He came into the world. We don’t know how much John had already talked with his disciples about how God was going to send an atoning sacrifice into the world, but we know from verses 35-37 that simply repeating the statement in this verse was enough to make two of them leave John and follow Jesus, and those two were later named among the 12 apostles. It is no accident that one of those two was John the son of Zebedee, who would later write Revelation, which has a great deal to say about the Lamb of God. Jesus of course knew what He was doing before He resided in Mary’s womb, but even as a human being He knew, right from the start of His public ministry, that He was here to die. He talked about it repeatedly with His disciples over the next three and a half years, but that still didn’t make it easy when the time came. In this season leading up to our commemoration of His cross and resurrection, it is valuable to think deeply and often about the level of love that would bring Him to do such a thing on our behalf.

The problem with being totally familiar with a story is losing the impact of it. On top of that, Easter today is chocolate bunnies and colored eggs and fancy clothes, at least for the Western world. The devil would certainly like for us to forget what Easter is all about, because it was his greatest defeat. I need to allow the Holy Spirit to refresh my understanding and my spirit to appreciate all that was accomplished in those days. As a pastor, and particularly a pastor in a country without a Christian tradition, I need to communicate the glory of it all to those who have ears to hear. The scourging and crucifixion were absolute agony for Jesus, but they were deliverance, healing, forgiveness, and life itself for all who will believe, and I need to communicate that as effectively as possible.

Father, I do ask Your anointing to communicate Your love, not just at this time but especially at this time. May we as a church rejoice in that love this coming Sunday, and then on Easter Sunday may we be joined by many who will perhaps be hearing the message for the first time, so that more and more may receive all that Christ paid for in that process, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!