Jesus Is the Lamb of God – January 19, 2026
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 1:29
Jesus Is the Lamb of God
John the Baptist was appointed by God to point people to their Savior Jesus. When John saw Jesus coming toward where he was baptizing in the Jordan River, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” But in what way was Jesus a lamb?
For nearly fifteen hundred years before this, Jewish believers had been commemorating the Passover Festival with a special meal featuring the meat of a lamb. In this way, they never forgot how God rescued them from slavery in a foreign land. While the angel of death had passed from house to house throughout Egypt, he passed over the homes of all who trusted God’s promise by painting their door frames with the blood of a lamb.
Years later, the prophet Isaiah compared the coming Messiah to a lamb who quietly and without complaint allowed himself to be a sacrifice for others. He wrote, “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).
These and many other prophecies from the Old Testament help us understand why John later called Jesus “the Lamb of God.” He was sent to be our substitute, sacrificed in our place. As innocent as a young lamb looks, Jesus was even more pure at heart. The Passover lambs did not complain as they were led to be killed, partly because they did not understand what would happen to them and could not have done anything to protect themselves, even if they had known. But Jesus knew very well how he would suffer and die—and he had all the power of the Son of God to prevent it, yet he quietly and humbly accepted all of it. As the innocent Lamb of God, he came to stand between us and the punishment we deserved. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice in our place, nothing stands between us and peace with God.
Prayer:
Jesus, Lamb of God, you came to take away the sins of the world. Have mercy on me. You willingly came to be my substitute, and with your death you became my Savior. Amen.
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All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
