1/12/17
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.
In our Gospel for Epiphany 2, Jesus is identified as the Lamb of God. This is a very important description. The lamb is the offering which is made for sin. It is used for the Passover celebration, preserving the one making the offering and his whole household from death. It is a perfect lamb. In the offering, none of the bones are broken. It is sacrificed and eaten with a sense of urgency. Captivity to sin, symbolized by captivity in Egypt, is being broken. With that will come a radical departure from sin.
John, in chapter 1:29-42a, gives us a clear view of Jesus as the Lamb of God. He is the one chosen. The Spirit of God rests upon him. He then shows that he is able to call his people out of their former lives and draw them along to follow him.
The Christian life is summarized in this passage. God’s people, all who believe, are called out of darkness, bondage, and sin to follow Jesus. Jesus shows himself to them and then is the one who dies on their behalf. The departure from sin is radical and urgent. In the same way, the disciples who are called by Jesus lay their past down and follow him. Central to it all is the work of Jesus. As John the Baptizer says, Jesus is “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” Lord, have mercy and take away our sin.
If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.
In our Gospel for Epiphany 2, Jesus is identified as the Lamb of God. This is a very important description. The lamb is the offering which is made for sin. It is used for the Passover celebration, preserving the one making the offering and his whole household from death. It is a perfect lamb. In the offering, none of the bones are broken. It is sacrificed and eaten with a sense of urgency. Captivity to sin, symbolized by captivity in Egypt, is being broken. With that will come a radical departure from sin.
John, in chapter 1:29-42a, gives us a clear view of Jesus as the Lamb of God. He is the one chosen. The Spirit of God rests upon him. He then shows that he is able to call his people out of their former lives and draw them along to follow him.
The Christian life is summarized in this passage. God’s people, all who believe, are called out of darkness, bondage, and sin to follow Jesus. Jesus shows himself to them and then is the one who dies on their behalf. The departure from sin is radical and urgent. In the same way, the disciples who are called by Jesus lay their past down and follow him. Central to it all is the work of Jesus. As John the Baptizer says, Jesus is “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” Lord, have mercy and take away our sin.
If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.
RSS Feed