Beech Tree News Network

What would one think today if he or she saw Jesus walking toward them?  In today's gospel reading, John the Baptist was faced with that situation.  A baptizer, a voice crying out in the desert to make straight the way of the Lord, John knew something was up and was well aware that one far mightier than he was coming.  Consider the gospel below.  

The Gospel of John 1:29-34 (New American Bible)

John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.  He is the one of whom I said, ‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’  I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel.”

John testified further, saying, “I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from heaven and remain upon him.  I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’  Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.”

Essentially, John acknowledged that Jesus is the promised Messiah - confirmed by the power of the Holy Spirit following His baptism.  But, I am more struck by John's initial reaction to Jesus - "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world."  The power of these simple words say so much to us, about us, and also about Jesus. 

That Jesus comes as a gentle lamb speaks to the sacrificial mission for which He has been sent.  This is a message that I think can get easily lost in today's modern messaging of the gospel that tends to portray Christ as some kind of New Age, hippie social worker whose job is simply to make everyone feel better about themselves.  Sacrifice, blood, and sin are absent in this modern presentation but were very much present when John the Baptist saw Jesus approaching.  

It is a hard teaching to grasps sometimes that all of us are fallen souls, sinful by nature, and in desperate need of redemption.  But, we are.  It is even more difficult to comprehend how a blood sacrifice from a spotless lamb was sent to make right all that was wrong in the world.  But, that is what the church has proclaimed from the beginning.  There is no Christianity without the cross, without the blood shed, without the crucified and risen Lamb of God, without His sacrifice.  Our's is a faith baptized first in blood and then in water. This is why I find this verse so compelling - "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world."  For it is with this message that the core of Christian faith is revealed.  Now, it it our job to believe it and, even more importantly, to live it as Jesue comes walking toward us.          

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John Embry is the co-founder and vice-president of Beech Tree News.  He teaches 8th grade United States History at Butler County Middle School and is the head softball coach at BCHS and BCMS.  John is married to Beth and they have one daughter, six-year-old Isabella Faye; and one son, Will Lincoln (almost 15 months).  They live in Aberdeen - site of the original "beech tree." He can be reached at [email protected].