Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, John the Baptist announced Jesus to the world.  Interestingly, he did not proclaim the Saviour as a great teacher, example, prophet, healer or wise man – but as the Lamb of God.  Although that might be an unusual title to some of us, its significance would have been clearly understood by his Jewish hearers.  The Lamb of God could only mean one thing: the Lamb was to be a sacrifice. The Lamb was born to die.  

The reason for His death was included in John’s declaration.  Jesus was appointed by God to take away the sin of the world: and His three years of ministry concluded when He died during the feast of Passover, as the substitute sacrifice for the sin of everyone in the world.  The Passover festival celebrated God’s deliverance of His people from Egypt.  Each household sacrificed a lamb and painted its blood around the door of their house to be shielded from God’s judgement.  God said, “When I see the blood, I will pass over you” (Exodus 12:12-13): hence the word ‘Passover’.  Isaiah 53:6 says, “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.”  Watch the whole story of God’s salvation plan at www.crosscheck.org.uk.

It is a very simple message.  Before Jesus came, animal sacrifices were God’s special way of teaching His people the seriousness of sin - which demanded the death penalty (Leviticus 17:11).  Although many people try to justify or ignore their sin, instinctively most people realise that their behaviour pattern cannot be acceptable to God, but do not know how to atone for their own sin.  The problem is that they cannot make atonement without paying with their own lives.

However, the glory of the Gospel is that Jesus paid for our sins with His life (1 Peter 3:18).  And this is the message to announce to the world, without being ashamed (Romans 1:16-17).   Ever since John the Baptist, those who trust God’s Word have been announcing Jesus as Saviour of the world.  And today it is your turn: in the office, on the bus, in school, or the hospital; in the market, in the factory or in the fields.  Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God – the only One who can take away the sin of the person with whom you work, eat, play sport and meet online (you can ask them to watch www.crosscheck.org.uk and discuss it with them).