Page 65 - Living Light Autumn 23

Friday November 17 - Behold the Lamb
“Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29
John the Baptist’s forerunning ministry pointed to Jesus, not himself: “He must increase, and I must decrease” (John 3:30). John directs his followers to now ‘look away’ from him to Jesus. Why? Because Jesus is “the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.” Undoubtedly, the thought of the Passover lamb (Exodus 12) evoked strong emotions. Upon seeing the blood of the lamb daubed on the doorposts of the Israelite dwellings, the avenging angel of death had ‘passed over’ and they were saved. In 1 Corinthians 5:7 the apostle Paul shows how Christ, as the ultimate Passover Lamb, fulfils this momentous event in dying for the sins of the world, purchasing salvation for all who will receive it.
Perhaps the lambs of daily offering were also in view (Exodus 29:38-42). Every day, morning and evening, a lamb was sacrificed as a perpetual reminder of the seriousness of sin and the need for forgiveness. Christ’s once and for all offering shows the sufficiency of his death to cleanse us from all sin.
The ‘lamb led to slaughter’ (Isaiah 53:7) could also have come to mind. The silent sufferer, in total submission to the Father, goes to the cross. The substitute ram that stood in for the sacrifice of Isaac (Genesis 22:13) is also a poignant allusion to the Saviour who would later die in the place of his people.
Jesus, God’s Lamb – the all-sufficient, submissive, substitute Saviour, provided for you! The reminders of sacrifices atoning for sin make way for the One who removes sin.
Lord Jesus, I look to you for the forgiveness I need. Amen.
Saturday November 18 - Fixing our eyes on Jesus
...let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes
on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith... Hebrews 12:1-2
The letter to the Hebrews sets out the superiority of Jesus over all the types and shadows of the Old Testament. The author’s conclusion: why would anyone want to go back to the ways of the old covenant, when the Author and Perfecter of our faith has come, fulfilling all the promises?
The Christian life is not easy. There are many temptations and distractions. What is the solution? ‘Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.’ Jesus pioneers our faith from all eternity past and perfects it to eternity future. The Father chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world, and in time sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. When Jesus returns, we will be like him, in the beauty of holiness (Psalm 96:9).
Our verse shows us that the Christian life begins by looking to Jesus, and continues by looking to Jesus. He doesn’t just launch us, as it were, with a mighty exertion of power, and then leave us to keep going on our own. No, he is the author AND the perfecter of our faith. He is the one who justifies us (declares us righteous) and sanctifies us (makes us righteous). How does this happen? By us fixing our attention on him. As we looked to him for salvation, we now look to him for the grace that sustains and delights us.
PRAYER FOR TODAY
PRAYER FOR TODAY
Lord Jesus, please keep me focused on you. Amen.
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