MARCH 30, 2025 ~ FROM A PASTOR'S HEART

MARCH 30 DEVOTIONAL BIBLE READING: JOHN 1:19-34

At the beginning of Jesus' earthly ministry, the Holy Spirit inspired his cousin, John the Baptist to speak these words about Him, "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." John was not being poetic...he was being prophetic. He was speaking both the truth of who Jesus is and what Jesus came to do. He was declaring that Jesus came as God's sacrificial Lamb, to suffer and die in our place on the last altar that would ever be needed. He spoke of Jesus as the penal substitutionary atonement for our sin. Jesus was the perfect, spotless lamb of God who was the acceptable sacrifice for our sins.

Jesus was not a helpless sacrifice...He wasn't a powerless martyr killed for some cause...He willingly gave Himself up on that cross. Jesus came to die on that cross. Without His death we would still be in our sins and hopelessly lost. Jesus, the Son of God, the Almighty God, humbled Himself and died the death of a criminal in order that we who were guilty might be redeemed. I am always amazed at the thought of the enormity of the Savior's love for us. Our sin, which we were guilty of, would mean an eternity separated from God. Christ's righteousness, which is perfect, would be imputed to us so that we would spend eternity with our loving Heavenly Father. Jesus placed Himself upon that cross for you and for me. He came as "the Lamb of God" to be the atoning sacrifice for our sin. On that cruel cross the Lord of Glory gave Himself for you and me, so that we would know the forgiveness of sin and have eternal life.

Please share your thoughts.