On the next day he sees Jesus coming to him and says, “Behold, the Lamb of God, the One taking away the sin of the world!

— John 1:29

He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. “By His stripes you are healed.”

— 1 Peter 2:24

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

— Romans 6:23

However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come.

— John 16:13

Thoughts on Today’s Reading

Grace, mercy and love from Christ to you.

The offering of sacrifices practiced by God’s Old Testament people foreshadowed the sacrifice of the perfect Lamb to come. Jesus Christ’s death on the cross provides salvation from sin’s bondage and penalty for all who believe in Him. The Holy Spirit activates truth within God’s Word and awakens us to recognize our need for God’s intervention.

When sinners turn from sin and to Christ for salvation, God frees them from sin’s guilt and empowers them to rebuild their lives in His strength. Today we also experience the same deliverance through Christ the Lamb. Recognizing our own debt of sin lead us to look to Christ for salvation. Repentance demonstrates a faith-filled response to God’s kindness, grace, and authority to forgive our sin.