Posted on Dec 21, 2024 in Youth Advent 2024 |
Note: This devotion material was purchased digitally from YM360 to be used for the Advent Season of 2024.
Day Twenty-One: Our Hope is Jesus, the Lamb of God
“The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’” — John 1:29
You may have heard of John the Baptist. He was Jesus’ cousin, and some people found him a bit odd. He lived out in the wilderness. He wore clothes made out of camel hair. He ate locusts and wild honey. He definitely stood out from the crowd but wasn’t looking for fame. Instead, he was trying to point people to Jesus. He was baptizing people and preaching to all who would listen about the need for all to turn away from their sins and follow God. Then, one day, while John was preaching and baptizing, he saw Jesus approaching and called Him “the Lamb of God.” Have you ever wondered why?
The Old Testament is filled with references of God instructing His people to sacrifice a lamb as an offering to Him for their protection, provision, or forgiveness of sin. We see it in the story of Abraham and Isaac (Genesis 22), in the Passover (Exodus 12), and as part of the sacrificial system God implemented for His people to be forgiven of their sin (Leviticus.) Some who were listening to John that day may not have fully understood what it meant when he called Jesus the Lamb of God, but God was using John’s words to reveal Jesus’ mission of sacrificing His life as the final and ultimate sacrifice for our sin. When the Israelites offered sacrifices in Old Testament times, it granted them forgiveness, peace with God, and hope for their future. Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross offers us these things once and for all.
At Christmas, we are reminded that we have eternal hope because Christ’s birth led to His death, which covers our sin and gives us the ability to live and thrive with God on Earth and in Heaven!
Read the words of the Christmas hymn “Little Lamb Who Made Thee.”
Through this verse and these lyrics, we can remember the truth, that as humans, we need a Savior. We need someone to save us from our sins. That Savior is Jesus, and He is with us!
Questions:
1. How does knowing that meaning behind Jesus as the Lamb of God change your understanding of His sacrifice for you?
2. How do the words of this hymn help you better understand the love God has for you?