118. Monday after Quinquagesima Sunday.
Thou Lamb of God, which didst take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us.
John 1, 29-34. The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
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From the time of his baptism our Lord Jesus was known of John as the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. John could not put the Spirit and life into the baptism with which he baptized, for he was only a man; but Jesus could baptize with the Spirit, for he is the Son of God. When he was baptized baptism was hallowed. The water does not make him holy, but is made holy by him; for he is baptized to suffer the baptism of blood. Then he lets the water and the blood flow together from his riven side; and thus baptism becomes a red “stream colored by the blood of Christ, which cures the disease that we inherited from Adam, and the sin that we have done.”
He is called the Lamb of God, because he is God. O, miracle of miracles! God, himself, the Son, co-equal with the Father, is the sacrificial lamb for the sins of the world. He is called the Lamb of God for the further reason that God has selected him and given him to us; we have not made this sacrifice without having first received it of God. He is called a Lamb, because he is to be sacrificed, and because he goes to his death with the patience of a lamb. — He bears the sin of the world; it was laid on his shoulders when he was baptized, and after that it was heavy on him, and he felt its weight more and more. The wrath of the righteous God, and his judgment on our unrighteousness, on all our infirmities, all our disease of body and soul; this wrath and judgment, which were not to be satisfied with anything short of death and the torments of damnation, were upon him. He lifts all this and carries it away; takes away the punishment and the power of ungodliness; hence sin shall neither condemn us, nor rule over us. He takes away the sin of the world; of Jews and gentiles, from the first soul on earth to the last. How heavy a burden on him, but how great a mercy for us! This concerns us all. Blessed be the Lamb; in the eyes of God my sin is no longer mine. The Lamb has taken away my many and grievous sins, which else would have thrust me down into hell. “Now we know where our sins are laid away,” says Luther. “The law places them on our conscience and thrusts them into our bosom; but God takes them from us and places them on the shoulders of the Lamb. I know, says God, that your sins are too heavy for your strength; therefore I take them from you, and lay them on my Lamb. This you shall believe; and when you do believe it, you are rid of your sin. Your sin must be in one of two places; either it is with you, in which case you are lost; or it rests on Christ, in which case you are free and shall be saved. Now choose that which you desire.” You are baptized, and have a right and access to this grace; do not by your unbelief put it away. “Neither is there salvation in any other.”
Blessed be thou, Lord Jesus, who didst take away the sin of all the world, didst suffer death, and art my advocate before the Father. Help me to believe in thee and to let thee carry away and destroy all my sin, that in distress and death I may have my only comfort in thee, gladly follow after thee, suffer with patience, and find a place at the foot of thy throne in heaven. Amen.
O Jesus Christ, thou Lamb of God,
Once slain to take away our load,
Now let thy cross, thine agony,
Avail to save and solace me;
Thy death, to open heaven and there
Bid me the joy of angels share.