Dear Christian friends:

Many Christian churches have a cross set at the peak of the steeple, but there is a church in a little village in Norway which is called the "Church of the Lamb", because it has a metal lamb on the steeple instead of a cross. The villagers all know the story and will tell visitors how it happened that a lamb was placed on the steeple instead of a cross.

When the church was being built, a workman high up on the steeple lost his footing and fell. It was a very high steeple and the fall would almost certainly have killed him. But just at the moment a little flock of sheep happened to be passing by the church, and the workman fell directly on one of them. The lamb was killed, but the workman was saved.

This is the wonderful story of the Church of the Lamb in Norway. But in the Old Testament lesson which was read before, Isaiah tells a more wonderful story of how sinners are saved from sin and eternal death by another Lamb. In our text we have John the Baptist identifying this Lamb as Jesus of Nazareth. When Jesus at the beginning of his ministry came to John to be baptized, John said of him, "Behold, the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world."

We are using John the Baptist a lot this Advent season to help us prepare our hearts for Christ's coming. We used him last Sunday; we will use him again this coming Sunday. Here in our text John prepares us for the coming Savior by telling us to "behold" him:


In beholding him we see that he is "the Lamb of God," that God has provided this Lamb for us. The Lamb that saved the workman who fell from that Norway church steeple was provided by the shepherd of the flock, and that was accidental, not according to the shepherd's planning and will.

The sacrificed lambs which God commanded Israel to offer each morning and evening and at Passover were provided by the people at their expense. But Jesus Christ is "the Lamb of God," John tells us. God, himself, in a most wonderful and mysterious way provided for this Lamb. We are preparing for the high festival of Christmas, which deals with this mystery. Christmas is also called "The Nativity, the birth of our Lord. It is also called "The Incarnation of Our Lord," how our Lord who was the eternal Word became flesh, how God came to be one of us and with us. In the Apostles Creed we confess: "I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of the Virgin Mary." In allaying Joseph's fears concerning Mary's pregnancy, the angel said to him, "Fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in here is of the Holy Ghost." (Matthew 1:20)

In writing about this Matthew explains, "This was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying ,"Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, 'God with us.'" (Matthew 1:22-23)

The wonderful mystery is this, that God, himself, the Eternal Word, became flesh. God indeed has provided for this Lamb revealing the greatest love this world has ever known.

The Baptist also tells why God took such amazing, extra ordinary measures. He points the finger at Jesus of Nazareth, "Behold, the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world." In his great love and mercy God provided this Lamb.

To take away the sin of all mankind other lambs could not. The lamb memorialized on the village church steeple in Norway saved one man, just from temporal death. The lambs which Israel offered saved just one nation, and of themselves really had no power to save.

But the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, the Lamb to which all of Israel's pointed, "takes away the sin of the world." Jesus, himself, says, "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

You are included in the "world." No person is excluded, no matter how poor or sinful. The vilest offender is included. Even Judas is included, although he despaired and couldn't believe it. Peter, who denied Jesus, was included, and he believed it.

Jesus being called "Lamb" gives us a clue also as to just how he took away the world's sin. Just as in the offerings of Israel, the sins of the people were laid on the lamb, and the innocent lamb was slain instead of the guilty people. So the sin of the whole world was laid on this Lamb, Jesus. In the Old Testament lesson, which was read before, Isaiah says (Isaiah 53:4-6),

"Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.

But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all."

What we ourselves are unable to bear and suffer, God in this Lamb, Jesus, bears and suffers, and thereby frees us and declares us holy and perfect in his sight. We note here that it was God himself who laid the world's mountains of sin on this Lamb, "The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." God's wrath at sin and sinners must be satisfied. Atonement must be made. Though we suffered a million years, we could not pay for even one sin. Only God's own, holy, innocent Son could pay; and pay he did! "Jesus paid it all," we sing, and surely he did by his holy life and by his innocent death upon Calvary's cross. "God hath made him, who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (1 Corinthians 5:21)

We can make no better preparation for Jesus' coming then to heed John the Baptist's admonition here: "Behold the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world."

Amen.