Homily: Trust (Septuagesima 2008)

John 1:29-34

29. The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. 30. He is the one of whom I said, 'A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.' 31. I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel." 32. John testified further, saying, "I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from the sky and remain upon him. 33. I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' 34. Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God."

A tourist visited a church in Germany and was surprised to see the carved figure of a lamb near the top of the church’s tower. He asked why it was there and was told that when the church was being built, a workman fell from a high scaffold. His co-workers rushed down, expecting to find him dead. But to their surprise and joy, he was alive and only slightly injured.

How did he survive? A flock of sheep was passing beneath the tower scaffold at the time, and the worker landed on top of a lamb. The lamb broke his fall and was crushed to death, but the man was saved. To commemorate that miraculous escape, someone carved a lamb on the tower at the exact height from which the workman fell.

The source of that story is unknown, and, whether it is simply legend or truth, it still bears out one fact: we need a lamb for our survival. WE NEED A LAMB! 1) who is named by God, 2) to snatch away our sins, and also 3) to redirect lives.

John the Baptist was the first to call Christ the “Lamb of God.” This was a title. At the time of Christ the lamb had a high significance to the Israelites as this was one of the animals used to symbolize the forgiveness of sins; that God would make atonement with all people.

In the Old Testament Lambs carried an important part in the Passover meal, commemorating how God delivered Israel from Egypt and from death. In fact, the word “Lamb” became synonymous with the Savior.

Isaiah uses the word in his prophecy concerning the Messiah: “He was led like a lamb to the slaughter (Isaiah 53:7).”

God promised that one day He would send one who would come to be our Savior, to carry our sins for us.

On the banks of the Jordan River, John the Baptist saw that one who was revealed to him by God. John saw Jesus, and gave Him the title “Lamb of God.” John knew that this was God’s Lamb, who was to be the sacrifice for all people.

In John’s day lambs were sacrificed twice-a-day in the temple, so being referred to as the Lamb of God was like a “kiss of death”.

Perhaps, when we see our existence as God’s work rather than as our own work, we’re able to free ourselves from the barrage of self-centered ambition and find our ultimate purpose in life.

We’re redirected in life. How does this happen? It happens when the Holy Spirit leads us to trust in Christ and not in ourselves.