Thoughts for the Day

I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. Its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. People will bring into it the glory and the honour of the nations. But nothing unclean will enter it, nor anyone who practises abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

During Advent we shall look at the people, places and symbols that invite us to prepare for the coming of the Christ-child at Christmas. They will not necessarily occur in the right order! Today we look at the symbol of 'The Lamb'.

In the Bible we see lambs sacrificed as a way of atoning for sin. They had to be physically perfect, to be spotless! There is a wonderful image of the lamb in Chapter 5 of the Book of Revelation, where God is seated on the throne holding a scroll. No-one is found worthy of opening the scroll, except a Lamb that is covered in blood. After the Lamb takes the scroll from God those present sing "‘Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation."

The first Epistle of John says of Jesus: "You know that he was revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no sin", and John the Baptist points for Jesus, saying to his disciples, : "Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1.29-34). References to the Lamb occur throughout the scriptures. Isaiah says of the one who will come to save God's people: "He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter." (Isaiah 53.7). While in the New Testament Paul refers to Jesus as "Christ, our Passover lamb, who has been sacrificed for us." (1 Corinthians 5.7).

During Advent this image of the Lamb of God who is sinless but who suffers to cleanse us from our sins, appears in readings and in hymns. We might want to contemplate what the Christ-child gave up for us, and that while we celebrate the anniversary of his birth, awaiting him was his sacrifice made for us.

Lamb of God,
only You were sinless.
and able to accept the penalty
for our sin.
As we prepare to celebrate
Your birth this Christmas,
may we also contemplate
what You gave up for us,
and reaffirm our promises
to follow You more closely.
Amen.