Good Friday + John 1:29 + John 18:1-19:42
In the Name of Jesus. Amen. After Jesus had been baptized by John in the Jordan River, the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness to fast forty days. There He faced the Devil. Afterwards He walked along the Jordan River again. John sees Him, points to Him, and cries out for all the world to hear, “ Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! ” The sacrifices prescribed in the Old Testament did no such thing. They were only good for the man offering up the bull, lamb, or goat. Those sacrifices also were unable to atone for sins. It is written in Hebrews 10:3-4 that “ those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins. ” The Old Testament sacrifices kept Israelites civilly righteous and forgave sins according to the righteousness of the Law. They kept you in Israel, God’s covenant people. But they couldn’t atone for one’s sins and take them away. Each sacrifice looked forward to the La...