The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. He is the one of whom I said, ‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’ I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel.” John testified further, saying, “I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from the sky and remain upon him. 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.’ Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.”
John 1:29-34 (NABRE)
Both John the Baptist and Pontius Pilate say something similar in the Gospel of John.
In John 19, after Jesus has been crowned with thorns, clothed in a purple robe, and led back outside, Pilate announces to the crowd, “Behold, the man!” At the scene of his sentencing, Jesus is one step closer to fulfilling His sacrifice on the Cross, where He will be slaughtered as a sacrificial lamb for the expiation of the sin of humankind.
And to think that this sacrificial victim is God Himself. As I emphasize routinely, God demonstrates for us profound humility, totally contrary to what we would expect. God lowers Himself, in the Person of Jesus Christ, to become a curse for our sin. Jesus walked among us and was fully human while never losing His divinity. We have a God who takes great interest in our lives. He is incredibly close to us, just as He was when He walked this earth so many years ago.
When He was nailed to the Cross, Jesus did so to take away the sin of the world, which also included the sin of you and me. It was a personal event, and the Lord had you in mind just as much as He had the many. We have no need to keep our sins hidden from Jesus. He already knows them, but even more, He desires to take them away, just as John announced. He wants them to be out of sight and mind for you, evaporated like a drop of water in a roaring fire. Sometimes, we might fear that God wants to take something away from us when we enter into a committed relationship with Him. And yes, that’s true. He does want to take something away from you. And that “something” is, as you guessed it, your sin.
Do not be afraid to present your sin to Jesus. It is what He desires for you to do.
Thank you for reading. Peace.
Eat the Scroll 