out of the ordinary | the food

God frequently works through the ordinary. Through them he shares something of his love for us and reveals elements of his redemption plan. In this devotional series we look at some of the ordinary things Jesus would have encountered as he journeyed towards the cross. Today, everyday food items. Holy Spirit, will you reveal something extraordinary through each of them. Amen.

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! John 1; 29, NKJV

One of my favourite pieces of classical music is Handel’s Messiah. I play it all the way through every Christmas as I get ahead with cooking for friends and family. I sing along, getting the words and harmonies wrong, not caring who hears me! But there’s one piece I can’t sing to.

Starting after the longest scene in the whole oratorio, "Behold, The Lamb of God" is the first chorus heard in Part II of the Messiah. It is a hauntingly sad piece which - no matter how often I hear it - compels me stop and consider the implications of the seemingly simple but powerfully prophetic statement John makes.

For any devout Jew in the time of Jesus, a lamb would have evoked powerful religious significance. Far more than a typical food source, a lamb was considered the most appropriate sin-substitute in the sacrifices which were part of Jewish tradition. The writer of the gospel in which this moment is recorded uses the Greek word kosmos for the word world, referring to the entire universe, not just the local place in which he is situated. Effectively, John says: “Look closely, it’s the lamb, the sin-sacrifice, of the one true God who completely removes all the wrongdoings of the entire universe.”

We can’t know whether something in John’s spirit spoke to him of his own death or the horror of Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice, but we can stop and consider the implications of the truth that God made himself as a lamb and gave himself not just for all humankind, but the entire universe.

Let's pray
Thank you, Jesus, for the cross. Thank you for the price you paid. May I never take your sacrifice for granted. Help me to see the wounds, the crown of thorns, your pierced hands, feet, and side and know it was all done for me. Thank you, Jesus, my precious Saviour. Amen.