The leadership team of Grace Church has identified two methods for our church family to leverage our resources in response to the May 20, 2013 tornadoes centered around Moore, Oklahoma: Crisis Care Kits (physical delivery through Grace Church) and Salvation Army donations (direct financial aid).

Option 1: Crisis Care Kits (Deliver by May 26)

Crisis Care Kits are are a tangible way for your family to get involved in the disaster response process. Please be sure to follow the instructions below exactly for what goes into the Crisis Care Kits. Because of regulations and dispersal methods, it is essential that the precise contents of each Kit are known so as not to deter a shipment.

Kit Instructions

1. Assemble the following new items for each kit:- 1 medium size bottle of shampoo (12 to 18oz.), please tape flip-tops closed
   - 2 bars of soap (bath-size or larger)
   - 1 medium toothpaste (4.0 to 6.4 oz.)
   - 3 toothbrushes (in original packaging)
   - 1 box of Band-Aids (30 or more)
   - 1 fingernail clipper
   - 1 sturdy hair comb
   - 2 hand towels
   - 4 pocket-size packages of facial tissue
   - 1 Beanie Baby-size stuffed toy
2. Seal each kit in a 2- or 2.5-gallon Ziploc bag. If you are unable to locate these bags, please bring your supplies to Grace Church anyway—we'll have extras. Include only those items listed above; deviating from this list can cause an entire shipment to be delayed.

Delivering Your Kit to Grace Church

• During the week: bring sealed kits to the church office by noon on Friday, May 24.
• Sunday morning, May 26: bring sealed kits to the church and deposit them in collection boxes throughout the building.
• Sunday afternoon, May 26: bring sealed kits to the Atrium by 4:00 PM. At this point, all kits will be prepared for immediate delivery to the disaster area by our Community Outreach Team.

Option 2: Salvation Army Donations (Ongoing)

Donations to the Salvation Army make a real difference by directly supporting the operations, equipment, and supplies on the ground at this moment.

• A $10 donation feeds a disaster survivor for one day.
• A $30 donation provides one food box, containing staple foods for a family of four, or one household cleanup kit, containing brooms, mops, buckets and other cleaning supplies
• A $100 donation can serve snacks and drinks for 125 survivors and emergency personnel at the scene of a disaster
• A $250 donation can provide one hot meal to 100 people or keep a hydration station operational for 24 hours
• A $500 donation keeps a Salvation Army canteen (mobile feeding unit) fully operational for one day

Method 1: Online

You can give immediately and securely right now at the Salvation Army USA Donation Page. Note: this link will take you away from the Grace Church website.

Method 2: Via Text Message

Using your mobile phone, text the word STORM to the number 80888 to make a $10 donation. To confirm your gift, you'll need to respond a moment later with the word “Yes.”

Method 3: By Phone

You may contact the Salvation Army by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769) to arrange a donation.

Method 4: By Check

Donations in the form of checks designated to Oklahoma Tornado Relief may also be mailed to: The Salvation Army, PO Box 12600, Oklahoma City, OK 73157.

Scripture Passage

Revelation 3:1–13 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’ “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, ‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens: I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’

Big Idea

Be diligent in your spiritual walk with God. Seek the things above, not the things of the world.

Devotional Reading

I don’t know about you, but as I read the passage of scripture today I can’t help but compare my own spiritual walk with that of these churches. What I found was that if I am not diligent, my own spiritual life can easily lose focus like the church of Sardis. Sardis was a church that had a reputation for being alive (vs. 1). They had a passion for God and for spreading the gospel message. They even had a great tradition of powerful ministry. In layman’s terms, that was a great start to the race. However, over time, what happened to Sardis, if we aren’t careful, can easily happen to us.

The people of Sardis let the things of this world creep in and take the center stage of their lives. It is interesting to me how easily Sardis compares with the United States. Sardis was a wealthy city and unlike many churches, didn’t seem to suffer persecution for their faith. They just got complacent and indifferent about the things of God. Sardis, because of their name and reputation, became only a shell. They lost touch with their personal relationship with God.

On the other hand, we read about the praises the Church of Philadelphia received. Earthquakes in the land caused them to become a transient community, a situation which I believe affected their congregation's size. Despite their small congregation and the persecutions they faced, however, the “City of Brotherly Love” was able to remain faithful.

Even though both of these churches were completely opposite in their devotion, Christ gave a charge to the ones that overcome. For the people in Sardis (The Dead Church), it was a promise of identity. Christ would not forget them and would herald their name before God and the angels. For the people of Philadelphia (The Faithful Church), it was a promise of identity plus position. He would give them positons of strength and power as pillars in the New Jerusalem.

My prayer for us today is that we don’t:
1) Live our Christian lives off the fumes of our past;
2) Ever forget that God's plan for us is to bring Him glory in all things;
3) Grow complacent and indifferent.

My prayer is that we will:
1) Have a dependence on God for all things;
2) Seek the things above, not the things of this world;
3) Strive to be overcomers for Christ.

Questions for Reflection

1) Do you see your spiritual life more like that of Sardis or Philadelphia?
2) If Sardis, what areas in your life do you need to address?
3) If Philadelphia, what is your plan to continue with that trajectory?
4) What are the promises of God for the overcomer?

Scripture Passage

Revelation 2:18–20 "And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write, ‘These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass: “I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols."

Big Idea

The church that does not balance love with pure doctrine will fail to honor Christ in this world.

Devotional Reading

Thyatira was the smallest of the seven cities, but its church received the longest letter. The church was doing many things well, but someone teaching false doctrine was leading it astray. (They were strong in love but weak in doctrine.) Apparently, a self-declared prophetess was negatively encouraging some in this church to participate in culturally acceptable, yet sinful, activities. Similar to Thyatira, our culture has given its nod of approval to many pursuits and endeavors. The pressure of “fitting in” with the world is tremendous, but we have a responsibility to stand firm in our faith and trust God to provide for and to take care of us.

After 50 years, the church in Thyatira had failed to keep false doctrine from creeping into its doors. The results were catastrophic. Many in the church were corrupted with this teaching, and their love for Christ had grown cold. They were being tainted by their culture. Conversely, after 50 years, one of the many facets of Grace Church that I appreciate is its dedication to doctrinal purity and to nurturing a loving relationship with Jesus Christ. It is my prayer that as Grace Church ventures into the next 50 years, we would continue to make disciples who are growing their love for one another and for Jesus Christ while maintaining doctrinal purity. This discipleship process is necessary for the equipping of its people to grow their faith and to stand firm in a culture that is opposed to the truths of Scripture.

Questions for Reflection

1. How far should I go in accepting and adopting the cultural standards and behaviors of my day?
2. How can I balance my Christian worldview with the culture so that my witness can be relevant in the eyes of unbelievers?
3. How tolerant should the church be with false teachers?

Scripture Passage

Revelation 2:8-17 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write, ‘These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life: “I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.”’

“And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write, ‘These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword: “I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.”’

Big Idea

Focusing on Christ.

Devotional Reading

When I started college and was deciding on a degree program, I desired, like many people, to find which program would guide me to make the most money once I graduated. I should have been asking, “How has God wired me to live, and what career would best suit my personality?” Instead, I was asking, “What career would enable me to earn the most money?”

My thinking was backwards, and my priorities were mixed up. When I look back on my early college years, I am reminded of one of my favorite C.S. Lewis quotes, “If you read history, you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next.” I was focusing on this world rather than on the one to come.

This quote reminds me of the Church in Smyrna. They were extremely poor and persecuted, but Christ told them they were rich, not materially rich but spiritually rich. The Church in Smyrna, after being persecuted, was then warned they would continue in persecution, and some of them would even die. However, their reward would be great: the crown of life, which is merited to those who undergo persecutions for Christ. This was a faithful group of people who knew the pains of the road to discipleship and were promised rewards beyond their earthly lives. They focused on Christ, and Christ comforted them with His faithful words, “Do not fear.” When times of trial come, and I begin to worry, I can look back on my life and all of the times God has been so faithful to me. I am sure the church in Smyrna did the same.

The Church in Pergamos was a little different. Some of the people were faithful to God while others veered off the path a little bit. We can all relate to the Church in Pergamos. There are times when we feel as though we are walking right in line with God and other times when we feel as though we veered off somewhat. What is interesting is the ever-present help that Christ gives to us. He calls Pergamos to repent or judgment will come upon them. The result will be loss of fellowship with God and a loss of future reward. Christ exhorts the church by saying if they overcome, they will receive their reward.

These two churches teach us the importance of keeping Christ first in our lives. Only with Him can we overcome trials and persecutions. Thankfully we have a God who loves us and desires to walk through this life by our side.

Questions for Reflection

1. Can you reflect on a time in your life when God was faithful to you?
2. How easy is it for you to trust God when trials come your way?
3. Will you trust in God’s faithfulness with whatever trial you are going through right now?

This is a big issue, and there are no easy answers. On Wednesday, April 17, we hosted the Grace Youth Forum on Self-Injury and Eating Disorders in an attempt to find healing for those who struggle with this issue, and hope for us who want desperately to help our friends. We brought together a team of professionals with experience in helping this problem to aid our discussion.

Below are the four sessions from the evening. If you would like a hard-copy DVD to share with a friend, please email Curtis at curtis@gracechurch.com.

Session One: What is Self-Injury? What is an Eating Disorder?

Session Two: Panel Discussion

Session Three: Panel Question and Answer

Session Four: Starving Artist: My Journey Through an Eating Disorder

Scripture Passage

Revelation 2:1–7 "To the angel of the church of Ephesus write,'These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: "I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God."'

Big Idea

Our love for Christ should be greater than our duty to Christ.

Devotional Reading

Each morning when I arrive at my desk at the church office, I have two options. Option number one is to look at my to-do list on my computer, see the pile of papers to sort through, scan through the emails in my inbox, and jot down all the mental ideas I'd had the night before. Option number two is to leave my computer off, overlook the papers, ignore my to-do list, open up my Bible, and spend some time with the Lord.

I have to be honest: I choose option number one more often than I should. You might think, "But Curtis, you work at a church. How can you skip spending time with the Lord?" I’ll tell you why: because option number one allows me to begin getting things done. I love to get things done, and I’m good at getting things done.

Oh, don't worry. These are important things—-even spiritual things—-I'm taking care of. I plan events through which students can grow deeper in their relationship with Jesus. I schedule meetings to encourage kids to pursue Christ. I plan sermons through which I share the good news of the gospel with those who need to hear. I'm proud of those things I get done.

I think the early church at Ephesus could relate with me. In Revelation 2:1–7, Christ commended their desire to remove moral corruption, to maintain theological consistency, and to remain steadfast in trials (verses 2–3, 6). They were great at doing good things, but they had a problem. Their "first love," their passion for the Lord, was gone (verse 4). They had left behind their love for the Lord in an attempt to do the work of the Lord. Their failure was a matter of the heart. This shortcoming threatened their future ministry through a "removal of their lampstand" (verse 5). Gulp.

Jesus, however, gives the church at Ephesus, people like me, and--if I'm right--people like you, hope. In verse 5 He spells out what we can do to fix this problem. First, we must remember where we started in our relationship with the Lord. Second, we are to repent, or change our mental attitude towards Christ and what He requires. And third, we are urged to let a true love for Christ grow into work for Christ (not the other way around).

John Walvoord wrote, "Christ never meant for our duty to Him, even faithful duty, to replace our love for Him. The church's "first love" for Jesus Christ has to be nurtured continually, serving as the genuine motivation for service to our Lord."

I hope that when I get to work tomorrow, I’ll put off the "good things" for a bit longer and choose the better thing: growing my love for my Savior.

Questions for Reflection

1. When do you let your duty for Jesus replace your love for Jesus?
2. How can you follow Christ's instructions to return to your "first love?" Write your thoughts down and share them with a friend.
3. What steps can you take to keep nurturing your first love?

Scripture Passage

John 6:66–68 From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?” But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

John 1:14 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”

Mark 4:41 And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”

Big Idea

Are we willing to stick close to Jesus and trust Him in those moments of confusion when we don’t understand what He is doing in our lives?

Devotional Reading

I can’t be the only one, can I, to have that moment like Peter had in John 6:66–68? John told us six verses earlier that Jesus had many hard things to say on this day. The crowds were confused. The very people who had spent the most time with Jesus—the disciples—were confused. In that confusion, the disciples were watching people turn away from Jesus and that had to be disheartening. Perhaps this was disheartening because they were watching loved ones turn away from Christ. It may have been disheartening because they too were confused and were asking themselves if they should continue following Jesus.

This is where the story really gets good. Jesus speaks into the confusion of the moment and calls the disciples to speak what they are internally processing. And then Peter speaks…his answer is honest, vulnerable, profound.

I hear in Peter’s response an affirmation to remain a follower of Jesus even when he doesn’t understand Jesus. At the foundation of Peter’s followership is not his own understanding or ability to process what Jesus said. Rather, the foundation is that in this world there is no one who rivals Jesus at answering life’s biggest questions. Jesus speaks the very words of God, and our finite minds will struggle to comprehend infinite thoughts.

I have those moments. Please tell me I am not the only one. You know the kind of moments I am talking about. The moments when we are faced with the thought that “I don’t understand why Jesus would want me to ________ (you can fill in the blank).” The bigger question in our lives seems to be, are we willing to stick close to Jesus and trust Him in those moments of confusion when we don’t understand?

The heart of this question is, do we trust Him? Earlier in John’s Gospel we are told that when Jesus walked this earth as a human, He blended grace and truth. Neither is lacking, neither is in conflict. We can trust Him because He personifies truth, and His graciousness and favor draws us to Him. Jesus even promises to make all things work together for the good of His children (cf. Romans 8:28). That is a bold promise for Jesus to make and yet He can for two reasons. First, He is truth, so we can take Him at His Word. Second, because He is sovereign, as evidenced by His command over the wind and the sea, He has the power to bring about good from evil.

This is my hope. In a world of uncertainty, I walk with Jesus, trusting Him in the midst of my own confusion. I echo Peter’s thoughts, “Where else would I go?” if I didn’t run to my Savior who personifies Truth, Grace, and Power!

Questions for Reflection

1. Fill in the blank. I don’t understand why Jesus would want me to ________.
2. Where do you turn when life becomes confusing?
3. What truth is Jesus trying to point you to as He invites you to follow Him?

Scripture Passages

Ephesians 2:8–9 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

2 Corinthians 3:4 And we have such trust through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

John 15:5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”

Big Idea

God brings us to Himself through His grace and longs for us to live our new lives in light of His grace.

Devotional Reading

Have you ever felt that the Christian life was more of a burden than a blessing, more a duty than a delight? Many Christians experience the Christian life as a life of conforming to a list of “do’s and don’ts” and living from “should’s and ought’s.” Living under the burden of a legalistic system weighs us down. The idea that one must conform to a code puts a Christian under an intense load of guilt and pressure. There’s good news: the pressure is off!

First, Christ provided an eternal relationship with Himself that does not depend upon OUR adhering to a code of rules and laws. As a matter of fact, one cannot have eternal life if he or she believes that eternal life is earned by living up to God’s standards. In his letter to the Ephesians, the apostle Paul clearly stated that eternal life is a gift that is received through faith, not something that is earned through our good behavior.

Grace means that we receive something we didn’t earn. It is unmerited favor. The Lord gives us the gift of eternal life with Him when we place our faith in Christ as our Savior. And since we can never earn eternal life, we can never boast about our accomplishment. He gets all the credit.

Yet, too often when a person comes to faith in Christ through the grace of God, that individual falls into the trap of trying to please God by adhering to a system of rules rather than living in light of the grace of God. In addressing how Christians approach living the Christian life, Paul directed believers to live under grace and not under the legal code. Living under grace is “new covenant” living. Christians who trust Christ as their Savior experience the benefits of the new covenant. We receive a new nature (2 Corinthians 5:17). We get a new disposition (Romans 7:22). We have a new identity (1 Corinthians 6:11), and we receive a new power from the indwelling Holy Spirit (Romans 8:11). The Lord calls us to live dependently upon Him, drawing from His resources so that He might bear His fruit through our lives. Apart from Him, we cannot live in a manner that pleases Him and therefore must live by depending on Him to do in us and through us what He desires to do.

So, the pressure is off. The Lord wants each Christian to trust Him daily, depending upon Him and His Spirit to enable us to express His character through our words and actions.

Questions for Reflection

1. How freeing is it to realize that Christ doesn’t expect you to produce “fruit” but wants you to rely on Him to produce “fruit” in your life?
2. Which of the aspects of New Covenant living (new nature, new disposition, new identity, new power) gives you the most encouragement to live for Christ?
3. Have you received the free gift of eternal life by trusting that when Christ died and rose again, He did that to pay the penalty for your sins? If you have not trusted Christ or you are not sure if you have or not, why not trust Him now?

Big Idea

The Bible is God’s living, breathing love letter to us and provides His guidance, security, and assurance to us at all times and in all situations.

Devotional Reading

When Grace Church began fifty years ago, the founders drafted a “Declaration of Purpose," which contains the six purposes for her existence. Although all six purposes are related to the Scriptures, two of the six are directly tied to the Bible. The first purpose is “To stand unequivocally for the fundamentals of the Faith as contained in the Holy Scriptures,” and the third is “To teach the Holy Scriptures for the edification of those who have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.” Obviously, the Word of God was an inherent part of the foundation of Grace Church, and that commitment remains just as strong today. The reason the Bible serves as the foundation of our church is rooted in the nature of the Scriptures themselves.

Many have referred to the Bible as God’s love letter to mankind, in part, because the source of the Bible is God Himself. Second Timothy 3:16 says, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God” or, more literally, “All Scripture is God breathed." A good description of that is found in 2 Peter 1:21, which says that men wrote the Bible “as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” The same word translated “were moved” is used in Acts 27:17 of the wind's filling the sails of a seafaring ship and driving it across the ocean. While moving mortal men to write the Bible, the Holy Spirit overrode any errors in the original, biblical manuscripts, according to Matthew 5:17-18 and John 10:35.

The Scriptures do not contain the answers to all our questions, but they provide all we need to become spiritually “complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work,” according to 2 Timothy 3:17. As a unique collection of sixty-six separate books, the Bible reveals the mind and heart of our Creator and His longing to have a relationship with us. The Bible has a way of getting to us like nothing else. Hebrews 4:12-13 describes it as living, energizing, and more penetrating than a surgeon’s scalpel, so much so that it can detect the deep-seated motivations in our hearts. Yet, at the same time, its words feed our souls and salve our hurts like nothing else can do. The Bible is unlike any other work of literature. The very existence of the Scriptures is a constant reminder to me that I don’t have to invent the plan as to how I should live. The Bible is the living, breathing voice of God's directing me with His wisdom and devotion. The Scriptures have changed my self-derived values with ones fit for eternity. Its promises assure me that I am loved, secure, and headed in the right direction. I’m grateful that Grace Church continues to be a place where the clear teaching of the Bible is the mainstay of ministry and will facilitate the process of immersing our minds and hearts in the Word of God.

Questions for Reflection

1. Do you look at the Bible as a manual of regulations or as a love letter? What difference does it make?
2. What percentage of your time is spent in listening to people’s opinions? How much time listening to God in His Word do you need to balance that influence?
3. What plan do you have to immerse yourself in the Scriptures? If you don’t have a plan, develop a plan that starts small but can grow to become a regular part of your life.

Scripture Passage

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

Big Idea

Jesus was the consummation of God’s redemptive plan for every man. He is the One Who can make the way for man to be reconciled to God.

Devotional Reading

This will be my thirteenth Easter season as a believer in Christ. In those years I have heard many sermons preached about the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. My fear for you and me is that after hearing it time and time again, we can grow numb to its magnitude. Being believers in the 21st century, we have been given something amazing. We have a completed copy of the Scriptures, which affords us the luxury of seeing the big picture. This was not the case for the 1st century Jewish people. Even though they had prophesies about the Messiah, they didn’t fully comprehend how the story would unfold. So when John used the phrase “The Lamb of God,” I imagine it puzzled them. They had an understanding of a Passover Lamb because of their annual festival called “Feast of Passover.” During this celebration each family was to sacrifice a lamb without blemish. God commanded them to do this in remembrance of His deliverance of them from the Egyptians. So when Jesus was called the Lamb of God, I think John was saying three things about Christ.

1. The lamb without blemish. As the Passover lamb was to be a lamb without blemish, so Jesus was the Lamb without blemish. His was a life of spotless purity; He had no sin, no sin of His own to atone for.

2. The lamb offered protection. The blood of the lamb protected the Jewish households from the wrath of the Angel of death in Egypt. Jesus, the Lamb of God, offers us protection from the effect of our sin: separation from God or eternal death.

3. The lamb was sacrificed for guilt that wasn’t His own. As the Passover lamb (during the tenth plague in Egypt) died in place of the first-born, so Jesus died in our place, for our sins.

Questions for Reflection

1. Why did the Jews not fully comprehend what John was saying? How can we?
2. How should we live in light of the price Jesus paid for us?
3. What are some ways God has shown you His faithfulness?