Christ, our sacrifice

In obedience to God, Abraham took his son Isaac to a mountain to offer a sacrifice. Along the way, Isaac asked his father : "Where is the lamb for the sacrifice ?" Abraham answered with faith : "My son, God prepares the lamb for a burnt offering" (Genesis 22: 8). And God did it, causing Abraham to find a ram taken with a brush.

Abraham's faith speaks clearly to us today, just as he spoke to Isaac : "If only you had looked, you would see God foresee the sacrifice."

If only the people of God had believed the words of John the Baptist. Here is one of their own prophets, venerated and confident, who said of Jesus : "Behold the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). Later, John again identified Jesus in this way : "Looking at Jesus as he walked, he said : "Behold the Lamb of God !" (John 1:36).

God has provided his own lamb for a sacrifice : Jesus, his only son. And when Christ was crucified, buried and resurrected among the dead, he became our atonement, our peace. Jesus voluntarily took his sin, his guilt and his shame. He died and left to free all men.

"Knowing that you are not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver and gold, from your sinless conduct received by the tradition of your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without spot and spotless. It was preordained before the foundation of the world, but it has been manifested in these latter times for you who through it, believe in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, that your faith and hope are in God" (1 Peter 1: 18-21).

Just like the church two thousand years ago, we remember this glorious truth : "Christ is our hope !"

David Wilkerson