The Big Takeaway
The next day [John the Baptist] saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” – John 1:29 (NRSV)
One great misinterpretation of the Bible is that God saves individuals apart from one another. In fact, nearly every word about sin and salvation in the Bible is collective, communal, sometimes even global.
In the passage above, John the Baptist refers to Jesus as the “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” Note that “sin” is singular, as is “the world.” There is one malaise which afflicts the entire world.
What is that singular affliction? By my lights, it is the false idea that I am not only separate from others, I am the center of the world which means salvation is all about me. Ironically, nothing unites humanity like this common delusion or our shared need of grace.
Grace arrives as a lamb, Mary’s humble little lamb. John does not say the lamb will take sin away in the future. Ego-centrism is removed the moment we look away from ourselves and to the Lamb. That is not only the good news; it is world saving news.
Jesus, take “me” away until we are all one.
Prayer
Our Father, Our Mother, Our Creator, thank you for being our salvation.
About the AuthorMatt Laney is the Senior Pastor of Virginia Highland Church UCC in Atlanta, GA and the author of Pride Wars, a fantasy series published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for Young Readers. The first two books, The Spinner Prince and The Four Guardians are available now.