Epistle: Revelation 5:11-14
11Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders; they numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12singing with full voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” 13Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, singing, “To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” 14And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the elders fell down and worshiped.
Come and See the Lamb of God!
It is the first sentence I remember ever reading. I imagine for many of you, it may bring back similar memories. “Look. See Spot run. Run, Spot, run.” Sound familiar? Can anyone tell me who is running with Spot?
Dick and Jane Readers – the first books for many of us who were educated in the American public school system. At the very basic, the very core, the first written words many of us ever remember reading are these words – Look. See!
John the Baptist has been told to watch for one on whom the Spirit alights. Look, John, look. Here is Jesus coming up out of the water, and Spirit of God descending on him like a dove.
So John looks, and John sees, and John proclaims. LOOK, here is the one we have been waiting for. Look, come and see! He says, “Look, here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” Those gathered around John know what he means about the Lamb taking away one’s sins. In the Old Testament, we hear of the scapegoat, upon whom tokens of sins were placed before the scapegoat was driven out into the wilderness to atone for the people’s sins. You can read about that further in Leviticus 16.
And, of course, there is the Passover lamb, who is slaughtered and whose blood was spread on the doorposts and lintels of the homes of the Israelites in captivity in Egypt. The angel of death passed through the land, and when it came upon a house where the blood had been placed, it would pass over that home.
Jesus takes that Passover event and ties it directly to himself. “This is my body. This is my blood. A new covenant.” Jesus is the Passover Lamb sacrificed upon the cross. So that when you have been baptized into Jesus’ death and resurrection, you have the promise that Jesus has died for your sins. The blood of the Lamb has been poured out for you, and you are loved, forgiven and set free.
This is the one to which John points our attention. Look, come and see!
Most of us grew up hearing that the three most important words in life are "I love you," and I believe they are. But when it comes to our lives of faith -- and maybe even the future of the church -- I suspect that the three second-most important words are "Come and see."
Come and see that God loves you. Come and hear that you are loved and forgiven. Come and taste the bread and wine, Jesus own body and blood, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Come and hear the promise at the heart of the Gospel that God in Jesus is always both with us and for us and there is nothing anyone can do to change that.
What do you seek?
In the words of St Augustine - Our souls are restless Lord, until they rest in you.
Let us pray: Almighty God, we thank you for Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Open our eyes to look and see. Open our hearts to welcome. We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.