The Appearance of the King - (John 1:29-34)
The people of Israel were familiar with lambs, being shepherds, and lambs being used for sacrifices. During the Passover, each family presents a lamb for sacrifice. The lamb must be pure and without any blemish.
So when Jesus appeared on the scene and John the Baptist introduced him as the lamb that takes away the sins of the world, the meaning was clear to those listening.
The Israelites usually took the lambs to the temple for sacrifice and they were given to the men in charge of the various required sacrifices. But Jesus as God's lamb was given by God to save humans; he was offered as a perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world. The lambs offered in the temple could not take away the sins of Man but Jesus came to take away the sin of Man. The animals were offered to take away the sins of Israel but Jesus, the lamb of God, shed his blood so that all humanity would be saved from sin and eternal separation from God.
John did not only present Jesus as the lamb of God, he also presented him as the Son of God.
The appearance of Jesus on the scene is a fulfillment of the prophecies about his birth, the place of his birth, the birth of the herald -John the Baptist- and John's presentation of Jesus. John fulfilled his mission of being the herald of Jesus Christ.
Jesus appeared on the scene as the one who will reconcile man to God. By his appearance at the beginning of his ministry, reconciliation with God is made possible beyond the animal sacrifices which were a shadow of the real event.
So what is the implication of this?
The birth of Jesus and all the events surrounding it were prophecies fulfilled.
Christmas is as relevant as the extent that we recognize why the Saviour was born - as a lamb that takes away the sins of the world.
John presented him and testified that he was the Son of God. Who is Jesus to you? Do you also see yourself as a herald of the good news?
Remember, as we celebrate Christmas, what Jesus came to do. He came as a lamb to take away the sins of the world. Have you been cleansed by the shed blood of Jesus?