Adapted from a message included in the Concordia Publishing House Lenten Series Witnesses to Christ

John the Baptist

Text: John 1:29-34

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

          I’ve seen tattoo parlors that have a little sign over their entrance that says “Think Before You Ink.” I’ve never been inside a tattoo parlor and I have nothing against those who have, but I do think that there ought to be a recording playing on a loop inside that says, “Do you really want girlfriend’s name on your shoulder for the rest of your life?” There’s plenty of possible mistakes that can be made when choosing tattoos, which is why tattoo removal has become such a big business. They can be removed, but it’s not cheap.

If all of our regrets showed up as tattoos, how marked up would we be? What pictures would we see in the mirror? The face of someone we hurt? The amount of money we wasted? All the could haves and should haves? “I could have been a better dad.” “I should have paid closer attention.” “I could have been a better student.”

What would we do with all of our unwanted marks? We could be defensive. When we’re defensive, we don’t admit anything. We tell no one. We keep the skeleton safely locked up in the closet. We seek innocence, not forgiveness. When we’re defensive, we reduce life to one goal—hide the secret. Cover it up. Don’t address it. Don’t admit it. And whatever we do, never, ever confess it.

When we see marks of regret, another option is to be defeated. When we’re defeated, we feel as though we don’t make mistakes—we are a mistake. We didn’t foul up—we are a foul-up. We beat ourselves up repeatedly with blame and shame. We take the role of judge, jury, and accusing attorney. The verdict? Guilty—forever!

Defensive people hide marks. Defeated people replay marks. But there’s a better way. We can be delivered from all of our ugly marks.

As we begin Lent on this Ash Wednesday, we begin a journey down the road Jewsus walked. And as we walk that road, we’ll encounter some of the people Jesus encountered. And the first person who helps us follow Christ to the cross in John’s Gospel is John—John the Baptist. What does John the Baptist say when we’re defensive about sin or defeated by sin? “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

“Behold.” Behold literally means “see.” It can also be translated “Look! Gaze! Stare! Take note!” Behold means “Here is the whole point of what I’m saying!” John the Baptist says it multiple times. “Behold, the Lamb of God!” This isn’t an ordinary Lamb of God. This is the Passover Lamb of God. John’s entire Gospel is structured to help us behold, see, gaze, and take note of Christ—the Passover Lamb of God.

Exodus 12 says that the Passover lamb is a male lamb—perfect, spotless, and without defect. It also says that Israelites are to place the Passover lamb’s blood on the sides and tops of their doorframes. This blood would set the Israelites free—free from their bondage in Egypt!

“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away.” The verb takes away is in present tense. Meaning that Christ still takes away. Today, He takes away. Tomorrow, He takes away. Next week, He takes away.

But what does He take away? He takes away the sin of the world. And that includes our sin. Our ugly sin. Our shameful sin. Our haunting sin. Our every single sin. He takes it all away. I know this may be hard to believe. Most of us have carried our ugly marks for so long that we can’t imagine life without them. Maybe we can’t imagine it, but God can. God does. And God does more than just imagine it. He sends John the Baptist, who says, “Behold. Look. See. Gaze. Here is the whole point of what I’m saying! The Lamb of God takes away the sin of the world!” The Passover Lamb of God does it all, for the whole world. The Passover Lamb of God does it all for you!

And so we pray this prayer: “Jesus, please take it all away.” Tell Jesus what you did. Tell Jesus what you said, what you saw, what you took, how you feel. Tell Jesus what you thought. Pray this prayer as often as you need to. One time, two times, ten times a day. Hold nothing back. No guilt is too ancient or too recent. No shame is too evil or too insignificant. No marks are so malicious that they can’t be completely removed. “Jesus, please take it all away.”

Our marks are removed only when we’re exposed to God’s grace. And as we name our sin it is exposed to God’s amazing grace. In a moment we’ll confess our sin. All of it. And God’s grace will abound. In forgiveness. Individual forgiveness. For you. In the words God speaks to us and in the hands that will be laid upon you. The Passover “Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” will say to you, “You are forgiven.”

It’s time for a clean start, a fresh slate, a new beginning. That’s what Lent is all about. We don’t need to be defensive or defeated. Today, we can be delivered. And we do that by looking at God’s marks. Yes, God has marks on His hands. Behold. Behold! Look, see, gaze! Here is the whole point of what I’m saying. “I have engraved you on the palms of My hands.” Jesus has your name written where He can see it. Your name is on His bloodstained hands. Yes, Jesus loves you that much!

If you’ve ever wondered how God reacts when guilt and shame have you cornered and are ready to swallow you up. If you’ve ever wondered how God feels when you’re lost, abandoned, and helpless. If you’ve ever wondered what God would do if He ever found out about it all—then frame these words and hang them on your wall. “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” Trust these words. Believe these words. Stand below these words, and trust Jesus to take it all away.

Jesus took the nails. On a cross. On a God-forsaken cross, Jesus took the nails. And taking the nails, Jesus takes away all our sin and shame. He hung there, for us. Jesus still says, “I have engraved you on the palms of My hands.” In the end, in the end, these are the only marks that matter! These marks on Christ’s hands will never be erased! Ever! Amen.

The peace of God which surpasses all understanding guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.