Read John 1:35-36
35 Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;
36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!
Discuss
Why might John the Baptist have called Jesus “the Lamb of God”? Consider the following quotes from Elder Jeffrey R. Holland’s message “Behold the Lamb of God” and Elder Gerrit W. Gong’s message “Good Shepherd, Lamb of God” in your discussion:
Behold the Lamb of God
Reverently, but audible enough for those nearby to hear, John uttered the admiration that still moves us two millennia later: “Behold the Lamb of God.”
It is instructive that this long-prophesied forerunner to Jesus did not call Him “Jehovah” or “Savior” or “Redeemer” or even “the Son of God”—all of which were applicable titles. No, John chose the earliest and perhaps most commonly recognized image in the religious tradition of his people. He used the figure of a sacrificial lamb offered in atonement for the sins and sorrows of a fallen world and all the fallen people in it.
Good Shepherd, Lamb of God
As Lamb of God, our Savior knows when we feel alone, diminished, uncertain, or afraid. In vision, Nephi saw the power of the Lamb of God “[descend] upon the saints of the church of the Lamb, and upon the covenant people of the Lord.” Though “scattered upon all the face of the earth … they were armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory.”
Also, consider these thoughts:
Adam and Eve were commanded to make a sacrifice of a firstborn, unblemished lamb, when they were cast out of the Garden of Eden. They were taught that this represented the sacrifice of the Lamb of God, for the salvation of men. We don’t sacrifice animals any more, because Jesus, the Lamb of God Atoned for our sins and gained victory over death, fulfilling the ultimate sacrifice for us. Now, we partake of the sacrament every week, sacrifice a broken heart and a contrite spirit, and promise Jesus to always remember Him and keep His commandments.
Activity
Discuss as a family how you can better prepare your family to partake of the sacrament each week. To help you get ideas, read these excerpts from Elder Jeffrey R. Holland’s message “Behold the Lamb of God”
“Behold the Lamb of God”
My beloved brothers and sisters, with the exciting new emphasis on increased gospel learning in the home, it is crucial for us to remember that we are still commanded to “go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day.” In addition to making time for more home-centered gospel instruction, our modified Sunday service is also to reduce the complexity of the meeting schedule in a way that properly emphasizes the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper as the sacred, acknowledged focal point of our weekly worship experience. We are to remember in as personal a way as possible that Christ died from a heart broken by shouldering entirely alone the sins and sorrows of the whole human family.
Inasmuch as we contributed to that fatal burden, such a moment demands our respect.Thus, we are encouraged to come to our services early and reverently, dressed appropriately for participation in a sacred ordinance. “Sunday best” has lost a little of its meaning in our time, and out of esteem for Him into whose presence we come, we ought to restore that tradition of Sabbath dress and grooming when and where we can.
As for punctuality, a late pass will always be lovingly granted to those blessed mothers who, with children and Cheerios and diaper bags trailing in marvelous disarray, are lucky to have made it to church at all. Furthermore, there will be others who unavoidably find their ox in the mire on a Sabbath morning. However, to this latter group we say an occasional tardiness is understandable, but if the ox is in the mire every Sunday, then we strongly recommend that you sell the ox or fill the mire.
In that same spirit, we make an apostolic plea for the reduction of clamor in the sanctuary of our buildings. We love to visit with each other, and we should—it is one of the joys of church attendance—but it ought not be pursued so vocally in space specifically dedicated for worship.
Brothers and sisters, this hour ordained of the Lord is the most sacred hour of our week. By commandment, we gather for the most universally received ordinance in the Church. It is in memory of Him who asked if the cup He was about to drink could pass, only to press on because He knew that for our sake it could not pass. It will help us if we remember that a symbol of that cup is slowly making its way down the row toward us at the hand of an 11- or 12-year-old deacon.
To see how we did this lesson, click on the picture below
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