Looking to Jesus

Scripture Reading: John 1:29–34

“Look, the Lamb of God, 

who takes away the sin of the world!” 

John 1:29

When John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him, he did not draw attention to his own ministry or explain his role. He simply pointed and said, “Look.” In that moment, John showed us how faith begins—not with effort or self-improvement, but with attention. Scripture tells us that John came as a witness, “that all might believe through him” (John 1:7), and he fulfilled that calling by directing every gaze toward Jesus, the Lamb of God given for the life of the world. Following Christ always starts here: by beholding who He is and trusting what God has done for us in Him.

John’s greatness did not rest in his unusual lifestyle or his striking appearance in the wilderness. What made him a true prophet was his complete surrender to God’s purpose. He was willing to decrease so that Christ might increase, even sending his own disciples to follow Jesus instead. John obeyed the voice of God, speaking what he was given to say, however strange or costly it seemed. He could not have imagined how powerfully God would speak through his obedience, yet Scripture reminds us that “the one who sent me to baptize with water told me” (John 1:33). John trusted, obeyed, and God revealed His Son.

This passage invites us to examine where we are looking. When faith turns inward, it becomes anxious and heavy; when it turns outward to Christ, it becomes grateful and free. John teaches us that true discipleship is not about making a name for ourselves, but about making room for Jesus to be seen. As we keep our eyes fixed on Him—the One on whom the Spirit descended and remained—we learn to worship with joy and to follow with trust, confident that God still speaks through hearts surrendered to His will.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us Your Son, the Lamb who takes away our sin. Turn our eyes away from ourselves and help us look to Jesus with trust and gratitude. Teach us to obey You faithfully, and let our lives point others to Him. Amen.