John’s witness to Jesus tells us why he came: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
   Do you realize that this is what the world truly needs—to have its sins taken away and to be reconciled to God? Do you realize that this is your great need? Every sinner—every man, woman, or child who has broken God’s holy law ( and that is every one of us)—stands condemned before God’s judicial wrath. By rights, God is opposed to us and not for us. Nonetheless, He loves the world, so He sent His only Son to be the Lamb to take away our sin. Ryle explains: “Christ did not come on earth to be a conqueror, or a philosopher, or a mere teacher of morality. He come to save sinners. He came to do that which man could never do for himself—to do that which money and learning can never obtain—to do that which is essential to man’s real happiness: He came to ‘take away sin.’”