BEHOLD, THE LAMB OF GOD

A Reading from Scripture for Communion Service

First Reader:
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And God
said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and the
Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into
his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

Second  Reader:
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created
he him; male and female created he them.

Narrator:  
And the Lord God commanded the man, saying,

First Reader:
Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat, but of the
tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of
it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely
die.

Narrator:
Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field
which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman,

First Reader:
Yea hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

Narrator: 
And the  woman said unto the serpent,

Second Reader: 
We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the gardens but of the
fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden,. God hath
said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye
die.

Narrator:  
And the serpent said unto the woman,

First Reader:  
Ye shall not surely die.

Second Reader:
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that
it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make
one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave
also unto her husband with her and he did eat.

First Reader: 
And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden
in the cool of the day; and Adam and his wife hid themselves
from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the
garden.

Second Reader: 
And unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats
of skins, and clothed them. And . .the Lord sent them forth from
the garden of Eden.

Narrator: 
And the Lord God said unto the serpent,

First Reader: 
I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy
seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt
bruise his heel.

Voice
Behold, the lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the World. 

Narrator:
And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt
Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said,

First Reader
Behold, here  am I.

Narrator:
And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou
lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him
there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which  will
tell thee of.

Second Reader: 
And Abraham rose up early in the morning and saddled his ass,
and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and
cut the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto
the place of which God had told him. And Isaac spoke unto
Abraham his father, and said, "My father" and he said, "Here am
I, my son."  And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but
where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said,

Narrator:
My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering.

First Reader: 
And they came to the place which God had told him of; and
Abraham built an altar there, and laid wood in order, and bound
Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And
Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his
son.  And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven
and said,	 

Narrator:  
Abraham, Abraham

First Reader.  
And he said, Here am I. 

Narrator: 
And he said unto him, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither
do thou anything unto him  or now I know that thou fearest God,
seeing thou hast not withheld they son, thine only son from me.	

Second Reader: 
And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind
him ram caught in a thicket by his horns and Abraham went and
took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the
stead of his son.

Voice:  
Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world.

Narrator: 
And the Lord spoke unto Moses and Aaran in the land of Egypt,
saying, Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, Saying,

First Reader: 
In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man
a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for a
house.

Second Reader: 
Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year.
And and they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two
side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein
they shall eat it. 

First Reader:
And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on
your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in
haste; it is the Lord's Passover. For I will pass through the
land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the first-born in
the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods
of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord.

Second Reader: 
And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where
ye are and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the
plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the
land of Egypt.

Voice:  
Behold, the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Narrator:
And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, 

First Reader: 
If anyone of the common people sin through ignorance, while he
doeth somewhat against any of the commandments of the Lord
concerning things which ought not to be done, and be guilty,

Second Reader:
Then he shall bring a lamb for a sin offering. He shall bring it
a female without blemish. And he shall lay his hand upon the
head of the sin offering in the place where they kill the burnt
offering.

First Reader: 
And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with
his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt
offering, and the priest shall burn (it) upon the altar,
according to the offerings made by fire unto the Lord:

Narrator:
And the priest shall make an atonement for his sin that he hath
committed, and it shall be forgiven him.

Voice:
Behold, the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Second Reader: 
He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and
acquainted with griefs and we hid as it were our faces from him;
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Narrator: 
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows yet we
did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

First Reader:
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for
our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and
with his stripes we are healed.

Second Reader: 
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to
his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us
all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not
his mouth. He was  brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a
sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

First Reader:
He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied:
by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he
shall bear their iniquities.

Narrator: 
He hath poured out his soul unto death, and he was numbered with
the transgressors; and he bore the sin of many, and made
intercession for the transgesssors.	

Voice:
Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.

Narrator: 
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise

Second Reader:  
When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came
together, she was found with child of through Holy Ghost.

First Reader: 
Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to
make her public example, was minded to put her away quietly. But
while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord
appeared unto him in a dream, saying,

Narrator:
Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy
wife for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name
Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins.

Voice:  
Behold, the lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Second Reader:
Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be
baptized of him. But John forbade him, saying, I have need to be
baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering
said unto him,

First Reader: 
Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all
righteousness.

Second Reader: 
Then he suffered him. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up
straight-away out of the waters and, lo, the heavens were opened
unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove,
and lighting upon him  and lo, a voice from heaven, saying,

Narrator: 
This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

First Reader:
The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith,

Voice: 
Behold, the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
 
Narrator: 
And he spake this parable unto them, saying,

First Reader: 
What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he lose one of them,
doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go
after that which is lost, until he find it?

Second Reader:
And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders,
rejoicing.

First Reader: 
And when he cometh home, he calleth together all his friends and
neighbors, saying unto them, "Rejoice with me; for I have found
my sheep." 

Narrator: 
I say unto you, that likewise Joy shall be in heaven over one
sinner repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just person,
which need no repentance.

Voice: 
Behold, the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

First Reader: 
I am good shepherd.

Second Reader:
The good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

Narrator: 
But he that is a hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the
sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and
fleeth and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.

Second Reader: 
The hireling fleeth, because he is a hireling, and careth not
for the sheep

First Reader: 
I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine,
and I lay down my life for the sheep  

Voice:
Behold, the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Narrator: 
And when the hour had come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles
with him, and he said unto them,

First Reader: 
With desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before
I suffer  And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and
gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you
ye this do in remembrance of me.	

*(The pastor, who is the first reader, leads the congregation in 
Taking  the bread.)


First Reader: 
Likewise also the took the cup after supper, saying, This cup is
the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. I say unto
you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the
kingdom of God shall come.

*(The pastor leads the congregation in taking the wine.)

Narrator: 
And as came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of
Olives; and his disciples also followed him. And when he was at
the place, he said unto them,

First Reader: 
Pray that ye enter not into temptation.

Second Reader: 
And he was withdrew from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled
down, and prayed, saying,

First Reader: 
Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me,
nevertheless, not my will, but thine, be done.

Voice: 
Behold, the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

First Reader;
Then (Pilate) delivered him unto them to be crucified. And they
took Jesus, and led him away. And he bearing his cross went
forth into a place called in the Hebrew Golgotha:

Second Reader:
There they crucified him, and two others with him on either side
one, and Jesus in the midst. And Pilate wrote a title, and put
it on the cross. And the writing was, "Jesus of Nazareth the
King of the Jews." Then said Jesus,

First Reader: 
Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. 

Voice: 
Behold, the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. 

Narrator: 
After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished,
that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith,

First Reader: 
I thirst.

Second Reader: 
Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar and they filled a
sponge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his
mouth.

Narrator: 
When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said,

First Reader:
It is finished!

Second Reader: 
And he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

Voice:
Behold, the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Narrator:
And I looked, and, lo a Lamb stood on the mount Zion, and with
him a hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name
written in their foreheads.

First Reader: 
And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth and he
causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond,
to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their forehead. And
that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the
name of the beast, or the number of his name.  

Narrator: 
And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that
sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness
he doeth judge and make war.

Second Reader: 
His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many
crowns.  And he had a name written, that no man knew, but he
himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood and
his name is called "The Word of God."

First Reader: 
And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white
horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 

Narrator: 
And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King
of Kings and Lord of Lords.

First Reader:
And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their
armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on
the horse, and against his army. And the beast was taken, and
with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him,
with which he deceived them the had received the mark of the
beast, and them that worshipped his image.

Narrator: 
These both were cant alive into a lake of fire burning with
brimstone. 

Second Reader: 
And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire and them
that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image,
and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the
sea of glass, having the harps of God. And they sing the song of
Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,

First Reader: 
Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and
true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear thee,
O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy, for all
nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments
are made manifest.  

Narrator: 
But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of
the vine, until that day when I drink it with you in my Father's
kingdom.

Voice: 
Behold, the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.