The Lamb is the Way

The Lamb is the Way

John 3:22-36

INTRODUCTION

Nicodemus and Jesus (1-15)

Jesus' Commentary on Salvation (16-21)

John the Baptist vs. Nicodemus (22-36)

John 3:22–36 ESV

22 After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing. 23 John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized 24 (for John had not yet been put in prison). 25 Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.” 27 John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ 29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.” 31 He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. 33 Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. 34 For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

Set-UP (22-26)

Jesus and John the Baptist's ministries overlapped for a little while.

They were in different places with their own disciples.

Everyone was starting to notice the similarities.

John's disciples and his crowd were beginning to question.

They are discussing purification. (22)

John 1- Jesus is declared “Lamb of God who comes to take away the sins of the world.”

-John 2- The Wedding Feast. Jesus uses the water set aside for purification and turns to wine. Points to his death and means of purification.

-John 3 - Jesus is show as the one who gives eternal life.

-Here John declares him once again as the one above him who has the ability to bring true purification.

Contrast John the Baptist and Nicodemus

John the Baptist deals with the same truth much differently than Nicodemus.

Nicodemus leaves still missing Jesus.

John the Baptist does not miss who Jesus is.

2 Ways to Not Miss Jesus

I. Know Your Place (27-30)

3 Ways John the Baptist Stayed in His Place

1. He Knew God Determined Position (27)

John 3:27 ESV

27 John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven.

"Who am I to stand in the way of what God is doing?"

John is not Jesus. They stand in contrast to each other.

John is a witness- Jesus is the Light

John is a voice- Jesus is the Word

John baptizes with water- Jesus baptizes with the Spirit.

Spiritual Gifts

God gives as he chooses to serve his purposes.

1 Corinthians 12:18–20 ESV

18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.

He has gifted us in different ways so we can perform as different parts of the body.

Confession: I wish I had different gifts. I wish I could remember names. I wish I was a better administrator. I wish I was more extroverted.

He has given me the gifts I need and called me to this church with you. Where I am weak He are strong. Where I am missing gifts, he has given each of you with different gifts.

We shouldn't question other people's gifts nor our own gifts.

We find our place in what God is doing in this world and we do what he has called us to do.

2. He Knew God Directed His Purpose (28)

John 3:28 ESV

28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’

John had a different position and purpose than Jesus.

John's purpose was to prepare the way for the coming of Jesus.

ILL- relay race. where the only leg that mattered was the last one.

Wewoka 4X400 relay- my Sophomore year.

First three legs of race had one goal- don’t get too far behind.

John did his job- he needed to get out of the way (30)

John 3:30 ESV

30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”

John's disciples did not get this- many of them were loyal to the point of loss.

They chose following man over God.

ILL- Pastor Followers.

3. He Knew God Demonstrated Perfect Unity (29-30)

John 3:29–30 ESV

29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”

He rejoiced in Jesus' success because it served his purpose.

They are on the same team.

Parable: Marriage-

It was custom for the groom to select one or two close friends to escort the bride to the groom's marriage chamber and wait outside the room for the groom's shout and often for a receipt of tokens that the marriage had been consummated. The friends job was then to inform the guests that the wedding party could resume.

John was the friend- he rejoices in the voice of the groom who has come for his bride.

The bride is the Church. One day Jesus will come for his bride.

Matthew 9:15 ESV

15 And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.

We are on he same team:

Philippians 2:3–8 ESV

3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Why can't we rejoice in the success of other believers and other churches?

2. Know Jesus

4 Truths John the Baptist Knew About Jesus

1. Jesus Had Higher Rank (31)

John 3:31 ESV

31 He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all.

Philippians 2:9–11 ESV

9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Colossians 1:15–17 ESV

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

2. Jesus Had Higher Experience (32)

John 3:32 ESV

32 He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony.

He bears witness to what he has seen.

1st hand vs. 2nd hand experience.

I've read about war and seen lots of movies.

Different than those who have lived it for themselves.

3. Jesus Had Higher Authority (33-35)

John 3:33–35 ESV

33 Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. 34 For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand.

His testimony is truth.

His Words are God's Words.

Jesus was given the complete Holy Spirit- all.

Jesus was given all.

Jesus has it all because he is God.

Cattle on a thousand hills.

He is the creator.

4. Jesus Had Higher Significance (36)

John 3:36 ESV

36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

It's about eternal life.

John 14:6 ESV

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

1 John 5:9–12 ESV

9 If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. 11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

Jesus did not come to condemn because the world is condemned already.

Jesus satisfies the wrath of God.

He is the Lamb- sacrificed in our place for our sin.

The Propitiation- The sacrifice that satisfies the wrath of God.

God is holy and therefore must hold sin accountable.

Romans 1:18 ESV

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.

Revelation 21:7–8 ESV

7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

Revelation 21:27 ESV

27 But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Revelation 22:15 ESV

15 Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

Belief and Obedience

Repentance, faith, Belief, Obedience, Lordship- all have one thing in common: Surrender.

Surrender to who Jesus Is.

Surrender to do his will not yours.

Surrender to his Lordship.

Surrender is the opposite of works.

Saved by faith, not works.

Faith= ILL- turning lose and being caught by someone else.

When we surrender he will change us.

2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

CONCLUSION

John 3:16–17 ESV

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Have you surrendered to Jesus?