BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD.

Text: John 1:29-34

The six verses in this passage of Scripture introduces us to the testimony of John the Baptist about Jesus Christ.

The Pharisees sent the Priests and the Levites to ask John who he was and why he was baptising people.

The question John was asked was “Who are you?” he clearly confessed that he was not the Christ. (John 1: 20)

The questing continues, if he was not the Christ then who was he? Elijah or the prophet which he also denied that he was not any of them.

John finally responds to their question that he was the “Voice” (John 1: 23). The message of the voice was to make straight the way for the Lord.

So if John was not in any of the offices mentioned then, why was he baptising?

For the leaders John needed to have the credentials which was going to qualify him to do what he was doing.

We can learn three lessons as believers from the life of John:

1). We are not the focus of the witness;

(2) we are not the light; and

(3) we proclaim belief in Jesus.

The next day of John’s narration he points out Jesus at a distance and he proclaims the Good News “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the World”. (John 1:29)

To look means to take someone’s attention or other versions will say to “Behold” it is a call to invite everyone to stop whatever they are doing and

What do we know about the Lamb?

In the Old Testament, a Lamb was offered as a sin offering to make atonement, the Lamb was supposed to be a female and flawless. The Priest was to make atonement on behalf a person who has sinned and the person was forgiven. (Lev 4:32-35).

The problem with this system was that the sacrifice was supposed to be over and over again, but the Lamb of God which John talks about here, is the one who takes away the sin of the World once and for all.

The Lamb of God John is talking about is the Sacrificial Lamb who came to die and takes away permanently the sin of those who believe in Him.

He is the atonement for the sin of the world.

Points:

1. Our message is to proclaim the the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. The world needs to hear this message of hope.

2. To those who have not recieved Him it is a call for you to “Behold Him who died for you”. It is a call for you to stop and think for a minute and ask yourself this question, “what is making me not to recognise Him as my Savior?” I call you stop whatever you are doing and come to Him who paid with His life for your redemption.

I will conclude by calling you to the words of the prophet Isaiah: Who has believed what he has heard from us?

And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

2  For he grew up before him like a young plant,

and like a root out of dry ground;

he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,

and no beauty that we should desire him.

3  He was despised and rejected by men,

a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;

and as one from whom men hide their faces

he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4  Surely he has borne our griefs

and carried our sorrows;

yet we esteemed him stricken,

smitten by God, and afflicted.

5  But he was pierced for our transgressions;

he was crushed for our iniquities;

upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,

and with his wounds we are healed.

6  All we like sheep have gone astray;

we have turned—every one—to his own way;

and the LORD has laid on him

the iniquity of us all.

7  He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,

yet he opened not his mouth;

like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,

and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,

so he opened not his mouth.

8  By oppression and judgment he was taken away;

and as for his generation, who considered

that he was cut off out of the land of the living,

stricken for the transgression of my people?

9  And they made his grave with the wicked

and with a rich man in his death,

although he had done no violence,

and there was no deceit in his mouth.

10  Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him;

he has put him to grief;

when his soul makes an offering for guilt,

he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;

the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

11  Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;

by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,

make many to be accounted righteous,

and he shall bear their iniquities.

12  Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,

and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,

because he poured out his soul to death

and was numbered with the transgressors;

yet he bore the sin of many,

and makes intercession for the transgressors.

“Behold the Lamb of God”.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. 2016. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.