Behold the Lamb of God

John 1:29–34 (ESV)

Behold, the Lamb of God

29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)

In this short but powerful declaration, John the Baptist identifies Jesus not merely as a teacher, prophet, or miracle-worker, but as the Lamb—God’s own provision for sin.

This statement reveals a depth of theology stretching from eternity past to eternity future. Today, we will look closely at five truths in John’s proclamation that unveil the majesty, mission, and eternal identity of Jesus Christ.

I. HE IS THE LAMB OF GOD (vv. 29) – The Savior Provided by God

John’s words are theologically loaded: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

A. God’s Provision for Sin

Christ is not a lamb—He is the Lamb. God initiates salvation.

Salvation is not man reaching up to God but God stooping down to man.

The picture of salvation is not that you are drowning and someone gives you a life jacket or a life savor and is up to you yo grab it.

That is not the picture —

B. The Fulfillment of the Passover (Exodus 12)

Israel was spared from judgment by the blood of the lamb.

Jesus fulfills this as the true Passover Lamb

(1 Corinthians 5:7 “Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.”

The blood of Jesus causes God’s judgment to pass over us.

When John is saying the Lamb of God the people knew this had a profound meaning

C. The Lamb Slain from the Foundation of the World

Revelation 13:8 “and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.”

Redemption was not plan B.

From eternity, the Triune God ordained the death of Christ to redeem His people.

Christ died not hypothetically, but actually to redeem a people

Meaning he brought names to the cross

John 10:11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

Ephesians 1:4–7 “even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,”

Behold this is the lamb that through His blood we obtained redemption—

His blood accomplished the forgiveness of our trespasses

The gospel is not merely an invitation— it is a divine accomplishment.

We Rejoice, that our sins are truly taken away by the Lamb.

II. HE IS THE ETERNAL CHRIST (v. 30) – The Son without Beginning

V30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’

A. John is explaining the Preexistence and Supremacy of the Lamb

John was born before Jesus, yet declares, “He was before me.”

Christ is eternal and this is a reality that we see in both old testament and new testament

Micah 5:2 “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.”

John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

Colossians 1:17 “And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

This points to His divinity—He is not a creature but the Creator.

B. The Alpha and Omega

(Revelation 22:13 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.””

Christ is the beginning and the end of all history.

He is before time, above time, and rules time.

If Jesus is eternal and sovereign, we are not. So therefore we bow before His Lordship.

We do not reduce Jesus to a spiritual life coach.

He is Lord, Judge, and King.

III. HE IS PREFERRED BEFORE ME (v. 30b) – The Preeminence of Christ

V30b because he was before me.

A. He Must Have First Place

Colossians 1:18 “And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.”

Christ is to be first in creation, in redemption, and in our affections.

From a latin frase solus Christus—Christ alone is worthy.

Christ alone is worthy.

Revelation 5:12 “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”

Christ alone is the way to God.

John 14:6 “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Christ alone is our mediator.

1 Timothy 2:5 “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”

Christ alone is sufficient for salvation.

Hebrews 10:14 “For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.”

Christ alone is our righteousness.

2 Corinthians 5:21 “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Christ alone saves.

Acts 4:12 “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

B. Joyful Humility in Ministry (John 3:30)

“He must increase, but I must decrease.”

Our lives, - the way we live how we act talk and walk

churches, - what we preach, what we believe, how we approach a dying world

and ministries exist to magnify Christ,

not self.

Where does Christ rank in your life? In your home? In your ministry?

🔹 In Your Life

Christ is not meant to be part of your life—He is meant to be your life.

Is Christ the center of your daily priorities or just part of your routine?

Do you pursue Christ with greater passion than your personal goals?

What dominates your thoughts when you're alone—Christ or something else?

Are you more concerned with your image or Christ’s likeness being formed in you?

🔹 In Your Home

Your home is either a platform for Christ or a distraction from Him.

Is Christ regularly spoken of, worshiped, and honored in your household?

Do your spouse and children see Christ’s character modeled in you?

Is your home marked more by spiritual intentionality or worldly distraction?

Does your family see Christ as your treasure, or something you fit in when convenient?

🔹 In Your Ministry

Ministry must be the overflow of devotion to Christ—not a substitute for it.

Are you more focused on results or on faithfulness to Christ?

Do you serve to be seen by others, or to make Christ seen?

Is your preaching/teaching centered on Christ, or on moralism, motivation, or yourself?

Would your ministry survive if Christ were removed from it?

IV. HE IS THE ANOINTED ONE (v. 32-33) – The Spirit-Anointed Messiah

John testifies that the Spirit descended upon Jesus and remained.

A. The Father's Approval

John 1:32–33 “And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’”

“This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Jesus is the true and faithful Son, succeeding where Adam failed.

Romans 5:19 “For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.”

🔸 In Light of Adam’s Failure:

Do I recognize how deeply sin has affected my nature since Adam?

Do I still try to justify myself by works, as Adam did with fig leaves, or do I rest in the covering of Christ?

Where in my life am I still listening to the voice of temptation over the voice of God?

🔸 In Light of Christ’s Faithfulness:

Am I trusting in Christ's obedience, or subtly relying on my own?

Do I reflect the humility and submission that Jesus displayed as the faithful Son?

Is my identity grounded in Adam's failure or in Christ's victory?

🔸 In Practical Living:

When I fall into sin, do I run from God like Adam, or to God through Christ?

Does the righteousness of Christ lead me to greater worship and obedience?

How can I daily live out the reality that Christ is my representative before the Father?

B. Anointed to Save

He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’”

Isaiah 61:1–2 “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn;”

Luke 4:18–21 ““The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.””

700 years apart

He was empowered by the Spirit to proclaim good news and set captives free.

Not just a moral teacher—Jesus came to redeem sinners.

V. HE IS THE SON OF GOD (v. 34) – The Divine Savior

“I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

A. Full Deity

The title “Son of God” means more than relationship—it means equal essence with the Father

John 5:18 “This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.”

He is not “becoming” God—He is God.

The Nicene Creed is one of the oldest and most important statements of what Christians believe. It was written nearly 1,700 years ago, when many people were confused about who Jesus really is and what the Bible teaches.

To clear up the confusion, Christian leaders from around the world gathered at a meeting called the Council of Nicaea in the year 325, and later expanded it in 381.

The creed begins like this

We believe in one God,       the Father almighty,       maker of heaven and earth,       of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ,       the only Son of God,       begotten from the Father before all ages,            God from God,            Light from Light,            true God from true God,       begotten, not made;       of the same essence as the Father.

B. The One Who Put Away Sin

Hebrews 9:26 “for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.”

He appeared “to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.”

The Reformed doctrine of penal substitutionary atonement teaches that Christ bore God’s wrath in our place.

Our assurance does not come from our performance but from the finished work of the divine Son. If God is satisfied with the Son’s work, so should we be.

Conclusion

John the Baptist said, “Behold the Lamb of God.”

Not "glance" at Him… not "consider" Him… but behold—gaze, worship, and trust.

In Jesus Christ, we find the Lamb who redeems, the Christ who reigns, the Son who satisfies.

So what must we do?

Believe in the Lamb who was slain.

Bow before the King who reigns eternally.

Boast only in the cross of Christ (Gal. 6:14).

Behold Him every day—because the gospel is not just how we begin, it is how we live.