Behold the Lamb of God

Introduction

Today we are going to look at the testimony of John the Baptist about Jesus. I want you to notice that as John’s ministry increases He is confronted by the Pharisees as to his importance “Are you the Christ? No, then maybe Elijah or the prophet?” In their minds he must declare his importance and therefore his right to baptize and teach such as he is. Yet John is always pointing to the Messiah, the long awaited savior of the Jews, who he discovers is his own cousin Jesus. He even tells his own disciples that Jesus is the “Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!,” causing them to leave and follow Jesus. This was a man who knew his purpose was not to make himself great but rather to make known the greatness of the Lord Jesus Christ. Look with me at John 1:19-34

John 1:19–34 ESV

And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing. The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” 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.’ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

Who are you?

John 1:23 ESV

He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”

Who are you?

Most people answer by what they do or maybe a role they play but notice what John does I am making the way easy for the Lord

I am just preparing the soil for the Lord

Me I am nobody but Jesus is God in the flesh - dont look at me look at Him

John 1:26–27 ESV

John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.”

By what authority do you baptize?

I baptize to get people ready for the Christ, and I aint nothing compared to him. I cant even take off his shoes the job for the lowest of slaves, who cleaned the dirty feet of the master and guests as they came in the door.

John 1:31 ESV

I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.”

tells disciples “My purpose is it reveal Jesus to Israel”

I am just a sign pointing to the savior of the world

I have no value except that I proclaim Jesus

Nothing else matters except that Jesus is lifted up, that he is praised, that all men are drawn to him, that they know he is God, that he saves and that He is Lord of their lives that's my purpose.

John is doing the work of God but when asked about position or authority or people try to lift him up he instead points back to Jesus.

I want to be like John that who I am is unimportant except that I point the way to Jesus.

The Source of Salvation

John 1:29 ESV

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

John recognized Jesus’ purpose in coming was to deal with sin.

This is the reason we point to Jesus

Lamb of God - blood sacrifices of old testament - as many as 20,000 lambs slaughtered on Passover

Perfect lamb that comes from God

It is permanent - takes away the sin

old testament they rolled back the punishment for sin - deferment

Jesus paid the penalty - it is finished

Of the world - Not just for Jews but for everyone

Its not a racial, financial, or geographical issue but rather it is for anyone and everyone

So Jesus is the perfect sacrifice sent from God to pay the penalty for the sins of the entire world as demanded by God’s holiness. Yet one must choose to accept this payment on their behalf.

Think of it like this: man walks in and sets a briefcase down on the kitchen table and says there is a million dollars in there left for you by a rich uncle you didn’t know you had. You can either choose to use it or let it sit there on the table. Either way it has been given to you but it is of no value unless you use it as your uncle intended. So it is with salvation Jesus has offered it to the whole world but you must choose to accept it and make Him Lord of your life for it to have any saving value.

Jesus Gives the Holy Spirit

John 1:32–34 ESV

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

The Spirit descended and remained - Throughout old testament the Spirit of the Lord came upon someone and they did something mighty for the Lord then the Spirit left, It did not remain with them. Yet Jesus it remained.

This began the ministry of Jesus

God tells John that when he sees the Spirit descend and remain this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit, He is the Son of God

Since the Holy Spirit remains with Jesus we can be assured that when Jesus says He will give send us the Holy Spirit to remain with us that He can and will do so.

John the Baptist also says that Jesus receiving the Holy Spirit marked him as the Son of God thus meaning Jesus being God could be and was perfect, thus making him the only sacrifice capable of meeting God’s holy requirements.

Invitation

Do you know the lamb of God as your personal Lord and Savior? Have you pleaded guilty of sin, of falling short of God’s perfection, and accepted Jesus gracious offer to pay the penalty of death on your behalf and made Him Lord of your life? No one is promised another breath please do not leave without having chosen him today. For those of you that already know Him as Lord and Savior are you pointing others to yourself and your glory or to Him and His glory? When others look at you do they see one of the world or a servant of Christ? When you stand before Jesus the one who died for you will he say well done my good and faithful servant? If not I challenge you to begin today to share Christ with the world around you, be it the server at the restaurant or the cashier at the Gas station. Maybe its just inviting your neighbor to church with you next week, whatever way it may be let us all share Christ this week with those around us.