Behold The Lamb of God

Transcript

Friends, this morning we continue our study of the Gospel according to John, and we find ourselves in John chapter 1, verses 19 through 34. We continue to look at this wonderful Gospel, we continue to study the words of Jesus once we get to them, but the words written about Him, as we’ll see this morning. Last Sunday we had a chance to look at Jesus. Pastor Thomas pointed us to the Eternal Son of God, the One who was in the beginning, who spoke all things into being. We got to see the connection between Genesis, the book of Genesis, and the unveiling of the Incarnate Son, the Incarnate Word in the Gospel of John. We kicked off our sermon series with a little bit of biblical theology, so thank you for that Pastor. And this morning we continue our study as we look at Jesus, the Lamb of God.

The Voice in the Wilderness

Let’s read our text this morning, we’ll begin from verse 19 and we’ll read to verse 34. If you have your Bibles open I’d like to invite you to stand if you’re able for the reading of the Word of God. John chapter 1, beginning at verse 19,

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’m 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 in the wilderness. Make straight the way of the Lord, as the prophet Isaiah said

— John 1

(ESV)

.

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

— John 1

(ESV)

.

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

— John 1

(ESV)

. This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Father, would you speak to us this morning? And would you direct our attention, our affection, the whole of who we are, to Jesus, the Lamb who comes to take away the sin of the world. Amen. Please be seated, friends. In Christian circles, John the Baptist is a big deal, and it’s not just Baptists that claim him. All Christians love John the Baptist. He was an important figure in the New Testament.

He was mentioned in all four Gospels. He was the last of the Old Testament prophets, and he ushered in the coming of the Messiah. John the Baptist came from an important religious family. He was related to the Messiah. And even Jesus had this to say about him in Matthew 11, 11. Truly, I say to you, among those born of women, there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. He’s even considered a saint in the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. This is an important person. This is a key figure in Christianity. This is a central person that we can’t just gloss over. We need to delve into understanding who this guy is. We need to try to wrap our heads around why it is that God used this man in this way, why he’s so important in the biblical story, why he’s so important in pointing out the Messiah.

And even though this is true, John’s assessment of himself was, well, a bit more humble than sainthood, and he certainly didn’t see himself as a great man. He certainly didn’t see himself as much of anything, really. He didn’t want to draw attention to himself. He didn’t want for others to talk about him. Why the disconnect? Why does Jesus speak in such a way about him? Why have we been talking about this man for 2,000 years? Why are we talking about him this morning when his own assessment of himself was, I’m just a voice. It seems John understood what his assignment was. It seems that John understood that his responsibility, as given to him by God, was to bear witness, to offer a testimony, to pave the way for Jesus, and that’s exactly what he did. There was a Moravian missionary in the 1700s named Nikolaus von Zinzendorf, wonderful name,

Journey and Destination

who once said, preach the gospel, die, and be forgotten. It seems to have essentially been John’s whole life plan. The poet and writer Ralph Waldo Emerson once penned the words that most of us have likely said at one point or another in our lives. It’s not the destination, it’s the journey, and in certain areas of life this may well be true, but when it comes to John the Baptist, who was called by God to be the messenger who would pave the way for the Messiah, it certainly is all about the destination. So let’s take a look at both the journey and the destination as we see it in our text. First we’ll look at the voice in verses 19 through 28, and then we’ll look at the lamb in verses 29 through 34. The voice. After the apostle John establishes the identity of Jesus as the incarnate word, the very son

of God, he then goes on to share about the ministry and the testimony of John the Baptist. So in the first 18 verses we see this prologue, this really profound Christology where we get to see Jesus as the incarnate word, the Logos, and then we get to John the Baptist. We get to this testimony about this Jesus. John, this man who was born miraculously to older parents who were infertile, who couldn’t have a child well beyond childbearing years, this man who was known for his wild appearance, for his unorthodox ministry, this man who had a lot of people talking about him, a lot of people interested in him, a lot of people coming out to see him, to hear from him. This is who we see. Now it’s important to note that John the Baptist wasn’t just somebody who was elevated with 15 minutes of fame, this wasn’t somebody who just kind of came and went, he was a big deal.

Secular historians from this time wrote about him at length. This wasn’t just the New Testament accounts of the Bible where we hear John the Baptist, there are actually historical accounts about this preacher, this prophet. Why? Well prophets were a big deal for Israel. They’d always been a big deal for Israel. These were incredibly important pivotal figures in Israel’s religious and cultural history. And after Malachi, there wasn’t a prophet for a very long time. You see friends, there was 400 years of silence. There’s 400 years of the people waiting, wondering, has God forgotten? Has he left us? What’s going on? What’s next? Where’s this Messiah? What do we do? Where do we go? Why have we lost our home? Why can’t we worship in the way that we’re supposed to? Why can’t we live the lives that God is calling us to? At least not in the fullest sense of that life.

What is happening? And so from the point that Malachi penned the end of his book to the beginning of Matthew, 400 years goes by, 400 years of silence, and then comes along this man. This man named John who was from a priestly lineage, who was born under extraordinary circumstances. And after the people of God waiting for 400 years to hear something, to hear anything, finally, a prophet arrives. After nothing for a very long time, what the Jews got was John the Baptist. And the people are very curious to see who this man is. And they’re very curious to hear what he has to say. And so he’s asked by this delegation from the religious leaders of their day, who are you? What is going on? Is this the beginning of what we’ve been waiting for? Is this the thing that we’ve been praying about? Is this what the other prophets before you have promised?

Who are you? What are you doing? And this makes sense given all the commotion surrounding him, given the broader religious context of their time. And then his answer in verse 20 to this question, it reads really odd, especially in English. Look at it. He confessed, he confessed and did not deny, but confessed, I’m not the Christ. What’s happening here is that in the original, he’s speaking emphatically. He’s really elevating the importance of what he has to say. He really wants them to get it into their heads. That what I’m about to say is a big deal. He confessed. He did not deny. He confessed. I’m not him. I know what you’re thinking. I know who you’ve been waiting for. I know what you need, but I’m not him. I’m telling you the truth. He’s seeking to be as clear as possible. He’s seeking to not allow for any confusion to take place about who he is, or more importantly,

who the Messiah is. I am not the Christ. This is so important. Turning attention away from self and friends. This is a powerful reminder for us. This is a really, really important thing for you and I to remember Christian, to look away from our own selves, to look away from our own idea of how important we are and what we offer to the world. To get away from this notion that we can be Jesus in any way other than being his hands and feet in very specific circumstances. We are not saviors. We are not called to be saviors, but we are called to point people to the Savior. And so the religious leaders move on and they say, okay, you’re not the Christ. Okay. Are you Elijah? And when he’s being asked if he’s Elijah, this is the one that Malachi promised would come at the end of Malachi’s book.

In chapter four, he says that before the Messiah comes, that Elijah would return. And so John says, no, I’m not. There’s this interesting thing that’s happening because in Matthew 11, 14, Jesus, speaking of John the Baptist says, and if you are willing to accept it, he’s speaking to his disciples. He says, if you’re willing to accept it, he, that is John the Baptist, is Elijah, who is to come. And Jesus seems here to be saying that John is functioning like an Elijah, like a prophetic figure who would speak for God and usher in the Messiah. This isn’t a contradiction in these books. This isn’t a contradiction between what John the Baptist is saying and what Jesus is saying. Moreover, the angel in Luke 1, 17, when he was speaking to Zechariah, John’s father, he says that your son is coming in the spirit and the power of Elijah.

This is a prophetic voice who would come with the power of Elijah, with the spirit of Elijah. This isn’t going to be Elijah reincarnated. This is going to be the spirit of Elijah who will come and who will proclaim the truth about who the Messiah is and when he will come. And so they say, okay, you’re not the Christ. You’re not Elijah. Are you the prophet? Not a prophet, the prophet. Are you the prophet? This is the one that Moses promised to the Israelites in Deuteronomy 18, this prophet that would come and would be greater than him. But Peter says in Acts 3 that this promised prophet was Jesus. Stephen says the same thing in Acts 7. So John says, no, I’m not him either. And seemingly just exasperated, well, then who are you? What are you doing? I’m just a voice, he says.

I’m the one who’s here to make the path straight for the coming king. The one of whom Isaiah spoke. The one that was promised from long ago. Do you see what’s happening here, saints? Whenever he’s asked, whatever he’s asked, he just says, it’s not about me. I’m just a messenger. I’m just a voice. It’s about him. It’s about God. It’s about the one who God has promised. Look away from me. Stop focusing on me. Look to him. Think of him. Contemplate him. Again, John wasn’t just some nobody in the culture. This was a big deal. This wasn’t just a random guy. Matthew 3.5 tells us that then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him. Cities were clearing out to go listen to this guy speak. People were coming from synagogues, from different religious contexts, expecting, questioning,

all these people wondering, where’s the Messiah? When is he coming? Where’s our prophet? Where’s the one that God has promised us? Everyone was coming out and listening to every word that this man was saying. This was an important figure. Everyone wanted a piece of him. He could have drawn some attention to himself, even just a little bit. Even develop just a little bit of a following, a brand. All he wanted to do, however, was to be faithful to point others to the Messiah. John the Baptist sought no honor. He wanted no title. He wanted no followers. In the following section of our chapter, if you jump ahead to verses 35 and 37, as he’s sitting with two of his disciples, he says, behold the Lamb of God. And what do they do? They leave John and they go and follow Jesus. Essentially, what he’s telling them is, why are you here with me?

What are you doing with me? Look, it’s the one that God has promised he’d send. He’s here. And the disciples get up and they’re like, oh, that’s okay. And they leave John. And that was perfect for John. He didn’t want people around him. He didn’t want notoriety. He didn’t want fame. He didn’t want a following and a brand. He wanted to point to Jesus. That’s all he desired his life to be, to point others to the Messiah, to make him known. Christian, is this how you live your life? Is this how you walk with Jesus? Is this how you do your ministry? Are you okay with not being known, with not being recognized, with serving in the shadows quietly, faithfully, not getting recognition, not getting acclaim, maybe doing a lot of things that no one will ever actually know that you did them, maybe providing for people

and caring for them and walking with them and being the hands and feet of Jesus in a very real way with no one ever telling you, good job, waiting for that great and final day when you hear those words, well done, good and faithful servant, and that being enough. Are you still wondering how high can I reach? What can I build? How much can I be recognized? See, John was the polar opposite of what we expect a spiritual leader to be. And I struggle to even say these words because I know that every time I’m preparing a sermon, every time I’m working through something for ministry, for church, I wrestle with this fact of how are people going to perceive me? Are they going to like what I have to say? It’s a struggle, but the whole of our lives is about him. It’s not about us.

The Baptizer’s Mission

Our gifts are to make us grow up into him who’s the head into Christ. So if you’re a nobody, the religious leaders ask, what are you doing baptizing? What’s all this about? What’s all the commotion? What’s this big show? Why are you baptizing? This should lead all of us to ask when we read this text, what’s going on with these baptisms? Church isn’t established yet. Isn’t water baptism a New Testament ordinance? Well, in Israel, especially during the intertestamental period, the Jews did something called proselyte baptism. This was essentially the baptizing of Gentiles who converted to Judaism, who wanted to be Jews, religious Jews. This meant, this was meant to be a purification or a cleansing ritual for those considered unclean Gentiles, pagans, outsiders, unclean people who are coming in to be a part of a pure undefiled people of God. But the interesting thing is how it worked at that time is these people were so unclean

a Jew didn’t even want to touch them. And so the pagan convert had to baptize himself. He would step into the water, get under the water and come out to symbolize that I’m washing away my uncleanness and I’m stepping into this covenant community so I can be with the people of God. And so here, John is not a Gentile convert. He’s not formally a priest, although from a priestly lineage, and yet he’s doing this purification ritual, baptizing others. He’s the one doing it. In Matthew 3, when speaking about John the Baptist paving the way for the Messiah, Matthew records him saying, repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. And again, who is he baptizing? Religious Jews. He was a Jew who came to Jews calling them to repent and offering this ritual cleansing to these very religious people. God’s chosen people. Don’t miss this.

This is so important. He’s saying the time is now. The Messiah is almost here. Israel, the people of God, you’re unclean. You’re not ready for him. You won’t see him. You won’t know him. You need to repent of your sin. You need to be cleansed. You need to be washed clean. You need to be made new. Repent. The time is now. He calls the people of God, the chosen people, the people through whom the Messiah for the whole world would come, to be cleansed in a way that was only supposed to be for pagans, for unclean people. This is an indictment. This is serious. Not the Christ, not Elijah, not the prophet, but the voice, the baptizer. So why are these religious people asking these very questions? Why do they look with suspicion at John the Baptist? Is it that his ministry is influential? Is it that they’re confused by his calling Jews to repent?

Well, in part, yes, but we also have to remember that these people, flawed as their thinking may have been, were eagerly awaiting the Messiah. They wanted so badly relief from their toil. They wanted so badly freedom and the restoration of Israel. They wanted so badly for the promise to be fulfilled of the one who would come and rescue them. And in looking at these different promises of God about who he’d be and where he’d come from, they’re trying to follow the path that’ll lead to him. They’re trying to make sense. Is it Elijah? Is it the prophet? What’s going on? Is this it? Or is this something else entirely? And John says, the journey leads here. I’m paving the way. I’m baptizing to prepare our people to receive the Messiah, to be ready when he comes. I’m pointing in his direction. I’m calling out his arrival.

And you keep asking about me, me, I’m a nobody, but him, he’s everything and he’s here. Are you ready? And this beautiful thing that John says in verse 27, look at verse 27 with me. He who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I’m not worthy to untie. In ancient Israel, the students of rabbis would tend to their every need. They’d be around for whatever the rabbi needed, whatever the teacher needed. You need me to carry your scrolls? I’ll carry your scrolls. You need me to go fetch something for you? I’ll do that. You need me to get some food? You want some water? You want me to help out with whatever? I’m here. Whatever you need, everything except for washing or touching the feet. This was considered extremely low in their culture. Anything having to do with footwear, anything having to do with feet, that’s slaves.

Do you remember when Jesus washed the feet of the disciples because none of them were willing to bring themselves to do it? They weren’t even willing to wash Jesus’ feet. These weren’t men of high status. These were fishermen. These were common men who were like, that’s too far for me. This was a task that was left for slaves. This was a humiliating and a lowly task for someone who would keep their head down while doing it. No one would even notice them. No one would even see them buzzing around and doing that kind of work. Washing the feet, untying the sandals that walked through the desert, that were covered in dust and dirt and were filthy. John says, speaking of Jesus, I’m not even worthy to touch his sandal strap. I’m not a disciple. I’m not a prophet. I’m not even worthy to be a slave.

Behold the Lamb

Don’t look at me, says John, but look to him. And who do we look to? Behold, the Lamb. Look with me at verses 29 through 34 and let’s reread these verses. 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. John the Baptist, well known as he is, disappears very quickly once the Messiah arrives. And this was by design. The whole of his life and his ministry was to point to Jesus. The Jews in Jesus’ day, they wanted a prophet. They wanted a king. They wanted someone powerful. And what did they get? They got a lamb. Jesus is only called the Lamb of God twice in the New Testament and both times are in this chapter. This is a powerful title. In a short span of text here in the Gospel of John, Jesus is called many different things. He’s called the Word, the Lamb of God, the Son of God, Rabbi, Messiah, King of Israel and the Son of Man. And other than the Word in the prologue of this book, the title that kicks all of these

off, the one that sets the stage, if you will, is that he is the Lamb of God. Where do we see in Scripture that the Messiah will be the Lamb who dies as a sacrifice for the sins of his people? Isaiah 53, verse 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. In the words of an Old Testament prophet and a New Testament prophet here in our text, spoken to both of them by God, we see the title of God for his own son of a lamb who will take away the sins of the world. Where else do we see this imagery of a lamb standing in our place? Genesis 22, when Abraham is called to offer his own son Isaac as a sacrifice and right

as he’s getting ready and he lifts up the knife to sacrifice his own son out of obedience to God, God stops him and what does he provide as a substitute? A lamb. Jesus, beloved, is our substitute. He stands in our place before God. He’s the only substitute. He’s the only way. He’s the only access sinful man has to holy God. Acts 4.12 says, 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. No other name but Jesus. Amen. Beloved, we move past this very quickly. And I fear that if we don’t consider the gravity of that truth, it’s very easy for us to go into a world of people that are perishing in their sins, that are dying, literally dying in their sins. And we feel no sense of urgency to reach these people.

There is salvation in no one else but the lamb. The Son of God took on human form so that he could be killed, slaughtered as a lamb. I know that we aren’t yet at the portion of the Gospel of John where we read of Jesus dying on the cross for the sins of his people. But if we are to understand why it is that the whole of our lives are to be wholly given over to him and lived for his glory and the exaltation of his name in the way that John the Baptist was, we look to the one who was born so that he could die and die in our place. The Lamb of God who came to give his life for his people. The Lamb of God who saves his people, who takes God’s wrath upon himself in our place is the same one of whom we read in Revelation 7, verses 13 and 17.

Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come? I said to him, Sir, you know. And he said to me, These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they are before the throne of God, and they serve him day and night in his temple. And he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more. The sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes

— Revelation 7

(ESV)

. He saves his people. He saves his people, and he makes them new, and he ushers them into eternity with him

to forever enjoy him in his infinite goodness and beauty, friend. Do you see why John is saying of Jesus, Him? I’m not even worthy to be considered his slave. He’s all that matters. The Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, the one through whom all things were made, took on human form so that he could be killed. Do you stop to think about this, Christian? To really think about it, to marvel at this truth? Or have you been a Christian long enough to where this has just kind of become commonplace? This has just been filed away along with other facts about Jesus, other things you learn from the Bible. God’s plan of redemption, how he would reconcile his people to himself, utterly confounded the religious leaders of Jesus’ day. Why? Because it opened the door for people from every tribe and tongue and nation to be the

people of God. They were expecting for this to be an exclusive club forever. And it completely turned their whole system upside down. The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, as we see in our text, is not a universalist claim, but rather it speaks to anyone, anywhere, who puts their trust in Jesus having access to his forgiveness of sins and eternal life with him. John 11, 51 and 52 speaks of Jesus gathering to himself people from all over the world. Jesus would die for the nation and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. First John 2.2 says he’s the propitiation, appeasing God’s wrath or reconciling sinners to God for the whole world, both Jews and Gentiles. Revelation 5.9 says that he ransomed people from every tribe, tongue, people and nation.

Living for His Glory

And all of these, these are Johannine writings. These are the disciples whom Jesus loved. This is the one who spent time with Jesus and the plan to rescue a people from all over the world, from every tribe, tongue and nation was made clear. The Messiah who first came to the Jews would be the savior of all people. All those who would repent of their sins and believe in him for their salvation. This is he who came before John the Baptist, who is greater than him. This is the word who was in the beginning. This is the suffering servant who was promised to come. This is the king of kings and lord of lords, the shepherd and the lamb who takes away the sins of the world. So I want to ask you, Christian, how do you think about your Christian life? How do you think about your ministry?

How do you think about the gifts that the Lord has given you for the good of his church? How much thought do we give to our own names, to our reputations? How often do we feel exasperated, overburdened, at our wits end with people whom we are serving only to come to realize that, man, this really doesn’t even feel like ministry anymore. I’m just kind of doing stuff. Saints, I see how much you all serve, I do. Trinity Church is beautiful, truly. I see how much you all serve, I see how hard you work to care for one another, to provide for one another, to serve each other, to love one another well. But dear brother, dear sister, do you ever feel like the measure of how you’re doing is dependent upon a certain amount of fruitfulness? A certain result, maybe? Maybe instead of thinking about results or effectiveness, we are to think of our lives

as being measured by faithfulness. The way we can look at our own faithfulness and the freedom to serve others, to love them, is whether or not we can see ourselves as merely those who point others to Jesus, or whether we believe the lie that we are special and we can enact some kind of change using just our own power and our own giftedness. Ministry will be a burden to you if it’s about you. Ministry will be a burden to you if it’s trying to figure out what you can do, how much of it you can do, how much you can squeeze out. But it will be a joy when your life is looking to Jesus and helping others look that way as well. And so Trinity Church, I want to encourage you to set your gaze regularly on Him. To consider your life as being wholly His.

To consider your gifts, your unique personality, your resources, your opportunities, your network as something that He has given you to point others to the ultimate source of joy and life, Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. In closing, I’d love for us to dwell on Him for just a moment. To consider His beauty. To consider His infinite worth. There’s a hymn written by Philip Bliss that I love called Hallelujah, What a Savior. I want to read the lyrics and then I want to just give you all a moment to spend time in quiet contemplative prayer. Man of sorrows, what a name for the Son of God who came, ruined sinners to reclaim, hallelujah, what a savior. Bearing shame and scoffing rude, in my place condemned He stood, sealed my pardon with His blood, hallelujah, what a savior. Guilty, vile, and helpless we, spotless Lamb of God was He, full atonement, can it be?

Hallelujah, what a savior. Lifted up was He to die, it is finished was His cry, now in heaven exalted high, hallelujah, what a savior. When He comes, our glorious King, all His ransomed home to bring, then anew His song will sing, hallelujah, what a savior. Our King Jesus, we stand in awe of You. The One through whom everything was created, the One who upholds and sustains, the only One through whom salvation is possible, and yet You took on human form. You were like us and You suffered in our place. How could we ever sing enough of Your praises? How could we ever grasp the immensity of Your grace and Your mercy and Your kindness? How can we ever thank You enough? Jesus, help us to love You with the whole of who we are and help us, maybe even in a small way, but to help others to see You as worthy of all glory and honor and praise.

Lead us, Lord, in the way that You would have us go and how You want us to live our lives so that others might see You through us. We pray in Your beautiful name, Amen.