Sunday, November 9, 2008

John 1:29-34 The Lamb of God

09.11.08 John 1:29-34 (NASB)

Audio Sermon File: John 1:29-34

Going Deeper: Study Guide

The Lamb of God

John 1:29-34 states:
29 The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 "This is He on behalf of whom I said, `After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.' 31 "I did not recognize Him, but so that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing in water." 32 John testified saying, "I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him. 33 "I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, `He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.' 34 "I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God."
Today we will affirm four great truths about Jesus Christ, as the Lamb of God. Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God as evidenced by four powerful confessions:

1. The Lamb of God SAVES
2. The Lamb of God is SUPERIOR
3. The Lamb of God SANCTIFIES
4. The Lamb of God is SUPREME

Last week we reacquainted ourselves with a humble servant of the Lord - John the Baptist. John the Baptist was under interrogation by the Jews from Jerusalem. Their purpose was to investigate the Baptist. They needed to report back to the religious authorities, with the answer to this question - ‘WHO ARE YOU?’ And in reply John the Baptist - plainly, truthfully - states that he is not, who they think he might have been. Now continuing in the Gospel of John in chapter 1, verse 29, John the Baptist gives us 4 powerful confessions.

Jesus Christ takes our place, and is the only perfect sinless sacrifice which pleases God so that He forgives us of all our sins - Jesus Christ SAVES; Jesus Christ surpasses all of us because He is God Jesus Christ is SUPERIOR; Jesus Christ sets us apart for holiness when He saves us - in other words Jesus Christ SANCTIFIES; Jesus Christ is the only way in which we may be saved because He is the Son of God Jesus Christ is SUPREME.

John the Baptist begins with his first confession which is that :

1. The Lamb of God SAVES (v.29)

As the our passage begins we should note that it begins with the words ‘the next day’, in verse 29. ‘The next day’ appears here, and also in verses 35, 43, and in 2:1. It points the reader to the fact that there a series of days and consecutive events that are chronological. These series of days contain happenings which give testimony and confession of who Jesus is. They serve to develop a positive identification of the coming Saviour to which John the Baptist pointed to. As each day progresses a deeper picture of the Messiah - Jesus Christ, is painted.

For a long time the Jews were awaiting their coming Messiah that had been prophesied about in the Scriptures. When the word spread around about the John the Baptist’s ministry, it gained a lot of attention. So in response to the Baptist’s ministry - in the direct preceding context of verses (v.19-28) - the religious authorities sent out some of their members to figure out who John the Baptist was. They questioned him as to whether he was the Christ - and the Baptist’s reply was no he was not. They questioned him as to whether he was Elijah, or the prophet - and once again received the answers - no. Instead John declares himself to be the ‘voice,’ the one whom God called to point others to the Saviour - and to call them to prepare. And now the Baptist does do that - he points decisively at Jesus - the Christ he prepared others for and exclaims ‘Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’ John the Baptist declares ‘Behold’ - or look - drawing attention to Jesus. John then attributes to Jesus the title - ‘the Lamb of God.’ John anticipates something so important to this gospel book. The event that is foreshadowed is the cross upon which Christ dies. Jesus Christ is the Lamb - a special kind of lamb which is able to permanently take away our sin.

With this statement there is a possible link to the Passover celebration, which looms just over the horizon, in chapter 2. The Passover commemorates the time that the Jews were delivered from slavery in Egypt. The Passover was in remembrance of the tenth plague upon the Egyptians. If you remember this 10th plague was in judgement of the nation for Pharaoh’s obstinance. In the tenth plague, the Lord sent the angel of death to ‘pass over’ the Jewish homes on which the doorposts were sprinkled with blood (Exod 12:23-27). As the angel ‘passed over’ these homes, those who did not have the blood of a lamb upon their doorposts - the result was that the firstborn of men and animal of these homes, were judged by death.

In the Old Testament we have the concept of a ritual taking away of sin through the life of a sacrificial animal. It was a wiping away of sin, a covering over (Heb. -kephar), or getting rid of sin - specifically symbolized by its blood which was required in exchange for the life of the worshipper. This was a symbolic expression of - innocent life given for guilty life. The Passover foreshadowed Christ’s work of glorifying God through His sacrifice - the shedding of His blood upon the cross, and therefore the bearing away of the sins of the people. The shed blood of Christ upon the cross and the subsequent removal of our sins - constitutes the atonement. The atonement is the act where we are made to be ‘at one’ with God once again. Christ’s innocent life was given for our guilty lives.

In both the offering of the sacrificial animal and in the sacrifice of Christ on the cross - only those who were genuine in faith and repentance, received its benefit, which was the forgiveness of God. God’s forgiveness , was not based on any animal sacrifice, but on The One - that is Jesus Christ. Because all the sacrifices of the OT pictured and pointed the person to their need of a permanent solution to sin - and that was found in Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death in our place. The Old Testament ritual anticipated the perfect sacrificial Lamb of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the ultimate High Priest, who died on the cross for you and for me. What was presented in the OT, now in the NT what was foreshadowed, has been revealed clearly to us - that Jesus Christ is ‘the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’

It is interesting to note here in verse 29, that the word sin is used, and not the plural ‘sins.’ The point is that the Baptist is not only looking at a number of individual acts of sin, but looks to the broader scope. He foreshadows the cross, and acknowledges that ‘the Lamb of God’s’ sacrifice is sufficient. It is sufficient for taking away the totality of the world’s sin - but that it effectively only reaches all people whom are chosen. Though the forgiveness of sin is offered, only those who receive Christ will it become efficacious - because if we remember back in verses 11 and 12 - it states that Jesus Christ - "came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God."

The word ‘World’ speaks of the comprehensive nature of Christ’s work on our behalf to satisfy God’s just wrath upon the sinner. Christ’s death and resurrection is adequate for anyone who would come in humble reliance upon the Lord, for salvation from the penalty of their sins.
REPEAT - There is a tendency for believers to live in the light of their sins; and not in the light of the One who has granted us the forgiveness of our sins.

Yes, we do sin, as believers - though being saved by God from our sins - yet we often dwell upon the grief which was associated with our sins. Despite our confession of sin often we cling to the remembrance of them - even though they have been forgiven. Our past sins, though forgiven - plague our memories. And because of this we often live in the past and not in the present and the future. Do you ever feel that you are too sinful to be forgiven? Do you feel that even though you have asked God to be forgiven, there is no assurance of this? Let us look to Scripture to help us with these often very real feelings.

Jeremiah 31:33-34 states: 33 "But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days," declares the Lord, "I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 "They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, `Know the Lord,' for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them," declares the Lord, "for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more." This statement from Jeremiah is the announcement of the New Covenant which tells us the reality of the results of the coming of Jesus Christ, which we as believers are a part of in Christ. Through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within us we are now a new creation in Christ, and all our sins have been forgiven.
1 John 1:9 tells us - If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

In this verse, it points us to the fact that God will indeed forgive us if we confess our sins to Him. In order to be assured of God’s forgiveness we need to accept what God has stated in His Word. When we have genuinely sought out God’s forgiveness then - God will remember our sins no more. God will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. For the believer - we need to live in light of the facts of forgiveness and not in light of our emotions which may deceive us.

For those of you who do not know Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour - there is no one who is too sinful to be forgiven - Jesus Christ saves. So it is revealed that - Jesus Christ takes our sins away as the perfect sinless sacrifice on our behalf if we put our complete trust in Him.
John the Baptist ads further weight to his testimony. This time it relates to the proper identification of the Messiah he just pointed to. He states on behalf of the One he pointed to, that:

2. The Lamb of God is SUPERIOR (v.30)

Verse 30 states - This is He on behalf of whom I said, `After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.' The focus of this verse is solely upon the Lamb of God. This Man is the one who is superior to - and also having priority over the Baptist. The Baptist makes this same declaration back in verse 15, if you look back there in your Bibles. Prior to that point John could not make a positive ID of the Christ. But in v. 15 and now in v. 30 - the Baptist is now able to point out Jesus the Christ, beyond a shadow of a doubt.

Jesus Christ is SUPERIOR as the Baptist uses in his description of Christ - ‘a Man’ - and we see that John balances the reality of who Jesus is. In context to the opening verses of chapter 1 - Jesus Christ is the God-Man. For the Lamb of God - is fully human yet He is also the eternal Word of God. John the Baptist affirms the priority of the incarnate Word. John the Baptist humbly declares without any question that Jesus Christ, though coming after John - has a higher rank than him (ie - pre-eminent) and Jesus Christ existied before the Baptist (ie - Jesus was eternally pre-existent cf. v.1-2).

Not only is it that Jesus Christ SAVES, and that Jesus Christ is SUPERIOR to us, John in verse 31 delivers his 3rd powerful confession of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God - which is that:

3. The Lamb of God SANCTIFIES (v.31-33)

v.31 - At this point of the our passage in verses 31-33, we should note that John had already Baptized Jesus earlier. And up to that point, John the Baptist makes the claim that he did not recognize Jesus. And the knowledge that Jesus was indeed the Messiah did come through God’s revelation later, which was revealed at the Baptism of the Messiah. Scripture does not mention if John the Baptist and Jesus knew one another personally before this event - but we do know that they were related to one another (Lk. 1:36). It was, however the Baptist’s function to reveal and make known the Messiah to Israel, which only was affirmed at Jesus’ baptism.

v.32 - Through the Baptist’s own personal experience of baptizing Jesus - did God confirm that Jesus was indeed the Lamb of God. At this junction of human history, the Baptist states - I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him. The descent of the Spirit was a visible event. The Spirit of God manifested Himself in likeness as a dove as a sign. The dove, to the Jews it seems was associated as a symbol of the Holy Spirit (it is important to note that the Spirit is not a dove). It was only the sign which God used to confirm to the Baptist, who the Messiah was. John the Baptist did recognize Jesus as the Messiah when He came to John to be baptized, but now the permanent and undeniable proof was given by God. The presence of the Spirit of God coming out of heaven served to authenticate Jesus’ earthly ministry. It also represents the seal of Christ’s work in the people He saves.

v.33 - John was in no way portraying himself as the one who could impart the Spirit to his own disciples or anyone else. He did announce that it was the Lamb of God that could do so. John baptized with water - in a call to repentance and preparation for the Messiah, but Jesus Christ baptizes in the Holy Spirit. Baptism with the Holy Spirit was foreshadowed in the OT, in the book of Ezekiel. Ezekiel reveals God’s future plans of restoration of His people in chapter 36. Ezekiel 36:25-27 states: 25 "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 "Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.

Once again like the passage I quoted earlier from Jeremiah, this too is a reference to the New Covenant. In the Lamb of God the New Covenant is fulfilled. In Jesus Christ we are cleansed - washed clean from our sins through His saving grace imparted to the believer. It is Jesus Christ who baptizes believer’s with the Holy Spirit.

At the beginning of our worship we sang the hymn "WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS" penned by Joseph Scriven, who lived between the years 1819-1886. This was written about the author and the song in the book Amazing Grace (which gives the stories behind the hymns):
A true friend loves and accepts us just as we are, stays close to us in good or in bad, and is always ready to help in time of need. Because the author of this hymn text found just such a friend in his Lord, he decided to spend his entire life showing real friendship to others.

Joseph Scriven had wealth, education, a devoted family, and a pleasant life in his native Ireland. Then unexpected tragedy entered. On the night before Scriven’s scheduled wedding, his fiancĂ©e drowned. In his deep sorrow, Joseph realized that he could find the solace and support he needed only in his dearest friend, Jesus. Soon after this tragedy, Scriven dramatically changed his lifestyle. He left Ireland for Port Hope, Canada (which is about an hour east of Toronto), he was determined to devote all of his extra time in being a friend and helper to others. Scriven became known as "the Good Samaritan of Port Hope."

When Scriven’s mother became ill in Ireland, he wrote a comforting letter to her, enclosing the words of his newly written poem with the prayer that these brief lines would remind her of a never-failing heavenly Friend. Sometime later, when Joseph Scriven himself was ill, a friend who came to call on him happened to see a copy of these words scribbled on scratch paper near his bed. The friend read the lines with interest and asked, "Who wrote those beautiful words?" "The Lord and I did it between us," was Scriven’s reply.

Scriven’s song begins with these words - ‘What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!’ Yes, Jesus is our friend He is the Lamb of God who takes away your sins. When you place your complete trust in Him, He will not disappoint you, for He is faithful. When you believe in Jesus Christ, He gives you the indwelling Holy Spirit which does the work of sanctification in you. The song closes with these words - ‘in His arms He’ll take and shield thee—Thou wilt find a solace there.’ (Osbeck, K. W. 1990. Amazing grace : 366 inspiring hymn stories for daily devotions. Includes indexes. (Page 19). Kregel Publications: Grand Rapids, Mich. )

In the Lamb of God we find our shelter from our sin.

When we were saved by Christ we are made new - 2 Cor. 5:17 tells us this - Therefore if anyone is in Christ, [he is] a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
At the time of our conversion, when we have sincerely repented (turned away from the love of sin) and confessed our sin and our utter need for Christ, as our Saviour from our sins - we receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit then indwells in the believer - He lives in us permanently, which is our seal of the new life received in Christ. Ephesians 1:13-14 affirms to us this spiritual reality: 13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation - having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of [God's own] possession, to the praise of His glory.

God gives us the indwelling of the Holy Spirit as a guarantee that we are truly saved. With the Holy Spirit living in the believer, there will be marks of spiritual growth and maturity - because we are being sanctified - in other words - set apart for holiness - set apart for God’s purposes.
Finally we find our last important confession:

4. The Lamb of God SUPREME (v.34)

John supports his testimony of the Messiah with his fourth confession - ‘that this is the Son of God,’ in verse 34. He once again gives us the reader the positive identification of who the Lamb of God is. John emphatically declares that in Jesus Christ we find the anointed elect One. And I want to lead you to discover this yourself. And how you can do this is to look in your Bibles - to draw this back to the things we have learned from verse 1 and to bring things back ‘full circle’ down to verse 34 and then back to verse 1 - we then have this certainty unfolding in the inspired, inerrant, infallible text :

that in verse 1 - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (v.1); now in verse 14 - And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth; and in verse 17b - grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ; in verse 29 - The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! ; connect this with verse 34 - "I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God; and now bring it back full circle to verse 1c - the Word was God.

Therefore it is undeniable that the Word became flesh in the Person of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God and Son of God - to die as the sole sacrifice for our sins if we receive this truth and cast ourselves upon His grace and mercy - in repentance of our sins.

Now back to verse 34 - the focus is once again on the identification of ‘The Lamb of God’ - and this time it is on His supremacy. This is the concern of the Baptist because God sent him to be a witness to the Messiah. John was the voice preparing the way for the Messiah’s arrival, and now that the Messiah is here, he states - I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God - John the Baptist identifies and points to Jesus Christ. This is also the concern of the Apostle John, as he recounts the Good News about the Christ.

As the Son, Jesus has a special relationship with the Father. It speaks of an intimate and unique knowledge of the Father - that Jesus Christ alone shares the same nature as the Father. As we will discover later on in the Gospel, Jesus on several occasions, applies to Himself this special relationship of being the Son of God. In so doing Jesus asserted His Deity. Yet what we find here - is that Jesus, as the Son of God, is the chosen One that would be in fulfillment of God’s plan of Salvation….Jesus has been chosen as the suffering servant, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! In none other is there salvation, for - there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12).

In our passage today we have come to understand four important confessions of who Jesus Christ is:

Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God - and as the sacrificial lamb, Jesus removes the sin of the world. The removal of our sin is found through the atoning sacrifice of Christ upon the cross - which places the believer - ‘at one’ with God.

Jesus Christ is able to take away your sin and that of the world because He is the One who has a higher rank than John and existed before John. Jesus Christ is superior to us in all respects - He is superior to any existing claims of world religions - for He solely is the Eternal God.

Jesus Christ is the only One who grants salvation from our sins and is the giver of eternal life because He is the only One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit. At the moment that we are saved by Jesus Christ - He sanctifies us - setting us apart for holiness - through His Spirit whom lives in the born again believer.

Jesus Christ is truly the unique One from the Father as He is the Son of God. As it states in Col. 2:9 - ‘For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.’

We have spiritual victory in our life because of the source of our victory over sin is in Christ alone - the Lamb of God. Christ SAVES us from the penalty of our sins, Christ is SUPERIOR in every regard, Christ SANCTIFIES us, and Christ is SUPREME - all powerful because HE IS God.

Have you come to the Lamb of God for the forgiveness of your sin? Have you turned your life over to the Lamb of God as your Lord and Saviour?

(For a full explanation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ - click here - http://www.doihaveeternallife.blogspot.com/)
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