Behold The Lamb

 Temple Baptist Church - 9-21-2022

John 1:19-29

 

Introduction:

 

A.  Last week, the religious crowd was introduced to “The voice of one crying in the wilderness.” 

 

1.  I am sure that I would also have been more than a little curious too.  It has been 400 years since the Lord had spoken verbally, by a prophet, a dream, a vision, or a sign.  Religion had flourished and the Pharisees and Sadducees were in control.  Religion was prospering and everyone seemed to be satisfied with it. 

 

2.  Out of the desert comes a man dressed in camel’s hair, eating honey and locusts while crying out to anyone who would stop and hear.  They met the greatest prophet born of woman, John the Baptist.  The forerunner of the Messiah; the spirit of Elias.

 

B.  John the Baptist introduced himself as “the voice of one crying in the wilderness.” 

 

C.  When John spoke this, the Messiah of Israel and Propitiation for the sins of whole world had not been revealed.  John knew of Him, but John did not know Him.

 

1.  By know Him, we understand that John had spent his entire life knowing Him.  John was 6 months older than our Lord and what we would refer to as a second cousin.  They no doubt were well acquainted and played together in their youth.

 

2.  John knew the young Jesus as a normal child, though without sin, in His humanity He was a normal child who loved to run and play with others.  One His mother’s side, Jesus was 100% human.

 

D.  In verse 29, John for the first time knew who the Messiah was as it pointed out to Him by God.

 

E.  In his introduction of Israel’s Messiah, John the Baptist introduced Him as “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world:” the sacrifice that would be the Propitiation for the sin of the world.

 

F.  “Behold the Lamb.”  Who was this Lamb that John presented?

 

1.  Christ us was the Sovereign Son of God.   John 1:14-16  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.  (15)  John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.  (16)  And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.  (Jehovah God, the Creator of all things, the Eternal Word of God, the only begotten of the Father—full of grace and truth.)

 

2.  Christ was the Sinless Saviour.  2 Corinthians 5:21  For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.  (People accuse our Lord Jesus Christ of sinfulness without even know what they are doing.  He is the sinless, immaculate, immutable Lord Jesus Christ.  I, with Pilate, find no fault in Him at all.)

 

3.  Christ was the Sinner’s Sacrifice.  Isaiah 53:4-6  Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.  (5)  But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.  (6)  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.  (I thank God that the Lord Jesus Christ died for me.  I am glad that the Lord Jesus Christ died for you.  I am glad that the Lord Jesus Christ died for the sins of the whole world.  No Calvinism found here.  Only the everlasting love of God for sinners.)

 

4.  Christ was the Saint’s Substitute.  1 John 2:1-2  My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:  (2)  And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.  (The Lord Jesus Christ took MY place!  I should have died in my sins and perished forever from the Lamb in the Lake of Fire.  Hallelujah, what a Saviour!)

 

5.  Christ was and is our Sufficiency.  Philippians 4:13  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.  (No task too daunting, no work too difficult, no mountain too high, and no valley too low.  I can do all things through Christ.  Where He leads, He guides.  Where He leads, He provides.)

 

6.  Christ will be the Splendor of our Eternity.  Revelation 22:3-5  And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:  (4)  And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.  (5)  And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.  (Israel was introduced by John the Baptist as their long-awaited Messiah and they rejected Him.  The sinner was introduced by John the Baptist to their Saviour and the choice remains theirs!)