Sermon Tone Analysis

Behold the Lamb of God!

Series: The Gospel of John

John 1:29-42

Sermon by Rick Crandall

Grayson Baptist Church - April 20, 2016

(Revised June 18, 2019)

*Have you ever gotten some really good advice?

-- Something you could look back on and say, "Wow! -- I sure am glad I listened to that!"

*I remember getting some very kind and patient advice from my dad many years ago.

It happened after I got crossed up with my mother.

Dad's advice was excellent, and almost 45 years later, I still have it in a letter at home

*All of us have gotten some excellent advice in life, or we probably wouldn't be here tonight.

-- Amen?

That's the kind of advice John the Baptist gave to his disciples here in God's Word.

*First in vs. 29: "The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, 'Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!'"

The best advice anybody could ever give anybody is summed up in those words: "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"

There is soul-saving, world-changing power in those few short words.

God revealed to John the Baptist that he was looking at the long-promised Messiah and only Savior of the world.

*God also revealed to John that Jesus had always existed in eternity past.

So in vs. 30, John the Baptist said: "This is He of whom I said, 'After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.'"

*Verses 31-33 tell us that God revealed to John that the Holy Spirit would visibly descend on the Messiah like a dove and remain on Him.

God also revealed to John that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God.

So in vs. 34, John said: "I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.''

*"Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"

When John the Baptist said those words, he knew a lot about sacrificial lambs.

Every Jew of that day did.

From Genesis 22, they knew the story of how the Lord told Abraham to sacrifice his only promised son, Isaac.

But in Genesis 22:8, by faith Abraham knew that God would provide the lamb for the sacrificial offering.

*Every Jew of that day knew this story.

They also knew about the Passover lambs whose blood protected the Children of Israel when God killed the first born of Egypt.

*Also know that on the day when King Solomon dedicated the first Temple, 2 Chronicles 7:5 tells us that he "offered a sacrifice of 22,000 bulls and 120,000 sheep!" Untold millions of lambs and other animals were sacrificed for sin in Old Testament times.

But it was never enough.

The Word of God makes this truth abundantly clear in Hebrews 10.

There the Bible tells us that:

1. . .

The law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect.

2. For then would they not have ceased to be offered?

For the worshipers, once purged, would have had no more consciousness of sins.

3.

But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year.

4. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.

5. Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: "Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You have prepared for Me.

6.

In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you had no pleasure.

7. Then I said, 'Behold, I have come (in the volume of the book it is written of Me), to do Your will, O God.'''

8. Previously saying, "Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them'' (which are offered according to the law),

9. then He said, "Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.''

He takes away the first that He may establish the second.

10.

By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

11.

And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.

12.

But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God,

13. from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool.

14.

For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

*Millions of lambs and other animals were sacrificed for sin in Old Testament times.

And all of those sacrifices times a million could "never take away sins."

But every one of those Old Testament sacrifices points us to the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross for us.

That's why in John 1:29, the first thing John the Baptist said when he saw Jesus was: "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"

*The sacrifice of our Savior was God's plan all along, and that sacrifice was needed because of our sin.

Somebody had to take the punishment.

Somebody had to pay the price for our sins.

And Jesus was the only one qualified to die for others, because He had no sins of His own.

*So again, Hebrews 10 says:

12. . .

This Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God.

14.

For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

*That's the cross of Jesus Christ!

One sacrifice for all!

One sacrifice forever!

*Verses 35-36 tell us that:

35. . .

The next day, John stood with two of his disciples.

36.

And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God!''

*That's what John the Baptist's two disciples began to do.

And God wants everyone to behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

It will change our lives forever!

*But what happens when we really begin to behold the Lord Jesus Christ?

These two disciples show us.

1. AND FIRST: WE BEGIN TO SPEAK WITH THE LORD.

*That's what began to happen in vs. 37-38.

The two men John the Baptist steered toward Jesus were Peter's brother Andrew, and most likely the Apostle John.

These two men began to follow Jesus.

No doubt they were eager to learn more about Jesus, so they began to talk with the Lord.

*But notice that Jesus made the first move.

Actually, Jesus always makes the first move, even if you can't see that yet in your life.

The Lord made the first move here, and He began by asking a big question.

*In vs. 37-38:

37.

The two disciples heard him speak (i.e. they heard John the Baptist speak), and they followed Jesus.

38.

Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, "What do you seek?''

*Or "What seek ye?" "What do you want?" "What are you looking for?"

Church: That's a big question!

What are you looking for?

What are we looking for in life?

William Barclay called it "the most fundamental question in life."

What are you seeking in life?

(1)

*Many people just seek for money or power or pleasure.

Many others aren't seeking for much of anything.

They are just drifting along in life.

But what about us?

What are we looking for in life?

*And what are we looking for in Jesus?

Are we just looking for a ticket to Heaven?

Jesus will never settle for just that.

He wants to be our Lord as well as our Savior.

He must be our God as well as our Best Friend.

So Jesus asks us questions.