Credible Witness
Notes
Transcript
John the Baptist Witness
John the Baptist Witness
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Here is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! John 1:29
John testifies that Jesus is the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. In order to understand the significance of this statement on must understand the lamb of God and its importance. I would like to take you to the old testament to help you understand
Individual
Individual
3 In the course of time Cain presented some of the land’s produce as an offering to the Lord. 4 And Abel also presented an offering—some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions. The Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but He did not have regard for Cain and his offering. Cain was furious, and he looked despondent. Genesis 4:3-5
Both Cain and Abel desired to be pleasing before the Lord, but the Bible says that He was only pleased with Abel. This made Cain violently angry. So the question is why did God accept Abel’s sacrifice and not Cain’s? I believe it is two fold. First, Abel brought the best of his flock, where Cain only brought some of his fruit. Abel had more regard for God than Cain and it was demonstrated in the quality of the sacrifice they offered. Secondly, Abel’s sacrifice required the shedding of blood or the taking of a life, where Abel’s did not require the shedding of blood.
God will always consider the sacrifice to determine the acceptance. Some people try to appease God by morality or obeying the law and try to earn the favor of God by adhering to the law. Adhering to the law is what we are suppose to do, but if you use as the measure of sacrifice to please God it will not be enough.
God sent Jesus Christ as the sacrifice to atone for our sins. It is our faith in Him that is acceptable to God.
Family and community
Family and community
Now the Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, 2 “This month shall be the beginning of months for you; it is to be the first month of the year to you. 3 Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, ‘On the tenth of this month they are each one to take a lamb for themselves, according to their fathers’ households, a lamb for each household. 4 Now if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his neighbor nearest to his house are to take one according to the number of persons in them; according to what each man should eat, you are to divide the lamb. 5 Your lamb shall be an unblemished male a year old; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. 6 You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month, then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel is to kill it at twilight. 7 Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. 8 They shall eat the flesh that same night, roasted with fire, and they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 9 Do not eat any of it raw or boiled at all with water, but rather roasted with fire, both its head and its legs along with its entrails. 10 And you shall not leave any of it over until morning, but whatever is left of it until morning, you shall burn with fire. 11 Now you shall eat it in this manner: with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste—it is the Lord’s Passover. 12 For I will go through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments—I am the Lord. 13 The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live; and when I see the blood I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt. Exodus 12:1-13
Here we see that every family was to sacrifice a lamb and put the blood on the doorpost of their house. When the Lord sent the angel of death to kill every firstborn, the houses with the blood on the doorpost would be passed over and the firstborn would be spared.
We see that it is the lamb of God that spared the family from death. It was a symbol that the family trusted what God said and exhibited faith by sacrificing the lamb and putting the blood on the doorpost.
This is important to us because our sin makes us guilty and deserving of death. This death is an eternal separation from God in the lake of fire. If we exhibit the same faith as the Israelites and allow the blood of Christ to be applied to our hearts by faith in Him, God will passover the eternal death that we deserve and give us eternal life.
Nation of Israel
Nation of Israel
38 “Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two one year old lambs each day, continuously. 39 The one lamb you shall offer in the morning and the [ad]other lamb you shall offer at [ae]twilight; 40 and there shall be one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with one-fourth of a hin of beaten oil, and one-fourth of a hin of wine for a drink offering with one lamb. 41 The [af]other lamb you shall offer at [ag]twilight, and shall offer with it [ah]the same grain offering and [ai]the same drink offering as in the morning, for a soothing aroma, an offering by fire to the Lord. 42 It shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the doorway of the tent of meeting before the Lord, where I will meet with you, to speak to you there. 43 I will meet there with the sons of Israel, and it shall be consecrated by My glory. Gen.29:38-43
Here we see that God commands that a lamb is sacrificed twice a day. One was to be sacrificed in the morning and the other in the evening. This sacrifice would demonstrate the presence of God and His sanctifying power for the nation of Israel
It was through the sacrifice of these lambs that God would remain and continue to lead Israel. This is the same in our lives when we receive the lamb of God into our lives. God will be with us and guide us into His will and pleasure.
The World
The World
Here is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
John proclaims that Jesus not only is a sacrifice for the individual, family, nation of Israel, but the whole world. Jesus sacrifice on the cross is good enough to satisfy the wrath of God for the sins of the whole world. Although it is enough for the whole world, it must be recieved by the individual.
When you receive Jesus as your sacrifice for your sins, you are pleasing to God, your sins are forgiven, you are given eternal life, and God’s presence will be with you forever!
The Miracles Witness About Jesus
The Miracles Witness About Jesus
The miracles of Jesus testify to His sovereignty. Richard Phillips captures the miracles of Jesus and why they testify to his sovereignty
Recall that scholars have named the first half of John’s Gospel The Book of Signs. In it, John records seven miracles, each of which gives testimony to Jesus’ claim to deity. The first was the transforming of water into wine (John 2:1–11), which reveals Jesus as the bringer of supernatural joy. The second was his healing of the royal official’s son (4:46–54), which signified his divine power to give and preserve life. The third miracle was the healing of the lame man who had lain by the pool for thirty-eight years. This displayed Jesus as the saving power that this broken world has been seeking. Next is the feeding of the five thousand (6:1–15), when Jesus took a few small loaves and fish and fed the crowd with an abundance left over. This sign pointed to Jesus as the One who satisfies the hunger of the soul. He said, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger” (6:35). In the fifth miracle, Jesus walked on water (6:16–21), revealing himself as the Lord who exercises authority over the laws of nature. The sixth miracle, Jesus’ healing of the man born blind (9:1–41), speaks of Jesus’ power to give sight both physically and spiritually. The seventh miracle was Jesus’ raising of Lazarus from the tomb. Jesus explained, “I am the resurrection and the life” (11:25), and his miracle displayed his divine authority over death itself.
So we see in Jesus miracles that He is the bringer of supernatural joy, preserver of life, savior of a broken world, satisfier of the hungry soul, Lord of nature, sight giver, authority over death. No one else can do what Jesus does. He is the Son of God!
God is the same God today as He was when He walked the earth. He still does miracles. These miracles testify to the sovereignty of Christ. have you experienced a miracle of Christ in your life?
God the Father Testifies
God the Father Testifies
God testifies that Jesus is His one and only Son on two occasions
6 After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and [i]he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and [j]lighting on Him, 17 and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is [k]My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.” Matt. 3:16-17
Six days later Jesus *took with Him Peter and [a]James and John his brother, and *led them up on a high mountain by themselves. 2 And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. 4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, I will make three [b]tabernacles here, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!” Matt. 17:1-5
The first occasion is when Jesus was about to enter His mission. He was baptized to demonstrate that He was the cleanser of our sins. Jesus did not have to be baptized because of his sin, because He had no sin. He did this to demonstrate that He was willing to pay the price for people’s sin. It is in this obedience that God testified that Jesus is His only son in whom He is pleased.
The second occasion when Jesus took His inner disciples up on the mountain and was transfigured before their eyes. God did this because He knew these three would be pillars in carrying on the mission of God through Jesus Christ.
We too must believe that Jesus is the Son of God in order to carry on the mission of Christ to redeem a lost and dying world to himself. Are you willing to tell people what you believe about Jesus Christ? Will you be His witness?