Behold! The Lamb of God

The first chapter of John’s Gospel is full of spiritual truth, so we won’t rush it. If you’ve just joined us today, go back a little and read the following posts:

Join us as we continue to learn and experience the illumination of the Holy Spirit and the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God.

John 1: 29-34 ESV

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 came 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 borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

Behold! The Sin of the World

For the past two thousand years, preachers, evangelists, and even disciples have witnessed John’s truth that Jesus is the Lamb of God. They were and are His living witnesses today.

Sermon upon sermon, more than we can count, speaks of this truth because it is the gateway to the gospel: Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness (Hebrews 9:22).

The curse of sin and death is real.

We, as human beings, are completely depraved and in dire need of fixing: redemption, salvation, sanctification, and so much more. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, the curse of sin and death permeated the world. You can liken the release of this curse to an atomic bomb that releases and releases radioactive poison.

Have you ever wondered how many years, maybe even centuries, Adam and Eve may have lived in the Garden of Eden? Their home was flawless, and their bodies were set for eternity. Daily, in the cool of evening, they walked and talked with the Living God, their Creator.

But they disobeyed, and now, generation after generation, comes under the curse of sin and death. We were created perfect, but now we’re warped, deformed creatures, deprived of God’s perfect design for our soul, spirit, and body.

The sin of disobedience changed all that.

Death took a stranglehold and would not let go. We are hopeless, homeless, and helpless without God, and so we roam the earth dying, lost, and alone.

Sin contaminates and death destroys God’s perfect plan for creation!

Here’s a real definition for sin: A vitiated state in which the self is estranged from God. Although the term Vitiate is an old-fashioned term, it best describes what happens in sin. Vitiation is the contamination that makes us faulty, defective, ineffective, and weak. Vitiate is like putting sugar in the gas tank of a perfectly running car.

Sin and death

Sin and death go hand in hand like a married couple. Sin came, and death remained. Death is a permanent cessation of all vital functions – end of life. The destroyer of life is real. We are spiritual beings because we are made with a soul. What makes us different from animals is our soul. God breathes and we become living souls:

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Gen 2:7 KJV.

Our soul is the spiritual principle embodied in us as rational and spiritual beings, which is what makes us human beings. The soul lives on, but where does it go without God?

Only God knows.

Behold the Lamb of God!

Sin and death, like radiation poisoning, would continue to do what it does if there were no intervention. A curse is a curse until it is broken.

The Lamb of God, the spotless sacrifice, is led to the slaughter for all, that he might drive away the sin of the world.

We believers are uncontaminated, cured, and secured for eternal life when He lifts the curse.

The Lamb of God overturned the destroyer, disarmed him, and annihilated death! Where there was once a curse, now there are blessings forevermore. Because of God’s great love, we may enter the place of “happy ever after.”

The Lamb that takes away the sin of the world.

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son; much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. Rom 8:8-10 NKJV

Behold! The Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world!

The Church celebrates the life, death, and resurrection of the Son of God once every year. We all remember the Lamb of God. His sacrifice was painful and hurt the heart of God. But it was necessary. The sting of death was real.

The Lamb became the Lion, undefeated and victorious.

The resurrection is God’s moment of proclamation to the whole earth and universe that Christ has completed the work He was sent to do—save the believing soul, reconcile the believer to God, lift the curse, and defeat death.

Mission accomplished!

We do well to remember this truth from our hearts at the communion table. His life, His death, and yes, His resurrection were not in vain.

Behold! The Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.

The Lamb of God sums up Christ’s love, sacrifice, suffering, and triumph! Only the Lamb of God removes the guilt of our sins and opens the way to God.

John Witness Carries On

Here in the first chapter of John’s Gospel, we see that John the Baptist had a two-fold mission:

Lead hearers to repentance
Reveal the Messiah

John continued to baptize until Herod imprisoned him and murdered him outright. But the voice crying in the desert is not silenced. “Prepare ye the way! Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world!”

The preacher preaches it, and the evangelist makes it his life’s work. The prepared soul will meet Jesus because the curse of sin and death has been lifted. Jesus saves and saves completely.

Behold! The Lamb of God

In Conclusion

More than John’s witness, the entire word of God is a witness to God’s saving grace and everlasting mercy. In conclusion, I would like to show you how true this is by ending this article with Scripture. As you read it, I pray that you will be blessed, stop what you’re doing now, and thank the Lord for His mercies that endure forever. Amen and praise the Lord!

Behold the Lamb of God that continues to take away the sin of the world!

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 sharers is sient, so He opened not His mouth… Therefore I will divide Him a portion with many, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong, because He poured out His soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors. Yet, He bore the sin of many and makes intercession for the transgressors. Isa 53:7 & 12 ESV

And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each man’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the pecious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. 1 Pet 1:17-19 NKJV.

Father God is both our loving Father and Holy Judge. He holds us accountable for what we do, say, and think. Yet, He made a way where there was no other way so that we might be saved from self and self-destruction.

The Lamb was slain on the altar of love because God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so that whosoever believes should not perish but have eternal life!

Listen closely, maybe, just maybe, you can hear from heaven this glorious refrain. Watch too as the four living creatures say “Amen!” and the twenty-four elders fall down and worship Him who lives for ever and ever:

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!… Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever! Rev 5:12-13b NKJV.