Behold The Lamb

Epochal Events

I came across a short line from a theologian and scholar named Richard D. Phillips. He basically said this (as I'm paraphrasing here),

“Occasionally in Scripture we come across a truly epochal event that just changes everything.”

— Richard D. Phillips

I love that word: epochal. How cool is that to be able to use? An event that is highly and uniquely significant.

Today we're going to look at such an event. And in light of the Easter season, it might be one that is sort of surprising, but none-the-less epochal. We're gong to be in the book of John this morning, and as we approach Palm Sunday, rather than us spend time in the Easter narrative (chapters 12-20), I want to look at a far different place. So if you have your bible with you this morning, or if it's on your phone - you can go ahead and open it to the very first chapter of John. John 1:29. If you don't have a bible with you it'll be on the screen, but I want to encourage you to actually use a Bible - like the one in the back of the pew in front of you. But, John 1:29 - that's where we'll be starting, and camping out for while this morning.

It's in this section that we encounter one of these truly epochal events - the launch of Jesus' public ministry, in his formal identification by John the Baptist. So as we get into this, the day before our event occurs - John the Baptist had been speaking of "One greater than himself" who was coming. And now, read with me starting in verse 29:

“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 was 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 have borne witness that this is the Son of God.” The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).”

— John 1:29 (ESV)

The Lamb of God

Let’s focus on verse 29. Rather than that word, "Behold" you could think of it as John sees Jesus walking toward him and he shouts, "There He is!!!" And then He provides one of the most glorious and (in my own opinion just an absolutely beloved title), "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!"

Lamb of God.

What a title.

Do you want to know a "title" that I had in high school?

I'll tell you, but first - picture a 5'6" (and a half - ever notice how shorter people seemingly have to include the "half-inches" in their height?) Anyway, a 5'6" - and 1/2, scrawny, 110 lb, kid with long, curly hair (it was about down to my collar bone, maybe a little shorter).

Got it in your mind?

Here's the nickname: "Frodo."

Do you know what I did to earn that nickname?

Nothing.

The last Lord of the Rings movie had come out just 2 years before I started high school, and people thought I looked like Frodo. Once the first person said it, it stuck.

Frodo was a hobbit, y'all.

But there was nothing I could do. Not everyone called me that, but several did - for four years. In fact, for some people it was to the point that right around the time of graduating college (5 years after graduating high school), that I was playing guitar in one of my closest friend's weddings, and before the ceremony started and people began arriving, I was standing at the entrance to the sanctuary, talking to another friend, back turned to the front door - and I heard a voice that sounded familiar: "FROOOODOOOO!!!" I turned around, a little shocked because it had been a while since I heard that name, and it was my economics teacher from about five before - who was now photographing weddings in addition to teaching. Had I seen him since? Nope. Not once.