Sermon Central
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Here's A Man Who Needs No Introduction Series
Contributed by Scott Maze on May 1, 2024 (message contributor)
Summary: To take somebody else’s off was considered absolutely degrading. If you had servants, one of the rules was you could never make a Jewish servant take your sandals off. That would be too degrading to make a fellow countryman do.
1.5 Be a Witness
John was a witness like no other. Every single believer is called to be a witness to Jesus. We are to witness not so that we will be remembered but so that Jesus will not be forgotten. John the Baptist is a witness, an incredible witness to Jesus, the Messiah.
1. How Should We Think of John the Baptist?
2. Why is Jesus Called the Lamb of God?
“The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).
Remember, John’s gospel was written in order that you would believe in Jesus Christ. That you would trust in Jesus.
2.1 The Next Day
John writes “The next day” in verse 29. By doing this, John takes you into a week in the life of Jesus. On the first day, John the Baptist tells the delegation that he isn’t the Messiah, beginning in verse 19. The second day, John tells everyone who is the Lamb of God in verse 29. On the third day, John will lose two of his disciples who follow Jesus in verse 35. On the fourth day, Andrew brings Peter to Jesus in verse 40. On the fifth day, Jesus calls Philip in verse 43. On the sixth day, Jesus and the Disciples journey to Galilee. And on the seventh day, Jesus performs His first miracles at the wedding in Cana (John 2:1-11). So, John narrates a full week of Jesus’ ministry.
2.2 Behold
“The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’” (John 1:29). Take note the Bible says, “Behold” in verse 29. To say behold means, “Stop everything to see this!” John sees Jesus coming towards Him. He wants all of us to stop in our tracks. Remember, John the Baptist is introducing Jesus; he is a witness, after all.
2.3 The Title of Jesus
Now, John will share many titles Jesus is called in John 1. Jesus is called Rabbi in verse 38, the Messiah in verse 41, the Son of God in verse 34, and the King of Israel in verse 49. Jesus collects titles here like a small boy collects baseball cards. John shares four insights in these verses in telling us just who Jesus is exactly.
1. In verse 23, John the Baptist calls Jesus Yahweh when he says, “‘Make straight the way of the Lord,'” quoting the prophet Isaiah.
2. In verse 26, John the Baptist tells us that Jesus is superior by talking about how he’s unworthy to tie Jesus’ sandals.
3. In verse 30, John the Baptist tells us that Jesus outranks Him.
4. But the Gospel of John and John the Baptist want you to focus on one title: Jesus, the Lamb of God.
2.3.1 The Lamb of God
This is the Mount Everest of John’s witness when he calls Jesus, “the Lamb of God.” When Jesus is referred to as “the Lamb of God,” John is telling you why Jesus came. Jesus is the sin remover offered to all of us. He will remove our sins by His blood, His sacrifice, His death on the cross.
2.3.2 His Death
Jesus’ death was no afterthought. His death was prearranged and predicted long before He was born. Jesus was born with the shadow of the cross upon Him. With the shadow of the cross upon His heart, He learned to walk, talk, and work. From His earliest moment upon this earth, it was His burden by day and His pillow at night.5 Jesus came to die.
