Look & Live! Series

John 1:29. “Look & live!”

Have you ever looked and beheld something which has simply taken your breath away, maybe an amazing view, ( from a mount top - a beautiful sunset) something you’ve be held in this wonderful creation. Maybe some dramatic human act has left you speechless, an act of sacrifice, heroism an amazing feat performed on the other hand you may well have been in such a situation but failed to look and see the wonder and beauty of what was before you . Well in this passage of scripture there is one of those verses of scripture which simply stands out, above all, which simply when looked at, meditated upon , applied and experienced in our lives personally will always leave us with an amazing appreciation of Our God and Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ.

“Have you Looked, the Lamb of God who takes away the Sin of the world? John is calling us to look & live.”

Background:

After Johns encounter with the delegation from Jerusalem in regard to his own identity & purpose , John clearly pointed to himself as the one who was simply preparing the way for one greater than himself (23) one whom sandals he was not even worthy to untie (27). (V29) The next day John would encounter not for the first time the one for whom many as yet, like the delegation earlier did not know (1:10,11, 26) they failed to really look. This wasn’t John’s first encounter but probably his second for he mentions the baptism of Jesus (Mark1:9). Here he testifies to God speaking to him earlier (Jhn:1: 32- 34) , to the Spirit falling on the One in the form of a dove - who would baptise with the Holy Spirit. This event obviously points to the time when John Baptised Jesus in the river Jordan (matt 3:13-17).

After this event John is fully aware of who Jesus of Nazareth was he calls Him ( v34 The Son of God ) he calls Him (V29 the lamb of God). Fully aware to what he came to do, (v29 to take away the sin of the world) and how he would do it. ) His sacrifice & all who look would live (v33 baptised with the Holy Spirit).

1. Look, at who He is (29, 34)

Many people have different opinions of who Jesus is a Muslim might say he is a prophet, A Sikh / Hindu might say he was a god among many gods or a visible reincarnation of god for that time, someone with a secular mindset might say he was simply a man which the Bible has distorted, others might say he was a great teacher a guide, a healer a great man, before his time, others would certainly have him stand alongside other greats of the worlds history and place him alongside others in a hall of fame; people like Buddha, Muhammad, Ghandi, Shakespeare, Darwin, Winston Church Hill, Einstein, George Washington and so on but to do so would be to miss the point because Jesus is so much more than great figure head of history who impacted the world and we need to heed the words of John and look at Jesus and see the real greatness of Jesus, because when we do it is sublime, it is a view which takes your breath away.

a) The Son of God (34)

Look at the magnificent title he gives to Jesus. (34) “I have seen &testify that this is the Son of God.” (Johns firm conviction is that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the Living God, here John is pointing once again to the divinity of Jesus - The Son of God - The eternal God - not simple the son of Mary – In his humanity – but the Son of God) Not created, but Co-equal, CO eternal with the Father& Spirit three distinct persons in the God head, yet One in Being.

Have we Looked and seen Jesus for who He is? If we have that should leave us humbled and in awe before Him as John says “I have seen &testify that this is the Son of God.” As Peter says, You are the Christ the Son of the living God” Like Thomas before the risen Jesus falls to the ground and says, “My Lord & My God”, or like the dying thief on the cross moment from death acknowledges Jesus as who He really is, “Lord remember me when you come into your kingdom?”

Before we go any further let’s ALL Look and see Jesus for who He really is the Son of the Living God, have you acknowledged Him as such? Without doing so you shall never be saved.

We must confess with our mouth that Jesus is LORD. (JEHOVAH)