It’s ALL about Jesus!
The Life of Christ Series
By Greg Johnson
February 18, 2007
http://www.LovingGodFellowship.org
John 1:19-34
David has been coming to Loving God Fellowship for months now. David is hearing impaired and when he first started coming, he could barely hear. He has told me that every week as he sits in the service in the presence of Jesus, his hearing has gradually gotten better and better. It’s all about Jesus. God’s Word says (Isaiah 53:5 NIV) "But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed."
It’s not about church doctrine or church membership. It’s not about religion. It’s not about Protestants and Catholics. It’s not about Baptists and Pentecostals. It’s not about politics. It’s all about Jesus the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. Followers of Jesus always point people to Him.
POINTING PEOPLE TO JESUS
After John the Baptist had baptized Jesus in water, the religionists of his day, came to him asking questions. They sensed an anointing upon his life and wanted to see who he was. God’s Word says (John 1:19-28 NIV) "Now this was John’s testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. {20} He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, "I am not the Christ." {21} They asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" He answered, "No." {22} Finally they said, "Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" {23} John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ’Make straight the way for the Lord.’" {24} Now some Pharisees who had been sent {25} questioned him, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?" {26} "I baptize with water," John replied, "but among you stands one you do not know. {27} He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie." {28} This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing."
Notice that John pointed the religionist to Jesus. Beloved, there are those in our day that have left the centrality of the Gospel, which is Jesus and the cross, and have drifted to extremes. Followers of Jesus will always point people to Jesus as they have not drifted to the extremes because their eyes are fixed on Jesus and they are living a cross centric life.
JESUS THE LAMB OF GOD
(John 1:29-34 NIV) "The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! {30} This is the one I meant when I said, ’A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ {31} I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel." {32} Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. {33} I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ’The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ {34} I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God.""
John pointed the Jewish crowd to Jesus the Lamb of God. As they listened to John’s words, they knew the significance of the Passover Lamb (Exodus 12) and the shedding of blood for the atonement of sins (Leviticus 16), but John shed new revelation. In the terminology that John the Baptist used under the unction of the Holy Spirit they were told that their Messiah would suffer and that He would die for the sin of the world and not just the Jews.
At the cross, Jesus was our sacrificial lamb. At the cross, Jesus took away the penalty of sin, the power of sin and the guilt of sin. Those that fall at the foot of the cross and make Jesus their Lord and Savior are cleansed and set free from sin! Praise be to the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!
Beloved, we must point people to Jesus in our day. It’s all about Jesus! Let’s dare not live on the edges of doctrinal extremes. Let’s instead continue to live at the foot of the cross pointing people to Jesus! Jesus alone is the answer! Jesus alone saves and sets people free from sin! It’s all about Jesus!
http://www.LovingGodFellowship.org/greg_johnson_blog
