The Lion was a Lamb
It was the first day of school and the kindergarten teacher asked the children what they wanted to be when they grew up. One little boy spoke bravely: "When I grow up, I'm gonna be a lion tamer. I'll have lots of fierce lions and tigers, and I'll walk in the cage..." "But, of course, I'll have my mother with me." Know how he feels?
Introduce a wild and crazy guy - not Steve Martin but John the Baptist roaring into history like a Lion
John’s gospel doesn't actually name him the Baptist because the only one called John in this gospel and it’s not the apostle. Name John appears 20 X. Who is this John?
Show video clip The Lion Was a Lamb - 3:14 min.
JN 1:19 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.
29 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." (God’s Elect)
John is a barbarian - if you saw him on the streets of Cleveland you’d walk another way. Pull your kids off the sidewalks, yet there were people drawn to him, desperate people, people who intuitively knew that perilous times require the leadership of a barbarian, a barbarian like John.
Imagine John, eating bugs and baptizing people - Baptizing in the desert - anything strike you as odd? And reaming out the religious ones and still they came
Picture John gathering lunch, pouncing on grasshoppers dipping them in honey - wiping his fingers on his coarse camel hair tunic and then launching out - blasting the message of repentance.
Sadly our world has grown tame - no room for dangerous faith living, no bold stance on God's Word, not much “Go into the world”, but plenty of “come into our safe fortress” we call a church building. The average Christian has not led anyone to active faith in Christ in over 10 years, many - NEVER
Two goals today - 1- Lift the call for barbarians - bold witnesses to Christ.
2 - take a first glance at what made John so out there on the edge.
Barbarians are not extinct nor are all barbarians are men -
How far are you willing to go to get someone to go to church - Praying mantis video clip -58 sec.
John in the desert - no holding back - blasting any and all who came to him. Could this be the Lion?
Sanhedren sent to inquire “who is this preacher?” Some were Pharisees in their number. Separated ones, ceremonially and morally pure, they must have loved John's message - You Go John, Preach it!
Apocalyptic worldview - following the Covenant and Prophetic
Expectantly waiting for a Messiah King and Lion - could this be the Anointed One - King?
John answers “I am not the one” - not Christ - Messiah -
Not Elijah - though one no less than Jesus disputes that statement - they remembered “the writings”
2KI 1:8 They replied, "He was a man with a garment of hair and with a leather belt around his waist." The king said, "That was Elijah the Tishbite."
MAL 4:5 "See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes
not the Prophet Moses foretold
No need to say “which prophet?” Everyone knew what prophet he was referring to Deut. 18
- prophet like Moses - second Moses. Belief that the next Moses would usher in the new age
Then who are you? - I am a voice - Isaiah’s prophecy - cry in the desert - prepare - repent
You think I am somebody? I’m nobody compared to the one I am pointing to.
Sandals - not fit to tie (Mark, Luke John) or even carry (Matthew)
Rabbis had a saying, “every service a slave does for his master, the disciple must do for his teacher, except untie his sandal strap
Luke tells us others were coming to John too
Crowd, tax collectors - even soldiers were coming to him - What should we do?
Baptizing with water - for repentance
Turn around John had things to say to the average working man.
Repentance always more than rethinking - it is doing something about it.
Got 2 coats? -
don't collect more taxes than you're due,
don't extort money
What would he say to us - to YOU?
Jesus had similar sayings in the Sermon on the Mount - read the rabbi’s teachings regularly
JOHN would conclude his preaching with
I can baptize with water - he will baptize with fire and the Holy Spirit -
John 1:29 - one sentence gospel
Lamb of God has a job, to take away the sins OF THE WORLD
What's great about this title is that it works on more than one level
Remember Abe in Gen. 22:7-8 God himself will provide the lamb
Jesus the lamb who takes away the sins of the world
The blood of the paschal lamb of the Old Testament protects and saves the Israelites in Exodus 12. For Paul, in 1 Cor 5:7 Christians are saved by Christ as their true paschal lamb.
John Reinterprets Jewish festivals/feasts/passover - Jesus is slain lamb
Lamb of God (Latin: Agnus Dei) may refer to Jesus' role as a sacrificial lamb atoning for man’s sins
the title Lamb of God does not necessarily refer to the metaphor of a sacrificial animal.
Galilean Aramaic the word talya, literally "lamb," had the common meaning of "male child".
The female equivalent of Talya was Talitha, literally "ewe lamb" and figuratively "girl" (Jairus).
"Lamb of God" could have been a slang way of saying "Son of God" or "God's Kid".
This lion is a Lamb - conquers by dying - John alone among gospel writers to see this connection
The barbarian story intensifies
Did following Jesus result in safety for John
Remember John asks - are you the one?
MT 11:2 When John heard in prison what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples 3 to ask him, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?" 4 Jesus replied, "Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. 6 Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me."
John I am not coming for you, I'm not sparing your life, I could have, I have done so for other - but the path I chose for you is different - you will be blessed if you don't fall away.
And then to his disciples Jesus said
Matt. 11:11 I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
Come follow me - who is this we follow? A Lamb - slain
Bland news - Jesus died for your sins so that you can life a life of comfort, security indulgence - or worse yet, you'll be saved from hell fire and go to heaven when you die. YUCK Either scenario results in domestication. Endless study and no barbarism!
Good news - Jesus passionately loves you - He took care of the sin problem. He calls you to believe on His name, to follow Him boldly into a dangerous future. If they harm me - look out!
They Missed Him!
They were looking for A Lion, He came as a Lamb, and they missed Him.
They were looking for a Warrior, He came as a Peace maker, and they missed Him.
They were looking for a King, He came as a Servant, and they missed Him.
They were looking for Liberation from Rome, He submitted to the Roman cross, and they missed Him.
They were looking for a fit to their mold, He was the mold maker, and they missed Him.
Jesus is going to ever be a surprise for you. Just when you think you have Him figured out, He blows your mind by having you do something wild and crazy and barbaric.
