John 1 v 19 - 34 JESUS, OUR PASSOVER LAMB
1. Questions Asked (1:19-28) John begins with questions asked of John by the Jews. There were two main questions.
One question asked is about John's identity (1:19-23).
(a) The Delegation (1:19). "The Jews," we read, "sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?'
(b) The Denials (1:20). "He confessed, and denied not; but confessed."I am not the Christ.
(c) The Demand 22 Then said they unto him, Who art thou?
John took them back to Isaiah 40:3. "I am only a voice," he said. "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord."
2. Questions Answered (1:29-34)
(a) The Proclamation 29 Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
(b) The Problem 31 And I knew him not:
(c) The Presentation 32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. 33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.
34 And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
I. JESUS IS THE PROVIDED LAMB 29 Behold the Lamb of God,
Exodus 12:3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:
Genesis 22:8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
FIVE times mentioned in the New Testament, and each time is a reference to the death of the Substitute, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Acts 8:32 The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:
1 Peter 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
Revelation 5:6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
Revelation 13:11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
(This is a reference to the antichrist, but he speaks LIKE a lamb; that is, he is a COUNTERFEIT substitute for the Lord Jesus Christ. During the Tribulation he will imitate the death and miraculous resurrection of Christ.)
Revelation 14:1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.
A. He was Supplied by God
B. He was a Substituted by God
C. He was Satisfactory to God
Philippians 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
II. JESUS IS THE PARTICULAR LAMB Behold the Lamb of God
THE means a number of things, and one of them is "unique."
A. He was Unique in His Manifestation
33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.
B. He was Unique in His Miracles
Nicodemus - John 3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
C. He was Unique in His Message
John 7:46 The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.
D. He was Unique sin His Mission
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
III. JESUS IS THE PARDONING LAMB 29 Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
(a) The Significance of the Lamb. "Behold." Christ is the most important person in life.
The Apostle Paul said, "For to me to live is Christ" (Philippians 1:21).
(b) The Source of the Lamb. "Lamb of God." Salvation is provided by God.
(c) The Saving of the Lamb. "Taketh away the sin of the world."
To be saved, we need to be cleansed of our sin. Only the blood of the Lamb will cleanse us from our sins
Hebrews 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. 13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
IV.JESUS IS THE PERSONAL LAMB 29 Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
Exodus 12:5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:
A. There must be a Personal Alarm
The Angel Of Death was approaching, Judgement was coming to Egypt.
B. There must be a Personal Answer
Acts 16:30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
C. There must be a Personal Application
Exodus 12:13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.
1. The blood had to be applied to the door of the house.
2. This is what we mean by accepting Jesus as your personal Savior.
Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.