John 1 v. 29 "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." Behold:-
1. THE DIVINITY OF THE LAMB i.e. "behold the lamb of God" I. Sanctified -- He is God's Lamb 1) Because He is the only begotten of the Father. 2) Because He fully dedicated himself to doing God's will. 3) Because He fully dedicated himself to the salvation of man. a. "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." (Luke 19:10). b. Paul wrote, "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief." (1 Tim. 1:15) 2. THE PURITY OF THE LAMB II. Sinless -- Without spot. 2 Corinthians 5:21 "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." - The lamb to the Jew spoke of:- (a) Sin - Genesis ch 4 - Abel's offering accepted - Cain's rejected (b) Sacrifice - Genesis ch 4 (c) Substitution - Genesis 22 v. 7 & 8 "And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together." - Isaac on Mount Moriah (d) Salvation - Exodus 12 v. 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." - passover lamb
3. THE ACTIVITY OF THE LAMB - "which taketh away the sin of the world" III. Sacrifice
(a) A Removing Activity - "taketh away" - O.T. scapegoat -
Psalm 103 v. 12 "As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us."
(b) A Redeeming Activity - 1 Peter 1 v. 18 & 19 "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:"
(c) A Regenerating Activity - Ephesians 2 v. 1 "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins:"
(d) A Restoring Activity - Ephesians 2 v. 12 & 13 "That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ."
4. THE NECESSITY OF THE LAMB - "The sin of the world" IV. Salvation See:-
(a) Man's Problem - sin - in character, condition, and conduct
(b) God's Prescription - i.e. A lamb
(c) Christ's Person - He is the only son of God,
the only sinless man, the only sinner's saviour
