“Behold the Lamb!” (John 1:29-42a)

John 1:29-42

Listen to Sermon

Pastor Tom Johnson, January 15, 2017

You’ll remember that John the Baptist was preparing the way of the Lord. He was transitioning God’s people for the time of the Messiah. He was there to introduce Jesus in His public ministry as the promised Messiah. Jesus’ Baptism was the official beginning of Jesus’ traveling from place to place teaching and healing. For the average citizen of Israel, the coming of the Messiah meant not only truth and physical healing but also political liberation. He would rule the nations, as Isaiah prophesied. “The government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isa 9:6,7). This Messiah was to be the King of kings and Lord of lords. His reign would extend to the whole world. He would rule the earth in peace. He would be the Great Shepherd of the nations.

So why does John introduce Jesus with such an unusual title? When John sees Jesus coming, he says, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” Not “Shepherd” but “Lamb.” To call Jesus “the Lamb of God” would flood the minds of God’s people. They would think about the lambs sacrificed at the Temple every day. They would think about how there was one very special lamb without spot or blemish that would be sacrificed on the Day of Atonement. When John called Jesus “the Lamb of God,” they would remember the great stories of the Scriptures.

They would remember how God told their Abraham to take his son Isaac to Mt. Moriah and sacrifice him there. When Abraham was walking up the mountain, Isaac was carrying the wood for his own sacrifice. Isaac asked his father, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” His father Abraham responded, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son” (Gen 22). When Abraham reached out his hand to sacrifice his son, the angel of the Lord told him not to kill him. And when Abraham looked up, he saw a ram caught in a thicket by his horns. God provided a sacrifice in place of his son.

When John called Jesus “the Lamb of God,” they would think of another story of God’s people—when they were slaves in Egypt—how God sent Moses and the plagues—each plague worse than the one before. God sent the final plague—the Angel of Death. Each Jewish family was instructed to prepare a lamb. They were instructed to paint its blood on the doorposts.  When the angel of death came to a house, the firstborn son died. When the angel of death came to a house where there was blood painted on the doorposts, the angel of death passed by, leaving those inside unharmed. The blood of the lamb was a shield against death. The lamb defeated death itself.

John the Baptist is preaching a whole sermon when he calls Jesus “the Lamb of God.” John is also speaking about Jesus prophetically. Jesus is “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” Jesus does not just spare one special son from death like the lamb who saved Abraham’s son Isaac on Mt. Moriah. Jesus does not just spare the lives of a nation of people like the lambs who saved thousands of Jewish sons in Egypt.  Jesus does not just take away the power of sin from one individual or one nation, He takes away the sin of the whole world. Jesus is the Lamb for every tribe, nation, tongue, and people. He is the sacrifice to end all sacrifices.

For centuries, Christians have sung the song “Agnus Dei, qui tollis pecatta mundi” “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” We sing it as the bread and wine are distributed to the nations. We believe that Jesus gives His Body and Blood for the forgiveness of sins—to once again take away our sins. In this little phrase we have a condensed Gospel: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” Jesus is not only the Good Shepherd who leads us but also lays down His life for the sheep. Jesus is the Lamb who takes away our sin. He did not come for the righteous but for sinners. He is the Friend of sinners. He came to set His people free from death, guilt, and condemnation. His resurrection frees us from sin’s hold forever.

Jesus is the Lamb who alone bears not only the governments on His shoulders, but the brokenness of the fallen world. He came to take the load of sin off our backs. We are saved—not by our efforts to amend our lives—but by trusting in Jesus to renew us and transform us by His grace. Jesus is the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world. Soon He will come and finally take away the last vestige and remnant of sin and brokenness. He will come to bring this world true and abiding peace and justice—taking away all that is evil—making all things new. Jesus is the Lamb of God who will take away the sin of the world—once and for all. He will wipe away all our tears. He will swallow up death forever. And once sin and its consequences are finally taken away, we will live with the Lamb in perfect peace, wholeness, and joy forever.