May it please God to bless us
together this evening as we meditate in His Word. Let us turn to the
Gospel of John, the first chapter, and we'll read verse 29. The
Gospel of John, chapter 1, and reading verse 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. This is a wonderful statement
that the Holy Spirit of God directed John the Baptist to make. It
was very important, very relevant, when he spoke those words so
many years ago. The truth is, it's lost none
of its relevance. It was very important then. It
is very important for us today. There are many things in this
world that you and I look at. Many things that we are encouraged
to behold. This is the greatest favour,
the greatest blessing and the greatest truth that we have and
can ever really consider, that is to behold the Lamb of God
which taketh away the sin of the world. And of course, the
Lamb of God refers to none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. We're here tonight I trust because we've come to
worship this blessed Lord Jesus Christ, this Lamb of God. And may it be true of us that
we've come here tonight to behold the Lord Jesus Christ, to see
in him a beauty, to see in him something that far exceeds everything
else that this world can offer because it brings before us the
eternal reality of eternal life it is therefore so much more
important so very very relevant to all of us as we're here before
God tonight and may such a word strike home to our heart as a
word directed by the Spirit of God, as indeed an arrow, an arrow
of conviction that directs us to the vast importance of beholding
the Lamb of God, beholding the Lord Jesus Christ. The John the Baptist here was
really speaking principally to the Jews who would have been
very aware of the significance of the Lamb. The Lamb, it was
nothing that they were not familiar with and it was something which
indeed was very relevant in their ceremonial religion and very
relevant in the truth of scripture which they would have been familiar
with one of the most familiar chapters to them would have been
the 53rd chapter of Isaiah which speaks about the Lamb of God
and in verse 7 it gives a description of the Saviour He was oppressed
and He was afflicted yet He opened on His mouth he is brought as
a lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before a shearer's dumb
so he opened not his mouth it was a picture you see which the
Jewish people were familiar with and we should be thankful therefore
that the Spirit of God has used the same illustration to direct
us today to the Lord Jesus Christ. And of course, it really goes
right back, doesn't it, to the time of Abraham, when his son asked him, he said,
where is the sacrifice? Where is the lamb? And God said,
Abraham said, God will provide the lamb. God will provide the
sacrifice. And we see there in that instance,
Abraham blessed with faith. He didn't know the outcome. We read the account, don't we?
We know that Abraham was an obedient servant. God told him to go and
offer up his only son. He didn't hesitate. He didn't
know what the outcome was. But the blessing was. and it
is a blessing that he obeyed his God. My friends we ought
to take these things to our hearts to realise the wonderful blessing
in obeying the Word of God. Abraham left the issue with his
God. And my friends it's good you
know for us today if we're able to leave the issue with our God. The great concern should be to
hear the Word of God, to obey the Word of God, not counting
the cost. Abraham didn't count the cost,
did he? He pursued that way which God
had appointed for him, to offer up his son Let us not forget
the great significance of that position because in his son existed
the promises of God. As God had promised that his
family, his children would be more than the stars in the sky,
the sand on the seashore, he waited a long time for his son
to be born. Eventually, his son was born.
Now the Lord's telling him to offer him up. God gave him wonderful faith. My friends, we today also need
wonderful faith. God-given faith to come and behold
the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. How important for us today to
have that faith to believe in the finished work of the Lord
Jesus Christ, the wonderful work of the Lord Jesus Christ. And
it was, of course, prefigured right down from the beginning
in the Garden of Eden, the bloodshed without shedding of blood, There's
no forgiveness. And so this great truth. Behold, the Lamb of God. As we behold the Lamb of God,
we believe we behold him, the Lord Jesus Christ. As the only
begotten Son of God. The second person in the Trinity
who came willingly into this sinful world to redeem to save
our souls from all our sin. There's only one Redeemer to
save us from our sins, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. And so tonight, what do we think
of Christ? What does he mean to us? We are
all familiar with the name of Jesus without any doubt. we're
all familiar but just to know the name has no true benefit
what we need to do as God may give us faith is to behold the
Lord Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God which takes away the sin
of the world which removes our sin how vital is such truth to
be experienced, a truth to be known and be blessed with faith
to believe. We're traveling each of us fast
through time. Soon we shall be out of time. Time will be no more. Our course
on this earth will be complete. And then where will our soul
be? That's the great question, isn't
it? Where will our soul be? We need to ask ourselves, don't
we, such an important question. Well, if the Lord has given us
faith to behold the Lamb of God, that takes away the sin of the
world, that's taken away our sin, and have it confirmed that
we have a blessed, a wonderful interest in this Lamb of God
then we can believe that there will be a wonderful reception
for us as we leave time and enter into eternity because it will
be a time that we go and are found with Christ which is far
better and that eternally how necessary for us to always remember
be reminded again and again of the necessity of beholding this
Lamb of God so many things there are today to distract us we have
great adversary the great deceiver of souls who is always keen and
intent who never gives up to distract us from the things of
God to make us put these great issues in second place and the
trivialities of time as a priority whereas the reverse should be
true the reverse needs to be true Behold the Lamb of God. Well, clearly it was John the
Baptist position. There he was with the people. And there he is, he points and
says, Behold the Lamb of God. He doesn't stop there. Behold
the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. He
knew that sin had to be atoned for. He knew that sin had to
be forgiven. And there was only one way. And
that way was by looking to the Lord Jesus Christ. As Isaiah says in chapter 45,
look unto me. Be ye saved while the ends of
the earth. For I am God, and there is none else. Don't look
anywhere else. Don't rely on your chapel going,
don't rely on what you might think to be good works one thing
is needful and that is a personal knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ
as that one who has come into this world to save our souls
that one who has come to atone for all our sin and if you stand
before God condemned as we all will if we are taught by the
Holy Spirit we will be condemned because of our sin and we may
tremble at the thought of an eternity in hell knowing that
that's where we deserve to go what a mercy then if the Holy
Spirit applies his word with power to behold the Lamb of God
the blessed Saviour in the Old Testament there was the morning
and the evening sacrifice constant day after day you might say well
what was it for? well it was very significant
it was very needful we might think of it in this way the daily
sacrifice was to look to the Saviour for the sins of the night
might be forgiven. The evening sacrifice again,
committing ourselves to the Lord, the sins of the day might be
forgiven. And every day, of course, we
sin every day. We come sure every day we need
our sins forgiven. Well, what a wonderful truth
it is to know there is a refuge for sinners. The gospel makes
known it is found in the merits of Jesus alone. Nowhere else. Nowhere else. Where are we looking? Where are you looking? Where
am I looking? Are we by faith beholding this glorious Lamb
of God, which taketh away the sin of the world? You know, this
first chapter in John is a very blessed chapter the first five
verses in this chapter are perhaps some of the most sublime, the
most wonderful verses which are written and it speaks to us about
the Lord Jesus Christ because Jesus is the Word, He is the
Word and therefore it tells us in the beginning was the Word,
Jesus and the Word, Jesus was with God in eternity. And the
word was God. Jesus was God. The same was in
the beginning with God. He had been eternally with God. All things, not some things,
all things are made by him. That means all creation was made
by him and without him. was not anything made that was
made. In Him was life. He gives life. He gave life. He gives life. And the life was the light of
men. We're talking here natural life. We're talking here about spiritual
life. Both are given by the blessed
Lord. And the light shine it in darkness
we were in darkness and the darkness comprehended it not well we have
been in darkness are we still in darkness? I can't tell you whether you
are or not but you know before God whether you are still in
darkness or whether the glorious light of the Gospel has shone
into your hearts and you truly rejoice and bless God for it
and you can concur with the wonderful words in the second epistle of
Paul to the Corinthians in the fourth chapter where we read
in the sixth verse, for God, none other than that, for God
who commanded the light to shine out of darkness. Well, what a
blessing if the Lord has commanded the light to shine into your
heart and into my heart. For God, who commanded the light
to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts to give
the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face
of Jesus Christ. Behold, the Lamb of God that
taketh away the sin of the world. Well, tonight, it'll be a glorious
night for you and me if we receive that faith to look to the Lord
Jesus Christ and to behold him and to see the glory in his wonderful
finished work of salvation, the wonderful glory in his substitutionary
death. the wonderful glory in His atoning
blood you see, it's all centred in the Saviour and may our hearts
be lifted up and may we see a wonderful attraction in the Lord Jesus
Christ which so surpasses attractions to the things of this world especially
when we're young we're easily sidetracked to the attentions
of the things of this world but you see they fade away no doubt
you've seen it things fade away they disappear but the glory
of Christ does not disappear because the Lord Jesus Christ
is the same yesterday and today and forever he is a great and
glorious Saviour and the Apostle goes on to tell us but we have
this treasure and it is a treasure this glorious light given to
us it's an invaluable treasure it's not something you can purchase
with natural money it's something which God gives to us it's a
wonderful treasure well if we have it Isn't it reason to bless
God? Isn't it reason to praise God? And I hope we do. You know, the
Church of God are exalted to thank and praise God for his
goodness, for his mercy, for his love, for his favor. Oh,
it's so wonderful to contemplate. And so he says, we unworthy sinners,
have this treasure in earthen vessels that's in our body that
the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us because
it's not something that you and I can produce we can't work ourselves
up into a frenzy I think we're now I'm in a blessed state the
people in the world sometimes work themselves up into a frenzy
we see these the evidence of these pop concerts etc where
people work themselves up into a frenzy but it fades away and
it's gone the things of God do not fade
away they are eternal blessings there's no time with God's blessings
the time there is a time for the poor things of this world
and they're so quickly vanish away people look forward to it
perhaps for weeks and months perhaps years comes and goes
but we have by the grace of God through the Lamb of God an inheritance
which is incorruptible that means nothing can corrupt it nothing
can damage it it's incorruptible and undefiled nothing that can
spoil it and that fadeth not away it's there eternally what
does the Apostle say reserved reserved in heaven you are kept
by the power of God through grace under salvation ready to be revealed
in the last time what a mercy it is therefore that as God gives
us that grace on this earth to behold the Lamb of God it's a
very Simple statement, isn't it? We don't have to think about
it very hardly, do we? To behold the Lamb of God. But
it is essential. If we don't behold the Lamb of
God, there's no spiritual life. We're outside the secret. We
don't know the blessings of God. Behold the Lamb of God. And the Apostle just encourages
us Sometimes we need encouragement. He tells us what we will find
ourselves in. We are troubled on every side.
There are troubles on there. All of us have troubles. Yet
not distressed. Why not? Because we have a good
prospect. Because we have a place reserved
for us in heaven. We are perplexed, but not in
despair. We don't always understand our
way. Don't always understand our path. We're not in despair. because we know God's way is
perfect we know that Lord has prepared the way He never makes
a mistake persecuted yes the Church of God are persecuted
not only by people but by the old devil who persecutes us but
the wonderful thing is we're not forsaken God never forsakes
His people He's always with them we don't always Phil perhaps
will realise the blessing and the power of it. But the word
is true, we're not forsaken. He'll never, no never forsake
us. Cast down but not destroyed. Yes, the Church of God are sometimes
cast down. We're cast down at our failures.
We're cast down because of our sinful propensity. We're cast
down because of the evil thoughts. But nonetheless, bless God, we're
not destroyed. Always bearing about in the body
the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might
be made manifest in our body. The evidence, therefore, that
we are born again of the Spirit of God. It is there to be observed
because it is there to show forth the honour and glory of God.
We are in this earth. not for our own satisfaction
but for the glory of God may such a truth sink deep down into
our hearts we may really understand why we are on this earth why
we are we are either on this earth to show forth the praise
of God or we shall leave this earth and perish in our sins
alternative there's no difference different places it's one or
the other and so he tells us for we which live are all were
delivered under death for Jesus sake that the life also of Jesus
might be made manifest in our mortal flesh that is to show
forth the praise of the Savior to show forth what he's done
in redeeming our souls, to show forth the great cost of our salvation. Yes, to behold the Lamb of God. One thing I'm sure of is this.
If God enables us to behold the Lamb of God, we shall behold
the Lamb of God at the cross. At the cross. As the hymn says,
at the cross, at the cross, where I first saw the light, the light
of the glorious gospel shining into our hearts is at the cross
of Jesus. So have we stood there? Have we stood there at the cross
and beheld the Lamb of God suffering on our behalf, dying on our behalf? finishing the work his father
gave him to do on our behalf it's a tremendous thought, isn't
it? what a consideration to think that the Lord God the Lord God
Almighty should have willingly died in our place to redeem our
souls oh yes, behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the
sin of the world. Oh, how important for us it is
to be blessed with this wonderful truth. This same Jesus who indeed
bear our sins. Yes. All of our sins. None were
left behind. Isn't that a wonderful mercy? And the Apostle Peter, who well
knew the blessing of this. And he tells us, he speaks to
the Savior. and it's good to remember what
the Apostle spoke he had perhaps we might say a precious and a
special realisation of the mercy and love of his Saviour and so
he tells us in the 1st epistle of the 2nd chapter for 21st verse
for even here unto where you call God calls us because Christ
also suffered for us leaving us an example that ye should
follow His steps don't forget that He's given us a great and
glorious example as we today by grace are able to behold the
Lamb of God to view Him and what was the first view of Him
after He was born in that time when He was of course 12 years
old in Jerusalem it was when He came to be baptised in Jordan
by John the Baptist. And what a wonderful occasion
that was. What a wonderful example it was. And we see that the Lord
came or his father came and said, behold, this is my beloved son
in whom I am well pleased. Well. Even here unto are you
called because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example
that you should follow his steps who did no sin like us. No sin. Neither was guile found
in his mouth. It's wonderful, isn't it? Pureness
in his speech, in his thoughts. What a wonderful savior who,
when he was reviled, reviled not again let's not forget that
we are to behold the Lamb of God we are to see His life we
are to see how He walked and what He did when He was reviled
He reviled not again when He suffered He threatened not but
committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously you see we
can as we behold the Lamb of God we can commit ourselves unto
the Lord He knows The path. He knows why He has ordained
that you and I should walk a certain way, come into a certain trial,
have a certain opposition. It's for our eternal good. The
Lord God doesn't make any mistakes. Bless God for that. He led them
forth by the right way. Israel of old, they didn't have
an easy path, but the Word of God tells us quite clearly, He
led them forth by the right way. that they might go to a city
of habitation. And today, the Lord leads his
people by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation,
indeed to eternal glory. Ravani, Ravan, not again. When
he suffered he threatened not, but committed himself to him
that judgeth righteously, who his own self bear our sins, in
his own body on the tree just ponder that for a moment the
Lord God the creator of all things the majesty on high bear our
sins in his own body our sins were contracted to him he bore
them didn't complain every sin on the tree that we being dead
to sins should live unto righteousness by whose stripes ye were healed. What a mercy that is. The Lord
bear the chastisement that we deserved. He bore the punishment
instead. What a saviour. Do we not say
Behold the Lamb of God. Do we see Him? Truly? By faith? And praise Him for
what He's done? I hope we do. I hope tonight
you're not sitting there and not listening. I hope the Holy
Spirit convicts us of our position before a holy God and the wonderful
compassion of the Saviour in not casting us off not throwing
us as it were on the rubbish dump where we deserve to be but
has looked upon us and it's because he's loved us with everlasting
love and therefore with loving kindness he's drawn us you know
it's an amazing evidence of being one of the children of God to
know the drawing power of the Saviour we're drawn to Christ
The world knows nothing of this at all. It's a very clear evidence
of the grace of God. We're drawn to the Saviour. We see in Him something very
attractive, something very wonderful, and it's centred, of course,
in His sin-atoning death. For ye were a sheep going astray. We were. Are we still? God knows. but are now returned
under the shepherd and bishop of your souls. Well, have we
come to the Saviour? Him right has it very beautifully.
I came to Jesus as I was, weary and worn and sad. Isn't it wonderful? We don't have to put on any particular
pose or any particular frame we can come to the Lord just
as we are in our every time of need we have such a wonderful
and glorious Savior the Apostle Paul wrote into the Hebrews it's
a very wonderful book as you very well know and in the ninth
chapter he speaks to us about the same things really he tells
us And he says, verse 26, for then, or perhaps verse 25, nor
yet that he should offer himself often as the high priest entered
into the holy place every year with blood of others. That was
the way to signify what was to come. For then must he often
have suffered since the foundation of the world. But now, once in
the end of the world, hath he appeared to put away sin by the
sacrifice of himself. He gave himself complete sacrifice,
nothing greater and nothing less than that would do to satisfy
the holy demands of the holy law of God. And as it is appointed
unto men once to die, But after this, the judgment and don't
forget that. We've all got to die. We've all got to stand before
that great white throne. With a savior as a judge. So Christ was once offered to
bear the sins of many. And unto them that look for him,
shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. Tonight, are we looking for the
Saviour? If the Saviour was to come tonight,
to call you from time, would you indeed be beholding the Lamb
of God with joy? Or would you be in terrible agony?
Where are those who are blessed with the favour of the grace
of God in their hearts, we can thank God for the word that the
Apostle wrote to Titus and in the second chapter in the 13th
verse we read looking for that blessed hope and the glorious
appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ there
is a looking there's not just a looking the poor things of
time. There's a looking for the blessed
hope, that blessed hope that we shall be with the Saviour,
the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour, Jesus
Christ, who gave himself for us. He gave himself for Lord
Jesus Christ, the Almighty God. He gave himself for such wretched
Undone. Unworthy. Sinners of the earth. Why should ever this happen?
It's only because He loved us with everlasting love. Who gave
Himself for us that He might redeem us. Pay the price for
our redemption. The price was the price of blood. Lord Jesus Christ, He gave Himself.
He shed His most precious blood. He gave Himself for us that He
might redeem us from all iniquity, every single sin washed away
in the precious blood of Christ. You see, it's such a wonderful
gospel, isn't it? It's such a full gospel. My friends,
it needs to be so because no sin is in heaven. We did every
sin, every sin. every thought, action, word or
deed to be forgiven to be washed away who gave himself for us
that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto
himself a peculiar people zealous of good works remember a faith
without works is dead not that there's any merit in them But
as true disciples, true followers of the Savior, it is true that
we take up our cross daily and follow him. What a wonderful
privilege. What a wonderful privilege to
follow the wonderful example of a devised and crucified Savior. And so the apostle goes on. These
things speak and exhort and rebuke with all authority, let no man
despise thee. All the wonderful words and the
Apostle was able to write. He knew. He knew the blessing
of that personal knowledge of this Lamb of God. He rejoiced
in the Lamb of God. You only have to read the epistles
and to understand what a high view he had of the Saviour. And
how he loved his Saviour. And how he blessed him. For His
mercy to such an unworthy person as Paul was, well, my friends,
Paul was no worse than you and me. We despised, we rejected
the blessed Lord God of heaven. And therefore how wonderful it
is if He now speaks to us tonight in words like this. Behold the
Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. what a
blessing it is if the Holy Spirit comes in and gives us and applies
the word to our heart so that we do indeed by faith behold
the Lamb of God in the Revelation and the first chapter and the
fifth verse this is what John tells us he says and from Jesus
Christ who is the faithful witness and the first begotten of the
dead and the prince of the kings of the earth unto him that loved
us and washed us from our sins in his own blood and has made
us kings and priests unto God and his father to him be glory
and dominion forever and ever. Amen. That's an eternal statement,
isn't it? glory and dominion forever and
ever amen what a blessing then for us tonight if by faith by
the grace and gift of God we do behold the Lamb of God if
we do here on this earth then we shall behold the Lamb of God
eternally what a blessing that is and isn't it something to
look forward to when we were finished course on this earth
as the Apostle says to be with Christ which is far better. Behold the Lamb of God which
taketh away the sin of the world. Amen.