All right, John chapter 1. There's an account of Charles Spurgeon that I've
always loved. There was, in his day, no microphones. No amplification, it was just
voice and there were usually, he would preach to thousands
of people. And he was scheduled to preach
in one of the grand halls, I think it was called the Agricultural
Hall or something like that. And he was scheduled to preach
that night and he was there that day and he decided to test out
the acoustics of the room. So he stood up to the pulpit
and he shouted, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the
sin of the world. And at that moment, there was
a man working high up in the rafters. And that man said when he heard
that ring through the hall, he said the Spirit of God pierced
his soul. And he came and heard Brother
Spurgeon and he confessed Christ, God saved him. This is an amazing
verse. John 1 verse 29 says, The next
day John seeth Jesus coming unto him. And at this moment John
is talking to other people, other men. And what he says to them
is, Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. How can you possibly describe someone as glorious as our God? John sees Him coming and he's
going to describe Him to these who he's talking to. How can
you describe somebody as glorious as our God? In verse 1 of this
chapter, he describes himself through John to be the Word. That's what He calls Himself,
the Word. In John 14, He said, I am the
way. I'm the way. He said, I am the
truth. He said, I am the life. In John 10, He said, I am the
door. In John 6 he said, I am the bread. In John 15 he said, I am the
vine. Back in John 10 he said, I am
the good shepherd. The Lord is our shepherd and
we're the sheep. All we like sheep. have gone
astray. He's the shepherd, we're the
sheep. And all we like sheep have gone
astray. Not only does He keep us, and
lead us, and feed us, and protect us, and provide for us, and teach
us, But it says in Hebrews 7.26, He became us. Behold the Lamb. He became us. The glory and majesty of God
is that the lion of the tribe of Judah became a lamb. The hunter willingly became the
hunted, the prey. Isn't that something? Isn't that
something? If you think about the whole purpose of God, isn't that amazing
that He chose to do it this way? Sheep by nature are innocent. They're not vicious. We were
driving around and went to Exchange Place. We drove by Exchange Place,
and they have some sheep over there. And those sheep were filthy.
I mean, just filthy. Their fur just had mud and all
kinds of stuff just hanging off of it, just brown. They were
brown. But their face right here, I saw that, and I thought, that
is the most precious looking thing I've ever seen. Just so
innocent. They're not vicious. They're
not killers, they're not hunters, they don't have a prey that they're
after. That's not a sheep. Behold the Lamb. Isaiah 53 says, He shall grow
up as a tender plant. Tender. Song of Solomon verse
5 says, His eyes are as the eyes of doves. I can't wait to look
into His eyes. I can't wait. He said in Matthew 11, I'm meek
and I'm lowly in heart. This is a precious man. Behold
the Lamb. Sheep clothe us. They cover us. They warm us. They become naked. They become
shorn. And I've heard when that happens,
they become humiliated. So we can have their covering. And when it's beautiful, we wear
it proudly, don't we? We love that covering. Behold
the Lamb. It's His coat of righteousness
that covers our sins. It's His robe of righteousness
that every saint in glory wears. They talk about white robes,
glistening robes. That's the righteousness of Christ. Acts 8 says, Like a lamb done
before His shearer, so opened He not His mouth. In His humiliation,
His judgment was taken away. And who shall declare his generation? Who is sufficient to declare
this man? For his life is taken from us.
Behold the Lamb. Sheep feed us. Sheep clothe us
and they feed us. They give their lives in death
to sustain our life. In the Old Testament, when they
sacrificed those sheep, they ate the meat. They ate that meat. It didn't go to waste. Their
lives were not given in vain. They feed us. Behold the Lamb. He said, Take, eat, this is my
body which is broken for you. Verse 29 says, The next day John
seeth Jesus coming unto him, and he saith, Behold the Lamb
of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. Our Lord said, Search the scriptures,
they are they which testify of me. They all speak of me, all
of them. I want us to see how perfectly
all the Scriptures fit together testifying of Him. This is wonderful. This is wonderful. Turn with
me to Genesis 4. In Genesis 3, the Lord God is
angry with Adam and Eve. They ate the fruit, they sinned
against God, they broke His law, just like every person since
Adam and Eve has done. Just like you and me. And in
Genesis 3, verse 21, the Lord illustrated to them, without
the shedding of blood, there's no remission for sin. It says
in Genesis 321, unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord
God make coats of skins and clothed them. That simple, cute, precious,
innocent lamb, the Lord God killed it, skinned
it, and made coats for Adam and Eve. They had never seen anything
like that before. They've never seen death before. That's the first time they ever
saw it. So chapter 3 verse 24, it says,
He drove out the man and he placed at the east of the garden of
Eden cherubims and a flaming sword, which turned every way
to keep the way of the tree of life. What he's saying to Adam
and Eve is, I am holy. I'm holy. And you've been banished
from my presence. You can't be in my presence.
But there is a way that you can approach me. All right, here
it is. Chapter four, verse four. And Abel, he also brought of
the firstlings of his flock, and of the fat thereof. And the
Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering. He brought of
his flock. What he brought was a lamb. Now, I'm going to over the next
few places that we turn, give us a couple of big words. This
one is the lamb typified. A type. OK, a picture, the Lord gave
them a type. A picture of the way that you
can approach me, you're going to have to bring a lamb. The
lamb typified. There is a way, one way to approach
God. One way. The good news is there
is a way. But there's only one way. And
it's through the offering of a lamb. Now you know Abel had
no idea what that meant. He had no idea truly what that
meant. He knew that's what God required,
so he obeyed. God said, bring a lamb, so he
brought a lamb. Cain didn't bring a lamb. In the beginning, as soon as
man sinned, God gave a picture, He gave a type of what would
redeem man back to his original state. Man was good. Very good. Man lost that. And the Lord gave
a picture of what would redeem man back to his original state. The Lamb typified. Alright, now
turn to Genesis 22. Genesis chapter 22 and look at verse 7. Genesis 22, 7. 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? I know we need a lamb, but we
don't have one. We don't have one. Verse 8 says,
And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for
a burnt offering. So they went both of them together.
That is the lamb prophesied. Man has sinned against God. And
because of that, we need a lamb. That's what God said. We need
a lamb. And now we know where that lamb will come from. The
lamb typified and the lamb prophesied. All right, now turn with me to
Exodus 12. Exodus 12, look at verse 3. The Lord said, 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. And if the household
be too little for the lamb, Let him and his neighbor next unto
his house take it according to the number of souls. Every man
according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.
Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You
shall take it out from the sheep or from the goats, and you shall
keep it up until the 14th day of the same month, And the whole
assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the
evening. And they shall take of the blood
and strike it on the two side post and on the upper door post
of the houses wherein they shall eat it. That's the lamb applied glory to his name. There to my
heart was the lamb slain and the blood applied. That's the
reason for this lamb. We need his blood applied to
cover this sin. There's only one thing that'll
cover this sin. Give remission for sin and it's
blood. The lamb was typified by God. The lamb was prophesied by God.
and the lamb was applied. Now turn with me to Isaiah 53.
Isaiah 53, let's read the first seven verses. Who hath believed our report,
and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? For he shall grow
up before him as a tender plant and as a root out of dry ground.
He hath no form nor comeliness, and when we shall see him there
is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected
of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. and we
hid, as it were, our faces from him. He was despised and we esteemed
him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows, yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten
of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities.
The chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes
we are healed. all we like sheep have gone astray. We have turned every one to his
own way, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not
his mouth. He is brought as a lamb to the
slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is done, so he openeth
not his mouth." That's the Lamb personified. Personified. This Lamb is actually a man. This Lamb is actually a man. You need a Lamb. God will provide
Him. Only in His blood will I pass
over you And this Lamb is actually a man. Now back to our text, John 1. That's what the Lord told throughout
the Old Testament. John 1 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. The lamb has been identified. All through the Old Testament,
all through the sacrifices, they kept talking about a lamb. You
need a lamb. You've got to have a lamb. Isaiah
writes, this lamb is a man. John says, there he is, identified. This is that Lamb. God sent Him. He's the Lamb of God. He shed
His blood bearing the sin of His people. Look to Him. There's the Lamb. You need a
Lamb. God has provided a Lamb. It's
through His blood that you have forgiveness of sin. And there
He is. There He is. He was typified,
prophesied, applied, personified, identified, and go to Revelation
5. We'll see Him magnified and glorified. Revelation chapter 5. Revelation 5 verse 1 says, And
I saw in the right hand of Him that sat on the throne a book
written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. And
I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy
to open the book and to loose the seals thereof? And no man
in heaven nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to
open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much, because
no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither
to look thereon. And one of the elders saith unto
me, Weep not. Behold, the Lion of the tribe
of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book,
and to loose the seven seals thereof. 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. And he came and took the book
out of the right hand of him that sat on the throne. And when
he had taken the book, The four beasts and the four and twenty
elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps
and golden vials full of odors which are the prayers of saints.
And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book. and to open the seals thereof.
For thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood
out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation, and hast
made us unto our God kings and priests, and we shall reign on
the earth. And I beheld, and I heard the
voice of many angels round about the throne, and the beast, and
the elders. And the number of them was ten thousand times ten
thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, Worthy
is the Lamb that was slain. to receive power, and riches,
and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in
heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and such as are in
the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, blessing,
and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon
the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever. And the four
beasts said, Amen. And the four and 20 elders fell
down and worshiped him that liveth forever and ever. We're going
to get to see this lamb. We're going to get to see this
lamb. From the very beginning, the Lord God said, you need a
lamb. And then he said, God will provide
this lamb. And then he said, This Lamb is
going to shed His blood and cover your sins." And then He said,
this Lamb is actually a man. And then He said, this is who
He is. And then He said, He's going
to reign forever. Isn't that wonderful? The Lamb glorified and magnified. Behold the Lamb of God. Now what
did our Lamb accomplish in His death? Go back to our text, John
1.29. John 1.29 says, The next day
John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb
of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. Some people
will say, Well, there it is. Which taketh away the sin of
the world. When Christ died, He died for
the sin of the whole world. Let's ask this question. Is the
word whole in John 1.29? Does it say, The next day John
seeth Jesus coming unto him, and said, Behold the Lamb of
God, which taketh away the sin of the whole world. No. Is the word entire in John 1.29? Is the phrase all of thee in
John 1.29? No. He said, I pray not for the world,
I pray for them which thou hast given me. We just read in Revelation
5, out of every nation, tribe, kindred, and tongue. Turn over
to Romans 8. Romans chapter 8. Romans 8, look at verse 1. It
says, There is therefore now no condemnation to them which
are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after
the Spirit. What is it to walk after the
flesh? It's to walk after the law. The law is written to this flesh. Thou shalt not, thou shalt. It says, There is therefore now
no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk
not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the
Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law
of sin and death. For what the law could not do,
in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son
in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, and my margin right
there says, by a sacrifice for sin, condemned sin in the flesh. Behold the Lamb of God. Behold
Him. Don't just see Him, look to Him. John said, that which was from
the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen, which
we have looked upon. And our hands have handled of
the Word of Life. We've seen Him, we've looked
upon Him. Behold the Lamb of God. Look
to Him. We sang that song, we opened
by singing 2.16. I love the words of this. It
says, if you from sin are longing to be free, there's the Lamb. He to redeem you died on Calvary. There's the Lamb. When Satan
tempts and doubts and fears assail, behold the Lamb. You in His strength
shall over all prevail. Look to the Lamb. Are you weary? Does the way seem long? Look
to the Lamb. His love will cheer and fill
your heart with song. Fear not when shadows on your
pathway fall. In joy or sorrow, Christ is all
in all. Look to that Lamb. That's what
John said. Behold the Lamb. Look to the
Lamb. For He alone is able to save
you. Look to that Lamb. Peter said, You are not redeemed
with corruptible things as silver and gold, but you are redeemed
with the precious blood of the Lamb. Thanks be to God for this
Lamb. Let me just read this to you
in closing. Revelation 1 says, Unto Him that
loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and hath
made us kings and priests unto God and His Father. To Him be
glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Behold the Lamb of
God, which taketh away the sin of the world. One of these days,
if God has mercy on our soul and He allows us to enter into
His presence, we're going to enter into that. like we can't imagine. We're flesh and we're weak and
we can't enter into it right now. We just can't. It's there,
but we just can't. But one of these days, He's going
to allow us to enter into that. And we're going to be crying
thank you at the top of our lungs for taking away the sin of the
world. Behold the lamp. Stand together with me. I'll just dismiss in prayer,
okay? Our most gracious Heavenly Father,
we thank You so much for sending us this Lamb. Dear Lord, I pray
if it be Thy will that You would cause us to look to Him, cause
us to behold Him. We pray, Lord, that His blood
was shed for us. Thank you so much for all things.
We pray, if it be thy will, that you would save us and teach us. And Lord,
we pray for our children. Save our children. We pray for our families, Lord.
We pray for those who don't know you. Would you have mercy on
them? And would you open up their eyes to behold the Lamb? Lord,
would you reveal the good news to them? Would you speak that
to their hearts? Please have mercy on us, Lord.
Please have mercy on this community. Would you save sinners in this
community? We pray that you would lead us
and help us in all things that you would have us to do. Have
mercy on us, we pray, for Christ's sake. Amen. You're dismissed. It's been a long time.