Now, you find John chapter 1. John chapter 1. Some of you are
going to be encouraged here, because I have just one verse.
Verse 29. John 1 verse 29. These words. We are going to work on just
these words today. Behold, the Lamb, the Lamb of
God, who taketh away, taketh away, beareth away, and then
the sin of the world. And then John says, behold him. Now that's five things. This
message has five points from those words right there. Behold,
behold, gaze upon him with earnest and intent contemplation. Look to him, look to him. So
I'm entitling the message from the words found in verse 29,
and again they're repeated down in verse 36. Behold the Lamb
of God. This is a true statement. This
is the message of the whole Bible you hold in your hand. The whole
message of Scripture is all about the Lamb of God, the Lord Jesus
Christ. He is the Lamb that God told
Abraham that He would provide. Remember, Isaac asked his father
that day, in Genesis 22, we read it a moment ago, Behold the fire
of the wood, where is the Lamb? Where is the Lamb? Where is that
blood offering? Where is the Lamb for the burnt
offering? Abraham said, my son, God will provide Himself a lamb
for burnt offering. So they went, both of them, together. Now, the amazing beauty and the
wonder of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is that God provided
Himself as the lamb. The Word was made flesh. God provided Himself as the Lamb
as the only sacrifice for sin. God provided for Himself as the
Lamb to satisfy His own offended law and justice. Now you think
about that. God Himself provided Himself
as the Lamb for Himself to satisfy Himself for us poor, vile, wicked
sinners. What a message! How Christ died
for our sin according to the Scripture. Now one thing is certain.
One thing is certain. When we come to God, When we
come to worship God, we must have a Lamb. We must have a sacrifice. It must be the Lamb of God's
appointing. It must be the Lamb of God's anointing. We must have
the Lamb of God. Now, who is this Lamb? Who is
this Lamb? Who is the only sacrifice for
sin? Who is the Lamb that can fully
satisfy God Fully meet everything that God requires, fully satisfy
God, and yet give to us everything we need. Now there's just one
Lamb. That one Lamb is none other than
the Lord Jesus Christ and Him crucified. There's just one way
of salvation. There's just one. Our God is
able to meet all our need according to His riches in glory through
Lord Jesus Christ alone. Now, in this text, John 1.29,
the next day John sees Jesus coming unto him. And John says,
Behold Him. Behold the Lamb of God that takes
away the sin, the sin of the world. Now, John in his day identified
the Lamb, didn't he? Pointed out the Lamb. This is the main purpose of every
minister of the gospel today is to point you to the Lamb,
the Lamb of God, to identify the Lamb, to call attention to
the Lamb, to point sinners to the Lamb, who indeed is the only
sacrifice for sin. Now think about this. Wouldn't
it be an amazing thing in our day if the Lord would be pleased
to raise up some men Like John, to preach the gospel of the Lamb,
the Lamb of God who really accomplished salvation for the elect of God,
not just a sacrifice that would make salvation a possibility,
but to raise up those who would preach the gospel of the Lord
Jesus Christ and that sacrifice that He made for us that makes
salvation an absolute certainty. As a matter of fact, the Lamb
of God actually accomplished salvation by the sacrifice of
Himself. John knew no other Lamb, no other
sacrifice, no other way to approach God, did he? But through the
Lord Jesus Christ alone. Now, let's take a good look at
this verse. And pray that the Lord will show us our need. Have
you ever seen your need of the Lamb? Pray that God would show
you your need of the Lamb of God. And then pray God would
give us faith to behold Him. That God would give us faith
to look to Him. That you in your heart would actually trust Him
and believe Him as all your salvation. Now, here's point number one. This is going to be a straightforward
message. A straightforward and plain,
as I can make it, message. John sets forth the Lord Jesus
Christ as the only sacrifice for sin. He's not a lamb. He is definite article THE Lamb. And notice capital L. He's talking
about a person. THE Lamb of God. THE Lamb of God. He is THE Lamb. The Lord Jesus Christ is not
a way, he the way. The Lord Jesus Christ is not
a door, he the door. The Lord Jesus Christ is not
some truth, he is the truth, the way, the life, of which he
said, no man can go to the Father but by me. There is no other
sacrifice for sin, is there? There is no other atonement for
sin. Be sure you look to this Lamb
to put away your sin. He's the only one that can. Yea, rather, He already has put
away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. Now, all through the
Old Testament, we found those who worshiped God, and they did
so with a sacrifice, with a blood offering, didn't they? Not that
the blood of bulls and goats could take away sin. But it pictured,
what did it picture? It pictured substitution. When
Abel brought that blood offering and killed that blood offering,
he was saying, that's what I deserve. That's what my sin deserved,
death. It pictures the way of substitution,
doesn't it? The Lord Jesus Christ is the
fulfillment of that picture. It pictured the way of substitution,
the victim dying in the place of the center, just like that
day when Abraham and Isaac went to Mount Moriah. Some people
think, some commentators think that it was the same mount that
is known as Mount Calvary. And Abraham there sacrificed
his son, just as Abraham was thankful for that in his heart
he did, and then God provided a sacrifice for Him to worship
God and approach God. Abel's offering, what was his
offering? Cain brought what? The fruit
of the ground. His offering was not accepted.
Abel's offering was a lamb, wasn't it? The Lamb of God. Abraham's
offering was a lamb provided by God. The Passover offering
was what? The blood on the door is the
blood of a what? Lamb. It pictured the way of
salvation. On the day of atonement, the
blood upon the mercy seat was the blood of a lamb. The Lord
Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of all that was pictured in type
and shadow under the law. Our blessed Lord said that He
came to fulfill the law. This is what took place in His
life, honoring the law of God, and in His death. As the great
high priest came for us, representing us, he did not bring the blood
of others, did he? He did not bring the blood of
bulls and goats, did he? When he entered in once into
the holy place, and he obtained eternal redemption for us with
what? With his own blood. Not with
the blood of bulls and goats. With his own blood. The Lord
Jesus Christ is set forth, therefore, in Scripture as the only atoning
victim. He's called the propitiation
whom God set forth. Remember John said, here it is,
love? Here it is. You want to know what love is?
Here it is. Here it is, love. Not that we love God, but that
He loved us. And that He sent His Son to be
the sacrifice for our sins. The Lord Jesus Christ, as the
Lamb of God, tells us of His sinless character. It was to
be, under the law, a lamb without blemish and without spot. As
a matter of fact, on the Passover lamb, it was to be put up a certain
amount of days and observed to make sure it had no disease.
And that pictures the sinless character of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Lamb without blemish and without spot, who is holy, harmless,
undefiled, and separate from sin. The Lord Jesus Christ, as
the Lamb, tells us not only of His sinless character, but also
of His humility. His humility. He humbled Himself,
became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. The Lamb's
sacrifice also tells us that this was the fulfillment of God's
eternal purpose. You remember in Revelation 13,
verse 8, the Lord Jesus Christ is the what? The Lamb slain from
the foundation of the world. God had always purposed in His
eternal purpose to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
And in time, the Lord Jesus Christ came and fulfilled that eternal
purpose. Our Lord had always purposed
to purge and to put away our sin by himself, with himself,
for his own glory. The Lord Jesus Christ is not
only the Lamb provided, the only Lamb for the sacrifice for sin,
but is the only sacrifice that God will accept. You remember
we read in Genesis 22, Jehovah-Jireh? God will only accept, God will
provide. God will only accept that lamb
which he has provided. Don't bring a lamb. Don't bring
an offering and expect to put away your sin. Look to the Lord
Jesus Christ who did put away sin. You see, His sacrifice that
is provided by God, the Lamb provided by God, the Lamb accepted
by God, unto God is a sweet-smelling savour. That is, God is well
pleased, God is satisfied with the sacrifice of the Lamb. He provided it, He accepts it,
and He's satisfied with the Lamb. Do you ever notice in the Old
Testament when it talks about the blood on the altar? The blood
on the altar. You remember what it says next?
The blood on the altar before the Lord. You see, the blood
atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ, contrary to what's being said
in our day, is not offered unto us. It's offered unto God. This is
the Lamb of God. the Lamb of God. We must never
try to satisfy God or approach God apart from this Lamb, this
sacrifice. Remember these words, that our
God dwells in the light, in a light of holiness to which no man can
approach? Don't ever think you can come
to God apart from Jesus Christ and Him crucified. We must have
the Lord Jesus Christ to approach God and to worship Him. Now you
think about this, what an insult to God Almighty and what an offense
to the Lord Jesus Christ to dismiss His blood atonement, His sacrifice
as nothing and think you can come apart from Him. And to think
that salvation is apart from Him. Can't be done. God tells us to behold the Lamb
of God. Now that's my second point. That
second point is this. You see in our text there, that
word, O-F, of, of, it's of, the Lamb comes from somewhere. This
is the Lamb of God. Now this is important. This is
God's Lamb. It's of God. That is, ordained
of God. That is the Lord Jesus Christ
is not, this sacrifice is not of men. He's not sent of men. This is the Lamb of God. Now, in the fullness of time,
God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law
to redeem them that were under the law. The Lord Jesus Christ
came by the determinate decree and full ordination of God. He
just didn't show up one day. Him being delivered by the determinate
counsel and full knowledge of God. You see, this is the Lamb
that's of God, not of men. Now, let me see if I can make
the point here. We often say these words, and this is a true
saying, salvation is of the Lord. Now, what are we saying there?
Salvation is God's doing. Salvation is from Him. It's of Him. Salvation is not
of men, is it? Salvation is of God. He appointed
salvation. He planned salvation. He purposed
salvation. He accomplished salvation. Salvation
depends upon Him. It's determined by Him. It is
of Him. Now, you got my point? This Lamb
is of God. This is the Lamb of God's choosing.
The Lamb of God's appointing. The Lamb of God's anointing.
The Lamb, the sacrifice of God's providing. And it's the only
Lamb that he will accept. It's of God. Now underscore those
two words. Of God. Salvation of the Lord. Now here's the third thing. The
Lord Jesus Christ actually, affectually put away our sin by the sacrifice
of himself. Notice carefully these next words.
The Lamb of God who Or which, who taketh away sin. Taketh away sin. Now what does
that mean? That means his sacrifice is effectual. His sacrifice is an accomplishment. It actually does something. It
actually accomplishes something. It actually satisfied God. It
really brings in everlasting righteousness. Taketh away sin. or beareth away as the marginal
reference says. Now, on this third point, I want
us to consider these three things, on this third point, three points.
Now watch this. He took our sin to Himself, taketh
away. Now to take our sin, to take
away our sin, He had to do what? He had to take it, didn't He?
He took our sin. It says in 1 Peter 2, 24, that
He bare our sin in His own body. He said, no man takes my life
from me, I lay it down. I lay it down, I have power to
take it again. The Lord Jesus Christ took our sin to Himself. God Almighty laid on Him the
sin of God's elect and He took them to Himself. He owned them
as our sin. It's said in Isaiah 53 that the
Lord laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Christ took the sin
of His people to Himself and made those sins His very own. Now turn to Isaiah 40. Isaiah
40. He made those sins His very own. They're sins that we committed,
iniquity, transgression, all of our sin. And he took them
to himself and made them his own. You see, Psalm 40 verse
12. For innumerable evils have compassed
me about. This is a Messianic Psalm. The
Lord said here, mine iniquities have taken hold upon me. So that
I'm not able to look up, there's more than there is in my head,
therefore my heart's failing." He called our sin, our iniquities,
our transgression, His. His sin. He took our sin in His
own body on the tree. Now here's the second point.
Christ took our sin, and then what did He do with them? What
did He do with them? He didn't give them back to us,
did He? What did He do with them? It
says there, He took them away. He beareth them away. He put
them away. It says in Hebrews 9.26, He appeared
once in the end of the age to do what? Put away sin by the
sacrifice of Himself. And this includes original sin. Adam all died. And this includes
Actual sin, the sin of God's elect. They had original sin,
didn't they? Adam's sin was charged, imputed, reckoned to the elect
of God and to the reprobate as well. And our actual sin, sin
that we have actually committed, transgressions and offenses that
we've actually sinned against God. All sin is against God.
The Lord Jesus Christ took the sin of those covenant people
and took them away. He put them away by making complete
satisfaction for them, complete and full atonement for them.
He fully paid the sin debt. Sin demanded death. He died for
our sin, according to Scripture. The curse of the law demanded
death. He redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made
a curse for us. The holy justice of God says
the guilty must die. The Lord Jesus Christ really
died for our sin in our room and in our stead. It says in
1 Corinthians 15 that Christ died for our sins. It says in 1 Peter 3.18 that
the just suffered for the unjust. He suffered once for our sins,
the just for the unjust, that He might bring us unto God. 1 John 3,
5 said He was manifested to take away our sin. So He took our
sin, and taking our sin, and bearing our sin, He put them
away by the sacrifice of Himself. Now, let me ask you this question.
How completely Has Christ removed our sin from us? Did He just
partially take some of our sin? Did He just take the big ones
and leave the little ones for us to deal with? If that be the
case, we're in big trouble. No, my friend, He completely
removed all our sin. Now, here's how complete. It's
said in Isaiah 38 that they're cast behind the back of God.
Now wherever that is, they're not in His sight. It's said that
they're cast into the depths of the sea. Total darkness. God doesn't see them. In Isaiah
44, it says they're blotted out as a thick cloud. We studied
Wednesday night from Psalm 103, as far as the east is from the
west. So far has He removed our sin
from us. Now how far is the east from
the west? It's an infinite distance. Our sins have been removed completely
from us. Now I want you to turn and read
this with me. Turn to Hebrews 10. Hebrews 10. He beareth away our sin. He took away our sin. Now how complete is it? Well,
let's see here. Hebrews 10. Hebrews 10, verse
14. Hebrews 10, verse 14. You got
it? For by one offering, remember under the law there were many
offerings and many priests that never did take away sin. But
His one offering hath perfected forever them that are sanctified,
wherefore the Holy Ghost also was a witness to us. For after
he hath said before, This is the covenant that I will make
with them in those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws,
gospel principles into their hearts, and write them in their
minds, and their sins, and their iniquities will I remember no
more." Now that's good news. You mean to tell me that the
believer has no sin? They're gone. God does not see
our sin. That's what I'm saying. The Lord
Jesus Christ fully, completely took away our sin. Now, as we
preach the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, and as we tell
about the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ, we don't preach
a failed atonement. We don't preach an attemptment.
We preach an atonement. We preach a successful and effectual
sacrifice for sin. Is that right? That's what this
book teaches. Christ really did take our sins. And in taking
our sins, He took them away. So completely that God said,
I don't see them anymore. They don't exist. Now here's
a third thing. I'm still on this third point.
Now look at this word here in our text. John 1.29. The Lamb
of God who taketh, taketh, taketh, taketh, taketh. He continually
cleanses us from all our sin. His sacrifice then is a perpetual
sacrifice. You see that? It's a perpetual
sacrifice. Here's what we read in 1 John
chapter 1. The blood of Jesus Christ God's Son cleanses, cleanses,
cleanses. From all sin. Perpetual sacrifice. Now why do we need a perpetual
sacrifice? Because I perpetually sin against
God. We all are sinners. That's why
John said, when you sin, we have an advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous. who continually, continually
takes our sin, takes them away, and continually cleanses us from
all our sin. That's the good news of the gospel.
I don't want anything to do with a failed atonement, do you? Now,
here's the fourth point. Now, stay with me here. Which
taketh away the sin of the world. Is that what it says? That's
what it says. Take it away, the sin of the world. That's a pretty big word, world,
isn't it? Now, here's the question. For whomever the Lord Jesus Christ
died, their sins, transgressions, and iniquities are gone, never
to be remembered again. Is that right? For whomever he
died, Their sins are gone. There is therefore now no condemnation
to those who were in the Lord Jesus Christ. Now listen to me
carefully. I want you to understand me on this point. It is generally
believed in most religious circles, and here's what we've heard all
of our life. It is generally believed and
preached by most, and here's what we've heard. That the Lord
Jesus Christ died for all the sins of all men without exception.
That's what we've heard all our life. He died, they call that
a general atonement. That the Lord Jesus Christ, that
word world means, that word they say, that word world means all
the sins of all mankind, every individual that ever existed.
Is that what that word means? that Christ died for all the
sins of all mankind, that for every individual that ever lived. They say that the Bible teaches
a universal atonement. However, my friend, the truth
of the matter is this. The Bible teaches a particular
redemption, a definite and limited atonement, The Lord Jesus Christ
died for His covenant people in this world. There are no... Now, if you say... Now, you think
with me a minute. Let's try to be logical here.
If you say that, as the false preacher does, that Christ died
for all the sins of all men... Okay, you don't say that. He
died... He told and He put away all the sins of all men. And
some of those men wind up in hell? Is there anybody in hell
for whom the Lord Jesus Christ died? If there is, and what does
that say of His atonement? That says His atonement is a
failure. That means His atonement has nothing to do with salvation. Here's the truth of the matter,
my friend. The Lord Jesus Christ died for His covenant people,
and none of those sheep will perish. Now, we see that, and
I can illustrate it this way. Peter and Judas. Did the Lord
die for all the sins of Judas, just like He did for Peter? Hmm? He died and made atonement for
Peter. He left Judas to perish justly
in his own wicked deeds. That's the truth of the matter.
This word, world, does not mean every individual that ever lived.
Now, preacher, are you sure? Okay. I'm sure. I can show you
now. Look at John chapter 12. I want
you to see this. This is very important. Say,
well, why make this a big issue? Why make this a big issue? Because
the Word of God makes it a big issue. The blood of Christ is never
shed in vain. Now, in John chapter 12, look
at verse 19. Okay, they say, well, world means
world. Does it? It means every individual
that ever lived and all the world that ever lived? Okay, John 12,
19. The Pharisees, therefore, said among themselves, perceive
how ye prevail nothing. Behold, the world is gone after
him. Now, did every individual in
all the world that ever lived, did they all seek salvation in
Christ? Well, no. So what does that word there
mean? It just means simply, a whole lot of folks did. A whole lot
of folks did. It seems, apparently, that a
whole world went after Him. But it doesn't mean every individual
that ever lived, does it? You know, actually, when you
look at that word throughout the Scripture, never one time
does it ever mean every individual in all the world. Sometimes it's
talking about a geographical thing. Now, here's the prime
example, though. I'm going to turn to John 17.
The Lord in His priestly prayer, when He prayed for those the
Father had given to Him, do you know what He says here in His
prayer? He says, I pray not for the world. Now, if He didn't
pray for the world, certainly He didn't die for the world if
He wouldn't pray for them. Wouldn't He? Look at John 17,
verse 6. I have manifested thy name in
the manner in which thou gavest me out of the world. Thine they
were, and thou gavest them me, and they have kept thy word.
Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given
me are of thee. For I have given unto them the
word which thou gavest me, and they have received them. I have
known surely that I came out from thee. They have believed
that thou didst send me. I pray for them, I pray not for
the world." And here, this world here is a world of reprobate,
ungodly sinners. Reprobates, the non-elect. I pray for them. I pray for God's elect, those
given. I pray not for the world, but
for them which you've given them. See, he died for those given
to Christ. Christ prayed not for the world
of unbelievers. who lived in sin, died in sin,
as he did not pray for them, so he did not die for them. The
Lord is the mediator of his covenant people, even so he is a propitiation
only for them." You know, that was pictured way back in the
Old Testament. On the Day of Atonement, when
the high priest went into the Holy of Holies, whose name did
he bear on his chest? You know. Whom did he represent? It wasn't the Philistines, the
world of the Philistines, and the Hittites, and the Malakites,
and the Jebusites, and all them other electrolytes. It was Israel. The Lord Jesus Christ died for
His covenant people, my friend. Let us never be guilty of making
the blood atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ to be in vain. The
Lord Jesus Christ has a covenant people, and here this world in
John 1 is a world of His elect. It has to be that. He has a people out of every
kindred, tribe, nation, tongue under heaven. We read about that
in Revelation chapter 5. Let's sing the song to the Lamb. We are redeemed with the blood
of Christ. It does mean that He died for
His covenant people. Not all without exception, but
all in this sense, all without distinction. That is, among God's
elect, there is bond and free and black and white and young
and old and rich and poor and educated and not educated. God
has a people in all the world. Let's make good, scripturally,
on this fact for whom the Lord Jesus Christ died. And let's
get this settled once for all. Let's just settle the issue once
for all. For whom did Christ die? For
whom did He die? He died for His covenant people.
He died for His elect. Now, here's the Scriptures. Isaiah
53, verse 8. It says, For the transgression
of My people, My people was He stricken. In Matthew 1, verse
21. The messenger from heaven said,
Call his name Jesus, Savior, for he shall save his people
from their sin. John 10.15, we're going to see
when we get to John chapter 10, that the good shepherd laid down
his life for the sheep. Those given to him in that covenant.
It says in Hebrews 2.17 that he made atonement for the sin
of the people. Now, whoever these people are,
their sin is gone. And righteousness has been reckoned
unto them. I want you to turn with me and
let's read this scripture. 2 Corinthians 5. You see, He
is the Lamb of God that really takes away the sin of God's people
in this world. Complete effectual atonement. I want you to find 2 Corinthians
5. Look at verse 18. All things are of God,
who hath reconciled us to himself by the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ
in him crucified, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation,
to wit, that is namely, God was in Christ. The Word was made
flesh and brought among us. Reconciling the world unto Himself. Now, who is that world? It's
described here, not imputing their trespasses unto them. Now,
who's that? Who's the world that does not
have sin charged to them? Now, who is that world? Now,
if you're honest, and God's people are honest, You know they're
talking about the elect of God. They have not their sin reckoned
to them. The world, I'm telling you, not
imputing their trespasses unto them, and hath committed unto
us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors
for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you
in Christ's stead. Now, be you reconciled. Or, verse
21, God made him sin for us. Who knew no sin, that we might
be made the righteousness of God in Him. Now two things I've
got to have. And we see those two things in
that verse 21. Two things I must have to be
in God's presence. One of them is negative and one
of them is positive. One of them is negative and one of them is
positive. I've got to have my sin taken away. Subtracted. And then I have to have something
positive. Righteousness charged in my account. You see that?
All that is in Christ and Him crucified. It says in Daniel
chapter 9 verse 23 when it talks about He finished transgression,
made an end of sin, and then it says He brought in everlasting
righteousness. Blessed is the man whom the Lord
would impute His righteousness without works. Now, back to John
chapter 1 verse 29. Now you see how precious this
verse is? The Lamb of God which taketh
away the sin of... You know, we can use that word
world and not be afraid of it. Not be afraid of it. Because
we know what it means. It means the world of His elect.
Now, here's the last thing. One word. Behold. Behold. You see that? B-E-H-O-L-D. Simple word. What does it mean? Look. Look. Behold. Behold the Lamb of God. And here's what he's saying.
Here's what John's saying. Don't look to the law. Don't look to
Judaism. Don't behold the law. Don't behold
legalism. Don't behold those things. Look
to Christ. Look to Christ. You see, the
Lord Jesus Christ is the only object of saving faith. The faith
of God's elect looks to the Lord Jesus Christ. We read this in
Hebrews 12. Looking unto Jesus, the author
and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before
him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at
the right hand of the throne of God. The ministry of John
was pointing sinners to Christ. Look down at verse 35, 36, and
37. The next day, John preaches the
same message, Behold the Lamb of God, and you know what? Somebody
heard that message and fell in love with Christ. It says there
that two disciples heard Him speak and they followed the Lord
Jesus Christ. That's what I want you to do.
Don't follow me. Don't look to me. I'm a sinner
just like you. Follow Christ. Follow the Lord
Jesus Christ. Look to Him. This is the basis
and foundation of every gospel preaching church, preaching Christ
and Him crucified, pointing sinners to behold the Lamb of God, and
this is what saving faith does, it looks to Christ. May God be
pleased to give all of us a heart to believe Him, faith to behold
Him, to receive Him, and grace. to live looking to the Lord Jesus
Christ. And sing that song of the Lamb,
worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive all honor, glory,
and blessing both now and forever. Behold the Lamb of God, which
taketh away our sin.