John's Gospel, chapter 1, just
one verse, verse 29. The next day John saith Jesus
coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh
away the sin of the world. I was thinking about why John
described the Lord Jesus this way, Behold the Lamb of God. Because there were so many ways
that he could describe him, it would have been very fitting,
especially for this occasion. They were inquiring of John if
he was that prophet. What a perfect time for him to
have said, Behold that prophet. But he said, Behold, I am of
God. He needed a prophet, just like
you and I need a prophet. What were the prophets for? God
spoke to us through the prophets. In time past, God spake to the
fathers by the prophets. He taught the prophets. Taught
them of themselves, their need. Revealed things to them. You
and I need Christ as our prophet. We need to be taught. We're ignorant
people. The natural man receiveth not
the things of God. There's no understanding. There's
no fear of God before us. How wonderful, how fitting it
would have been for John to have said, Behold that prophet. God is going to speak to us through
him. He's come. Who was it that struck
Saul of Tarsus down and taught his ignorant soul and made him
love the truth? It was Christ the prophet. We
need a prophet, don't we? But that's not the way he described
the Lord Jesus Christ. Behold the Lamb of God. I'll
tell you something else he could have said that would have been
very fitting. Behold the King. Where is he born King of the
Jews? this everlasting King. He has
a name written, King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Gird on thy
sword upon thy side, O Most Mighty, with thy glory, with thy majesty,
ride prosperously. Jesus Christ is a King. We need
a King, don't we? I want a King to subdue I want
to be subdued. I want Him to subdue my old nature,
this old man. Reign over me. I plan and I plot
and I seek to direct my own steps. I want Him to direct my path.
I want Him to overrule me and reign in my conscience, over
every situation, over every circumstance. Lord, reign in me. Reign over me. I need a King. You need a King. That's why we
rejoice in that blessed Word where He said, All power is given
to me in heaven and in earth. The Father has given me power
over all flesh. Aren't you thankful for that?
And oh, when this old flesh rises up, when temptations come, when
everything is out of control, Lord reign. Aren't you thankful
that He must reign? until he's put all his enemies
under his footstool. We need a king. But that's not
the way he addressed the Lord Jesus Christ. He addressed him
like this, Behold the Lamb of God. Now, why does he address
him that way? Well, simply this reason. This
is one of the best reasons I can think of. It was under this description,
under this nature, if you will, that Christ just suited John
the Baptist. He felt his need of a lamb to
take away his sin. And you can explain it like this.
John was a great man, was he not? He's a great prophet. We quoted that verse this morning.
But you know something about the prophets? They were men that
weren't proud. They were men who knew themselves
to be nothing. John the Baptist was a man who
knew what he was by nature and what he was by deed, what he
was by practice. And you look back through the
Old Testament and you can see where all of these holy men of
God knew themselves. The great Abraham, the father
of the faithful. If you talk to that man, you
know it wouldn't be long until you realize he don't think very
highly of himself. You know what he said about himself.
I am dust and ashes. You know what Jacob said about
himself? I'm not worthy of the least of your mercy. You know
what David said about himself? In my best state, I am altogether
vanity. You hear preachers talking this
way about themselves lately. You wonder sometimes if God's
teaching them. Sodom said, there is not a just
man upon this earth that doeth good and sinneth not. You find
this in God's prophets. You find them in His apostles. They knew themselves. Peter said,
Lord, depart from me. I'm a sinful man. John said,
if I have no sin, if I say that, I'm a liar. And what did Paul
say about himself? You find the sorriest, lowdownest,
meanest sinner in this world. And I've got one other line.
I'm the chief of sinners. And John felt the same way about
himself. He said, I'm not worthy to stoop
and unloose the latches of his shoes. He must increase, but
I must decrease. He wasn't just talking about
his ministry. Of course he was talking about
that. He must increase in my estimation of Him, and I must
decrease in my estimation of myself. He must continually become
all, and I must continually become nothing at all. The Lord came
to John to be baptized of John, and John said, You coming to
me? I've got need of you, He said. I need you. He was a man
that felt his unworthiness, felt his sinfulness, and he found in the Lamb of God
just what he needed, a sacrifice for his sins. That's why I addressed him that
way. Oh, I feel, I feel like I need a lamb. So he says, here's
one. Here's one. To atone for my sins. To take away my iniquities. The
Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. Do you
find, when you consider how sorry and low down you are, do you
find in Jesus Christ just what you need? for that particular
aspect. When you see yourself to be a
sinner, do you find in him a lamb to take away your sin? Another reason that he addressed
him this way was because of this. John must have had some apprehension
of God's wrath because he talked often of it. The Pharisees and
the lawyers came to his They wouldn't be baptized of it, but
they came there. And here's what he said to them.
Who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come? He knew something
of God's wrath. He said the Lord will thoroughly
purge his floor. He's going to gather all of his
wheat into his barns. What's he going to do with the
chaff, John? He's going to burn it up. He's going to burn it
up. He said this, "...the axe is
laid unto the root of the tree, and every tree which bringeth
not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire."
Here is another thing he said, "...he that believeth not the
Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him."
He knew something of God's wrath, didn't he? I preached a few months ago on
the subject. Does the Bible teach eternal
punishment? And boy, that bothered me. That
bothered me. I don't know if it bothered any
of you or not, but that subject bothers me. Sometimes I get to
thinking about that, the holiness of God, the justice of God, the
wrath of God. If I whip my glittering sword
and my hand take hold on justice, I'll render vengeance to my enemies? I'll repay them to their face
that hate me? Every transgression and every
disobedience shall receive a just, recompensive reward? The wrath
of God abiding on a man? You get that in your conscience
sometimes. Is there any relief from that?
Is there a place to flee from these thoughts and apprehensions?
Is there a safe place to hide from the wrath of God? If there
is, I want to know it, because I want nothing to do with that.
If you should mark iniquity, who can stand? But John saw the Lord Jesus Christ,
and he said, Oh, there is a place to flee to. There is a place
to flee to. I wonder if he thought about
Exodus chapter 12 at that Passover, when the Lord told him to take
the blood and put it over the doorpost. And he said, when I
pass by here at midnight, I'll see that blood, and the plague
will not be upon you to destroy you. I wonder if John thought
about that. He thought about that blood that turned, that
stayed the wrath of God. And he had been thinking about
this awful subject. And he had these apprehensions
and uneasiness about it. So he seen the Lord Jesus and
he said, Behold, there is one that can stay God's wrath. There
is a place to flee to. It's going to fall on Him. And
if it falls on Him, it ain't going to fall on me and Him.
Ain't that a wonderful thought? All he found in Jesus. Something
that just suited his case. A sacrifice for sin. To take
away sin. Someone to stay the awful, awful
judgment of God. I wonder if John thought about
that perpetual sacrifice that was daily offered under the law.
Remember those two lambs? One was offered in the morning.
One was offered in the evening. Every morning, God smelt a sweet-smelling
savor. And He smelt it all day long
until the evening. And when the evening came, they
offered a fresh lamb. And all night long, God smelt
the sweet savor of that lamb. You know, I think John was a
man, and I hope like us, he wanted continual fellowship with God
his Father. He wanted God's smile upon him.
He wanted to walk under God's felt favor, if you will. And
when he looked at Jesus Christ, he said, here's how it's done.
Here's that perpetual sacrifice. Here is one upon whom God is
always smiling. The Lamb of God. John saw that
Lamb of God in heaven. And how did he see Him? as he
was just offered. He appears in heaven today as
though he was just offered, a freshly offered lamb there in heaven
in the presence of God. Do you think the blood of Christ
has gotten old to the Father? Why, it is just as fresh today
as it has ever been. Can you imagine how the father
felt as soon as that side was opened up and the blood come
gushing out? Can you imagine what a sweet
savor? Can you imagine how satisfied? Imagine how he smiled. It pleased
God to bruise him. There is perpetual satisfaction
in the Lord Jesus Christ. And John saw it. And John said,
Oh, here is the place to draw near to God. Here's the place
where you'll be welcomed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can come to God and He'll
be a father to you anytime, no matter what circumstances or
situation you find yourself in. Here's this perpetual sweet savor. Behold the Lamb of God. I love
that verse over in Hebrews chapter 10 where it said this. Listen to this. Having therefore,
brethren, boldness, liberty, freedom to enter the holiest. What is that? What is the holiest? It is the presence of God. Moses,
take off your shoes. You are standing on holy ground.
You are standing in God's presence. Having boldness to enter God's
presence. How? By the blood of Jesus. and having done high priest over
the house of God. Look at this. Let us draw near. Draw near to God. You want to
know how to draw near to Him and see His smile and His felt
favor? Behold the Lamb of God. That's
Him. And I tell you, until God looks
upon Christ differently, and until Jesus Christ changes, He'll
always be a lamb slain in the presence of His Father. And therefore,
as long as He's there, take hope by faith and go into the Father's
presence. And you can call Him your Father.
You can keep up a continual fellowship with Him. And you'll see nothing
but His smiling face, even when His rod is heavy upon you. Behold the Lamb of God. Another reason, fourthly, for
this description is this. When you think of a lamb, what
do you think of? Don't you think of something
that's gentle? Something that's meek? An animal you can approach
into? You think of a dog. If your little
kids are around and there comes a dog up, what's that dog? He may bite you. You won't let
your kids go around the horse, watch that horse, he'll kick
you. Won't let them around cows, watch that cow, he'll abut you. But what about a lamb? We write
little nursery rhymes about lambs, don't we? Mary had a little lamb. Why a little lamb? Because a
little lamb won't harm you, you see. A little lamb is approachable. It is meek. Children are saved
around a little lamb. Why did he describe Christ as
a lamb? Because John felt comfortable
with him. He felt like he could approach
into his presence. He saw in Jesus Christ the tenderness
and gentleness and the meekness of a lamb. He is brought as a
lamb to the slaughter. I used to talk to Bob's brother
when he owned the slaughterhouse and ran the slaughterhouse where
Bob owns now. And Steve has told me that he
used to run the old hogs through there and the old cows and man-fed
fight and just tear everything up, the gates and the fence down
if he didn't care. But you brought a lamb. You brought
a lamb. And there he stood waiting for
you to kill him. See, sometimes he's almost certain
he saw tears running from their eyes. He is brought as a lamb
to the slaughter. And as a sheep before her shears
is done, so he opened not his mouth. Meekness, gentleness,
approachableness. Peter said it this way, when
he was reviled, He reviled not again. When he suffered, he threatened
not, but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously. A bruised reed will he not break,
and smoking flax will he not quench. Why is that so important?
Why was it important to John? Why did he need to see this in
Christ? Because here was a man who was
suffering adversity. Everybody had turned on this
man. The political head, King Herod, bound him and threw him
in prison. The ruling elite had turned on
him. The Pharisees and the lawyers
then rejected his preaching. And now here he was in this filthy
dungeon that was his home. And what happens sometimes, brothers
and sisters, when we begin to suffer adversity? You know what
we do? It can make us hard, can't it? It can make us hard. It can make
us calloused. It can make us hateful. Hard
to be around. I don't want to be that way to
you. I tell you, we think sometimes, some of the worst troubles, I
used to think, boy, I've suffered this and suffered that, trials
at work and whatever. You know some of the toughest
trials that I had to endure is trials in my family. Family trials
is some of the most difficult trials. Your family may be closely
knit, but I'm telling you what, family trials in a close-knit
family can really get you. And you take a family where everybody's
not cooperating, When you talk about getting to you, it can
flat get to you. You take a child that is disobedient,
and you encourage them, and you warn them, and you try to help
them, and they're just openly defiant. Well, after a while,
you get mean. One of my children pulled out
the other day in his vehicle, and I imagined getting me a two-by-four
and busting the windshield out of that vehicle. I was imagining
that. You sorry rascal. You know something? Family trials
are tough. And after a while, you start
resenting. How could you do me this way?
Don't you see how much you're hurting the family? Why won't
you mind? And boy, after a while, your
heart gets hard, and I wish you'd leave the state. Better yet,
leave the country! Get out of my heart! What little
I got left! Do you ever get aggravated at people?
Do you ever get mad at your president? I tell you, sometimes I hate
the President. And it's not because of his skin color. I hate his
policies. I hope he gets beat next time.
But you know I have trouble then when I go to pray for him. And
I think to myself, I don't want to be this way. I don't want
to hate my children. I want to love my children. Imagine how my poor daddy and
mom felt about me when I was home. I will shoot her and get
out of here. You're worrying us half to death. I want to love. I want to be tender. I want to
be kind. I know we have to be firm. I
know that. But boy, our children need to
know we love them. They need to know we love them.
And sometimes in trials and adversities, I don't care where it comes from,
sometimes it can harden us. It can harden our hearts. to
the point where we're uncaring, unloving, even unkind. We get hateful. John was suffering. We saw that this morning. Shut
up in the dungeon for a year, some tell us. And he started
getting hard and hateful and unbelieving. Here's a good remedy,
and he found it. Behold the Lamb of God. Behold this tender, this gentle,
this loving Lamb of God. How could we look at Him and
be hard and calloused? How could we deal harshly and
angrily with others when the Lord Jesus deals so pitifully
and mercifully with us? How many times should He send
us away? Even when he chastens us, how
does he do it? With love. Those he loves, he
rebukes. Having loved his own, which were
in the world. You remember who his own were,
don't you? Ignorant disciples, weren't they? Weren't they ignorant?
What a burden they were to him. Satan used him. Satan got in
Peter's heart, was rebuking the Lord Jesus through Peter. Having
loved his own, he loved him to the end. I want to be like him,
don't you? I want to set my eyes upon him
and be just like him. Oh, Lord, conform me to your
image. Let me be like you. I don't care
what I suffer. I don't care what wrong is done
to me. Let me be like you. Give me grace to be like you.
Work in me to be like you. When I have to set my foot down,
when I have to be firm, make sure those who I've had to deal
with know I love them. I love them. And lastly is this. Why did John identify the Lord
Jesus as the Lamb of God? What better way to entice sinners
to follow Him than to tell of this wonderful character of the
Lamb? He just fits the need of every
sinner. So John just kept saying it,
Behold the Lamb of God. And he kept saying it until one
day a couple of fellows heard him and they followed Christ. Do we want people to follow the
Lord Jesus Christ? Then tell them about Him. Do we want man to be accepted
and complete in Him? Then preach Him. Preach Him. Do we want man to love Him? Then preach Him. Preach Him. Do we want others to be kind and
tenderhearted and gracious and forgiving? and say, Behold the
Lamb of God. Behold the Lamb of God. Our Father,
all gracious, holy, wise, and high, immense Father, we thank you for your Lamb, the
Lamb of God. We thank you for his nature,
his very character, who he is. Oh, Lord, you are indeed like
a lamb. You'll align, you'll deal with
your enemies in that character. But unto those who seek you honestly
and earnestly, those who seek you by faith, Oh, you'll come to them, it's
the Lamb. They'll feel comfortable with you. They'll feel comfortable
coming into your presence, approaching unto you. Oh, we bless you that
you've made yourself known under this character of the Lamb of
God. You're just what we need. We
ask for no more. Oh, our Lord in heaven, We thank
you for this Lord's Day. Thank you for blessing us again
to be with one another. Thank you for this people who
love your name, who love your gospel, and wherever they go,
whatever they do, they seek your glory in it. Oh, may you continue
your work of grace upon them. We ask these things in the name
of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.