Lessons from John 1: Jesus as the Lamb of God
Jesus as the Lamb of God
After announcing Jesus as the promised Messiah, we see that John the Baptist proclaimed Jesus as the Lamb of God (John 1:29-34).
Verse 29 tells us, “The next day” or the second day after this questioning of the Sanhedrin, John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him, and in the presence of many other people (and probably the Jewish Sanhedrin for they were keeping a very close eye on him) John cried out, “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
Because of the sin of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, all mankind would suffer the ill effects of sin in their own lives. Why, you might ask? Well, because if it were you or me who had been in that garden, we would have done the same thing. We too would have fallen into temptation and sinned just as Adam and Eve did.
The Bible says we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
Romans 3:10-12 says,
“There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”
Yet, that is where the promise of Genesis 3:15 comes to life, the promise of a Savior. One who would come and pay the debt of our sin before God the Father.
All throughout the Old Testament scriptures, prophets asked the question, “Where is the Lamb?” and it wasn’t until Jesus came to earth that all four gospel writers proclaimed, “Behold the Lamb of God! He is here!”
And all pointed to Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of that promise of old.
The people of Israel were familiar with lamb sacrifices. At Passover, each family had to have a lamb; during the year, two lambs a day were sacrificed at the temple altar. Plus, there were all the other lambs brought for personal sacrifices on the behalf of their sins or the sins of their family.
These lambs were brought by people to people. But here is God’s Lamb, given by God to mankind!
Those lambs could not take away sin nor take it away permanently, none except the perfect Lamb of God could do that. Jesus is the One and Only True Lamb who can take away the sin of the world!
Here is what the Jewish people knew to be true and every believer ever since can come to understand:
One lamb for one person ~ Genesis 3:21, 4:4
One lamb for one family ~ Exodus 12:3
One lamb for one nation ~ Leviticus 16:15-16
One lamb for the world ~ John 1:29
John goes on to say in verse 30-31,
“This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me. I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”
Now, it’s interesting that John the Baptist and Jesus were cousins. Their mothers, Mary and Elizabeth, were very close and it is very likely that Jesus and John knew each other. But it wasn’t until this very moment that God opened the eyes and the heart of John the Baptist to know who Jesus really was.
And John said in verse 32-34,
“I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”
John the Baptist was 1 of 6 people who testified or gave witness that Jesus was and still is God.
God revealed the truth of Jesus Christ to John the Baptist and He still reveals this truth to those who choose to listen and heed His instruction today.
The most important truth in life is believing in Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God.
Have you received Jesus Christ as the sacrificial lamb who died on the cross for the remission of your sins?
If you are not certain of this, please talk to someone you know and trust who will point you to scripture and truth to help you know.
Terri Hamman
Faith & Fitness Coach