6/18/10

John 1:29-34 – Behold the Lamb of God

1) THIS IS HE

John 1:29–30 (ESV) — 29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’

John the Baptist is adamant that we “behold” Jesus Christ.
What does he mean by that?
• To behold something is “not the mere act of seeing but the actual perception” – Strong’s.
• But it is more than this in that the seeing and the perceiving lead one to know the truth of that which they “behold” and so “believe” in it.
    o In other words, if you are given the “ears to hear” and “eyes to see”, i.e. to behold, belief will naturally follow.

Some Biblical examples of “behold” in action:
• John 1:47 (ESV) — 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!”
    o Jesus could say this of Nathanael not because he saw him but because he “knew” him.
• John 20:27 (ESV) — 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.”
    o Now that Thomas’ beheld Jesus’ crucifixion wounds in person and saw that they were the truth, Jesus called him to take the next obvious step – believe.

An interesting symmetry between Abraham and John the Baptist with respect to “beholding” the lamb:
• Genesis 22:7-8 (ESV) — 7 And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here am I, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.
    o They went looking that they might “behold” the lamb for the sacrifice.
• And then some 2000 years later, John the Baptist says:
    o “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” – Jesus!

What did John Behold?

Jesus is the Lamb:
• John makes a direct connection between the man Jesus Christ and the function of the sacrificial lamb of the Old Testament.


Was this concept new or does symmetry exist between John’s claims and the claims of the Old Testament?
• Leviticus 5:5–7 (ESV) — 5 when he realizes his guilt in any of these and confesses the sin he has committed, 6 he shall bring to the LORD as his compensation for the sin that he has committed, a female from the flock, a lamb or a goat, for a sin offering. And the priest shall make atonement for him for his sin. 7 “But if he cannot afford a lamb, then he shall bring to the LORD as his compensation for the sin that he has committed two turtledoves or two pigeons, one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering.
• Isaiah 53:7 (ESV) — 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.

Interestingly, however, we know that early on the disciples did not fully grasp the concept of a suffering Messiah.

Peter himself provides an example of this:
• Matthew 16:21–23 (ESV) — 21 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” 23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

However, with his spiritual maturation and the resurrection, it becomes plainly clear to him:
• 1 Peter 1:18–20 (ESV) — 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you

Jesus takes away sins of the world:
• In addition to “beholding” Jesus as the lamb, John also “beheld” that this lamb was going to “take away” the sin of the world.

What does “take away” mean?
• Strong’s describes it as the act of “placing on oneself” or “bearing on oneself”.
• Literally, however, it simply means to pickup something up and remove it.

This literal meaning, D.A. Carson believes, may give us an indication as to why the followers of Jesus did not grasp that the Messiah must suffer (as alluded to earlier with Peter).
• He says that in light of this meaning, “what John the Baptist meant by ‘who takes away the sin of the world’ may have had more to do with judgment and destruction than with expiatory sacrifice – D. A. Carson.”
• In other words, Jesus was going to remove sin by judging and destroying it not by taking it upon Himself on the cross.


But as with Peter, once Christ’s followers beheld a risen Jesus there was no mistaking what happened on the cross:
• 1 John 3:5 (ESV) — 5 You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.
• Hebrews 10:4 (ESV) — 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
• Hebrews 10:11 (ESV) — 11 And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.


2) I DID NOT KNOW HIM

John 1:31 & 33 (ESV) — 31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” 33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’

Two times in our text John the Baptist points out, “I myself did not know him”.
• This statement reveals at least two things to us.
• First, as with the “not” of John’s witness we discussed last week, it points to John’s humility.
• Second, by declaring that he did not know Jesus as Messiah, he gave all the credit to a sovereign God’s revelation to him that Jesus is the Messiah.

As for the first, it is striking that we even have additional evidence that John clearly stated he did not know who the Messiah would be, only that he himself was to prepare the way for him.
• Even though John had no clue, he was obedient to God’s call and was “baptizing with water so that he might be revealed to Israel”.
• Matthew 11:2–3 (ESV) — 2 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?”

So as to the second, how did God reveal “one who is to come” to John the Baptist?


3) THE FATHER MADE HIM KNOWN

John 1:32–34 (ESV) — 32 And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
• The Father spoke words that would point John to an historical event that, if occurred, would show him.
• See/Witness the Spirit descend on + Remain on = Son of God
• In other words, without the revelation of the Father, John the Baptist would not have known!
• This is exactly what Jesus says, John 6:44 (ESV) — 44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.

This is why John can “bear witness” to Christ.
• He “beheld” himself the confirmation of the Father’s words in an actual event!
• And, for us, Christ’s resurrection further confirms the words of God to John the Baptist.
• Therefore, we continue to appreciate John’s words concerning his Gospel:
• John 20:31 (ESV) — 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.


Was God’s statement to John concerning the Spirit simply a convenient coincidence or did it have foundation in biblical history?
• Isaiah 11:1–2 (ESV) — 1 There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. 2 And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
• Isaiah 42:1 (ESV) — 1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.
• Isaiah 61:1 (ESV) — 1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

Jesus recognized the Old Testament connection:
• Matthew 11:4–5 (ESV) — 4 And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.
• Jesus paraphrases Isaiah 61:1 declaring that what He is doing and saying is fulfillment of this prophecy.


Why is a Spirit that “remained” on Jesus important?
• It signifies the permanent nature of the Holy Spirit's relationship with Jesus.
    o The reason we are indwelled by the Holy Spirit when we believe Jesus.
• It is a fulfillment of prophecy.
    o Ezekiel 36:25–26 (ESV) — 25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
    o God puts a “new spirit” within us through Christ.
• It contrasts the water baptism that doesn't last (John’s baptism), with the baptism of the Spirit which lasts (Jesus’ baptism).
    o Or to put another way, the transition from the OT and John the Baptist to the New Testament’s revelation of a new covenant in Jesus Christ.
    o Acts 19:3–5 (ESV) — 3 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.” 4 And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

POI – Generally speaking, what is the baptism of Holy Spirit?
• “It means that Jesus Christ was the One who would give of his Spirit to those who should follow him. Or, to put it another way, it means that Jesus would come to live within the lives of his followers” – Boice.
• And this baptism is permanent!

Lesson for us:
How can we behold the Lamb of God?
• Baptism of the Holy Spirit
• Devotional and Theological grasp of Scripture
• Through His creation

Like Peter, has your understanding of Christ grown since you became a Christian?
How has it changed or grown?
• The more time we spend with Christ the better we should know Him.

John the Baptist spent his life proclaiming a Messiah he was unable to recognize without the Father’s revelation.
• We, of course, have Scripture and the testimony of the Holy Spirit that we might recognize the Messiah.
Given John’s relative “revelation deficit”, how does our faith compare to his?

6/6/10

John 1:6-8 & 15 & 19-28 – John the Witness and the Not

John 1:6-8 & 15 & 19-28 – John the Witness and the Not

1) WHO JOHN WAS – THE WITNESS

John 1:6–7 & 15 (ESV) — 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 15 John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ”

To bear witness:
• “Witness” is the noun martyria – it denotes, for John, what his life was characterized by.
• He was born to, lived as, and died as a witness to the light of Jesus Christ.
  o It is the word from which martyr came from – to die for a cause.
• “Bore Witness” is the verb martyreo – it denotes the testimony of a witness which carries legal weight in a court of law.
  o The witness of John was authorized by God to hold men accountable to the truth it contained.

POI – Speaking of witnesses, John said he wrote his Gospel so that we might believe and he provided in his Gospel the testimony of multiple witnesses intended to warrant our belief.
• The Father (5:37)
• Jesus’ words (8:18)
• Jesus’ works (5:36; 10:25)
• Old Testament Scriptures (5:39)
• Some of those who met Him (4:29)
• The disciples (15:27; 19:35; 21:24)
• The Holy Spirit (15:26)

To what did John bear witness:
• John 1:22–23 (ESV) — 22 So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 23 He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”
• Jesus is the Messiah!


How did John the Witness bear witness:
• John 1:15 (ESV) — 15 John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ”
• John 1:23 (ESV) — 23 He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”
• John 1:26–27 (ESV) — 26 John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, 27 even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.”
• John 1:30 (ESV) — 30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’
• Luke 3:3 (ESV) — 3 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

It should come as no surprise that John used words to bear witness, to testify of Jesus Christ!
• We learned a few weeks ago that The Word Himself used words to convey His light to the darkness.
The fact that words are used to convey the Gospel is obvious in Scripture but is it obvious in our lives?


John 1:36–37 (ESV) — 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.
• John the Witness’ words led his disciples to follow and become disciples of Jesus Christ.
• Christ’s addition at the cost of John the Witness’ subtraction leads us to our next point.

2) WHO JOHN WAS – THE NOT

John 1:8 & 19-21 (ESV) — 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. 19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”

“I am not the Christ”:
• John 3:28 (ESV) — 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’
• Acts 13:25 (ESV) — 25 And as John was finishing his course, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but behold, after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’

There seem to be 2 reasons Scripture is so clear in showing that John the Baptist is NOT the Christ:
• Acts 19:2–5 (ESV) — 2 And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.” 4 And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
  o So 1st, there were disciples of John that continued to hold an incorrect view of John’s meaning.
• And 2nd, as we will examine in point 3, is humility which is essential to be an effective witness.

“I am not” Elijah:
• Malachi 4:5 (ESV) — 5 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.
• If John is not the Christ, he must be Elijah who will herald the Christ.
• After all John, like Elijah, wears camel hair and a leather belt – Mark 1:6 and 2 Kings 1:8.
• But John said he wasn’t!

POI – This is interesting because of the following:
• Matthew 17:10–13 (ESV) — 10 And the disciples asked him, “Then why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?” 11 He answered, “Elijah does come, and he will restore all things. 12 But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.
• Matthew 11:14 (ESV) — 14 and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come.

So John says he is not, and Jesus says he is – we learn 2 things from this apparent contradiction.
• The first concerning the Bible and second concerning John the Baptist.

First, understanding the depth of the Bible’s truth involves an effort in research and study.
• Luke 1:17 (ESV) — 17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
• So what Jesus meant is not that Elijah came back in the flesh but John acted in the way of Elijah…as a prophet calling people to the Lord.
• Given this, John and Jesus were both right.
So a thorough reading of all of the Bible’s revelation on John the Baptist is needed to reconcile this contradiction.
• I think God revealed much of His truth in this fashion on purpose (that is, spread out in different verses, chapters and books); it is how we find the meat of our faith as contrasted with the milk.


Second, we are again confronted with the humility of John:
• In the words of D.A. Carson, “John did not detect as much significance in his own ministry as Jesus did”.
• And in the words of the International Commentary on the N.T., “No man is what he himself thinks he is. He is only what Jesus knows him to be.

“No” I am not the prophet (Moses):
• Deuteronomy 18:15–18 (ESV) — 15 “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen— 16 just as you desired of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.’ 17 And the LORD said to me, ‘They are right in what they have spoken. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.
• So if not the Christ and not Elijah how about the prophet Moses spoke of.
• John stated that he was not “a prophet like” Moses.

Again, in our effort to eat meat we learn the following of the “prophet like” Moses:
Peter and Stephen said of Jesus –
• Acts 3:22–23 (ESV) — 22 Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. 23 And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’
• Acts 7:37 (ESV) — 37 This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers.’
• Jesus is the prophet Moses spoke of.

3) THE HUMILITY OF THE NOT’S WITNESS

John 1:24-28 (ESV) — 24 (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) 25 They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26 John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, 27 even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” 28 These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

John’s humility is humbling:
• Here we see that John tells us that He considers himself unworthy to handle the sandals of Jesus Christ.
   o There isn’t much about a person less clean than his sandals.
   o And we must remember what the dirt and dust represented to the Jew – death and impurity.
   o Yet John said he was not even worthy to handle these.
• We have seen already that John did not embrace the notion that he was somehow Elijah.
• Jesus also said of John, Matthew 11:11 (ESV) — 11 Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
• And yet John states over and over he is “not this person” or “not that person” and that he is “not worthy”, etc.


The humility of John’s witness is, as John Piper says, “the great not of our witness to Christ.
• I am not the light (verse 8)
• I am not the Christ (verse 20)
• I am not Elijah (verse 21)
• I am not the prophet (verse 21)
• I am not worthy to untie his sandals (verse 27)

This humility is striking behavior, especially when we consider even more of John's uniqueness:
• John was the first prophet to speak to Israel in almost 400 years.
• And he had the privilege of ushering in the promised Messiah!

Yet, John the Baptist was not done with the humility of his “great nots”:
• John 3:28–30 (ESV) — 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ 29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”

John’s humility is as striking as Paul’s:
• Ephesians 3:8 (ESV) — 8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
• 1 Corinthians 15:9 (ESV) — 9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
• 2 Corinthians 4:5 (ESV) — 5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.

The lesson for us:
We must be his witnesses. It is a great necessity. Faith comes by hearing a witness. But we must not make much of ourselves. Beware of the witness that needs attention for himself. Beware of the preacher who constantly angles to put himself in a good light and returns again and again to his ministry and his achievements. Beware of the preacher’s subtle preoccupation with himself even when he speaks of his own flaws. Beware of your own bent to love the praise of men – John Piper.
We must decrease; he must increase. We must make much of him; we must not make much of ourselves – John Piper.

How do we make much of Him in our witness?
Share Christ – we are to witness with words
Serve Christ – our witness will cost us – we must decrease (John 1:36-37 – one of a myriad of examples).
Search Christ – these things and more are learned by diving in and studying Scripture

What is making much of ourselves?
• To not SHARE
• To not SERVE
• To not SEARCH
• Shirking our Sharing, Serving and Searching is making much of ourselves.
  o Why do I say this?