In our previous message, last Sunday, we saw where John the Baptist comes on the scene saying that He was not the Messiah, Elijah, or the Prophet. He simply states (John 1:23-24) “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’” (we saw where John - the Baptizer, was quoting from Isaiah 40.) In Isaiah 40 we not only hear that one is coming as a pre-runner of Jesus to prepare for His arrival, we also heard a more detailed description of the one that was to come. With that in mind, John continues to minister.

TODAY we are going to examine this interesting phrase vs 29 “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

Note: This was not an isolated instance, John stated it the next day as well:

John 1:35-36 (NIV) 35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”

We are going to examine:

1. Why this phrase - metaphor - Where did it come from?

2. What was so important about a blood sacrifice?

3. What does it mean to us?

1. Where did John come up with this phrase? Where did it come from?

WHERE DID JOHN GET THIS IDEA OF THE MESSIAH WOULD BE LIKE A LAMB TO BE SACRIFICED?

>I believe John again is quoting from a passage in Isaiah. As you study the Bible as “One” book you can connect these quotes. Look for it, you’ll find it…

>I believe John being reminded of the truth in Isaiah 53 and therefore is responding to that truth.

When John called Jesus the “Lamb of God,” again I believe he is reaching back into Isaiah 53. This is a powerful truth about Jesus. Those in attendance most likely knew this prophecy by heart. Again, I believe that this is a remez, a harkening back to a great truth.

The first time we see this is in Genesis 3, Adam and Eve have sinned, they were naked and ashamed. The Word says From the time in Genesis 3:21 “The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.”

The wages of sin is death - so God, in his gracious love chose an innocent animal to atone for their sin by shedding it’s blood and clothed them for they were no longer pure and holy. There sin was atoned for in the action of “covering” there bodies. (notice also, man tried to cover his sin, but it was unacceptable - in Gen. 3:7 it says that “Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.” Mans efforts to make peace with God and take care of sin falls short.

God provided what was needed to atone for sin, not what man provided.) This is also seen in Genesis 22:6-8 (NIV) 6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, 7 Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied. “The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” 8 Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.

Do you remember the old hymn - Power in the Blood? How about this power: Exodus 12:21-23 (NIV) 21 Then Moses summoned all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go at once and select the animals for your families and slaughter the Passover lamb. 22 Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it into the blood in the basin and put some of the blood on the top and on both sides of the doorframe. None of you shall go out of the door of your house until morning. 23 When the Lord goes through the land to strike down the Egyptians, he will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway, and he will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down. Death was held off because to the blood covered them…

1. Leviticus 17:11 “For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.”

2. In accordance to Levitical law, the practice then to atone for one’s sin was practiced daily in the temple. By the time of Jesus’ day, it was routine, a cultural norm.

3. In Leviticus 4, 5, 6 you find how God wanted sin atoned for. The sacrificed lamb (or sometimes goat) must be without defect, spot, or blemish. It must be holy.

3. What does it mean to us? It means everything.

The great truth in this is that it is for us as well. Not the sacrifice of animals, but the atonement in blood - specifically the blood of Jesus - for He became the Lamb of God who bore our sin and shame. He died our death as payment for our sin.

1. Romans 3:23-25 (NIV) 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith.

>Jesus is the One given by God to save us. Jesus is our Savior.

THE GREAT TRUTH: 1 Corinthians 15:3-5 (NIV) “…Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,..”

Romans 10:9-14 (NIV) If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. 11 As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Once we surrender our life to Jesus, we commit our life to a mission (an instrument of righteousness)

Romans 6:11-14 (NIV) count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. 14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.

In closing today: we are going to remember and celebrate the provision (great gift) God gave us - His Lamb, our Savior - Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 11:23-27 (NIV)

23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

When we remember we are also, embracing God truth of who Jesus is, what He did and we are proclaiming the power of atonement through His death. Our proclamation - our lived out testimony is our mission that we share till our our breath is no more or till Christ returns.

Thanks for connecting to this sermon today. I pray that you are stirred deeply and embrace the great truth found in Jesus. As you go about life this week, I encourage to to take communion for a week - daily. Reflecting on these passages. Allow this truth to entwine with your heart and mind. Your faith will increase and your worship will intensify. May all of this burst forth in your daily walk - revealing Jesus.

(A great song to worship God through - Worthy of Your Name (by Passion))