Unfailing Testimony to Jesus Isa 49:1-7; 1 Cor 1:1-9; John 1:29-42; Ps 40:1-11 (Parish of Rivervale/Belmont 15/1/23)
Introduction https://youtu.be/RbGatrHvmEQ
To point to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world [as his witnesses (Isa 43:10; Acts 2:32; 3:15; 5:32; 10:39)] is first nature [rather than second nature ]for the disciple of Jesus, It is a central part of why we were created in giving glory to God by sharing in the testimony of Jesus, forever (Rev 1:2, 9; 12:17; 19:10; 20:4). John the Baptist had a foundational role in the call of disciples to follow Christ, and he points to how we can call others to follow the Lord.
Exposition
v.29 “The next day he [John] saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
This is one of the most impactful sayings in the Bible. Its first word, “Behold…”, prepares us for a word carrying divine authority (2 Pet 1:21). There are a variety of Old Testament backgrounds to “Lamb of God”, the “Passover lamb” of the deliverance of Israel from bondage in Egypt (Ex 12:3ff), the “lamb that is led to the slaughter” (Isa 53:7) of the Servant of the Lord in Isaiah, the daily sacrifices in the Temple (Ex 29:38-46) and so on. Whatever John had in mind, the life-death-resurrection and ascension of Jesus supercharged the title “Lamb of God”, so that by the time of the writing of the climax of the Bible, Revelation, “the Lamb” rules the universe (5:6 etc.). The ongoing authority of Jesus is because he has carried “away the sin of the world”.
[“takes away” has the sense of “taking out of the way”, “bearing away”.] In his cross Jesus took the consequence of human sin and removed our guilt. John did not say, “sins (plural) of the world”, but “sin” of the world, “sin” in its totality. This remarkable statement seems clearly contradicted by ordinary human experience. Experiences of shame, guilt, fear, depression, and hopelessness testify to the undeniable reality of what the Bible calls “sin”. Christians know sin is real because it is a spiritual reality communicated by the Holy Spirit of God. Later in John’s Gospel Jesus tells, “when he (the Spirit) comes, he will convict the world 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me” (John 16:8-9). This clearly doesn’t apply to believers. A “knowledge of sin” (Rom 1:32; 3:20) is ineradicable by any ordinary means, whether they be psychological [repression and denial], social [relativising] or pharmacological [medication]. Australia’s epidemic of mental illness (anxiety and depression) will only get worse until our nation turns back to God. In their hearts people know that there is something wrong with their lives, but it takes a God-sized act to save and restore us. I came to Christ through deep depression and disabling paranoia (not able to walk down a public street) and found Jesus as Lord as the one who hold it everything together guiding it to an eternal destiny (Acts 10:36; Rom 10:9). Since the Lamb of God has “taken away” our sin [this means, in Paul’s language, God does “not count our trespasses against us” (2 Cor 5:19).] a Christian person is a totally forgiven person, even if we don’t always immediately experience such forgiveness. John went on to exalt Jesus even more
30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’
Whilst John was born before Jesus (Luke 1-2), the Spirit of God communicated to him that Jesus (cf. John 1:15) had absolute priority over him and importance by being from eternity.
31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.”
John did not know that Jesus was the Messiah until he came to be baptised by him in the Jordan, then everything became clear.
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.’
Whilst John baptised in water, as we do today, only God can baptise in the Holy Spirit (Isa. 32:15; Ezek. 39:29; Joel 2:28; Zech. 12:10). A sign that Jesus had more than prophetic authority was that the Holy Spirit “remained” on him in a way that had never happened before. This pointed to the fact that Jesus brought a new era of power and revelation. That Jesus, rather than God the Father, “baptises with the Holy Spirit” (cf. Luke 3:16; Acts 2:33) has great significance. The Spirit empowers us to declare to everyone (Acts 1:8) that the person who was once “crucified in weakness” now “lives by the power of God” (2 Cor 13:4).
34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
Whilst “son of God” was a title in New Testament times given to beings from angels (Job 1:6; 2:1) to emperors [Julius, Augustus, Tiberius etc.], in the life of Jesus it stands for his perfect intimacy with God the Father. An intimacy so total, that he, even as a human, can pour out the Spirit of God.
35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 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.
For a second time the Spirit moves John to prophesy (Mic 3:8), “Behold, the Lamb of God!”. This seems the first time in the history of Israel that someone was inspired to read the scripture in the light of a man sent by God willing to shed his blood to save others, as the lambs of the old covenant unwillingly shed theirs (1 Pet 1:18-19). This sacrifice has a powerful impact. Sadly, the imperative of “the cost of discipleship” [citing the famous book by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, made unforgettably potent by his hanging in 1945 under Hitler’s orders] is largely hidden from the Church that we know today. Why? Because the shedding of our own blood for the cause of the gospel has become virtually unthinkable! (Contrast Heb 10:31-34; 12:4; Rev 16:6; 18:24).
Some of John’s closest disciples went on to become followers of Jesus. Not because they were disloyal to John (cf. Matt 9:14; 14:12), but because they discerned that the same Spirit, which was working powerfully in their Master John, was working even more powerfully in the Son of God. Whilst John would be martyred for refusing to compromise the righteousness of God (Matt 14:3-5), “the Lamb of God” would shed his blood to cleanse the whole world of sin and guilt.
The Matter of Witness
The scriptures we have read today are united in the concept of witness. [The Psalmist refuses to hide the glad news of the delivering work of the Lord (Ps 40:9-10), the servant of Isaiah will make known God’s salvation to the ends of the earth (Isa 49:6) and Paul heralds the Corinthians have confirmed the testimony about Christ “in every way” (1 Cor 1:6).] This matter of testimony to Jesus is at the heart of what it means to be “Church”. Without John’s witness, Jesus would not have the Twelve disciples, and without the Twelve there would be no ongoing message to communicate.
Following Jesus a few years later, when placed under pressure by the same ruling authorities who crucified Jesus, Peter and John unhesitatingly testified, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, 20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:20). This should be our testimony. With the Spirit poured into our own hearts (John 7:38) we have the same empowered witness for the world.
Conclusion
Pointing people to Jesus wasn’t merely the “mission” of the Baptist, it was his reason for being. Paul echoes, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Phil 1:21). The people of God in Western nations, and especially Anglican churches, have “lost the plot”. We are mistaken in thinking God only calls extroverted “evangelists” (2 Tim 4:5), Evangelicals, or Pentecostals to preach the gospel to all nations (Matt 28:18-20). The very essence of the faith is to point others to Jesus (Rev 12:11). Any body of believers who fail to be faithful to this vocation is tragically and unavoidably condemned to slow extinction. To encourage us let me close with this familiar Prayer Book benediction, “Go forth into the world in peace. Be of good courage. Hold fast that which is good. Render to no one evil for evil. Strengthen the fainthearted. Support the weak. Help the afflicted. Show love to everyone. Love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit…” Cf. 1 Thess 5:12-18. Let my final word be one of encouragement.
There is always something any individual or group have been given to give to bless others in their gospel ministry. A friend of mine was an elder in an ageing Uniting Church in West Perth, she was praying quite a lot for the future of her declining congregation. Then an opportunity came up to allow a younger more evangelistic group who wanted to reach out into the city to use their building on Sunday nights. The Lord has surely given you something that can be laid down on the altar of sacrifice for his glory; ask him what it is, for the Spirit will testify to Jesus through you (1 John 5:7-8).