Pastor Slaughter

Epiphany 2

1-15-23

The Lamb of God

• Look at the Lamb
• Spend time with the Lamb
• Point to the Lamb

Text: John 1: 29-41

 

For centuries Israel offered sacrifices to God for sin. Over and over again, the blood flowed. The blood was this constant reminder that the penalty for sin is death.  There was sacrifice after sacrifice which was the substitute that stood in the place of the sinner. It was never enough. The faithful had to bring the sacrifices again and again. Each generation bringing their sacrifices again and again. It was never enough. No matter what they did, they still needed to offer sacrifice, a substitute was needed for them.  No matter how hard they tried, they still needed to offer a sacrifice, a substitute was needed for them.

How would you feel if you had to bring a lamb, a goat, a bird to Pastor Slaughter (pun intended) and have a sacrifice again and again and again. I think it could be taken two different ways. The first is that you have this constant reminder that you are not good enough. That no matter how hard you try, you still fail. You still need that substitute. Each sacrifice a reminder that you are not good enough for God. The second you may look at all of the sacrifices that you and say, “See God look at how good I am! I am doing everything you want me to do!” Instead of the sacrifice showing that we are not good enough for God, that we need a substitute, the sacrifice then becomes something meritorious we do for God, “look God at all the sacrifices I give to you. Aren’t you proud of me?”

I think we can relate to both things at different times in our lives. You know those times where nothing feels like it can go right. That you put so much time and energy and effort and people still criticize you and critique you. It just kind of brings you down. That feeling like we are not good enough. Or those times where something goes really well and people complement you and sing your praises and we get that chip on our shoulders that we are pretty good.

Both can be detrimental to our faith. When we fall into despair because we feel the gravity that are not good enough for God and when we think we are deserving of God by what we do, where is our focus? Who are we looking too? God or ourselves? If our gaze is away from Christ, there are eternal dangers.

Every sacrifice that was offered, every lamb, every goat, every bird offered for sin was pointing us to a greater sacrifice. To point us to the Lamb of God! The next day after Jesus was baptized, John the Baptist saw Jesus coming and said, “Look! The Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

My precious brothers and sisters in Christ, Look! My brothers and sisters who feel like you are not good enough for God, Look at the Lamb. My brothers and sisters who are focusing on their work, Look at the Lamb of God! Look at Jesus and what do you see? God in the flesh. Last week we heard how God gave his approval of his Son with a thunderous voice. We saw how the Holy Spirit rested on Jesus. Because of this, John the Baptist knew. He knew that Jesus is the Son God. And what he did he do? Pointed people to the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

 

In the context of John chapter one, the apostle John talks about a darkness in the world. The darkness caused by sin. Sin is missing the mark of perfection that God requires. We see the hatred, the pain, the loneliness, the heartache in the world around us. When we look at our lives we see the sin there. The guilt we feel is the testimony to the punishment we deserve. We needed a substitute because the wages of sin is death. Not just physical death, but eternal death. Even if we are blind to the sin in our lives, we still need that substitute.

We have to look to look past ourselves to someone else. We hear John the Baptist’s exclaim, “Look! The Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” We see the lamb who would die for the sins of the World! Isaiah prophecies about this sacrifice and how the precious Lamb would suffer and die. In chapter 53:6-7 he says, “We all have gone astray  like sheep. Each of us has turned to his own way, but the LORD has charged all our guilt to him. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet  he did not open his mouth. Like a lamb he was led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent in front of its shearers, he did not open his mouth.”

Look! The lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. There is nothing that leaves a question mark for me. There is nothing I have done that isn’t covered by this sacrifice. I don’t have to bring any more lambs or animals. He is the sacrifice for all and he is the sacrifice for me and you as well. Not because of the good things we have done. But because of his grace and mercy. Look the Lamb of God who takes away my sin!

The next day John the Baptist was with two of his disciples, Andrew and the nameless one, is most likely the apostle John. Once again John the Baptists points to Jesus and said to them, “Look! The Lamb of God.” What do they do? They followed him and asked Jesus, “Rabbi” (which means “teacher”) “where are you staying?” He told them, “Come, and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying. The bible says, “They stayed with him that day.”

To me this is really cool. John the baptized pointed to Jesus as the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the World. Then what did these two disciples do? They spent time with the Lamb! They wanted to be in the prescreens of the one who takes their sins away. They wanted to learn more. As they spent the day with Jesus, they became convinced that he was Messiah.

How often do we just take the time and spend with Jesus? Sometimes I think we see the Lamb of God, we know what he did for us but later we don’t spend the time with him. It’s like that hunger and thirst to learn more, we had when we first believed kind of lessens. And Time with Jesus in our devotion life starts to slide. Time with Jesus in Worship becomes an “Eh I will go if I feel like it.” That hunger to grow in God’s Word at bible study isn’t important anymore.

I was talking to one of our elders about this struggle. This was weighing on our hearts and minds where people don’t see the importance of prioritizing worship and the Word, essentially it was spending time with Jesus because know what they need to know to be saved. On the one had yeah. They know Jesus as their savior. But the importance of spending time with him isn’t there. And as we talked, I didn’t know what to say. Then as I started studying this lesson, the answer is kind of simple. I should have said was, “Let’s us keep pointing to the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world!” Because it is that lamb who saved us from our sins. Because it is that Lamb who sits on the throne. Because it is that Lamb who gives to us eternal life.

Why is it so important to spend time with Jesus? Because it convinces us that what he says is true! Jesus alone is our salvation. When sorrow and suffering, and loneness and pain and whatever this dark sinful world throws at us, we are convinced that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away our sins.

We see the Lamb of God. As we spend time with the lamb we become convinced that he is the Christ. Then what do we do? We point others to the Lamb! John the Baptist kept pointing to the Lamb. And what was the first thing Andrew did? HE went to his brother Simon Peter and said, “We have found the Messiah!”

What do we do when we see the Lamb and spend time with him? We point others to the lamb. I think sometimes we are scared to tell other people about Jesus because we think we have to make witnessing into some sort apologetic defense of like the 6 days of creation or some other teaching of God’s word. But we forget that witnesses is pointing people to Christ. Who is he? Jesus is the lamb forgive you your sins. After that we can have all kinds of discussions.

There may be someone in your life that may not be as receptive to an invitation to church but they maybe more receptive to and invitation to supper. Isn’t it interesting, that Jesus told Andrew and the John to come and see. And they spent the day with Jesus. We don’t know the conversation they had. They could have talked about fishing or weather. At some point they had to of had those Spiritual conversations because Andrew said to his brother, “We have found the Messiah!” This is what we call friendship evangelism. Be hospitable. Invite someone in. Talk with them about normal stuff. As that trust and friendship grow, they will see that you care enough about them individually that they will be receptive to hearing about the Lamb who takes away the sin of the World! We don’t have to have a perfect law and gospel presentation; we just have to show that we care and point people to Jesus.

 

My family, look at the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the World. Spend time with the Lamb and point others to the Lamb of God. Amen.