Jesus is the Lamb of God.
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.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.”
John 1:29-31
John introduces Jesus’ ministry as a battle against sin.
This is the Lamb of God who has come to take away the sins of the world. He has come to take your sin and mine. To bear it on himself. To be a sacrifice.
Do you know that sin is the biggest problem in your life? Sin is not just a list of bad things. Sin is everything we do in our flesh, rather than in faith. Sin is rebellion – choosing the creation over the creator. Sin is missing the mark of God’s holiness.
Sin separates us from God and sin causes dysfunction in our relationship with others. Sin is humanity’s greatest problem, yours and mine, and Jesus has come to take it away. He has come to put it to shame, to make an open mockery of it, by triumphing over it in his death.
Jesus is filled with the Spirit.
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.’
John 1:32-33
This is a glimpse of the Triune God. Listen, I’m telling you what I saw, John the Baptist says. The Spirit of God is with this man. And his baptism is a Spirit baptism. When John baptizes you, you just get wet. The One on whom the Spirit rests will give the Spirit to all who come to him. God is moving in this story in a fresh way.
Jesus is the Son of God.
“And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
John 1:34
I’m telling you, John the Baptist says, I saw all these things and this is the Son of God. There is no doubt. He is the Lamb who will take away the sins of the world. He is the one who has been anointed by the Father. And he is none other than God, himself.
I am not the Christ. He is.
I am not Elijah. He is the one Elijah has forteold.
I am not the Prophet. He is the True and Better Prophet who perfectly reveals the heart of the Father.
I am not, but he is.
You know what my favorite thing about John the Baptist is? He exists to get out of the way.
Oh, brothers and sisters, that we would adopt this same posture. That I would adopt this posture. That the Church of Jesus Christ around the world would cry out with a unified voice: Get your eyes off us and behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
It’s not me. I’m not the impressive one. John’s story finds its meaning in God’s story. So does your story and mine. God has given you a role to play in his story. He does not play a role in yours.