JESUS IN THE EYES OF JOHN THE BAPTIST
JOHN 1:14-34
JOHN 1:14-34
Introduction:
John the Baptist had a very special mission given to him by the God of Heaven. John prepared the way for the Messiah. He recognized Jesus as that Messiah. He shows through his statements in this chapter that his relationship with Jesus Christ was more important than anything else in his life. Jesus was everything to John. He said in John 3:29-30, “He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”
I. JOHN SAW JESUS AS THE ONLY HOPE OF MAN.
A. He saw the HUMILITY of Christ, Philippians 2:5-11, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
1. He took the form of a SERVANT, v. 7.
a. “Was made in the likeness of men:”
b. “Dwelt among us,” John 1:14, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”
2. “And became obedient unto death,” v. 8.
B. “Let this mind be in you,” v. 5.
1. Our attitude should be like the attitude of Christ.
2. Obedience to Christ as He was to the Father, should have priority in our life.
3. God’s blessings are connected to our obedience.
II. JOHN SAW JESUS AS THE SOURSE OF GRACE AND TRUTH.
A. Jesus, “full of grace and truth.” John 1:14.
1. You are FREE in the truth, John 8:32, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
2. Jesus, THE ONLY SOURSE of the truth, John 14:6, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
B. Jesus, being the Saviour, manifest the grace of God, Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
III. JOHN RECOGNIZED JESUS AS “THE LAMB OF GOD.”
A. THE CHOSEN of God, v. 29, “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”
1. God is WELL PLEASED with His Son, Matthew 3:17, “And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
2. Here we have the Son of God OBEDIENT to the Father.
B. “THE LAMB OF GOD.”
1. John introduced Jesus to the religious crowd of Israel.
a. To the gentiles this expression had no significance.
b. But to the JEWS the LAMB was the SACRIFICE FOR SIN, the lamb of the PASSOVER.
C. “Which taketh away the sin of the world.”
1. Every year, once a year, the High Priest entered into the Holy of Holies of the Temple with the blood of the lamb.
2. BUT THIS LAMB WAS DIFFERENT! God chose this lamb and He was sacrificed only once, Hebrews 10:10-14, “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. 14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.”
a. Jesus FINISHED THE WORK of Redemption, vs. 12, “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;”
b. NOTHING was left to do, v. 14, “For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” Hebrews 9:26, “For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.”
CONCLUSION:
John understood that Jesus was his Saviour, the Lamb of God that was sacrificed to save him from his sins. And he declared that Jesus is the Saviour of the world.
John dedicated his life 100% to the Lord. For this reason it is not difficult to understand why John was ready to die for Jesus Christ.