The Witnesses To The Revelation of Jesus Christ

John 1:29-34  The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.  (30)  This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.  (31)  And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.  (32)  And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.  (33)  And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.  (34)  And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.

INTRODUCTION:           Our texts in verses 30-31 tell us that Jesus the Christ was the one “preferred before me.” 

(John 1:15)  John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.

John knew his cousin Jesus, however John did not know HE was the Messiah until he saw the Holy Spirit descend like a dove.

(John 1:27)  He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.

John tells the Pharisees that he is not the Christ, in no uncertain terms.  He goes so far as to explain that he is not worthy. 

              Today as we worship we need to see if we are worthy of God's everlasting life.

Are we worthy?

I.            JESUS CHRIST, LAMB OF GOD

              A.           The Lamb

                             1.           A picture of Christ

                             2.           Who was sacrificed for us.

(1 Corinthians 5:7)  Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

                                           i.            Historically "The Passover"

a.           Those who believed were past over

b.           Those who did not believe lost their first born.

                                           ii.           Symbolically "The Passover"

a.           Pictured the coming of Jesus Christ

b.           A sign that the blood of the innocent Lamb was substituted for the life of the first born.

c.            The eating of the Lamb, was a sign of the nourishment needed from Christ.

d.           The unleavened bread was a picture of putting evil out of our lives; (No yeast, no sin)

              B.           The Lamb

1.           A picture of the precious blood, which redeems

(1 Peter 1:18-19)  Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

i.            Historically "Two lambs sacrificed"            Exodus 29:38-46

a.           The Lambs became that substitute for the people.

b.           They knew their sins had separated them from God

ii.           Symbolically the sins of the people were removed.

iii.          Note:  It was not the deed of the sacrifice that abolished the sin.

a.               It was the FAITH;

b.               That by doing what God said,

c.               Faith that God would remove the sin.

(Isaiah 53:6-7)  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. ⁷ He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

                             2.           The perfect Lamb of God

                                           i.            Without sin

                             3.           The One who was sacrificed for sin.

i.            He willingly climbed on that cross.

4.           The One whose blood is counted precious by God and believers.

              C.           The "Lamb of God" Is Not Of Men

                             1.           He is of God and God only

                                           i.            He belonged to God

                                           ii.           God provided the Lamb

a.           Where God provided for Abraham over Isaac.

D.           The "Lamb of God" Takes Away The Sin Of The World.

1.           “Taketh away” = to lift away / carry off

2.           Jesus bore our sins for us.

(1 Peter 2:24)  Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

                             3.           The word “sin” is singular

i.            Thereby ALL sin is packaged together.

(1 John 1:7)  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

4.           Christ on the Cross; bore the sins of the whole world.

(1 John 2:1-2)  My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous ² And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

II.           JESUS CHRIST, THE MESSIAH         (vv 32-33)

A.           The One Whom The Holy Spirit of God Remained.

1.           The Dove was a sacred bird to the Jews.

2.           The Holy Spirit came upon Christ LIKE a dove.

(Mark 1:10)  And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:

i.            Only in Luke is this spirit given the shape of a dove.

(Luke 3:22)  And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.

              B.           In The Old Testament

                             1.           The Holy Spirit came upon men

                                           i.            Only on special occasions

                                           ii.           He never remained

                             2.           The Holy Spirit abode on Christ

                                           i.            It was a unique situation

                                           ii.           It was once and for all

                                                          a.           A permanent abode

                                                         b.           Powerfully

                                           iii.          His full manifestation

iv.          His unlimited power

C.            Christ Is The One Who Baptizes With The Holy Ghost

III.         JESUS CHRIST, SON OF GOD                  (v 34)    

              A.           The Writers Of The Gospel

                             1.           Matthew

(Matthew 1:21)  And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

                             2.           Mark

(Mark 1:1)  The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;

                             3.           Luke

(Luke 4:41)  And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God. And he rebuking them suffered them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ.

                             4.           John

(John 3:16)  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

5.           Paul

(Romans 5:10)  For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

i.            They all tell us Jesus is the Son of God.

                                               

CONCLUSION: Jesus is the Son of God.  He and only He Baptizes us with the Holy Spirit.  It is a time of re-creation, being born again.

Jesus tells us in

John 3:7 “ye must be born again.”

              It is the Son of God who tells these things.  It is not what I am making up, it is the Word of God that I am repeating to you.  He says you must be recreated.

              We were all born once, yet only those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour is re-Born.

              When we accept Jesus it must be with a humble heart, with the knowledge that you are a sinner.  Without this heart being softened and with no conviction by the Holy Spirit no re-birth will happen.

Romans 10:9  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

God teaches us through Paul, 1.) That we must confess Jesus with our mouth [tell others] 2.) Believe God has raised His Son from the grave, then and only then 3.)  God will save you.

              What are you going to do?