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John chapter 1. I'll begin reading 
in verse 1. In the beginning was the Word, 
and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the 
beginning with God. All things were made through 
Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him 
was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines 
in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. There 
was a man sent from God whose name was John. This man came 
for a witness, to bear witness of the light that all through 
him might believe. He was not that light, but was 
sent to bear witness of that light. That was the true light 
which gives light to every man coming into the world. He was 
in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world 
did not know him. He came to his own, and his own 
did not receive him. But as many as received him, 
to them he gave the right to become children of God, to those 
who believe in his name, those who were born not of blood, nor 
of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the word became 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. John 
bore witness of him and cried out, saying, This was he of whom 
I said, He who comes after me is preferred before me, for he 
was before me. And of His fullness we have all 
received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through 
Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one 
has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is 
in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. Now this is 
the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites 
from Jerusalem to ask him, who are you? He confessed and did 
not deny, but confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked 
him, what then? Are you Elijah? He said, I am 
not. Are you the prophet? And he answered, 
no. Then they said to him, who are 
you? That we may give an answer to those who sent us. What do 
you say about yourself? He said, I am the voice of one 
crying in the wilderness, make straight the way of the Lord, 
as the prophet Isaiah said. Now those who were sent were 
from the Pharisees. And they asked him saying, why 
then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor 
the prophet? John answered them saying, I 
baptize with water, but there stands one among you whom you 
do not know. It is he who coming after me 
is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy 
to lose. These things were done in Bethabara 
beyond the Jordan where John was baptizing. The next day John 
saw Jesus coming toward him and said, Behold, the Lamb of God 
who takes away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, 
After me comes a man who is preferred before me, for he was before 
me. I did not know him, but that 
he should be revealed to Israel. Therefore I came baptizing with 
water. And John bore witness saying, 
I saw the spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and he remained 
upon him. I did not know him, but he who 
sent me to baptize with water said to me, upon whom you see 
the spirit descending and remaining on him, this is he who baptizes 
with the Holy Spirit. And I have seen and testified 
that this is the Son of God. Amen. Well, let us pray. Our 
Father, thank you for the written word and thank you for this wonderful 
statement, this wonderful and glorious declaration by John 
the Apostle and John the Baptist concerning the dignity of the 
Son of God. We know that he is most high, 
most glorious, most wondrous. And we know it was him who came 
into this world, sinners to save. Help us now as we consider this 
passage to see him as altogether lovely and as chief among 10,000. 
Help us to worship, help us to praise and to glorify. And again, 
forgive us for all sin and everything that darkens our understanding 
and fill each one of us now with your spirit. And we pray through 
Jesus Christ, our Lord, amen. So the prologue is John the Apostle's 
statement concerning Jesus. It goes behind the scene. It 
goes, instead of starting with what Jesus did, it goes to who 
Jesus is. And it stresses Jesus' relationship 
to the Father. Verse one, Jesus, the Word, is 
co-eternal with the Father. Jesus, the Word, is distinct 
from the Father. And Jesus, the word is consubstantial 
with the Father. That means he's of one being, 
of one substance with. So before John the Apostle gets 
to the work of the Savior, he starts with theology. He wants 
us to understand something of who God is before he begins to 
express to us what God does. And then beginning in chapter 
one at verse 19, he turns specifically to the testimony of John the 
Baptist. And we have that. in verses 19 
to 34. The first time we looked at that 
testimony, we looked at verses 19 to 27. I'm sorry, verse, let 
me put my glasses on, verse 28. And then last week, we looked 
specifically at verse 29. Because in many respects, verse 
29 is a summary statement of the entire Bible. Behold the 
Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. That is a good 
summation of what scripture teaches from Genesis to Revelation. So 
it seemed good to dwell on that. Well, this morning we're going 
to take up verses 30 to 34. So we have John's testimony in 
two broader sections. In verses 19 to 27, he is disputing 
with the religious leaders, or rather a delegation that has 
come from the religious leaders. Jesus is absent at that point. 
According to verse 29, the next day John saw Jesus coming toward 
him, and said, Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin 
of the world. So now he's testifying directly 
to those who are out in the wilderness, who are listening to John's preaching, 
witnessing his ministry, being baptized by him. And of course, 
Jesus is now on the scene. So John identifies him in this 
wonderful way. So he highlights first the declaration 
of his mission, verse 29, and then secondly, the dignity of 
his person. And that's where we're going 
to spend our time this morning, the dignity of his person. And 
if you're following, brethren, you will see that this is repetitious. In the prologue, John the Baptist's 
testimony is already highlighted or alluded to. What's John's 
testimony? Christ is supreme. In the first 
part of his testimony, we already see him again say, Christ is 
supreme. As we come to this section of 
the testimony, that's the same message. Repetition is good because 
it drives home the point. And especially when that point 
concerns the one who the bride describes as altogether lovely 
and as chief among 10,000. It does us well to consider not 
only the nature of his mission, but the dignity of his person. 
Who is it that saved us from our sins? Who is it that became 
flesh and dwelt among us? Who is it that lived for us, 
that suffered and died for us, and was raised again for us? 
Both John the Apostle and John the Baptist know that when the 
people of God get glimpses of this, then they worship God as 
they ought. They approach God with the joy 
and the gratitude and the thankfulness that is fitting for such a glorious 
salvation. So let's look at what the Baptist 
declares concerning the person or the dignity of Christ's person. 
In the first place, there is strictly a declaration, verses 
30 and 31, and then secondly explains himself in verses 32 
to 34. But notice, he again underscores the preeminence of the Savior 
in verse 30. So after announcing the Lamb 
of God who takes away the sin of the world, he says, This is 
He of whom I said, After me comes a man who is preferred before 
me, for he was before me. Again, a recurring emphasis on 
the part of the Baptist. You didn't hear about him. You 
didn't hear about his wife. You didn't hear about his kids. 
You didn't hear about his date night. You didn't hear about 
all his personal anecdotes. You didn't hear his whole autobiography. What you heard in the preaching 
of John the Baptist was the supremacy and the glory of Jesus Christ, 
our Lord. Several times as we've looked 
at this particular character of the biblical revelation, I've 
tried to emphasize that. What the church today needs is 
not more joke tellers. It doesn't need more entertainers. 
It certainly doesn't need any more woke people. It needs preachers, 
men that will declare, Christ must increase, but I must decrease. We are in troubled times, not 
like China, to be sure, but we are certainly in troubled times. 
And if the church does not arouse itself, and understand that courage 
is necessary, and understand that we're not in the business 
of entertainment, we're not in the business of meeting men in 
their felt needs, but we're in the business of declaring the 
supremacy and the sufficiency of Jesus Christ. Until the church 
gets that, she'll continue to put up with woke preachers, she'll 
continue to put up with chatty preachers, she'll continue to 
put up with guys with their lattes in their hand, and their hand 
in the other pocket, simply telling stories about how wonderful their 
lives are or how hot their wives are. Brethren, that needs to 
stop. We need men of the caliber of 
John the Baptist, men of the caliber of John Knox, who at 
his gravesite, one testified that here lies a man who neither 
feared nor flattered the face of any man. We see that with 
John the Baptist. He doesn't say with Herod, oh, 
it's okay that you have your brother's wife. It's okay because 
this is a time of sexual revolution. It's okay that you just do whatever 
it is you want and however it is you're led. No, the Baptist 
gets in his face and says it is not lawful. It ultimately 
proves to be a sermon that cost him his head. But he doesn't 
shrink back from that. And in the same instance, notice 
his emphasis in verse 30. This is he, this Lamb of God, 
who takes away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, 
after me comes a man who is preferred before me, for he was before 
me. John the Baptist was six months 
older. John the Baptist was first in 
terms of redemptive history. Look back at verse 23. The voice 
of one crying in the wilderness, make straight the way of the 
Lord. So though John was older and though John had a place in 
redemptive history that predated Jesus, nevertheless, notice what 
John says. It says that after me comes a 
man who is preferred before me. Why? For he was before me. He has supreme dignity. He has 
a superiority. He is preferred before me, or 
in the language of our margin says, ranks higher than I, or 
the ESV has who ranks before me, or the NIV has surpassed 
me, or the NASB captures it as has proved to be my superior. 
Why is that the case, John the Baptist? Because he was before 
me. John the Baptist is simply testifying 
what John the Apostle already has in verses 1 and 18. In the 
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word 
was God, and no one has seen God at any time. But the Son, 
or the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, 
He has exegeted, or He has declared Him. So John the Baptist understands 
the preeminence of Jesus and the dignity of Jesus as it relates 
to the person of Jesus. He was before me. I'm the one 
who comes to announce that we make straight the way of the 
Lord. John understood his place in 
redemptive history and he understood well that Jesus was before me. Cyril of Alexandria said, after 
he had said, he has come before me, he necessarily adds because 
he was before me. Ascribing the most ancient glory 
to Christ and maintaining that his superiority over all things 
did not accrue to him in time, but is in him. from the beginning 
since he is God by nature. The Baptist knew this. In fact, 
when we get to verse 34, again, it's strictly parallel to what 
John the apostle says in verse one. This is the son of God. And practically when we ponder 
this, when we focus upon this, it is most amazing. When it came 
to the salvation of people like you and I, God didn't hold back 
his best. God sent the best. We saw last 
week the demand of Leviticus 22. The worshiper coming to tabernacle 
or temple must bring the best of his flock. He simply doesn't 
have the prerogative to take the worst. to take the mangiest, 
to take the lame, to take the loser in the barnyard fights. 
No, he's supposed to bring the best because God demands and 
deserves the best. So when it comes to God's provision 
for our salvation, he sends the son of his love. In the fullness 
of the times, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born 
under the law, to redeem those under the law. Paul's speaking 
there of the dignity of the Son, again, but he's also speaking 
concerning us, to redeem those under the law. that He has redeemed 
us, that He has saved us, that He has blessed us, that He has 
begraced us, that He has washed us, that He has given us a righteousness. Brethren, we ought not to be 
hard-hearted or tired when we come to worship. We ought not to just sort of 
mumble out the stanzas of the Psalms because that's some sort 
of religious requirement. What was David's deal in Psalm 
122 when he said, I was glad when they said unto me, let us 
go to the house of the Lord. The worship of God is not drudgery. The worship of God is not a hardship, 
the worship of God is essential for God's glory and for the good 
of his creatures, and it demands glad response on the part of 
those blood-bought. So brethren, as we sing, as we 
pray, as we worship this blessed God, let us do so in the conscious 
knowledge that Christ Jesus, who was in the beginning with 
God, who was God, came down for us men and for our salvation. Notice John not only highlights 
the preeminence of the Savior, but he indicates his revelation 
to Israel, the revealing of him officially to Israel in verse 
31. I did not know him, but that 
he should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with 
water. Now that's an intriguing statement 
when John the Baptist says, I did not know him. Now remember, John 
the Baptist as a babe leaped in the womb of his mother when 
Mary, who had the babe Christ in her womb, came to visit. So 
we see that in Luke 1.41. But after Zacharias' sort of 
song and praise to God, we learn in chapter 1 in Luke's gospel 
at verse 80 that John went to live in the desert. in the deserts 
till the day of his manifestation to Israel." And I think that's 
what he means when he says, I did not know him. No, he knew something 
about him because in Matthew 3, when Jesus comes to be baptized 
by John, John makes that statement. Are you coming to be baptized 
by me? But again, I'm not suggesting 
or I'm not thinking that he's lying here. I did not know him. 
He didn't know him as Messiah. It was at the baptism that that 
was brought home with power to our dear brother, John the Baptist. 
So in this particular context, Jesus had already been baptized 
by John. He is visiting again this site. 
He is again visiting John the Baptist and this group of people 
that are in the wilderness. He's already been baptized, so 
this is the Baptist testimony concerning the purpose behind 
his baptism. Notice, I did not know him, but 
that he should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing 
with water. Again, verse 23, the voice of 
one crying in the wilderness, make straight the way of the 
Lord. That was the purpose of John the Baptist. He wasn't a 
religious nut. He wasn't somebody on the fringe 
of society. He was a prophet ordained by 
God, a man prophesied by God, a man tasked with announcing 
not only the coming of the Savior, but also his arrival. It's in 
that vein that Jesus describes in Matthew 11, 9 as more than 
a prophet. He's not only a prophet concerning 
the coming of the Son of Man, he's not only a prophet concerning 
his role prophesied in Scripture, but he's more than a prophet 
in that he's announced the arrival of the coming King of the Messiah 
that would save his people from their sins. And Paul picks this 
up in Acts 19. He says, John the Baptist indeed 
baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they 
should believe on him who would come after him, that is, on Christ 
Jesus. If I were to ask you, what kind 
of baptism did John the Baptist baptize with? And I said that 
five times, I'm sure my tongue would be tied. But if I were 
to ask you that, you would say repentance. What's the opposite 
side of the coin of repentance? It's faith. It's not that John 
just said to everybody, clean up your act, make yourself worthy, 
make yourself ready, make yourself receptive, and Jesus will add 
his blessing to you. No, John pointed to Jesus as 
the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. John's 
preaching was a preaching of blood atonement. John's preaching 
was one of acknowledgement concerning the Old Testament prophets. John's 
preaching was cognitive of the fact of Genesis 3.15. John's 
preaching was gospel preaching. He wasn't preaching works. He 
wasn't preaching, fix yourself and Jesus will accept you. He 
was preaching that Jesus, in his grace and mercy, has come 
to save his people from their sins. Believe on him, repent 
from your sin, and you will be saved. So that's the emphasis 
in the Baptist testimony. Now notice, he explains this 
further. Remember that when we treat the 
doctrine of the person of Christ, we're dealing with someone unique. 
John's prologue points that out. Remember the divinity of the 
Word is stressed in verses 1 to 3. In the beginning was the Word, 
the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And then the incarnation 
of the word is highlighted in verses 14 to 18. So this one 
who was in the beginning, this one who was with God, this one 
who was God, according to verse 14, became 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. So what do we see in the one 
person of Jesus Christ? We see two natures. We see both 
divine and human. We see that the Word who was 
with God, the Word who was God, took on our humanity without 
ever ceasing to be the Word, without ever ceasing to be God, 
without ever stopping that blessedness of who He is. And so as we survey 
John's sort of explanation now, he points to this glorious person 
of Christ, and he does so by highlighting something of his 
humanity and something of his deity. But before we get there, 
look at what John says in verse 32. John bore witness, saying, 
I saw the Spirit descending from heaven. Notice the language, 
like a dove. The Spirit's not a dove. The 
hypostatic union, when the Word became flesh and dwelt among 
us, when He assumed our humanity with all the essential properties 
and the common infirmities thereof, and yet without sin, that is 
not what is happening in terms of the Spirit descending like 
a dove. There's no hypostatic union there. It is symbolic, 
it is expressive, it is emblematic, and John says as much. So back 
to verse 32, John bore witness saying, I saw the spirit descending 
from heaven like a dove and he remained upon him. Now, before 
we look at the significance of that, let's compare it with Matthew's 
gospel in terms of the significance of Jesus' baptism. Remember when 
John says to Jesus, why are you coming to be baptized by me? 
Again, I did not know him as the Messiah, but I knew there 
was something about him. And so I asked him, why are you 
coming to be baptized by me? Well, Jesus' response in verse 
15 in Matthew 3, So on the one hand, Jesus does 
submit to water baptism as a great example for all of us who believe 
on him to submit to water baptism. But there's something that transcends 
the exemplary in that. And when Jesus says what he says, 
he is underscoring something of the nature of his mission. 
Yes, He's going to die. Yes, He's going to be chastised 
for our peace. Yes, He's going to take on Himself 
our sin, our misery, our depravity, and the God of heaven and earth 
is going to punish Him in our place. But prior to that, Jesus 
is going to live for us. Jesus is going to fulfill all 
righteousness for us, such that when by God's grace we believe 
on Him, we're not only forgiven, but we're positively given a 
righteousness wherein now we can enter into the presence of 
God. It is most glorious. It is most wondrous. It is most 
awesome. So some have interpreted the 
gospel, for instance, of John and said, well, there's no active 
imputation of Christ's obedience. Every time in John's gospel, 
Jesus highlights that he does the will of his father. Remember, 
he's doing that certainly for the father, certainly for himself, 
certainly in light of the covenant of redemption, but he's doing 
it for us. He obeys, not so that we don't 
have to. He obeys because we never did. He obeys in order that we receive 
that righteousness. In fact, look at this emphasis 
in John's gospel in just a few places. Look at John 4 at verse 
34. Listen to the Savior and think, 
not only is he doing this God wordly in terms of covenant of 
redemption, but he's doing it for us men and for our salvation. 
John 4, 34, Jesus said to them, my food is to do the will of 
him who sent me and to finish his work. John 5, 30. John 5.30, I can of myself do 
nothing as I hear I judge. And my judgment is righteous 
because I do not seek my own will, but the will of the Father 
who sent me. John 6.38 to 40, for I have not 
come down from heaven. I'm sorry, I have come down. 
from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who 
sent me. This is the will of the father who sent me, that 
of all he has given me, I should lose nothing, but should raise 
it up at the last day. And this is the will of him who 
sent me, that everyone who sees the son and believes in him may 
have everlasting life. And I will raise him up at the 
last day." And then notice in 829, 829. Verse 29, and he who sent me 
is with me. The father has not left me alone, 
for I always do those things that please him. Can any of us 
with any degree of legitimacy say that? At all? Even a tiny bit? Even the most 
barest form? Absolutely, positively not. Yes, we need the Lamb of God 
who takes away the sin of the world. And yes, we need the Lamb 
of God who fulfills every jot and tittle of the Father's law. 
so that when sinners come believing on Him, they're not only washed 
clean from their sin, but they receive the righteousness of 
Christ that avails with God. Our acceptance is founded not 
in a little bit of Jesus and a little bit of us, Our acceptance 
is founded wholly and alone in what men have called the active 
and passive obedience of our Lord Jesus Christ. By passive, 
they mean His death at the cross. That doesn't mean He wasn't participating. 
Passive is probably related to passion and refers to the sufferings 
and death. The active obedience is the life 
of the Savior. always doing the will of the 
Father. His will is or his meat is to do the will of the Father. 
He does that such that his righteousness can be and is imputed to us and 
received by faith alone. So Jesus answers for every need 
that we have. This is why Paul in Ephesians 
1-3 can see blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus 
Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the 
heavenly places in Christ. Not some spiritual blessing. 
Our sin is such that we can't make it with some spiritual blessing. If we don't have every spiritual 
blessing, we end up in hell forever and ever. John Robbins makes 
this observation. I think it's astute. He says, 
the righteousness of God is that which God himself provides. When Luther discovered this, 
the Reformation was born. That is the good news. That is 
the gospel. The righteousness of Jesus Christ 
is both the demand of God and God's provision for his people. As mentioned earlier, I do not 
set aside the grace of God. For if righteousness comes through 
the law, then Christ died in vain. The righteousness doesn't 
come through the law. It comes through faith in our 
Lord Jesus Christ. It is the empty hand that God 
gives us to receive the manifold benefits accomplished by the 
Lamb of God. who takes away the sin of the 
world. So it's not that the active obedience of Christ is not on 
full display in John's gospel. It most certainly is. But going 
back to John the Baptist's testimony, notice at verse 32, John bore 
witness, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a 
dove, and He remained upon him. There's Old Testament background 
for this. We already read one of the passages 
at the outset of worship, Isaiah 11, specifically verses one and 
two. There shall come forth a rod 
from the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. 
The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of 
wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, 
the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. See, with 
reference to the prophecies concerning Messiah, the Old Testament prophets 
envisaged that Messiah would receive the Spirit without measure. In fact, in Isaiah 42.1, Behold 
my servant whom I uphold, my elect one in whom my soul delights. 
I have put my Spirit upon him. He will bring forth justice to 
the Gentiles. Incidentally, note the triad 
there in Isaiah 42.1. Yahweh is speaking concerning 
the Messiah, and the Spirit will come upon Him. For those morons 
that tell you that there's no Trinity in the Old Testament, 
that's because they don't understand the Old Testament. As well, Isaiah 
61.1, the Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord 
has anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor. He has sent 
me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, 
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound. Again, 
the triadic references, the servant of Yahweh is talking about Yahweh 
Himself and the Spirit coming from Yahweh upon Him. There is 
the Trinity and the Old Testament prophets prophesied concerning 
the coming of the Messiah that He would receive the Spirit. 
The language of one commentator, his name is Klink, full and permanent 
possession of the Spirit was taken to be the distinctive characteristic 
of the Messiah. The full and permanent possession 
of the Spirit was taken to be the distinctive characteristic 
of the Messiah. Later on in John 3.34, John the 
Baptist will say, For he whom God has sent speaks the words 
of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure. So I think 
what John the Baptist is highlighting here in verses 32 and 33, the 
provision for the Messiah according to his humanity for the work 
of mediation. Now that may seem like a long 
sort of involved statement, but I hope you follow. What the Baptist 
is pointing out is the furnishing of the Spirit to the person of 
the Messiah, according to his humanity, for the work of mediator. Mediator means he's the prophet, 
he's the priest, and he's the king. Our confession of faith 
summarizes it thus. The Lord Jesus, in his human 
nature, thus united to the divine in the person of the Son, was 
sanctified and anointed with the Holy Spirit above measure. 
having in Him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, in whom 
it pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell, to the 
end, that being wholly harmless, undefiled, and full of grace 
and truth, He might be thoroughly furnished to execute the office 
of mediator and surety, which office He took not upon Himself, 
but was thereunto called by His Father, who also put all power 
and judgment in His hand, and gave Him commandment to execute 
the same." All of that to say this, If you are a little suspicious 
that the Baptist has described this man's mission in two grand 
of terms, understand that he's fit. Understand that he's suitable. Understand that he's equipped. Understand that everything He 
has to undertake for us men and for our salvation, according 
to His humanity, He will be above measure visited by the Holy Spirit 
of power. In Acts chapter 10, Peter makes 
the same point with reference to Cornelius, how God anointed 
Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. And again, 
this isn't some what's called adoptionistic Christology, that 
this man, Jesus, who happened to come from the land of Nazareth, 
was identified by God, and it was here he was set apart for 
the work that was given unto him. That's not what's in view. 
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and 
the Word was God. The Word became 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. And so this one, uniquely 
equipped according to His divinity, is uniquely equipped according 
to His humanity. Not two persons of Christ, one 
person, what we call the hypostatic union. Now John doesn't end with 
this statement. Notice in verse 33, I did not 
know him again as Messiah, as the one that the prophets identified, 
but he who sent me to baptize with water, this is God, said 
to me, upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining 
on him, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. In other 
words, the Baptist learned on that day when he baptized Jesus 
Christ, that Jesus Christ was that one, that was prophesied 
by the prophets, such that when Jesus comes now to him, as he's 
surrounded by his companions, he can point to him and say, 
behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. But 
see, the Baptist doesn't end there. He ends with a statement 
concerning the Son's divinity. Not only is he fully, truly man, 
but he is truly God. Verse 34. And I have seen and 
testified that this is the Son of God. I think, brethren, we 
at times are guilty of reading things and forgetting to be thrilled. 
We are guilty of reading things and forgetting to be thrilled. We should be thrilled here that 
the Son of God loved us and gave himself for us. The Son of God 
goes on this mission. He comes to his own and his own 
receive him not. The Son of God takes on our humanity. The Son of God knows what it 
is to be hungry, the Son of God knows what it is to thirst, the 
Son of God certainly knows what it is to sorrow, and the Son 
of God knows what it is to die. Again, it is God-word in terms 
of what we call the covenant of redemption, but it's man-word 
in terms of the covenant of grace. God the Son undertakes on behalf 
of guilty, vile, helpless sinners. See, Paul makes this argument 
in Romans 5, for scarcely would somebody die for a righteous 
man. I mean, if somebody threw a grenade 
in the middle of this room, would all of us just jump on that grenade? I'd like to think so, but if 
human nature is any indicator, I'm not always sure. And we like 
each other, we love each other, we hang out with each other, 
we see each other regularly. So the apostle affirms that. 
Scarcely, for a righteous man, one would be willing to die. 
But how does God demonstrate his love in the gospel? God demonstrates 
his own love toward us, and that while we were yet sinners, Christ 
died for us. So the Baptist not only underscores 
something concerning the humanity of the mediator for the work 
of mediation, but he brings it right back to where John the 
Apostle starts in the prologue. This Jesus of Nazareth, this 
lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world is truly the 
son of God. And as we consider that brief 
phrase, son of God, he's not son of God the way you and I 
are sons of God. See both the book of Galatians 
in chapter four, verses four and five, and as well the book 
of Ephesians in chapter one, verses four and five, indicate 
that you and I are adopted sons of God. God's grace has come 
to us. God's grace has conveyed to us 
faith and repentance. We've seen our sin, we've seen 
our misery, we've seen the loveliness of the Savior, and by grace we've 
looked upon Him and we've lived. So what does Paul celebrate? 
We are the adopted sons of God. As well, Jesus is not son of 
God in that other sort of Christology I referenced earlier, an adoptionistic 
son of God, that it was at this time that this man sort of stepped 
up to the plate, and now that the Spirit came, he's identified. No, John the Apostle will never 
let us think that, because in the beginning was the Word, and 
the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Word became 
flesh and dwelt among us. So Jesus is the son of God in 
the language of John Gill. the natural, essential, and eternal 
Son of God. John the Baptist knew this, just 
like John the Apostle knew this. So let's say for instance, the 
Nicene Creed, they didn't make this up, they recognized what 
was taught. Chapter two in our confession, 
or chapter eight in our confession of faith at paragraph two, didn't 
make it up, but recognized what was always there. In the last 
hour, I encouraged the people that were there with a reference 
to a man by the name of Cyril of Alexandria. And I said there, 
and I'll say again, he's the theological hero you don't even 
know that you have. Cyril lived in the 5th century, 
and he was a combatant of the man called Nestorius. So Cyril 
did amazing things in terms of Christology, arguably stuff that 
we have in our confession of faith. Listen to his comment 
here concerning John the Baptist's testimony. Now there might be 
some things that elude the understanding, just some language barrier, that 
type of thing. If you want the quote, email 
me, text me, write me, carrier pigeon me, I will get it to you. 
He says this concerning John's comment in verse 34, and I have 
seen and testified that this is the Son of God. He said, he 
is not a bastard or a son in name only. but he is of the substance 
of God the Father, not by cutting off or emanation or a division 
or separation, for the divine nature is altogether impassable, 
but as one from one, always with him, co-eternal, rooted in the 
one who begat him, both in him and proceeding from him, indivisibly 
and without distance. The divine nature is neither 
corporeal nor circumscribed by space, nor of such a nature as 
to move from place to place over distance. He says, we believe 
that the son subsists on his own, but we do not place him 
outside the one ineffable divine nature, nor do we say that he 
is of a different substance from the father. But since the blessed 
Baptist, here he's talking about John, who is both trustworthy 
and of the highest reputation, testifies that this is the Son 
of God, we will confess that the Son is true God in every 
way and of the substance of the Father. As far as we are concerned, 
this and nothing else is what the name of Sonship means. Again, 
some of that language might go a little over the head. You may 
not get every single concept that he is seeking to formulate 
there. But trust me, brethren, he reflected on the reality that 
the person of the mediator is glorious. The person of the mediator 
is both divine and human. Not two men, not two subjects, 
not two persons, one person, two natures. That is what accurately 
reflects, excuse me, scriptural teaching. This is what the church 
confesses, this is what the church holds to, and this is what the 
church should never let go of. There are attacks, there are 
assaults, there are all kinds of seeking to degrade the Son 
in relationship to the Father. We cannot participate in that. 
We confess the Nicene Creed. We confess God from God, light 
from light, true God from true God. One being with the Father, 
because this reflects not only the prologue of the Apostle, 
but it reflects the testimony of the Baptist. And it's from 
this framework, or it's upon this foundation, that the Apostle 
now treats the doctrine of salvation. He begins with theology, he moves 
to economy to tell us who it is who saves us from our sins. Well, in conclusion, just a few 
thoughts and then we'll go. In the first place, this testimony 
along with verse 29, or this section along with verse 29, 
the next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, Behold, 
the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. This underscores 
the mission of the Lamb. The mission of the Lamb, as we 
saw last week, it was prophesied initially in Genesis 3.15. It's 
expanded, it's opened up, it's amplified throughout the Old 
Testament, and then we come to this scene and we see the fulfillment 
of it. Behold the Lamb of God. That particular phrase or that 
particular title, that particular description of who Jesus is, 
is loaded with theological freight. The Lamb of God is reminiscent 
of the Old Testament system. The Lamb of God is reminiscent 
with Mount Moriah. The Lamb of God is reminiscent 
with tabernacle and temple. The Lamb of God is reminiscent 
with the person the worshipper going every week to gather out 
of his own flock a particular animal to take to the tabernacle 
or temple in order to see it slain right before his eyes to 
underscore the necessity of blood atonement. So when John the Baptist 
calls him Lamb of God, we're not supposed to divest what he 
says here from the Old Testament. As well, the necessity of this 
is seen, not necessarily in this brief testimony concerning the 
person and work of the Savior, but the necessity is seen throughout 
the Bible. Why does God send the Son of 
His love in order to do this? Well, in the first place, God 
maintains His holiness, His justice, His righteousness, and His dignity. And on the other hand, it is 
to save people who are bad, just bad, wretched, horrible. When we understand that the one 
described in verse 1 is the one described in verse 29, What necessitated 
that? Again, the holiness of God, but 
the depravity of man. In order to get us from here 
to there, it necessitated the life, the death, and the resurrection 
of the Son of God Most High. And as I said, I'm actually quoting 
from a brother in our church, who calls verse 29 a summary 
statement of the entire Bible. The use of the word, behold, 
is reminiscent of the Old Testament prophets. The title, Lamb of 
God, points to the chief office of the Savior. The function, 
who takes away the sin of the world, points to the mission 
of the Savior. Never forget that. There's people 
that like to moralize Jesus. Jesus was such a good religious 
teacher. He was a good religious teacher. 
I affirm that. I wholeheartedly affirm that. 
But the primary emphasis of Jesus' life and death and resurrection, 
yes, to instruct us, but to redeem us. Remember the Jews seek after 
signs and the Greeks want wisdom, but we preach Christ and him 
crucified to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness. 
But to those who are being saved, Christ is both the wisdom and 
the power of God. And then the prologue and the 
testimony of John the Baptist both underscore the dignity and 
the glory of the Savior. Secondly, we ought to appreciate 
in this passage, the wrath of the Lamb. What? It's not necessarily in this 
passage. I'm gonna make a bit of a link 
here to another passage that John the Apostle wrote. Turn 
over to the book of Revelation. So oftentimes we focus, and well, 
we should, on the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the 
world. I think I tried to define last week, world there does not 
mean every man without exception, but it means every man without 
distinction. In other words, if you're a Jew 
or you're a Gentile, you have access to the Father through 
Jesus Christ, the Son. Again, we saw that in the reading 
in Isaiah 11. One of the functions of the Messiah was not only to 
go after the lost tribes of Jacob, but also to be a light given 
unto the Gentiles. And so John the Apostle uses 
that word world, not to speak of every single human being without 
exception. In other words, the Bible doesn't 
teach what's been called universalism, that in the final analysis, everyone 
will be saved. If you believe that, you didn't 
get that from me. Don't ever blame me for that. 
I have never taught universalism. In fact, I have condemned universalism. It is wretched, it is horrifying, 
it is a departure from Holy Scripture. When John uses world, he uses 
it in the sense of Revelation 5-9. Every tribe, every tongue, 
every people, every nation. So when we think of that mission 
statement, behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of 
the world, there's a necessary inference that follows. What 
of those who don't believe? What of those who don't come? 
What of those who don't look? What of those who don't receive? 
Because we already saw in the prologue, he came to his own, 
his own received them not. Well, what happens to them? What 
happens in our own generation when a person sit under faithful 
gospel preaching? When they hear the truth as it 
is in Jesus, when they hear that they're miserable and they're 
depraved and they're wretched and they're unholy, and they 
need the holy, harmless, undefiled Son of God. That by grace, when 
looking to Him in faith, you will have everlasting life. Well, 
what of those who don't accept? What of those who don't believe? 
Well, John the Apostle deals with that. Notice in Revelation 
chapter five, Revelation chapter five, there is a scroll that 
is handed to the Lamb. Verse one, and I saw in the right 
hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on 
the back, sealed with seven seals. Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming 
with a loud voice, who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose 
its seals. And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth 
was able to open the scroll or to look at it. So I wept much 
because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll or 
to look at it. But one of the elders said to me, do not weep. 
Behold, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, 
has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals. 
And I looked and behold, in the midst of the throne, Think about 
that. The throne of God. Who's there 
in the midst of the throne? Only God, right? Creature as 
creature doesn't sit in the presence of God. The fact that the Lamb 
is in the midst of the throne is another testimony to the divinity 
of the Lamb. Anyways. In the midst of the 
throne and of the four living creatures and in the midst of 
the elders stood a lamb, as though it had been slain, having seven 
horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God, sent 
out into all the earth. Then he came and took the scroll 
out of the right hand of him who sat on the throne." Again, 
a function and prerogative of deity. You don't wander into 
the presence of God and take something out of his hand unless 
you are his son. Now, let me just cut to the chase. 
This is a judgment scroll. This is an announcement of judgment. Now, wherever you locate the 
target of that judgment, I don't think ultimately, you know, determines 
what we're going to do in a moment. I happen to take it as the judgment 
upon apostate Israel, because he came to his own and his own 
received him not. And as a result, that self-maledictory 
oath they took before Pilate, let his blood be upon us and 
our children. Oh yeah, God's gonna visit that 
upon them. But notice what happens in terms 
of the opening of the seals. Turn over to Revelation 6 at 
verse 12. This is the sixth seal that is 
open. I looked when he opened the sixth 
seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became 
black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood." 
Now, if it's arising up in your head to think, oh, he's going 
to try to scare us in a moment. Yeah, exactly. That's exactly 
what I'm gonna do. Because He is the Lamb of God 
who takes away the sin of the world. He is the Lamb of God 
who brings those riches. He is the Lamb of God that brings 
forgiveness, that brings a righteousness that avails with God. But we 
see through a careful, well, it's not even that careful. You 
need to believe on him. You need to receive him. If you 
don't believe him and you don't receive him, then you will be 
the target of destruction. I'd like to try to candy coat 
that and make it a little softer, but I can't. But look at the 
illustration that is portrayed here in this passage. Then the sky receded as a scroll 
when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved 
out of its place. And the kings of the earth, the 
great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every 
slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in 
the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, 
Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne 
and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of His wrath 
has come, and who is able to stand?" That's Bible, brethren. That's Bible, friend. You reject 
Him as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, He 
will visit you with judgment for having that sin. Look as well in the book of Revelation. We've got this concept of gentle 
Jesus, meek and mild, as Dale Ralph Davis describes him, this 
soft, effeminate sort of man from the ancient Near Eastern 
world that comes to us reeking of hand cream. That's not the 
Bible, or that's not the Jesus of the Bible. Notice in Revelation 
chapter 14. Revelation chapter 14, specifically 
at verse nine. Then a third angel followed them 
saying with a loud voice, if anyone worships the beast and 
his image and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, 
he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, 
which is poured out full strength into the cup of his indignation. 
He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence 
of the holy angels and in the presence of the lamb. See, it's 
the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world on this 
side of the day of judgment. You continue to reject, you continue 
to rebel, you continue in your sin, you continue in your refusal, 
you will meet the Lamb, but it won't be as the one who takes 
away your sin, it'll be the wrath of the Lamb. And one final passage 
in Revelation 17. Revelation 17, verse 12, the 
10 horns which you saw are 10 kings who have received no kingdom 
as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the 
beast. These are of one mind, and they will give their power 
and authority to the beast. These will make war with the 
lamb, and the lamb will overcome them, for he is Lord of lords 
and king of kings, and those who are with him are called chosen 
and faithful. Great bit of encouragement there. 
On the one hand, the lamb is opposed, but on the other hand, 
the lamb wins. Are we ever, ever in question 
of this reality? But when the lamb wins, which 
he has, that means blessing and beatitude for the people of God. 
When the Lamb wins, which He does, it means damnation and 
curse for the non-people of God. And the last aspect of our exposition 
this morning is the gospel of the Lamb. The Lamb of God who 
takes away the sin of the world. How do we access Him? How do 
we get an interest in Him? How does that avail for us? Again, 
in the prologue, verse 10, he was in the world, the world was 
made through him, and the world did not know him. He came to 
his own and his own did not receive him, but as many as received 
him, to them he gave the right to become children of God, to 
those who believe in his name, who were born not of blood, nor 
of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 
John 6, verse 40, this is the will of him who sent me, that 
everyone who sees the son and believes in him may have everlasting 
life and I will raise him up at the last day. John 20, 30 
and 31. And truly Jesus did many other 
signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written 
in this book, but these are written. Why did John write his gospel? 
Yes, for the edification and nurture of the church. But if 
you're not a believer, you're not actually in the church by 
God's grace through the blood of the Savior. John wrote his 
epistle or his gospel for you as well. Listen to why he wrote. These are written that you may 
believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing 
you may have life in his name. Why will you die? Why will you 
refuse? Why will you reject? Why will 
you say no? when God Most High has undertaken 
for the salvation of guilty, vile, helpless sinners, who are 
we to say, no, God, I'd rather continue in my sin and ultimately 
reap the whirlwind in terms of damnation at the hands of the 
wrath of the Lamb? Believe on him. Listen to John 
in the gospel. Do not tarry. Do not wait. Do not try to argue yourself 
out of it. Don't try to say, well, when 
I'm older, when I'm wiser, when I'm brighter, when I've done 
the sins that I want to commit, then I'll get right with God. 
No, now is the acceptable time. Today is the day of salvation. 
Believe on him and you will be saved. Let us pray. Our Father, 
thank you for your word. Thank you for its clarity at 
the point of who Jesus Christ is and what a glorious declaration 
concerning who he is and how we stand in awe that when it 
came to our salvation, you sent the best. You sent the son of 
your love, the only begotten son, full of grace and truth. 
God, we pray that others today would hear of him and others 
today, by grace, would believe on him and that they would know 
that blessedness of being found in him. not having their own 
righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is given 
to you and received by faith alone. Be merciful, we pray, 
and be glorified, we pray, through the salvation of sinners and 
through the sanctification of your people. And we ask in Jesus' 
holy name, amen. We'll close by singing the doxology 
that is found on page 568 in your hymn books. 568, we'll stand as we sing praise 
to our great and glorious triune God. ♪ He's come to bless his 
foe ♪ ♪ He's come to save his foe ♪ is The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ 
and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you 
all. Amen. Father, thank you for the revelation 
of who you are in the scriptures. Thank you for the revelation 
of what you've done in the scriptures. Help us to have ears to hear 
and hearts to receive these glad and glorious truths. And may 
we see the dignity of the Son, and may we extol and worship 
and praise Him. And may you be pleased to reach 
down in mercy and in sovereign grace, and to free sinners, to 
draw them out of darkness into marvelous light, proclaiming 
your excellencies. Go with us now, Father, help 
us to enjoy the day, to call it a delight, and may it be sanctified 
for your glory. And we pray through Jesus Christ 
our Lord, amen. You may be seated for a brief 
time of meditation.