 The title of the sermon this morning comes from our text in John chapter 1 beginning here in this paragraph from verses 29 to 34 The title is behold the Lamb of God behold the Lamb of God and we are walking through the gospel according to John verse by verse And we concluded the prologue section of John's gospel in chapter 1 verses 1 through 18 And that prologue that introduction so to speak introduced us to the truths about Christ That would be laid out for us by John the evangelist here In the coming pages of John's account and we're gonna see these truths confirmed for us as we work through the gospel in Seven miracles that Christ does we're gonna see those truths confirmed for us by seven witnesses as we go and the primary truth being namely That Jesus Christ is the eternal word the Son of God He is God in the flesh who has come into the world to save sinners from their sin In in that we are introduced to John's overall purpose for writing that believing that Jesus is the Christ Believing that he is the Son of God that believing that we might have life in his name Now we've entered into now beginning in verse 19 now coming to verse 29 The narrative section of John's gospel where we begin to see those seven miracles They're gonna be introduced to us those seven witnesses seven signs presented and that purpose for writing all Fleshed out in the remainder of John's gospel here and we began in verse 19 by examining the first week in the earthly Ministry of Jesus Christ and specifically here looking at the first three days that involve our first witness John the Baptist and we studied the events of that first day beginning at verse 19 And it was a power packed first day we could have spent several weeks on that one day as John was confronted by the delegation that came out from Jerusalem and now we come to verse 29 that begins the next day verse 29 says the next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world Now John sees Jesus Jesus is coming toward him just after his 40 days in the wilderness where he was tempted by Satan and John says behold the Lamb of God now There are so many points so many principles that we could draw from this paragraph talking about the next day a scripture is just Rich just so deep so many truths in here We'd love to be able to talk about all of them And we could certainly continue to discuss the faithfulness of John the Baptist as a witness to Christ And that'd be important to talk about we need to take example from John the Baptist and be good witnesses to Jesus Christ There's also much that could be said here about baptism We could spend a lot of time talking about the difference between John's baptism and the baptism of Jesus Christ baptism in the Holy Spirit But again John the Baptist the faithful forerunner Just keeps pointing us back to Christ and he does so again beginning in verse 29 John says behold and he points us to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world now behold is an Interjection it's an exclamation. You remember your schoolhouse rock days. It's an exclamation It's something that expresses emotion or intensity and it does that here It would be appropriate to put an exclamation point after an interjection and that's exactly what the translators do behold In his best open-air preaching voice the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world and he's saying behold 2000 years later to us to behold the Lamb of God That one statement Leads us to the main point that we must consider in this passage above all others that one statement Pictures for us the purpose for which Christ came into this world to suffer It is a summary of His person in a summary of his work in his first coming it pictures for us the Substitution area atonement for sinners and we'll talk about what that means and it points us forward to the cross That statement the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world is a deep well And we're gonna draw from that well this morning as we study this verse together in Luke 9 It's interesting the Bible describes the singular focus of Jesus Toward the cross where undeterred it says that he set his face steadfastly to go to Jerusalem Even now in John chapter 1 at the beginning of his earthly ministry This description of Jesus as the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world has the same effect for us It it sets our focus from the beginning undeterred Toward Jerusalem toward the cross where Jesus Christ God's perfect sacrifice would make provision for our sin Vendicating both the holiness and the righteousness and the judgment justice of God and Redeeming for himself his own special people so with Jesus now introduced to us here as God's sacrifice I want you to see four primary points from our text One that is that Jesus Christ is the supreme sacrifice He's the supreme sacrifice. He is after all God's lamb or the Lamb of God the sacrificial lamb that God has provided He is supreme in all his perfection supreme in his power Supreme in his position as prophet priest and king and we'll see him today as supreme by comparison Supreme by consummation and supreme by conquering but secondly Jesus Christ as God's sacrifice Is the substitutionary sacrifice? He is a supreme sacrifice, and he's a substitutionary sacrifice a substitute for sinners He bears the penalty of sin He conquers the power of sin Removes the guilt and stain of sin and assures freedom from the presence of sin But thirdly Jesus Christ is the satisfactory sacrifice being God himself He is the only satisfactory substitute for sinners He's revealed by the scriptures attested to by the Holy Spirit Confirmed by the father and proclaimed by many witnesses here John the Baptist being one and lastly He is the saving sacrifice. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world Let's dig into our text. We have a lot of ground to cover here beginning in verse 29 point one on your notes He is the supreme sacrifice verse 29 says the next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world now that description of Jesus Christ as the Lamb If you know anything about your Bible anything about your Old Testament that description should bring flooding into your minds the idea of Sacrifice that's interesting here that that expression the Lamb of God was never used before John the Baptist uses it here John the Baptist was the first one to coin that term so to speak But if you know anything about your Old Testament all the blood of all those goats and lambs Shed to cover sin and now with you and I Looking back to the cross looking back to the sacrifice of Christ the person the work of Christ It's easy to see all those sacrifices Pointing forward to their ultimate consummation their ultimate completion in him But now amazingly to anyone at that time almost all of them at that time missed this connection They didn't see it the description of a lamb Would have caused bewilderment. They thought that Christ would come as the conquering king not the suffering servant And there were even times when Jesus in his discussions with his disciples made statements that talked about his coming death He explained to them that he would be delivered into the hands of the chief priests the elders And then he would be killed and it says in the Bible that his disciples wondered about those things what they meant It says that at one time Jesus said that he would be delivered and they argued after that about who would be the greatest Here Jesus proclaims his coming death and they're talking about who would be greatest among them in mark chapter 9 When Jesus made that statement the disciples were said to have Explained among themselves. They didn't understand it, but they were afraid to ask Christ what it meant But not John the Baptist here John the Baptist was one of the rare few who understood he understood this by revelation from God As we'll see in verse 33 John was one of the rare few who understood the two comings of Christ his first coming as the suffering servant to die for sinners as a substitutionary sacrifice and his second coming to execute judgment and to rule as king and John Rightly and profoundly and sightfully proclaims Jesus Christ as God's sacrificial lamb Now listen if you miss the sacrifice of Christ if you miss the substitutionary atonement of Christ You miss the cross if you miss this you miss Christianity you miss heaven This is substance the substance of our faith If you want to get a handle on the confessing on the the condition of the professing church today go evangelizing It is staggering to me. How many professing Christians today have no idea about these things don't understand the cross Don't understand Christ's substitution for sinners and it's because the churches that they go to don't preach doctrine Today by and large the doctrine of substitution the doctrine of the atonement has been watered down to be nothing more than simply Christ loved me that much and the cross means yes that he loved you, but it means far more than that The Jesus the description of Jesus here as the lamb of God is the climax of an Unfolding imagery in the Old Testament of a coming redeemer Who would one day be a full and final? sacrifice for the sins of his people a full and final Vindication of God's justice Jesus Christ in his first coming is the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world now if you were gonna do an inductive study If we were gonna look at verse 29 and Do an inductive study of just that one phrase the lamb of God? Here's some observations you could make about that statement one. He is the lamb Just as he is the truth the way the life no one comes to the father except by him But to he is the sacrificial lamb that is supplied by God or provided by God God himself He is the lamb of God but thirdly at points of the fact that he himself Jesus Christ being the lamb of God will be a blood Sacrifice as a substitute the Bible says and without the shedding of blood. There is no forgiveness for sin The fourth all things considered if you look at those points. He is without question the supreme sacrifice Let's look at a few ways in which Jesus Christ is supreme Jesus Christ one is the supreme sacrifice as the lamb of God? By comparison he is supreme by comparison. We think about the Old Testament We think about all the various Sacrifices and offerings that were made in the Old Testament all of them serving as a metaphor if you will as a picture a portrayal to illustrate Various aspects of Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of all those sacrifices Jesus Christ fulfilling that on the cross In a sense the word lamb itself is a metaphor a lamb Pointing back to all those Old Testament sacrifices which all serve to point forward back to Christ at the cross We have a double reference there if you will Instantly reminded of Christ at the cross and if you think about that you think about all those examples of Old Testament sacrifice Old Testament offering one of the pictures that comes to mind immediately if you think about the lamb of God might be Abraham and his son Isaac in Genesis 22 and I want you to turn there with me Genesis chapter 22 Let's look at this account of Abraham and his son Isaac in Genesis chapter 22. God sends Abraham on an errand An errand into the land of Moriah to sacrifice his only son Isaac And it says in the beginning of Genesis Genesis chapter 22 that he does this to test Abraham But look beginning with me at verse 6 verse 6 The Bible says there so Abraham Took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son and he took the fire in his hand and a knife And the two of them went together But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said my father and he said here. I am my son Then he said look the fire in the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering and Abraham said my son God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering and so the two of them went together Then they came to the place of which God had told him and Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order And he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar upon the wood So now Abraham imagine the scene Stressed out his hand He took the knife to slay his son But then the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said Abraham Abraham So he said here I am and he said do not lay your hand on the ladder do anything to him for now I know that you fear God since you have not withheld your son your only son from me Abraham passes the test right Verse 13 Abraham lifted his eyes and looked and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns So Abraham went took the ram and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son And Abraham called the name of the place the Lord will provide as it is to this day in the mount of the Lord It shall be provided I think about in that offering right in that example of Almost sacrifice so to speak the many comparisons that could be made to Christ all pointing to the Lamb of God Mount Moriah, you know your geography from ancient Israel Mount Moriah was a mountain in Jerusalem And where was Christ crucified on a mountain in Jerusalem? Abraham was asked to sacrifice his only son the son of promise Isaac and God sacrificed his only begotten son and God here provides a ram a male sheep a male lamb as a substitute for Isaac Now you Here even have the imagery overlapping in a couple of different ways it overlaps in the sense that Abraham as the father Was sacrificing his own son Isaac as a picture of Christ right we see that in the picture But also you have the ram caught in a thicket and the ram Becoming a substitute for Isaac so you have the picture of that lamb that ram being a picture of Christ So it even overlaps in a couple of different ways that some people tend to go too far We get too speculative with scripture, but some people draw other conclusions They say that that Isaac carried the wood on which he would be sacrificed in the same way that Jesus Christ carried his cross The wood on which he would be sacrificed that Isaac was spared death after a three-day journey to Moriah And we are spared death after Jesus Christ rising from the dead after three days The ram got his horns caught in thorns right in a thicket and Jesus Christ wore a crown of thorns Now think about it for a moment. You can get too speculative, but think about it Here's a part of the metaphor that you and I can take many of you here this morning Maybe able to take this metaphor for yourselves and apply it to yourself at this very moment the knife of God's judgment For your sin has been drawn by God It is suspended even now over your wicked sinful heart The mouth of hell is wide open gaping to receive you God says in Deuteronomy chapter 32 verse 39 Listen to God now see that I even I am he and there is no God besides me I kill and I make alive. I wound and I heal Nor is there any who can deliver from my hand for I raise my hand to heaven and say as I live forever If I wet my glittering sword and my hand takes hold on judgment I will render vengeance to my enemies and you need to remember that the Bible Calls you an enemy of God by your wicked works if you're outside of Christ. You're an enemy of God But think about it for a moment Abraham Called that place on Mount Moriah the Lord will provide The God has provided a substitute a free offering of his grace and in his mercy toward you The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world That's mercy. That's the mercy of God not getting what you deserve But it's also the grace of God in getting what you don't deserve An inheritance in the kingdom to be called a child of God Amazing grace is he your substitute Is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world? Is he your sin bearer? We're to look at those Old Testament sacrifices and offerings. We're to see ourselves in Them we're to see Christ in them. Where are you this morning? There are many other types many other pictures many other metaphors given to us in the Old Testament Be awesome to be able to go through each one. They're all important certainly Christ is seen here as the substitute Ram in the thicket or as Isaac Abraham's only son But in other accounts, we see the Lamb of God Referring to Christ as our Passover lamb Paul says in 1st Corinthians 5 verse 7 Exorting the church in Corinth to be pure by putting out a sinning member He says therefore to the church purge out the old leaven that you may be a new lump since you truly are unleavened For indeed Christ and he calls Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us Jewish households in the Old Testament Passover were to get rid of all the leaven out of their household in order to be able To celebrate the Passover together. They were to unleaven themselves so to speak in John chapter 19 When John describes Christ after his crucifixion He makes the statement that John that Jesus's bones that none of them were broken in doing that John is quoting an Old Testament Regulation for the Passover that the Lamb that would be sacrificed that known as none of his bones were to be broken And so it again John the evangelist ties the Passover to Jesus Christ the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world Even Jesus when he instituted the Lord's Supper in Luke chapter 22 He did that at a Passover meal where he said that this cup the cup is the new covenant in his blood So if you remember the account of the Passover from Exodus 12 We won't go there But they were to take a male lamb at the Passover They were to take a male lamb without blemish from the first year a year old from the sheep or from the goats And they were to kill the lamb at twilight on the appropriate day And they were to shed its blood over the doorpost and over the lintel of their door the house, okay They were to eat it in haste So in one sense they shed the blood of the lamb it's a covering for their sin There's a picture of the coming Christ They were to spread that blood over the doorpost and over the lintel and then they were to eat the sacrifice In a sense in fellowship or in communion with God This was the way they worshiped largely through sacrifice and then eating the meal that came as a result of that The Lord said that when he saw he was going to strike judgment on the firstborn of all those in Egypt He's gonna pass through the land of Egypt and strike the firstborn of the sons of Egypt dead The Lord said that when he saw the blood of the doorposts or on the lintel that he would pass over The houses where he saw the blood and so at the first Passover God if you will initiates an exodus out of bondage from Egypt and forms the people of God They become the people of God In the New Testament Jesus Christ Instituting the Passover meal the Lord's Supper it pass over Institutes if you will a new exodus out of bondage from our sin and Forming the people of God in the church from every tribe tongue and nation All a picture of Christ the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world in that sacrifice in that celebration of that memorial of Passover when God rescued the people of Israel the children of Israel from their bondage in Egypt You also have in addition to Passover in addition to Abraham and Isaac in addition to the sacrifice of Abel in Cain In addition to all these sacrifices you have the sacrificial system instituted by God in the Old Testament in that sacrificial system There were five offerings five offerings that were made four of them involved the shedding of blood and the Bible says without the shedding Of blood there is no remission for sin All of that shedding of blood all of those sacrifices was a tremendous Undertaking it would have been very expensive. It would have been exhausting frankly to have to go through that continuously and it wasn't that Those requirements of God were to be viewed as burdensome the thing that was to be viewed as burdensome was their sin Their sin was continuously burdensome. They were continuously offering sacrifice to a tone for sin or to cover sin In all of this in the Old Testament for unintentional sin unintentional sins of thought unintentional sins indeed in action they had to almost continuously Acknowledge the holiness of God the justice of God the righteousness of God and their own depravity It was a constant acknowledging of how sinful and wicked their own hearts were and how holy and just and righteous God is can you imagine The awful weight the burden of your sin and many of our sins aren't they are intentional, right? There's no provision made for intentional sins. This was for unintentional sin However in the midst of this unfolding imagery in the Old Testament all the types and shadows of that sacrificial system the people right Would have in the midst of all this just Engendered within themselves cultivated within themselves this desperation this high expectation and anticipation that one day One day God would send a full and final sacrifice for sin making an end of sin and Reckoning siling them perfectly to himself forever there became an expectation of the Messiah that the Messiah would come There's not a more clear picture of that In the one that we see in Isaiah chapter 53 turn there with me to Isaiah chapter 53 And we see the Messiah prophesied here the suffering servant of the Lord Isaiah chapter 53 Who would be the sacrificial lamb that would take away the sin of the world? In Isaiah 53 begin with me at verse 4. This is a voluntary Sacrifice of the Lord himself. It's the only way that there could be an effective and acceptable sacrifice for sinners It's described here Isaiah 53 look at verse 4 Surely he the suffering servant the Lamb of God Christ has born our griefs and carried our sorrows Yet we esteemed him stricken smitten by God and afflicted But he was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities The chastisement for our peace was upon him and by his stripes. We are healed all We like sheep have gone astray We have turned everyone to his own way and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all You see the reference now to the Lamb of God taking away the sin of the world, right? He was oppressed verse 7. He was afflicted yet. He opened not his mouth He was led as a lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before it shears his silent So he opened not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment Who will declare his generation for he was cut off from the land of the living for the transgressions of my people? He was stricken they made his grave with a wicked but with the rich at his death because he had done no violence Nor was any deceit in his mouth. There's a picture of the lamb being pure without blemish Being gentle, right? This is pictured here in Isaiah 53. So God Provides the lamb of voluntary sacrifice of himself the only Effectual the only acceptable satisfactory sacrifice offered for the center and so far far You think about all these metaphors all these pictures really is like looking at an album a photo album, right? And seeing pictures of someone that you love that's not there That maybe he's gone off the war or gone for a long time. He'd be married moved away And you're looking at the pictures. It's a picture of someone that you love, but it's not the reality, right? And in the Old Testament we see all these pictures all these portraits of Christ and Christ's atoning work And then Christ is there in John chapter 1 walking toward John the Baptist behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the World and Christ comes and he takes away sin bears sin all of this Brings us to our next point The next way that Christ is the supreme sacrifice is that he is supreme by consummation by being a Completion of all of these things by finishing the work so to speak and I want you to turn to Hebrews chapter 9 Let's go there going to some familiar texts But these are important our understanding here and we need to stir ourselves up by way of reminder Hebrews chapter 9 and the sacrifice of Christ the sacrifice of himself In bringing an end to all sacrifice Hebrews chapter 9 look beginning in verse 11 Says here in verse 11 that Christ came as the high priest of good things to come With the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands. That is not of this creation Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood. He entered the most holy place once for all Having obtained eternal redemption for if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean Sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God? cleanse your Conscience from dead works to serve the living God And Jesus Christ is the full and final Sacrifice for sin the blood of bulls and goats couldn't do it. It couldn't perfect look at chapter 9 drop down to verse 24 In verse 24 it says for Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands which are copies of the true But into heaven itself now to appear in the presence of God for us Not that he should offer himself Often as the high priest enters the most holy place every year with the blood of another He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world But now once at the end of the ages He has appeared to put a waste sin by the sacrifice of himself as it is appointed for men to die once But after this the judgment so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many to those who eagerly wait for him He will appear a second time apart from sin a drop down to chapter 10 verse 1 The law having a shadow of good things to come and not the view a very image of the things Can never with these same sacrifices which they offer Continually year by year make those who approach perfect the law could not make you perfect All that shedding of blood all those sacrifices pointing to Christ first you For then would they not have ceased to be offered if you were perfect Why would they have to be continually offered over and over again for the worshippers once purified would have no more consciousness of sins but in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year and a reminder that it is not possible that the blood of Bulls and goats can take away sins therefore Christ came into the world drop down to verse 11 same chapter Every priest stands ministering daily offering repeatedly the same sacrifices. What does that sound like today? Catholic Church mass Continuously offer offering the sacrifice of Christ the victim right on the altar worship by worship by worship It's blasphemy Christ offered himself once for all a full and final sacrifice for sin The mass is blasphemous this man verse 12 Christ after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever He sat down at the right hand of God from that time waiting till his enemies are made his footstool for by one Offering by one offering. He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified The amazing sacrifice of Christ the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world One sacrifice once for all Christ said on the cross it is finished that work is done But I love in light of that glorious finished work in light of the work that Christ has done drop down to verse 19 I love Hebrews 10 19 Secured for us by Christ therefore brethren Having boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus By a new and living way which he consecrated for us through the veil that is his flesh and having a high Priest over the house of God Let us draw near with a true heart and full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our bodies wash with pure water Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering for he who promised is faithful That sacrifice has given us bold access to the throne room of grace the throne of God And considering this glorious sacrifice of Christ of himself Christ came and Sacrificed himself So Paul says in Romans chapter 12 that we are to present ourselves to him as what as a living sacrifice In response to the sacrifice of Christ of himself on behalf of sinners bearing and taking away their sin We then are to turn and response and offer ourselves as a living sacrifice Paul says in Romans chapter 12. Holy and acceptable to God our Reasonable service. It's just reasonable right reasonable to think of that sacrifice of Christ that we would then turn and Sacrifice ourselves a living sacrifice to live for him Paul said in Philippians chapter 2 that we ourselves are to be poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of others Like him were to be poured out as a drink offering for Christ And sometimes this involves suffering It certainly involves a dying to self, right? But look at the sacrifice of our Lord for us The third way in which Christ is the supreme sacrifice is that he is supreme by conquering He is a supreme sacrifice by conquering many would have heard that statement the Lamb of God and They would have instantly thought at that time of the apocalyptic Lamb of God The Lamb of God that would come as the conquering King and Jesus Christ will come again as a conquering King But that apocalyptic Lamb of God that Overcomes fully and finally makes an end of sin and I want you to see this go a few books to the right in Revelation chapter 5 Revelation chapter 5 and Here you have the Lamb the only one worthy to take the scroll in Revelation chapter 5 drop down to verse 6 I looked and behold in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures And in the midst of the elder 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? Jesus Christ was worthy to take the scroll flip over to chapter 12 chapter 12 and Look down at verse 10 We're here John says I heard a loud voice saying in heaven now Salvation and strength in the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ have come for the accuser of our brethren He accused them before our God day and night has been cast down and they Overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony and they did not love their lives to the death And therefore rejoice go a few more pages to the right to Revelation chapter 17 and look there beginning in verse 12 Revelation 17 12 He says the ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as of yet But they receive authority for one hour as kings with a beast These are of one mind and they will give their power and authority to the beast and these will make war with the lamb and the lamb Will conquer he will overcome them for he is Lord of lords and king of kings And those who are with him are called chosen and faithful This is the conquering lamb. This is Jesus Christ who comes and overcomes you know I remember watching a movie one time of a chess match. It just struck me, you know watching these guys play chess, right? And there's a lot to that game. I don't understand But this person on one side of the chess board. He's looking and he's thinking to himself 15 16 17 18 moves ahead He sees the chess board and he sees all these moves that are taking place all the pieces that are aligned and He sees several moves ahead checkmate. He sees victory, right? And so in the middle of that match the other person doesn't see it at all He just sits back and he just has this smile come across his face. He sees it. It's done And the victory is won. He's gonna go forward 15 moves and he's gonna win It's settled. It's finished and he just has this smile on his face. Listen, that's the way we should be as Christians The victory has been what doesn't matter how Satan moves things around on the board It doesn't matter how this wicked world positions itself It doesn't matter how wicked people come in and accuse or or fight or quarrel The victory is done. The lamb has conquered and victory is sure It should be of great encouragement to Christians You can sit back with a smile on your face and just rejoice in the Lord and in his finished work as the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world and rejoice that we have victory in him and All of this if you think about it now all wrapped up in that simple little expression The lamb of God, it's a lot to be learned there, right? But not only that's point one not only is the sacrifice of Christ as the lamb of God supreme He's also the substitutionary sacrifice. Look at point two on your notes at verse 29 He's the substitutionary sacrifice. It says there that the next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said Behold the lamb of God and here's the phrase who takes away the sin of the world It's really important that we dig into this just a little Pilgrims progress if you know that book wonderful book Recommend you reading that excellent allegory the Christian life Interesting to note. It's the best-selling book in all of history next to the Bible So it's a great book to read but John Bunyan begins pilgrims progress this way He says as I walked through the wilderness of this world I lighted on a certain place where there was a den and laid me down to sleep in that place And as I slept I dreamed a dream. I dreamed and behold I saw a man clothed with rags Standing in a certain place with his face from his own house a book in his hand and a great burden upon his back. I looked and saw him open the book and read therein and as he read he wept and Trembled and not being able to longer contain it. He break out with a lamentable cry saying what shall I do? Now Bunyan's main character there is named Christian And he's found in the city of destruction with a book in his hand and a large burden on his back The book that's in his hand is the Bible the burden that's on his back is the great awful weight of sin Christians own sin Unless the Lamb of God has taken away your sin You carry yourself the tremendous burden of your sin Just as Christian did it's interesting in that story. There were many who also carried burdens and didn't know it Christian because of the book in his hand knew he carried a burden Everyone else was ignorant of their burden You and I are guilty of sin the sin of the world it says there that word sin ha martia in the Greek It's where we get the word for the study of sin ha martiology But sin is the state of having broken God's law Most often do just simply to unbelief But it's the state of having broken God's law and then being legally liable for the consequences of that when you sin You were legally liable to God for the consequences of your sin, which is death Wages of sin or death God's law must be vindicated God's holiness his righteousness his justice Must be vindicated in his dealings with man sin cannot simply be swept under the rug Your sin all of your sin each of your sins must be paid for And john says here that the Lamb of God takes away sin the lamb One takes away sin as a mean by the means of a sacrificial sacrifice as we've seen a sacrificial death But also he takes away sin by means of a Substitutionary death and I want you to see that There are two concepts woven into this word in the greek for that word takes away Two concepts one that the lamb of god would bear the weight of sin Which means that as a substitute he bears the sin for you. He bears your punishment He takes the penalty. He undergoes punishment for the sin that you rightly deserve. That's where we get from christ Bearing the penalty of sin. That's where we get the phrase penal substitution This is the penal substitutionary atonement But he also in addition to bearing the weight of sin also carries the sin away in other words the lamb of god Carries the sin away. He removes the guilt. He washes away the stain Because of that you've been declared righteous before god for christian He simply takes the burden off his back christian carry that burden on his back until he came to the cross The substitutionary death The cross work of christ so to speak and when christian came to the christ Came to the cross the backpack just came off his back rolled away right the sin was removed Now notice within that biblical understanding of substitution One that it is an app an actual or an objective substitution Jesus christ the lamb of god Actually and really takes away your actual sin Reconciling you to god and propitiating or satisfying god's wrath toward you specifically It's not hypothetical. All right. It doesn't say that he can take them away Or that he makes provision so that they may be taken away He actually takes away actual sins from actual people Paul says in 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 verse 19 That god was in christ reconciling the world to himself Not imputing or not crediting their sins to them. He credits them to christ Because in reconciliation god takes your actual sin Imputes them or credits them to christ and christ bears the penalty of them. So it's an actual substitution next. It's an effectual Substitution it's not theoretical It's not just a good example of how much jesus loves us It's an actual substitution your sin is actually atoned for and an eternal redemption Is actually obtained for you And it's through the work of substitution that christ did this on your behalf if you're in christ through repentant faith The third it's not universal It doesn't apply to everyone If christ takes away the sin of every single person then every single person goes to heaven But christ doesn't christ say that some of you will die in your sins, right? So it's not universal in the sense that everyone has their sins paid for Now think about it for a moment All of the old testament sacrifices all point forward to this very point That the substitution is actual that it's objective that it's particular That it is precise that it's In this same way for actual sins for actual people very quickly Turn with me to leviticus chapter 4 Leviticus chapter 4. I want you to see this This is an actual atonement for actual sins for actual people Not theoretical not hypothetical This is the lord's work on calvary's cross for those of you who would repent and believe be christians Leviticus chapter 4 look at verse 1 Lord spoke to moses saying Speak to the children of israel saying if a person sins unintentionally against any one of the commandments of the lord In anything which ought not to be done or does any of them If the anointed priests sins bringing guilt on the people then let him offer to the lord for his Sin which he has sinned a young bull without blemish as a sin offering and it describes how that's going to take place Look at chapter 5 verse 1 If a person sins Hearing the utterance of an oath look at verse 2 a person touches any unclean thing A look at verse 4 if a person swears speaking thoughtlessly with his lips to do evil or to do good Whatever it is that a man may pronounce by an oath and he is unaware of it when he realizes it That he shall be guilty in any of these matters And it shall be when he is guilty in any of these matters that he shall Confess that he has sinned in that thing And he shall bring his trespassering trespass offering to the lord for his sin Which he has committed a female from the flock a lamb or a kid of the goats as a sin offering So the priest shall make atonement for him Concerning his sin if you drop down in verse 10 So the priest shall make atonement on be on his behalf for his sin Which he has committed and it shall be forgiven him look at verse 13 The priest shall make atonement for him For his sin that he has committed in any of these matters. It shall be forgiven him right drop down to verse 16 And he shall make restitution for the harm that he has done In regard to the holy thing shall add one fifth to it and give to the priest And so the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering It shall be forgiven him you get the picture Same thing in chapter 6 same thing throughout the Levitical law throughout the the sacrifices as part of the mosaic law Particular definite for the person for actual sin This was an actual atonement an effectual atonement a particular atonement a definite atonement It was limited to the specific person Needing it and it was for his sake for his sin Now think about it when the sacrificial animal dies its death Is actually taking the place of the death That is do the one who has sin and is offering the sacrifice You see the picture It's not a hypothetical offering It's not a probable or made available sacrifice. It's an actual sacrifice an actual atonement Actual people actual sin actual payment is involved in the sacrifice of christ Listen to what god says to joe's wicked so-called friends in jub 42 verse 8 The lord said to elifaz the temonite remember that story They're giving him all kinds of terrible counsel He says my wrath is aroused against you and your two friends for you have not spoken of me what is right as my servant jub has Now therefore elifaz and your two buddies Take for yourselves seven bowls seven rams go to my servant joe and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering And my servant jub shall pray for you for I will accept him Lest I deal with you god says according to your folly God deals with you according to your sin. It's not hypothetical. It is actual You are going to have to pay The debt that you owe because of your sin if you're outside of christ God will deal with you according to your folly It that very issue is in the context of our passage in chapter one and verse 31 john says Of christ, I didn't know him, but that he should be revealed to israel. Therefore. I came baptizing Salvation is for the jew first and then for the greek right then for the gentiles in that sense It was particular to the jew first and then open up to gentiles It was limited to israel first Then to the world Right the sins of the world then to the world It says in chapter one that jesus christ came to his own people the jews And his own people did not receive him Right But to as many as received him Gentiles every tribe tongue and nation The world without distinction not every person without exception But every person every part of the world without distinction to as many as did receive him But then he gave the right to become children of god here It's the same issue the world every tribe tongue and nation in chapter four where jesus talks to the samaritan woman jesus says We know what we talk about the salvation is of the jews Right and he says later to her that he himself is the savior of the world And is a chapter 53 verse 8 The suffering servant the lamb died for the transgressions of my people god says In verse 11 by his knowledge my righteous servant shall justify All men No, he shall justify many So what does it mean that the lamb of god takes away the sin of the world in john chapter 1 verse 29 It cannot mean the world as an every person without exception Because then every person would go to heaven If that were the case every person would be in heaven because all of their sins would be paid for His penalty paying sacrifice is an actual sacrifice for the actual sins of actual people It means everyone in the world without distinction Whether you're a jew whether you're a gentile Whether you're from italy or from spain or from the united states or even from canada Everyone in the world without distinction Okay His own people from every tribe tongue and nation He came to his own people the jews his own did not receive him but as many as received him jews and gentiles alike He gave them the right to become children of god the scope of god's desire Is that all men would be saved? The gospel call goes out to all The scope of god's will in redemption his redemptive will Is limited to those that he chose As Ephesians 1 says from before the foundation of the world to those whose names are written in the lamb's book of life From before the foundation of the world's what the bible says Those that would repent and believe in the gospel out of every tribe of every tongue every nation Jesus christ says in john chapter 10 I am the good shepherd and the good shepherd gives his life for all people No, somebody says i am the good shepherd the good shepherd gives his life for the jews No, i am the good shepherd the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep So the lamb of god who takes away the sin of the world Interesting in that sin of the world It's the wickedness of this wicked world the wickedness in the depraved hearts of men You know d.a. Carson made the statement that we shouldn't admire The sacrifice of christ or god's love because there are so many people in the world Or because the world is so big But we should admire the love and sacrifice of christ because the world is so bad And the christ sacrificed of himself for wicked centers like you and me According to chapter one In romans people are blinded in their sinful darkness. They love darkness rather than light in john chapter one romans once says that people are futile in their hearts their foolish hearts are darkened That darkened understanding those wicked hearts is what enables people to look Beyond the sin of the world and to blame god For all the misery all the suffering i remember witnessing to a woman one time who said that she was an atheist She said she was an atheist because she could never believe in a god Who would allow war and disease and children to suffer You know, what a staggering example of blame shifting You look at this wicked world The institutions of god systematically torn down by wicked men the institution of marriage Now just destroyed With homosexuality and divorce Living together in adultery, right? The education system For god we're to teach our children nurture them the teaching and admonition of the lord destroyed by secular humanism and kicking god completely out of our educational system All these institutions that men have Wickedly in their sin torn down everywhere. You look you see rebellion everywhere. You look you see sin and Grievous unbelief. It's astounding That people would question god, you know what? Why does god allow bad things to happen to good people? Or why does god allow someone suffering in the world or somebody? It is the wickedness of men And we should behold The lamb of god who came to give a sacrifice of himself in the midst of that filth That he would bear away sin Take upon himself the penalty that we deserve that we're legally liable for and that he would remove that at the cross It's amazing love Amazing grace amazing mercy But all of that to vindicate god's Perfect justice god's perfect holiness is perfect righteousness The question to ask yourself this morning is Is he your sin bearer? Has he taken away your sin? If not, if you've never turned from your sin To rely on christ alone to place your faith and trust in christ alone to save you And you're gonna pay for your own sin You will bear your own sin Before the almighty wrath Of an almighty god who is perfectly and eternally just and your sin is an eternal offense against him And you'll spend an eternity in hell paying what you owe Or You can have the grace and mercy of god in christ where the lamb of god Came into this world to take away sin Will bear that penalty for he's the only one who can he's the only one who's perfect. He's the only one who's god He's the only one who can bear your sin And he will If you will just turn from your sin Turn from the the sin of this world the wickedness of this world and turn to christ stop living for yourself Pour yourself as a drink offering to christ Be a living sacrifice Holding acceptable to god your reasonable service to him for all that he's done for you and bearing sin on the cross Turn from your sin put your faith in him and live God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked But that the wicked would turn from their sin and live amen amen. Let's pray Father in heaven god Apply these truths through our heart help us to understand in The atonement of christ both the goodness and the severity of god Both your holiness and your righteousness and your justice But also god your infinite grace and mercy We love you lord, and I pray that if there's anyone here who is Never turned from sin turned from themselves to christ Or to trust christ alone God save them for your glory Save them lord to be a trophy of your grace And an eternal worshipper worshiper of the lamb in heaven for all eternity god Pray lord that you would do your mighty saving work the purpose for which you came into the world to die for sinners and to Save your own special people god zealous for good works for your own special people worshippers of the lamb We love you lord in jesus name