The Gospel of John – Part Two
The Baptism of the Lord: Observed John 1:19-34
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Head – Helpful Information for Understanding This Passage
This morning, we are talking about baptism. In baptism, we discover who God is and what God is doing in our world. We also discover our own identity, and what it means to be a part of God’s people. After the service, we are going to have an opportunity to remember our baptism and reflect on what it mans to be baptized into God’s family.
The story of baptism begins with John the Baptist. John the Baptist was a towering figure, whose influence could be felt for centuries after his death. Like all influential people, some people loved and revered him, while others looked upon him with fear, contempt and hatred. He was the last great prophet before the coming of the Lord, who was sent to prepare the people for God’s coming. Yet, even he did it immediately understand who Jesus was, or what part Jesus might play in the great narrative of salvation. It was not until Jesus was baptized that John saw the Spirit of God descending and resting upon Jesus.
These words are very important for understanding who Jesus is. In the Old Testament, kings, priests, and prophets were anointed with the Holy Spirit. But, these anointings were often temporary or limited to a particular task or function. No where in the Old Testament do we read about the Holy Spirit coming to rest upon someone in a permanent way.
Jesus is not just an anointed one, he is the anointed One, which is what Christ or Messiah means. Christ is not Jesus’ last name. Jesus’ last name would have been bar-Joseph of son of Joseph. The title Christ, or Messiah, is his identity. It means that Jesus is the One in whom God brings his work to completion. The work of the Holy Spirit and the work of Jesus are one. The fullness of God dwells in Jesus. He is the key that unlocks the mystery. He is the fulfillment of all that God has said and done.
Heart – The Personal Connection
The authorities had some questions for John. Was he, or did he think of himself as the Messiah? No. Was he Elijah or the prophet who would be like Moses? No to both. John would go on to say, “Stop focusing on me. I am simply making the way clear for the Messiah. My job is to remove all obstacles to him. He is the one you need to focus on.”
John points to Jesus and says, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”
For centuries, the people of God offered animals sacrifices on the altar of God. There were many reasons for doing so. Sometimes the offerings represented a deep a gratitude for God, and were accompanied by great celebrations with friends and family. At other times, the offering represented the fact that people were deeply sorry for their sins and that they longed to be forgiven and reconciled with God.
At a very deep level, the animal sacrifice was a way of recognizing that reconciliation comes at a steep price. People living in the ancient world were much more aware of the worth of a domestic animal and probably the eating of meat was not an everyday practice because of how costly it was to eat meat. These same people lived with the animals they raised and they knew the cost of taking an animal’s life. They did not believe the practice to be wrong. Their sensibilities were very different from our’s. However, unlike people who eat meat in our day, ancient people did have the luxury of having the slaughter done by someone else, out of sight, and far away. No. When they chose to slaughter and eat one of their animals, they experienced the cost of doing so in more ways than one.
Over the more than 2,000 years of animal sacrifice, the realization of just how costly reconciliation and forgiveness were compounded. Yet, as high as that cost was, it paled in comparison to the real cost of sin, which God bore himself. The whole sacrificial system was only a shadow of the real cost and the real sacrifice. God gave his own life to reconcile us to himself, and to overcome the barrier of sin. What this tells us is that there is no price God will not pay to have us share in his life.
Have you ever paid a high price for the sake of another. Have you every sacrificed time, money, effort, and emotions for the sake of someone you love? Real love is costly. I think of a parent sitting up late at night, watching over a sick child, or of another, siting out in the rain, watching their child practice football.
I think of people who give up their time to drive an elderly neighbor to a doctor, or the volunteer, who gives up some of their evenings, because they are willing to serve their faith community. Love is costly.
That is what makes love so risky, yet so rewarding. You may give your entire self for another’s sake, and have them reject what you offer. Yet, the greatest reward of love is when love is received an reciprocated.
Jesus is God giving himself fully away for the sake of us. But, how can you know that for sure.
Hands – The Application
When two of John’s disciples heard their master call Jesus the Lamb of God, they left their master and followed Jesus. Jesus looked around and saw them following. “What do you want?” He asked them. They replied, “Rabbi, where are you staying?” He replied, “Come and see.”
Andrew, was one of these men who followed Jesus. Andrew went and said to his brother, Simon, “We have found the Messiah.”
The next day Jesus went into Galilee.. He found Philip. Notice, Philip did not find Jesus. Jesus found Philip. The spiritual journey is not about us finding a missing God. It is about God finding a missing people. Jesus said to Philip, “Come and follow me.”
Philip went to look for Nathanael and to tell him, “We have found the very personMoses and prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus and he is from Nazareth.
“Nazareth!” Nathanael exclaimed. “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Philip responded, “Come and see for yourself.”
Friends, Jesus is the One the Moses spoke about. The whole sacrificial system was a sign pointing to him. The blood of animals cannot wash away sin. But, the blood of Jesus, spilt on the cross can wash away the deepest stains of sin. The image stretches the mind to imagine what the eyes cannot see apart from faith. Do you want to know whether or not this is true? Then, come see for yourself.
Invitation to baptismal renewal service.
Lamb of God – A Prayer
John 1:29-34
Precious Jesus, Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. We praise you, for all of the works of the prophets, all of the writings of the sages and of Moses the law-giver, every moment and movement in history, every story told, and myth conceived have been the pavement laid, to prepare for your coming.
O Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, we confess that we have sin which you must take away. We would give it to you, but we cannot. If it is to be done away with, if it is to be taken off of our heavy consciences and our weary shoulders, you must remove it; for we are powerless under sin’s heavy yoke.
O Lamb of God, You are the One on whom the Spirit rest and through whom, and in whose name the Spirit works, revealing to us that you are the Son of God, and by your mercy we may be free from our sins and become the children of God. Amen.