The Lamb of God
John 1:19-34
29 The next day he saw Jesus coming towards him and declared, ‘Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, “After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.” 31 I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.’ 32 And John testified, ‘I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, “He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.” 34 And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.’
35 The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, ‘Look, here is the Lamb of God!’ 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, ‘What are you looking for?’ They said to him, ‘Rabbi’ (which translated means Teacher), ‘where are you staying?’
The passage opens with John seeing Jesus and telling those in hearing distance, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” Jesus is proclaimed as the Saviour, the Redeemer. John went on to speak what seems like a riddle, “After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.” Jesus was born after John (after me). But Jesus ranked ahead of John because Jesus was before John. That is, Jesus as the Son of God existed before time began, before John. Jesus is proclaimed as the Son of God.
John described his mission in vs. 31, “I came baptizing for this reason that he (Jesus) might be revealed to Israel.” And in vs. 34 – John says that he testifies that Jesus is the Son of God.
John was the forerunner, the pointer, the introducer – John was not the main show, John was not the star. That is evident in vs. 35 and 36, where John says again, “Look here is the Lamb of God” and two of John’s followers become followers of Jesus. As John says in another place, “I must become lesser, so that he may become greater.”
Being the introducer of the star attraction, pointing to another to receive the accolades, takes humility. John exercises that well, he is willing to take on the role of forerunner. We are invited to follow his example, telling people “Behold the Lamb of God”, and inviting people to meet Jesus for themselves. Doing that without seeking recognition or honour – we want people to meet Jesus.
PRAYER:
We thank you, O Lord, for the opportunity to point others to your Son, Jesus. Give us the humility to turn people’s attention to him, that they would look to Jesus and not us. That they would turn to Jesus, the Lamb of God. In Jesus’ name. Amen.