Third Sunday in Advent (Sermon)

Lamb of God

John 1:35-42

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Our text for this morning comes from John the Baptist telling us, "This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." Granted in John 1:36, John the Baptist is only telling two of his disciples, "Behold, the Lamb of God." He does not add the full meaning, but the reader and likewise each of would recognize when I say the Lamb of God, he is the one who takes away the sin of the World.

Like most teachers they have those special students that are eager to learn more. So John points them in the direction of Jesus. These two disciples are then considered to be the first two disciples of Jesus. One, Andrew we know, the other one appears to remain anonymous. It is assumed that the other one is John. First, because John does not identify himself, or often refers to himself as the "disciple who [Jesus] loved."

Second, we can look to the other gospels and Peter and Andrew are called, along with John and James, to be fishers of men. John and James leave their Father in the boat. Luke even says that the Zebedee boys were fishing partners with Simon Peter.

Enough of the history lesson. John the Baptist repeats his message to these two disciples. He points them in the right direction, and one might even say gives them a little push to follow this guy named Jesus.

Why do they follow Jesus? They follow him because he is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the World. John the Baptist did not give people much hope. He was very much a fire and brimstone type of preacher. He told pharisees, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance." And he said, "Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."

John the Baptist liked to talk about things getting burned in a fire. In talking about the one who would come after him he says, "but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."

But in the Gospel according to St John the first chapter, you get the only real message of hope. Here John the Baptist is pointing people not to the one who comes in wrath and judgment, but the lamb. This helpless and almost harmless animal. This soft and loving animal.

You know if you think of a cat, a dog, or some other common household pet. You know that they are just one hiss, bark, or bit away from a ferocious animal. I have never seen a picture of a ferocious lamb. You might be able to picture a loving dog or cat, turning and showing wrath toward someone or something. But a lamb? Behold the one who holds the axe! Behold the one who is clearing the threshing floor! Behold the one who is going to burn up the wicked and condemn the evil one eternally!

Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist even says, "And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God." You don't find that message of hope from John the Baptist outside of the Gospel according to St John.

John the Baptist is the voice of one crying in the desert. He is the one who was sent to prepare the way of the Lord. He is the one who calls people to repent of their sins. St Mark sums up the ministry of John the Baptist very well, "John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins."

John the Baptist comes to bring people the Law. Luke talks about how different groups came to John and asked him, "What then shall we do?" John's message like ours today is to look at the Ten Commandments. Know that God is a jealous God punishing sin. You need to shape up.

St John then gives us the message of John the Baptist after Jesus' Baptism. John has seen and bears witness to the Son of God. He now does not see a God ready to Judge and condemn sinners. He sees a God willing to send his only begotten Son to be the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the World.

This Lamb will take your sin and my sin and everybody else's sin. He will bear this sin to dark calvary. There this precious Lamb will be slaughtered. It will be his blood and righteousness that is spread over the mercy seat of God. It is his blood and righteousness that is placed on the doorposts and lintels of our heart.

Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. He cleans his threshing floor. He cuts down the tree that bears bad fruit. He raises out of the ashes a new tree, a life giving tree for you and me. Behold the Lamb of God. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.