John 1 - The Lamb Takes a Bath

And 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." So they said to him, "Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" He said, "I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, "Make straight the way of the Lord," as the prophet Isaiah said." They asked him, "Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?" John answered them, "I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie." These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing. (John 1:19-23, 25-28 ESV)

Why do the religious guys think John is such a big deal?

John himself was a miracle - his parents were old enough to be grandparents when he was born. There were angels making promises and Zechariah struck mute for disbelieving. Later Mary and Elizabeth touch bellies and the babies start dancing. And the angel says that John will have a specific job, to prepare the way for The Lord. So John is kind of is a big deal.

What is this spirit and power of Elijah business and the idea of The Prophet?

"Are you Elijah?" (John 1:21) - This referred to Malachi's prophecy (Mal. 4:5) that Elijah would come as a messenger before the appearance of the Messiah.

"Are you the Prophet?" (John 1:21). This referred to Moses' prophecy that God would send "a Prophet like me" (Deut. 18:15-19).

So the religious guys ask: Are you Elijah? Nope. Are you The Prophet? Nope. Are you going to fit the exact preconceived notion we have of how the messiah should come? Nope. Should we give you honor for preparing the way for the Christ? Nope. Jesus is so awesome I shouldn't have the honor of untying his shoes!

But John wasn't telling the whole truth. No he was not literally Elijah, but he was fulfilling the role of Elijah and the prophet in preparing the way for Jesus. Look at what Jesus says in Matthew:

And the disciples asked him, "Then why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?" He answered, "Elijah does come, and he will restore all things. But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands." Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist. (Matthew 17:10-13 ESV)

Why didn't John tell the Pharisees and Saducees exactly what was going on?

Because these guys weren't looking to believe, they were looking to debate, argue, and discredit. If John said, yep I'm Elijah, they would have taken out a ruler, measured him, and decided he was 3 inches shorter than Elijah. Or they would have asked, "when have you been fed by ravens?." Or found an altar and bull, dumped water on it, and asked him to set it on fire to prove himself. Or worse of all, they might have believed him, hoisted him on their shoulders and paraded him into to Jerusalem. And that is exactly what John did not want. He must increase, but I must decrease." (John 3:30 ESV). He wanted Jesus to get all the honor and praise and wanted none of it for himself.

"Make straight the way of the Lord."

What specifically did John do to prepare the way for Jesus?

1. He baptized, told people to repent and quit doing bad stuff, and told people that a great man was coming after him.

2. He ticked off the religious leaders: But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves, "We have Abraham as our father," for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. (Matthew 3:7-9 ESV). John, like Jesus, was fine being around sinners and seeing them repent, but he was not okay with the proud people who had no need for God. (God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. James 4:6)

3. He baptizes Jesus. . .this is the next part of our passage so we'll go in depth with it in a few minutes.

4. John shows Jesus how to suffer and die. John is thrown in jail for calling out sin. He ultimately gets his head cut off for doing this. Jesus tells his disciples just as the leaders did with John whatever they pleased, so he must also suffer at their hands. (verse from Matthew 17)

5. Last, but not least, John taught Jesus how to eat honey-covered locusts and shared a wicked-awesome camel costume with him for Halloween!

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29 ESV)

Why does John call Jesus the lamb of God?

Because John had been reading his Old Testament! Look at this passage in Isaiah.

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors. (Isaiah 53:6-12 ESV)

Here we have a lamb of God, the suffering servant, taking away sins, bearing iniquities, making many righteous. Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. This passage in Isaiah is pretty clear on the method, that the lamb must die to bear sins. Isaiah and John are both explaining that forgiveness of sins will not come apart from the death of the lamb. And they are clear that the lamb is innocent, but that this is his will and God the father's will for the lamb to suffer and die.

Before we move on, check out one more mention of the lamb who was slain in Revelation:

Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!" And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!" (Revelation 5:12, 13 ESV)

Kinda like the song sequences from the Lion King and the Little Mermaid combined and directed toward Jesus. Its the circle, the circle of life. . .Under da sea, under da sea. . .worthy is the lamb!

The next day he 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 ranks before me, because he was before me." I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel." And John bore witness: "I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, "He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit." And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God." (John 1:29-34 ESV)

This is slightly confusing because part of John's description is live, and part is a retrospective description of what happened (the next day is chronological, but the he bore witness is at some unknown point in the future). So lets look at Jesus' baptism in Mark also to see exactly what had happened.

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased." (Mark 1:9-11 ESV)

So what are the three things that had happened?

Uno - John baptizes Jesus

Dos - The Holy Spirit comes down and rests on Jesus. You know how a pirate has a parrot on his shoulder, I kinda picture it like that. Raaaak, Savior of the world, Raaaaak!

Tres - God the Father speaks

Question - why does John baptize Jesus?

- to reveal Jesus to Israel. Hey, Israel, just a heads up, you might want to pay attention. The messiah is here!

- cause God sent him to do it. . .John says, the whole reason I'm out here eating locusts and honey and baptizing people is because God told me to. And he told me the lamb of God was coming. And he told me, that guy with a spirit dove sitting on his shoulder is the Son of God.

- it is time for Jesus to go do Messiah stuff. He's been pretty much chillin' for the last thirty years, but now he is armed with the Holy Spirit and God's public blessing. If there were to be theme music playing, it would probably be Lady Gaga, "I'm on the edge of glory." It's time, lets do this messiah thing.

How is Jesus's baptism different from yours?

Why is God pleased with Jesus?

Just a thought, how cool is it the God is telling Jesus he loves him and that he is happy with him. It's like when I drop Madeline off at school, love you, have a great day sweetie. God is dropping Jesus off at earth. . .love you, have fun walking on water making the lame walk. . .and don't forget to brush your teeth before bed. Seriously though, God only speaks twice in the New Testament and both times he says, this is my son who I love, I am pleased with him. God's only words are ones of praise for his son. Remarkable.

What is the kindest thing anyone has ever said to you?

If you were to meet God, what would you want him to say to you?