John 1:35-37
35The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!"37When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.
INTRODUCTION
God used John the Baptist to proclaim Christ’s coming and to call people to repentance. Today, we are going to examine how John the Baptist was a herald of the coming of Christ.
HELP OTHERS RECOGNIZE JESUS
35The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God! John 1:35-36
When John the Baptist saw Jesus approaching, he immediately drew his disciples attention to him and told them who Jesus was.
"God wants to use the local church to make disciples of Christ".
Since the fall of man (Genesis Chapter 3), sin entered the world and mankind has been separated from God. In the Old Testament the priests offered animal sacrifices for the sins of the people, but these could not take away their sins.
Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Hebrews 10:11-12
11Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. (Hebrews 10:11-12)
Like John the Baptist, let’s use every opportunity to help others see who Jesus really is. Our friends, neighbors and community need to know this and find forgiveness through His sacrificial death on the cross.
HELP OTHERS FOLLOW JESUS
When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. John 1:37
John the Baptist’s proclamation about Jesus really created interest among his disciples Andrew and Philip. They followed Jesus in order to verify the claims of John. After spending some time with Christ, Andrew and Philip became his Disciples.
God also wants the local church to lead others to Christ so they too can have a personal relationship with God. John the Baptist did not direct people to himself but to Christ who is the mediator for God.
(A "mediator" is someone who intervenes between two parties, either to make peace and restore friendship, or to form a covenant. In keeping with this, Christ by his death restored the harmony between God and human beings which sin had broken)
"Jesus Christ is the only sacrifice from God that can take away sins".
CONCLUSION
We as members of the local church can help people to recognize and follow Jesus. Let us follow in the footstep of John the Baptist.
Questions to Ponder.
How can we help others to recognize Jesus?
How can we make new disciples of Jesus?
