Behold the Lamb of God

Use these materials to go deeper into this message on your own, or with your small group. 
Passage Breakdowns, SOAPS Format & Instructions (Weeks 1-12)
Passage Breakdowns, SOAPS Format & Instructions (Weeks 13-26)

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8:40 Service | 10:00 Service | 11:20 Service | Sermon Audio

Good morning Chapel family. I want to echo what Paul and Rebekah said a moment ago: it was so encouraging to see almost 800 people gather here on Wednesday night to hear Rebecca McLaughlin talk about the truth and goodness and beauty of the Christian faith. And then the J-Term course that begins today, about apologetics, is maxed out—completely full. Because people are spiritually hungry. Christians want to go deeper in their faith, and people who don’t know Christ are searching for something more than what secular culture is offering.  
Which is exactly why we’re diving deep into the Gospel of John this year. We’re taking eight months to walk through John together, and I want to urge you to engage with John beyond Sunday mornings. There was an important study done two years ago, where they measured how Bible reading affects people’s lives, based on how many times per week you read it. It was really surprising. If you engage with the Bible once per week, very little effect on your life. Two times per week, very little effect. Three times, a little bump. Four times per week—dramatic effect. There is a tipping point that happens. People who read Scripture four times or more per week experience—listen to this: 30% less loneliness; 32% less anger; 40% less bitterness in relationships; 57% less alcoholism; and 61% less pornography viewing. That is amazing. 

So—in addition to hearing the Word on Sundays, make the decision to get at least three more touches through the week. To help you do that, we have a great tool on our web site. On the page for each sermon, on the bottom, it says “Sermon Materials,” and that’s where you’ll find this: it takes the whole long passage that I preach on Sundays, and it breaks it down into usually three smaller chunks. And then on the next page, there’s guidance for how to interact with that passage in meaningful ways. I encourage you to use it. Because Scripture changes us. 

Okay. Today we’re going to meet an important person in the life of Jesus, known as John the Baptist. This is not the same John who wrote the Gospel of John. The Gospel was written by John the disciple—one of the twelve men who followed Jesus around. He just happens to have the same name. In some ways, John the Baptist is completely different from us, because he had a unique calling. But in some ways, we are called to be just like him.  

So let’s pick up where we left off last week. John chapter one, verses 19-34, and then we’re going to continue the story in chapter three. Let’s hear the Word of God… 

19 Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20 He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.” 

21 They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” 

He said, “I am not.” 

“Are you the Prophet?” 

He answered, “No.” 

22 Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 

23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”  

24 Now the Pharisees who had been sent 25 questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 

26 “I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. 27 He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” 

28 This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing. 

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.” 

32 Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33 And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.” And then jump over to chapter three, starting in verse 22… 

22 After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized. 23 Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptized. 24 (This was before John was put in prison.) 25 An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. 26 They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.” 

27 To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’ 29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30 He must become greater; I must become less.” This is the Word of the Lord. 

In the other Gospels, we learn some more of the backstory of John the Baptist. He was a radical dude. He lived in the desert. His clothing was made from camel hair. He ate locusts and wild honey. And at a certain point, he started living out the role of a prophet: he confronted people with their hypocrisy, and he told them to repent. He insulted lots of people—especially the religious leaders…but for some reason, they kept coming back to hear more. He baptized a lot of people, including Jesus. And then finally, he was arrested by King Herod, and he had his head chopped off.  

How do you evaluate a life like that? Strange? Tragic? How about this: John the Baptist was the greatest person who ever lived. What?? I’m just quoting Jesus. This is from Matthew 11, verse 11. Jesus said: I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist. Why would he say that? That’s what I want to talk about today. 

According to Jesus, true greatness is demonstrated by three things.  

First, How do I handle success? How do I handle success? About six weeks before the events of today’s passage, we read in Mathew 3 that John was baptizing people in the Jordan River, and Jesus approached him for the first time, wanting to be baptized. At first, John refused, but Jesus insisted, so he baptized him, and he saw the Holy Spirit descending on Jesus in the physical form of a dove. And he heard a voice from heaven saying, “This is my Son, whom I love.” Amazing experience for John. So he continues baptizing people, and there’s so much buzz about what’s happening down at the river, that the Jewish religious leaders send a delegation to investigate. 

And they say, “Do you think you’re the Messiah?” Because every faithful Jewish person knew that the Old Testament promised a Messiah, who would bring spiritual leadership and political freedom to Israel. So they say, “Is that who you think you are?” John says, “No.” 

Okay, so: Are you Elijah? If you’re familiar with the Old Testament story of Elijah, he was taken from the earth without dying. And there was an expectation that he would show up again to prepare the people for the Messiah. In fact, in the last book of the Old Testament, Malachi 4, verse 5, God says I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. So they say, “Is that who you think you are? Elijah? And John says, "Nope.”  

Okay, let’s try again: "Are you the Prophet?" Back in Deuteronomy 18:18. God said to Moses:  I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words in his mouth. There were different opinions about who this was referring to. Some people thought this was the Messiah himself; some people thought it was a different character. But whatever the case, this would be a very important person. So they say, "John, is that who you think you are? The promised Prophet of Deuteronomy?" And John says, "No I’m not!" 

By now, the questioners are getting frustrated! Verse 22: Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” That’s a great question for anyone to answer, isn’t it? Who are you? What are you all about? Verse 23: John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’” But they’re not satisfied with that answer—verse 24: 24 Now the Pharisees who had been sent 25 questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” In other words, what gives you the right to do this? 

This would have been the perfect time for John to flex his credentials. “Well, let’s see: my birth was announced by the angel Gabriel. I’ve lived a completely pure life—no alcohol, nothing unclean. And I’ve been filled with the Holy Spirit from birth.” All that would have been true. He could have said, “Because I’m so much more spiritual than you pampered city people! I’ve survived in the desert on nothing but grasshoppers and prayer. You want to know what gives me the authority to baptize? Because I’m a spiritual giant!” 

He could have said that. But he didn’t. Instead, he turns the conversation away from himself, onto Jesus. Verses 26 and 27: 26 “I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. 27 He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” There was a saying among the Rabbis: a disciple—a follower of a Rabb—should be willing to do any service for the Rabbi that a slave would do for a master…except one thing. Unfastening his sandals. That was so disgusting, it should be left for the actual slaves to do. A disciple should be willing to do anything for his Rabbi, except that.  

And John says, “This person that I serve—this person that I’m preparing the way for—is so exalted and so holy and awesome…I’m not even worthy to untie the straps of his sandals. I don’t deserve such a privilege.” Think about it: John is enjoying immense success—he’s wildly popular—and he has the perfect opportunity to bask in the glory. But he steps out of the spotlight, and talks about how unworthy he is. 

How about you? How do you handle success? Abraham Lincoln said, “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” John the Baptist, at this point in his career, had considerable power. He refused to let it go to his head.  

Last Wednesday, Rebecca McLaughlin came and spoke at The Chapel. In the Christian world of authors and speakers, she is immensely popular: best-selling author; in high demand as a conference speaker. Undeniable success. But I have to say, from the moment she stepped out of her Uber and came into the lobby, she carried herself with humility. Over dinner, she asked more questions about us than we did about her. After the event, there was a long line of people waiting to speak with her, and she had no time limit—she just stood there and patiently spoke with every person in the line. From what I can see, she’s handling her success well.  

At some point in your life, in big ways or little ways, you will experience success. Some of you are there right now. How are you handling it? Are you demanding your rights…marketing your brand…reminding everyone of your accomplishments…angry when people don’t acknowledge you? Or are you staying grounded because you’re so aware of the awesomeness of Jesus? Jesus said John the Baptist was the greatest person who’s ever lived…and part of that was because of how he handled success.  

Here's the second thing that reveals greatness: Who am I drawing attention to? This is similar to the first point, but the first point is about what you don’t do—what you refuse to do; this point is about what you actively do. Who are you drawing attention to? 

Verse 29: 29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! I heard about a pastor who asked a mature Christian in his church: “Why is Jesus called the Lamb of God?” And the guy said, “I think because Jesus is gentle and nice—like a lamb.” Well, that’s a nice thought—but it misses everything. If you were a Jewish person, and you heard those words, your mind would immediately think of the sacrifices that took place in the temple. You would think about those Scriptures where God required blood sacrifice in order for sin to be forgiven. You would think of Abraham and his son, Isaac, walking up the mountain to make a sacrifice, and Isaac asking his father, “Where’s the lamb?” and Abraham saying, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” You would think of the Passover celebrations that happened every spring, where a lamb was slain, and its blood placed over the door. You would think of the prophecy of a coming Messiah in Isaiah 53:7, he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. The consciousness of Israel was permeated with the concept of the sacrificial lamb. So you would never think John was saying, “Look—here comes a gentle, nice man!” You would think of blood and forgiveness. If you were a Jew in the first century.  

But we’re not Jews in the first century. We’re Americans in 2026. So when we hear about this idea of blood sacrifice, we can struggle with it. It can sound primitive and barbaric. What kind of God would require blood from his people? But think about it: Christianity is actually just the opposite! God doesn’t demand our blood; He became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and he offered His own blood. Do you see how different that is? And I would say: “How can you not believe in a God like that?” How can you not believe in a God who loves you so much that He saw the depth of your problem, and at infinite cost to Himself, He provided the only real solution. 

A few years ago I was in San Diego, and one of the highlights of the trip was visiting the San Diego Museum of Art. Of all the works in that museum, the one that took my breath away was this one: [SHOW PAINTING] It’s from a Spanish painter named Francisco de Zurbaran, in the mid 1600s. It’s called “Agnus Dei.” Which is Latin for “Lamb of God.” If you look closely, you can see that the hands and the feet are bound—for sacrifice. And if you look really closely, you can see what the lamb is lying on. Do you see it? It’s a cross. Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes a way the sin of the world! 

And John says—verse 31—I myself did not know him (side note—John technically knew Jesus, because they were relatives, but he’s saying he didn’t know Jesus was the Messiah until six weeks earlier when he baptized him and saw the Holy Spirit descend on him)… but the reason I came baptizing with water was (listen…) that he might be revealed to Israel.” The reason I came—the purpose of my life—is to reveal Jesus. I want my whole life to be like a big sign: “Look! The Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.” 

That’s who John was drawing attention to. How about you? 

Last month, Norma Jean and I were in the airport waiting to get on a flight. We got there early, so we were having dinner in a little food court area. And we saw a guy who looked homeless, going up to people asking for money. Everyone was kind of awkwardly turning away. And one thing I’ve learned from our ministry in Paterson is that the most important thing is to turn toward people. So I turned toward him, and I said, “I don’t have any cash, but I have a credit card—I can buy you dinner.” He said, “Yes, please.” So we walked up to the counter at Shake Shack; I said, “Order whatever you want.” And he went for it—double burger, fries, large shake. I paid for it with my card and went back to sit with Norma Jean, and he went to another table and started eating. I said to Norma Jean, “I’m going to go spend some time with that guy.” So I went and over and did my best to engage him in conversation—it was a little awkward, but he shared a little of his story, and we talked about what it was like living on the streets of Newark. His name was Gerald. I told him I’d be praying for him, and I went back to sit with Norma Jean. 

Little did I know, I was being watched. At a nearby table, a mother was sitting with her teenage daughter. And when they got up to leave, they stopped at our table. And the woman said to me (this is embarrassing, but I’m going to quote her) she said, “You are a beautiful person.” And Norma Jean’s sitting there going, “Really?” She said, “We saw what you did over there, and that was so amazing.” And it was one of those moments when you can soak up the spotlight, or you can draw attention to Jesus. I knew I had about 20 seconds, and by God’s grace I chose to say, “You know, I always ask myself, ‘What would Jesus do?’ and I feel like he would have done that.” That’s it. I didn’t have time for more than that. So many times I have botched those opportunities. But I’m learning.  

Who are you drawing attention to? Many of us—at our core—still have not been freed from a self-focused, self-promoting mindset. I still struggle with that. I can care way too much about my image. And if that’s true of you, maybe the reason you rarely point people to Christ…the reason you’re hesitant to invite people to church…the reason you don’t live your faith out in the open…is because you’re guarding your reputation. You don’t want people to think you’re weird! John the Baptist had no problem with people thinking he was weird. His life unmistakably drew attention to Jesus. And Jesus said, “That’s true greatness.” 

Here’s the third question: How do I respond when I’m outshined? I included the passage from chapter three because it shows how John responded to something that will inevitably happen to every person who experiences success. In John 3:26, John the Baptist’s followers come up to him and say, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.” John’s prominence was fading, and Jesus’ prominence was rising. And John’s followers felt threatened. So they go to their leader and say, “That guy’s stealing our people! Are you going to stand by and let this happen?” 

It's such a human reaction. And it’s so instructive for us. Because sooner or later, no matter how much success you’ve had, your star will fade. Your popularity will be eclipsed. You will be outshined by someone who does what you do better than you do. 

This was a tempting moment for John. He had spent years of loneliness in the wilderness, and I’m sure he felt ignored by society. Then all of a sudden he came out of nowhere, and everybody wanted to see him. Everyone knew his name. And now he was watching that slip away. It would have been very easy for John to feel jealousy or anger or embarrassment. And John responds with three profound statements.  

First, he says in verse 27: A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. In other words, if someone has gifts that are superior to mine and having greater success than I am, it’s because God has given them those gifts. So think about your life: for reasons that only God knows, he has given other people more money, or a higher IQ, or greater health, or a more peaceful family, or a more successful business than he’s given you. Don’t resent them for it. Celebrate it with them. William Law said, “If…someone is leaving you behind, and you are becoming jealous and embittered, keep praying that he may have success in the very matter where he is awakening your envy; and whether he is helped or not, one thing is sure, that your own soul will be cleansed and ennobled, that you will grow a little nearer to the stature of [John] the Baptist.” 

Then in verse 29, John says The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine. John realized that Jesus is the groom, and he—John—is the best man. In ancient weddings, the best man would arrange the wedding; he would send the invitations; he would preside at the wedding feast. And he had one special role: when the bride was in her bridal chamber, waiting for her groom, the best man would stand in the dark and guard the door. And when he heard the groom’s voice, he would open the door to him, and then he would go away rejoicing, because his job was done. And John realized: when I’ve opened the door for people to meet Jesus, my job is done.  

And then, the third statement—John 3:30—He must become greater; I must become less. This is a perfect summary of John the Baptist’s life, and we would all be so much happier if we lived this way. Jesus must become greater; I must become less. It’s not about my fame; my reputation; how much people respect me. As my life progresses, I want less focus on me and more on Jesus.  

I know what I’m about to do isn’t going to be popular, but I’m going to do it anyway. In the 2018 Super Bowl, the Philadelphia Eagles’ quarterback was Nick Foles—he was actually the second string guy, but their regular starter, Carson Wentz was injured. So Nick Foles played; he led the team to a thrilling win over the New England Patriots. It was my third favorite Super Bowl, after the two that the Giants won. So Nick Foles was fantastic, and he was named he MVP of the Super Bowl. The following season, the other guy—Carson Wentz—got healthy, and the Eagles decided to put Nick Foles back on the bench. And there was a huge outcry: should you really bench the Super Bowl MVP? And how humiliating for Nick Foles! Here’s what Foles wrote about it that year: 

I’ve said all along that my desire is to play for God’s glory, not mine, and that’s exactly what I plan to do… To cheerfully return to a backup role after reaching the pinnacle of the sport contradicts everything the world tells us about success, fame, money and self-worth. To me, it’s a tangible reminder that we are called to humility and to a life of service…. 

Some people might think I deserve a better deal, but it’s not about what I deserve. It’s never been about that. The truth is, I’ve already been given far more than I deserve--a wonderful family; a job I love; grace and forgiveness; great friends, coaches and teammates. Everything I have is a gift from God, and I’m thankful for all of it. I am where I am now because of God’s grace, and I’ll continue to follow wherever he leads. 

It was almost enough to make me root for the Eagles. But let’s not get crazy.  

I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist. Because he realized that true greatness means pointing people away from yourself and toward Jesus. May God give us the grace to do the same.