In the season of Advent when we most often hear from John the Baptist, he speaks a message of law and the call to repentance. We hear John speaking about Jesus as the one who is coming, and who John is not worthy to stand before.
Now here in the season of Epiphany we hear from John in a different way- we hear him proclaim the eternal gospel. John is no longer the last and greatest prophet testifying to the coming Messiah, he is now the first evangelist to testify to Jesus as the Son of God sent to save us from our sins: Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
Today we reflect on this message from John the Baptist, It is a truth we sing every Sunday as we prepare to receive the Lord’s Supper: Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us. And today we look at what it means for us that John understood that Jesus is himself the sacrificial lamb- one who fulfills the laws and sacrifices of the Old Testament. We look to chapter 1 now:
John reports what he was privileged to see while baptizing Jesus the previous day- John saw the Spirit of God descending on Jesus and remaining with him. Now John sees Jesus walking toward him. John knows he is in the presence of the Son of God, and he knows what Jesus has come to do- to be our sacrificial lamb. John does not hold back in speaking the truth, he says everything God’s people need to know about Jesus all in one sentence: Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
Another day passes. This time John has two of his disciples standing with him. Once again John sees the Lord walking nearby. John can now point them directly to Jesus. That is what John came to do, to point people away from him and toward Jesus. He speaks God’s Word directly to his disciples: Behold the lamb of God!
After this the two disciples turn from following John in order to follow Jesus. One of these was Andrew the first Apostle, who soon invited his brother Peter to come and see Jesus. The disciples of John the Baptist were now the disciples of Jesus. Listening to John chapter 1 it seems like a sudden change to go from one master to follow to another, after one sentence spoken by John the Baptist.
But this is no last minute unplanned reckless change- this is God’s plan for these disciples and this was God’s plan for all of us that Jesus would have his first disciples follow him on that day after the command of John that the disciples should hear God’s Word from John and see before them in the person of Jesus- the lamb of God.
It was the Father’s design that Andrew and the other disciples of John the Baptist were drawn to follow him and await the coming of the Kingdom of God. For Andrew to switch from following John to Jesus was not a drastic change of purpose, like switching from being a Colts fan to a New England Patriots fan.
Instead, John’s disciples were listening to and learning from the greatest prophet sent from God born of woman. The switch from following John to Jesus means that they were actually listening to what John was saying, that they were ready to have the Messiah pointed out to them, they were ready to see the reign of God coming in the person of Jesus.
The Lord prepared them through John, the Lord prepared them through all of the things they learned from their families in how to worship the Lord and keep his statutes, setting themselves apart from the nations by their daily life practices.
This is how the kingdom of God works in our lives as well, one foundation builds upon another in our faith so that we can follow Jesus. When we start a new year, when we start a new chapter in life whether by our own choosing or what changes come in life on account of aging or losses- we start from our past foundation of faith.
We are never making new drastic changes in our life because the Lord Jesus is always at our side in all of the things we do, and he is leading us to grow through changes according to His plan.
When we as a congregation confess that we wish to follow Jesus no matter what the world says or does to us- then we are not making any drastic change in our faith- we are simply continuing in our role in God’s Kingdom as God’s obedient children that began in us when we were first baptized, which began in many of us in infancy.
Our congregation faces changes, our budget is tighter than in the past periods. Some of our members are not able to attend anymore because of health reasons or other priorities in life. Yet God’s kingdom continues, with new opportunities for life in the Kingdom. In the midst of changes others will become part of our congregation and join us in the call to follow Jesus, to continue in the foundation the Lord has given us- to celebrate that he is for us as well the Lamb of God, who takes away our sins and the sins of the world.
After the disciples were pointed to Jesus and asked him where he is staying, He asks them to think through what they are doing and asks them: “What are you seeking?”
The disciples have been told that Jesus is the lamb of God, but they do not know exactly what this means yet. They know that a lamb is an animal used for sacrificial offerings for sin. But a sacrificial lamb is for the sins of the family, and maybe even the people of Israel’s sins- but what lamb could pay for the sins of the whole world? They do not fully understand what they are seeking.
How could they know that God would provide a lamb once and for all for the sacrifice for sin? But not a lamb with a tail, hooves, and the beginnings of wool- but a man. A man who is the son of God. A man who is both the sacrifice and the one who is worshiped, who the book of Revelation celebrates as the victorious lamb reigning on the throne!
And how can we understand this? How is it that we can worship and see it is not our own work of worship- but Jesus who saves us? That we are saved because of him, and what is important is not what we can make of our lives on our own, but how Jesus remakes our lives conformed to his image, how he makes us living sacrifices.
By faith we see that our Savior, the lamb of God has called us to also die- to die to our sinful nature and die to getting just what our sinful nature wants. He calls us to die to ourselves so that we can live in Him, so that his sacrifice makes us whole. So that we see him not as someone we have let down or cannot live up to, or someone we take for granted, but as the Lamb of God who takes away our sins.
As the disciples follow Jesus further there are times where they clearly lose sight of who Jesus is. They seem unable to fully understand what John the Baptist first revealed to them. The uncertainties of life in our fallen world bring fears and trials that cloud the clarity of faith.
When we find ourselves with a muddy view of our lives and the Lord’s purposes for us marked by discouragement, fears or doubts- may we be reminded of John’s clear testimony, to behold Jesus for who he is- our Savior, who was sent to take away our sins and give us life and salvation. Amen.