Behold the Lamb: Witnessing Christ's Sacrifice and Grace

During the Epiphany season the congregation is invited to see Jesus as the Lamb of God who removes the sin of the world. Readings from Psalm 71 and John 1 frame the morning: John the Baptist witnesses both what he saw and heard—the Spirit descending and Jesus’ identity as the Son of God—calling others to follow. The lamb image is examined not as mere gentleness but as the decisive, costly act of sacrificial atonement: the shedding of blood that pays the intractable debt of human sin and secures redemption.

This sacrifice is placed alongside warnings about a diluted grace that excuses wrongdoing. A contemporary example is used to show how public moral failure exposes the damage of sin and the danger of treating grace as permission to persist in sin. At the same time, grace is presented as formative: God’s Spirit guides believers progressively into Christlike obedience, much like a teacher steadying a child’s hand until the child learns to write. The cross remains central—both as the once-for-all payment and the ongoing lens through which life, scripture, and history are read.

Practical faith arises from witnessing. Children’s teaching highlights eyewitness and ear‑witness testimony as the basis for trust: the Scriptures record what others saw and heard, and believers inherit and pass on that testimony. Communion is celebrated as tangible participation in the body and blood that seal forgiveness and transformation. Intercessions and community announcements underscore that redemption is communal: the church prays for restoration, accountability, and practical support for those in need. The charge closing the gathering sends the faithful into the world as living witnesses to the lamb who has purchased and now shapes God’s people.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Jesus as the Lamb of God John’s title focuses attention on Jesus as the divine sacrifice whose life and death address the problem of sin at its root. The metaphor unites the Old Testament sacrificial system with the New Testament claim that only the one who is both innocent and divine can remove the world’s guilt. This compels worship that is grateful, sober, and centered on cross-shaped love. [31:31]
• 2. Sacrifice pays the debt of sin Sin is framed as an owed obligation that justice and relationship require to be addressed, not merely overlooked. Redemption is described as a definitive payment—God’s own costly provision—so forgiveness is neither cheap nor arbitrary but restorative and costly. Understanding atonement this way deepens reverence and fuels lifelong gratitude. [34:26]
• 3. Grace demands transformation, not license Grace is not a cover for ongoing moral drift but a Spirit-enabled process of being formed into Christ’s likeness. Public failures remind the community that confession, repentance, and repair are indispensable to true forgiveness. The Spirit’s patient work aims to render believers self-governing in holiness, not dependent on repeated rescue. [38:35]
• 4. Witnesses: see, hear, proclaim The faith rests on testimony—eyewitnesses and ear‑witnesses who both observed and spoke the truth about Jesus. That testimony is entrusted to later generations who must both receive and repeat it in word and deed, becoming living corroboration of what God has done. Being a witness requires attentiveness, fidelity, and courageous proclamation. [22:11]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [02:09] - Epiphany focus: Jesus revealed
• [09:02] - Readings announced
• [11:57] - Psalm 71 proclaimed
• [15:51] - “Behold the Lamb of God”
• [16:41] - Gospel: John 1:29–42
• [19:35] - Children’s address: witnesses
• [30:10] - Exposition: meaning of “lamb”
• [34:26] - Debt metaphor and redemption
• [36:41] - Sin, grace, and accountability (example)
• [55:24] - Communion and remembrance
• [69:10] - Blessing and closing
• [74:10] - Community news: Abraham’s visa

Bible Reading

John 1:29–42 (ESV)
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 the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).

Observation questions

1. In the Gospel reading, John the Baptist identifies Jesus as the "Lamb of God." According to verses 32-34, what specific visual sign did John see that confirmed Jesus was the one who would baptize with the Holy Spirit?
2. The sermon notes that we often think of a lamb as "gentle" or "meek." However, when John calls Jesus the "Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world," what specific aspect of the lamb metaphor is he actually emphasizing? [31:31]
3. According to the sermon, how does the concept of a "debt" help explain why Jesus had to offer himself as a sacrifice? [34:26]
4. In the children's address, a distinction was made between an "eyewitness" and an "ear-witness." How does the sermon describe the way we, living thousands of years later, receive and pass on the truth about Jesus? [24:38]

Interpretation questions

1. The sermon mentions that some modern Bible translations try to remove references to the "shedding of blood" because it makes people squeamish. Why is the concept of blood sacrifice and atonement absolutely necessary for a true understanding of the Gospel? [32:43]
2. Using the example of Philip Yancey, the sermon discusses the danger of "cheap grace." How does the sermon explain the difference between receiving grace and using grace as a license or permission to sin? [38:24]
3. The sermon uses the illustration of a teacher holding a child's hand to teach them how to write. How does this image help us understand the work of the Holy Spirit in sanctifying us and forming our character? [39:16]

Application questions

1. We often prefer a comfortable faith, but the title "Lamb of God" points to a bloody, costly sacrifice. How does avoiding the reality of Jesus' suffering affect the way you view your own sin? [31:46]
2. Sin creates a debt we cannot pay, requiring a friend to "foot the bill" to get us out of the hole. When you pray for forgiveness, do you view it as a casual request, or do you recognize the immense cost that was paid to clear your debt? [35:37]
3. Grace is never an excuse to sin; if we walk in the light, the blood of Jesus cleanses us. Are there areas in your life where you have been tempted to use God's forgiveness as a reason to delay repentance or avoid changing your behavior? [38:24]
4. Transformation is a process where we surrender our will, much like a child letting a teacher guide their hand. In what specific area of your life do you feel the Holy Spirit currently trying to "guide your hand" or correct your movements? [39:50]
5. We are called to be witnesses not just of what we see, but of what we have heard in God's Word. What is one specific thing God has done in your life recently that you could share with someone else as a testimony of His goodness? [25:09]
6. Andrew didn't have a complex theological argument; he simply told his brother, "We have found the Messiah," and brought him to Jesus. Who is one person in your life—a family member, friend, or neighbor—that you can invite to "come and see" Jesus this week?