Behold The Lamb Of God |07-05-26|

Jul 05, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: The Voice in the Wilderness: Redirecting Attention to Christ

John the Baptist refused titles, deflected praise, and anchored his identity in preparing hearts for Jesus. When questioned by religious leaders, he quoted Isaiah: "I am the voice..." His mission wasn’t self-promotion but pointing to the One greater than himself. True ministry requires redirecting glory away from human effort and toward Christ’s sufficiency. Like John, believers are called to dismantle distractions that obscure the Messiah. Humility clears the path for others to encounter Jesus. [31:46]

"I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said." (John 1:23, ESV)

Reflection: Where do you subtly seek recognition for your service to God? How might redirecting attention to Christ deepen someone’s hunger to know Him?

Day 2: Behold the Lamb: Fixing Our Gaze on Redemption

John’s declaration—“Behold, the Lamb of God!”—shifted crowds from ritual to redemption. Baptismal waters symbolized repentance, but the Lamb’s sacrifice alone could cleanse sin. This moment revealed Jesus as the eternal solution to humanity’s deepest need. To “behold” isn’t passive observation—it’s arresting focus on Christ’s atoning work. Every gospel conversation must center His cross, not human merit. [32:56]

"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)

Reflection: When sharing your faith, do you prioritize Jesus’ sacrifice over personal stories? How might you more boldly proclaim His sufficiency this week?

Day 3: Unworthy to Untie: The Humility of True Witness

John’s claim of unworthiness to untie Jesus’ sandal exposed cultural hierarchies. Disciples served rabbis, but even the lowest task was beneath John compared to Christ’s glory. This radical humility redefines Christian witness: we are signposts, not destinations. Authentic ministry measures success by how clearly Jesus is magnified, not crowds gathered or platforms built. [32:37]

"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.'" (John 1:26–27, ESV)

Reflection: What ministry accomplishments tempt you to seek validation? How would embracing John’s “unworthy” posture free you to exalt Christ?

Day 4: From Disciples to Followers: Shifting Allegiance to the Messiah

When John’s own disciples left to follow Jesus, he celebrated rather than resented. True spiritual fathers rejoice when spiritual children outgrow them to cling to Christ. Every human leader is temporary; every faithful teacher points beyond themselves. Following Jesus requires releasing control over others’ journeys and trusting His lordship. [33:54]

"The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus." (John 1:37, ESV)

Reflection: Are you holding too tightly to someone’s spiritual growth? How can you encourage others to depend on Christ more than your guidance?

Day 5: Echoing Isaiah: Preparing Hearts for the Lord’s Arrival

John’s wilderness cry fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy—a call to clear obstructions to divine encounter. Rough terrain symbolizes pride, distraction, and self-reliance; “making straight” demands repentance. Preparing hearts for Christ isn’t about eloquence but excavating barriers to His grace. Our task is to level mountains of resistance so others see Jesus unobstructed. [48:12]

"A voice cries: 'In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.'" (Isaiah 40:3, ESV)

Reflection: What “rough places” in your relationships need smoothing to help others encounter Christ? What practical step could you take this week to prepare someone’s heart?

Sermon Summary

John the Evangelist shifts from the prologue’s theology to on-the-ground testimony so that Christ may be known and trusted. John the Baptist stands in the wilderness with a clear voice and a clearer aim: “I am not the Christ.” The text drives home his threefold denial. He is not the Christ, not Elijah in the flesh, not the Prophet like Moses. Instead, Isaiah names him a “voice” preparing the Lord’s way. His identity is secondary; his whole ministry is to move eyes off himself onto Another. Even his striking confession of unworthiness, “I am not worthy to untie his sandal,” sinks him below the lowest slave so that Jesus alone fills the frame.

Malachi’s promise of Elijah is kept, not by reincarnation, but by typology. Jesus Himself interprets the Scriptures: Elijah “has already come” in John’s bold, repentant, fire-tested ministry. The New Testament becomes the lens for reading the Old, and the text insists that the promised forerunner has arrived, clearing the path for the King.

Day two rises, and the center finally walks onstage. John does not count crowds or catalog baptisms. He points and commands: “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” The verb is urgent. Stop. Look. Fix your eyes. The Lamb imagery gathers the whole Bible’s story of sin and substitute into a single Person. John confesses Christ’s eternal priority, then recounts the sign the Father gave him: the Spirit descended like a dove and remained upon Jesus. At the river, the Son stands in the water, the Spirit rests on Him, and the Father’s pleasure seals it. The Most Holy has been anointed. The witness concludes simply: “This is the Son of God.”

Day three shows what true ministry wants most. Two of John’s own disciples hear “Behold the Lamb of God” and leave John to follow Jesus. There is no panic and no branding strategy. Later words will sum it up: he must decrease and Jesus must increase. The pattern is now plain and preachable. First, proclaim that Messiah has come. Second, call people to behold Him, not as a passing glance but as a stopping, gazing, soul-awakening look. Third, urge them to follow Him, not as admirers but as disciples who entrust their lives to the only One who can take away their sins. The text ends by pressing two questions: Who is Jesus, and is He merely admired or truly followed?

Key Takeaways

1. A three-day gospel pathway [30:18] The text lays out a simple, sturdy rhythm: proclaim the Messiah is here, call people to behold Him, and then invite them to follow. Evangelism is not hype or novelty, but steady witness that anchors in Scripture and points to a Person. This pattern lowers anxiety for the timid and removes excuses for the indifferent. It is ordinary faithfulness built to carry eternal weight. [30:18]
2. Humility that lowers self, lifts Christ [54:38] John places himself beneath the lowest slave to keep Christ high in people’s eyes. That posture guards the church from personality cults and keeps the gospel clear. When ambition dies, adoration lives. True usefulness often looks like joyful disappearance so another can see Jesus more clearly. [54:38]
3. Behold the Lamb, not achievements [56:53] “Behold” calls for a stopping look, not a drive-by glance. Metrics, memories, and ministry wins cannot remove guilt; only the Lamb who takes away sin can do that. The soul expands or shrivels by what it beholds, so the text directs attention to the Substitute, not the scoreboard. [56:53]
4. Elijah fulfilled in John’s ministry [43:33] Jesus unlocks the Old Testament promise by naming John as Elijah in type, not in flesh. Typology honors God’s storyline by showing how shadows find their substance in Christ’s coming. Reading Scripture this way breeds confidence that God keeps His word in wiser, richer ways than literalism expects. [43:33]
5. The Trinity crowns Jesus’ mission [01:01:40] At the Jordan the Son stands ready, the Spirit rests and remains, and the Father delights. Salvation is the triune God’s work from start to finish, and Jesus’ public anointing marks Him as the Spirit-bearing King. Trust can rest because heaven itself has owned and sent this Savior. [61:40]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[28:15] - From prologue to public witness
[30:18] - A pattern for sharing and believing
[31:25] - Reading John 1:19-37
[37:54] - Not the Christ, Elijah, or the Prophet
[42:49] - Elijah promise and transfiguration
[48:12] - The voice in the wilderness
[54:38] - Lower than the lowest slave
[56:53] - Behold the Lamb of God
[59:27] - Spirit descends and remains
[61:40] - The Trinity at the Jordan
[62:32] - Success by holy disappearance
[65:21] - Follow the Messiah, not the messenger
[68:46] - Two searching questions and prayer
[80:22] - Benediction and sending

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
John 1:19-37 (ESV)
Malachi 4:5-6 (ESV)
Matthew 17:10-13 (ESV)

Observation Questions

What three roles does John the Baptist explicitly deny having (John 1:19-21)?
How does John the Baptist describe his purpose using Isaiah’s words (John 1:23)?
What specific sign did God give John to identify Jesus as the Messiah (John 1:32-34)?
What immediate action did John’s disciples take when he said, “Behold the Lamb of God” (John 1:37)?

Interpretation Questions

Why does John the Baptist emphasize his unworthiness to untie Jesus’ sandal (John 1:27)? What does this reveal about his view of Jesus’ authority?
Jesus says Elijah “has already come” in Matthew 17:12. How does John the Baptist fulfill Malachi’s prophecy without being Elijah in the literal sense?
The Trinity is present at Jesus’ baptism (John 1:32-34). Why is it significant that all three Persons of the Godhead are involved in Jesus’ mission?
John’s disciples leave him to follow Jesus immediately. What does this teach about the goal of true ministry? [33:54]

Application Questions

John’s humility centered on making Jesus the focus. In what relationships or roles might you need to intentionally “decrease” so Christ can “increase”?
“Behold the Lamb of God” calls for a focused gaze. What distractions or habits make it hard to stop and behold Christ in your daily life? How could you create space for this?
John’s ministry was brief but eternally impactful. How does his example challenge cultural definitions of “success” in work, family, or church?
The disciples followed Jesus immediately. What practical step could you take this week to follow Christ more closely in an area where you’ve only admired Him from a distance?
John pointed others to Jesus through Scripture. How could you use a specific Bible passage to explain the gospel to someone this week?
The Trinity’s unity at Jesus’ baptism shows God’s total commitment to our salvation. How does this truth strengthen your trust in His promises during doubt or suffering?
John’s disciples left their teacher to follow Jesus. Is there a “good thing” (even a ministry) God might be asking you to release to focus more fully on Him?

Sermon Clips

68s

#MessiahHasComeFollowJesus

“``And here it is. Point number three, we tell them the Christ has come. Beloved, the Jews need to know that. The Jews today, an Orthodox Jew today would say, we reject Jesus as the Messiah and they are still looking for a Messiah. We need to pronounce to them the Messiah came. He lived a sinless life and died a death to save us. Call out to them. Behold the lamb of God. Look to him for who he is. And then step number three, follow him. Trust him. If you believe he is the son of God, take your life and say, here I am. I'm I'm going to follow Jesus. That is the goal of this church, Is that we would call people not to follow elders or a preacher or or a church, but to call you to know who Jesus is and to come and join those who are following Christ, pursuing him.”

64s

#TrustAndFollowJesus

“And then question number two is simply this, have you merely admired Jesus or are you trusting and following Jesus? you say today, I am a disciple of Jesus. I am a learner of Jesus. I am a student of Jesus. I am a child of God because I have placed my faith in the Messiah, the savior, the only one who can take my sins away. I pray that you have heard the gospel. I pray that you have beholden the Christ and I pray that today with confidence you can say, put no confidence in myself but all confidence in the Christ that I trust and follow. The message of the Christian church is simply this, behold the lamb of God.”

50s

#WhoDoYouSayJesusIs

“This passage presents us with a couple very important questions and I'm gonna ask you two very important questions and then we're going to close. Here's question number one. Who do you say Jesus is? If somebody asks you the question, you're a Christian or you go to that church, who is Jesus? How would you answer that question? John has given us in the first 18 verses and now this morning, he has presented that Jesus is God eternal. The very God who created all things. He is the promised Messiah. He is the only one that can wash your sins away. Who do you say that Jesus is?”

47s

#BeholdTheMessiah

“This takes us to our second step and that is to consider the task of calling people to point number two, behold the Messiah. It's not enough to tell them the Messiah has come. The second step is to to call them to behold the Messiah. Verses 29 to 34 record the events of the second day. It's on the second day that we find the second principle that John sets for us to follow. And here it is in a nutshell. It's not enough to call people to understand that Christ Jesus has come near to save sinners. We must go further with them. We must call them to behold the savior. And that is exactly what we find John doing.”

74s

#LiveToPointToChrist

“It should be our desire to emulate the example of John the Baptist that we see in this passage. He has a ministry of self denial and we live at a point in human history where I don't know the motives of other people but I watch so many preachers. I watch so many ministries. I I watch so many Christian music artists that I think it would do them well to come and camp out in Matthew or John chapter one for a while because it appears maybe maybe I'm wrong in it, but it appears that many times people are like, no, this is about me. I do want your applause. I do want you to follow me. John the Baptist sets an example for us. It is not about us. It is not about a preacher. It's not about a church. It's not about a musician. It is about Christ and we should exist to deny self and point all glory and honor and praise and focus to Jesus.”

65s

#SitAndBeholdJesus

“There's a sense in which we can walk with Jesus and we know Jesus. We've heard the sermons about Jesus. We've sung the songs about Jesus, and we kind of begin to not behold the glory of Christ like maybe once upon a time we did. And so this is not a passage just for the the new believer or the young believer or maybe the unbeliever to stop and notice and behold the glory. It is for the old believer that maybe says, man, have I lost some of my love? Have I lost some of my fire, my passion to know Christ and to make him known? Maybe it's a call to you, the mature older believer that, hey, you need to stop. all the the things you're doing. Stop all the ways you're serving, and stop and just sit like Mary did. Right? Sit at the feet of Jesus and behold his glory and be amazed at who Christ is and what Christ is.”

70s

#BeholdTheMajestyOfChrist

“I just came off of a cruise several weeks ago to Alaska and I've never seen a whale in real life and so we're going through the inside passage to Alaska and at first you would hear somebody say, there's a whale and it was almost as if they were calling you to behold the majesty and the splendor of this animal and people would flock. All of a sudden, it's like you could almost feel the boat shift. People running to the windows, binoculars in hand, just trying to see the spray of that whale, just trying to see that that back of that whale come out of the water. They were beholding something that they long to see. This is the message of John. He's come. Now, you must behold him. You need to stop and you need to stand in the wonder of the glory of God in flesh. The lamb of God who takes away the sin of those who believe.”

53s

#LookToJesus

“Here's what John says, notice how great of a ministry I've had. Notice how many people have come and heard me preach. Notice how many people I've baptized. No. He mentions nothing of that. He says, as he sees Jesus coming toward him, he says, behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. That word behold is an important word and here's how the Greek lexicon defines it. To point out something to which the speaker wishes to draw attention. John the Baptist is drawing the attention away from himself and he says, the Messiah has come and you need to behold him. You need to look at him. You need to stop doing everything you're doing and behold the glory of God in your midst.”

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Behold The Lamb Of God |07-05-26|

Devotional

Day 1: The Voice in the Wilderness: Redirecting Attention to Christ

Day 2: Behold the Lamb: Fixing Our Gaze on Redemption

Day 3: Unworthy to Untie: The Humility of True Witness

Day 4: From Disciples to Followers: Shifting Allegiance to the Messiah

Day 5: Echoing Isaiah: Preparing Hearts for the Lord’s Arrival

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Behold The Lamb Of God |07-05-26|

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