The Gospel of John-8 – The Lamb Who Bore the Cross

John 1:29–34

 

"The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, 'Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, "A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me." I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.' Then John gave this testimony: 'I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 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." I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.'" Amen.

 

The Righteousness of Self-Exaltation vs. The Mission of Self-Abasement

The messengers sent by the Pharisees came to John the Baptist and asked, "Are you the Christ? Or are you Elijah?" John answered without a moment's hesitation, "I am not the Christ you are waiting for, nor am I the Messiah." As we observed last time, there was a profound disconnect between the perspective of the questioners and that of John. Two different gazes intersect here: one is the Elijah and Christ envisioned by the Pharisees, and the other is the Christ and Elijah seen by John. The Pharisees, considering themselves righteous, sought Elijah only to add another layer of righteousness to their own. John, however, confessed that his sole mission was to be the path upon which Jesus Christ would tread.

 

In our walk of faith, even though God has saved and called us, we often remain excessively preoccupied with "packaging" ourselves. We try to adorn ourselves with gold or silver and strive to set up shop upon that path to secure our own gain. However, the path proclaimed by John the Baptist in the Bible was paved for one single purpose: for Jesus Christ to step upon it. Therefore, we must be willing to be stepped upon by the Lord, so that He alone receives the glory. We must become weaker, so that the strong Lord may be revealed through us. The story continues on the very next day following this spiritual dialogue.

 

A Gaze That Looks Beyond Personal Expectations to God's Promise

The very next day after that conversation, "the one whom you do not know," of whom John had previously spoken, finally comes toward him. In truth, John knew Jesus Christ well; they were clearly acquainted in the flesh. Nevertheless, the reason I am struck with wonder every time I read this passage is because of the unique perspective John maintained. Even though he knew Jesus personally, John made it clear that the one he was waiting for was not someone he recognized through his own eyes. He confessed, "The one I recognize is not the one I am waiting for. Rather, the very person upon whom the Spirit remains is the one I await." This means John possessed spiritual eyes that viewed the world and himself based on God’s promise.

 

John surely had his own personal image of what the Messiah would look like. He likely expected a Messiah of power who would completely overturn corrupt Israel, crush the oppression of Rome, and let justice and righteousness flow like a waterfall. From the perspective of John and the people of Israel under Roman rule, such a longing was only natural. They believed that what the Messiah must do upon His arrival was to drive out the Romans and overthrow the politically and religiously fallen Israel. However, John was a man who decided to prioritize God’s promise over his own expectations or thoughts. He did not proclaim a Messiah based on his own preferences; he declared as the Messiah only the one upon whom the Spirit descended from heaven and remained.

 

The Promise of Companionship in the Midst of Despair

I ask if you also possess such spiritual eyes. In a truly suffocating and painful situation, can you view that circumstance according to God’s promise rather than your own emotions? We all have things we desperately want. It is only human to desire that the path opens up when things are difficult, or that a tangled problem is smoothly resolved. Sometimes, feeling resentful toward God, we protest: "God, what did I do so wrong that You make it this hard? Can You really do this to me?" This may seem like a perfectly justified and natural prayer. But can you refrain from surrendering yourself to such natural emotions and instead obey, looking at the situation through the lens of God’s promise? When you are agonizing alone, clutching your head and crying out, "God, I am all alone now," can you instead see yourself through the Lord’s promise: "I will be with you"?

 

Whether in America or Korea, there is no one without scars. Those scars usually come not from afar, but from those closest to us. So often, the person we love most becomes the one who hurts us the most. Occasionally, I meet people who have been wounded by others and eventually become disappointed even with the church, taking a long "vacation" from their faith. They say, "Going to church is just people gathering to argue; they speak of love but are ready to fight inside." These are people who have turned their backs on the church in pain. In such a moment, can you hold onto God’s promise and look at the problem through those eyes? When complaining and resentment feel so natural—when anyone would react that way—can you examine yourself as the Bible dictates and seek only God’s grace, asking why He allowed this hardship and why He placed you in this position?

 

The Signal of the Last Days: The Baptism of the Spirit upon Jesus

John the Baptist was a man who possessed those eyes of promise. What about you? What exactly was the promise of God that John held onto? To confirm the reality of that promise regarding the descent of the Spirit, let us look at Joel 2:28 and following:

 

"And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the Lord has said, even among the survivors whom the Lord calls."

 

This is the prophecy of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that you know well. It is also the passage Peter used as the basis for his Pentecost sermon in the book of Acts. The text says this will happen "before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord." We know this event as Pentecost. Did the "great and dreadful day of the Lord"—the final judgment—come immediately after Pentecost? No, it did not. Then why did the Scripture express it this way? Here, the "great and dreadful day of the Lord" refers to the last day, the end of the age. John the Baptist held this understanding in his heart.

 

John the Baptist was the last prophet of the Old Testament. Now, with the coming of the Messiah, God’s history of salvation finally reaches its climax. John was the final runner preparing the way for the Messiah. For him, the outpouring of the Spirit was a decisive sign that the last day was approaching. Although John did not personally witness the historical event of Pentecost, he was waiting for the event of the Spirit descending upon Jesus Christ, who is the firstfruits of Pentecost. The moment the one anointed with the Spirit—the Messiah—appeared, it was the first signal announcing the end. Thus, he waited for the one upon whom the Spirit would be poured, and finally, He appeared.

 

Union and Atonement: The Baptism Received to Become One with Us

If we look at the structure of the text, we discover a very interesting point. The confession in verse 29, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world," was actually the very last thing John proclaimed after experiencing a series of events. In chronological order, Jesus was first baptized, the Spirit descended upon Him, and only then did John testify of Him as "the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world." Here, we face an event that is somewhat difficult to understand: the reason why Jesus had to be baptized. If He was anointed by the Spirit, would that not have been enough? Why did the sinless Lord need to receive water baptism?

 

The scene of Jesus receiving water baptism from John must be understood within the "Seven Days of Creation" structure that the Gospel of John holds. As we saw last time, the language here is the language of creation and, at the same time, the language of the Exodus. Recall the scene in 1 Corinthians 10 where the people of Israel were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. Jesus Christ’s baptism follows that same pattern. Just as the entire nation of Israel crossed the Red Sea and was baptized, Jesus is now crossing the spiritual Red Sea and being baptized. Ultimately, through this baptism, the Lord announced the fact: "I am now crossing the Red Sea together with Israel." The Lord Himself became Israel, bodily demonstrating that He perfectly represents God’s people.

 

Immeasurable Spirit: The Living Water Filling Parched Souls

The Lord is passing through that Red Sea as the representative of Israel. Why is this important? The greatest reason Jesus came to this earth, received water baptism, and began His public ministry was to show that He came strictly under the Law. If the Lord, being God, had simply concluded all situations with His power and rescued us, we would have recognized Him as God immediately, and there would have been no confusion. But why did He specifically come in human flesh and enter under the Law through water baptism? The reason is simple: Jesus wanted to be one with us. The scene of water baptism is the magnificent declaration: "I and My people are one." The fact that the Spirit descended when the Lord came up out of the water is in the same context. Because the Lord is one with Israel, it was not Jesus alone who received the Spirit, but all the people belonging to Him who received the Spirit together with Him.

 

Thus, we enjoy the grace of participating in Christ’s baptism. Do you remember David’s desperate plea in Psalm 51? "Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me." This was David’s agonizing prayer, and it is a confession we also make in song. But what is the nature of the Spirit that came upon Jesus Christ? John 3:34 records, "For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit." This is a completely different dimension from David, who prayed in fear that the Spirit might leave. The baptism of the Spirit in Christ is a baptism poured out "without limit"—a source that never runs dry. If you understand that Psalm 51 was a prayer looking forward to the Messiah beyond David’s own confession, you will realize that David’s prayer was finally answered through Jesus Christ.

 

The true Spirit has finally been poured out upon Jesus Christ without limit, dwelling in Him fully and without lack. And this fullness of the Spirit does not remain with the Lord alone; it overflows to all of us who are born again in Christ. David’s song in Psalm 23, "For you are with me," has now become our song. The Lord knows me. The descent of the Spirit is the scene that confirms, "You are My son, you are My daughter, you are Mine." Just as the voice proclaimed, "This is my Son, whom I love," while seeing the Spirit descending like a dove, we too come to enjoy that same abundant Spirit within Jesus Christ. That God calls our names and declares us His beloved children—this is a marvelous blessing and a grace beyond words.

 

Our cup is being filled to overflowing as the Spirit is poured out without limit. When we come to church after a week of interacting with many people and chasing worldly things, we sometimes feel that our souls are truly parched. Or, in the walk of faith, we sometimes pass through desert-like regions. We feel that our faith was good in the past, but now we feel a dryness as if walking on a cracked, sun-baked field. In such times, who can satisfy that soul? Drink of this Spirit given without limit. This is the work of the Spirit promised by the Lord. The Lord is a spring that never tires; He is the eternal fountain that does not cease even when all the waters of the world dry up. Thus, we too can joyfully praise like the Psalmist: "My cup overflows."

 

The Final Judgment Present Now: Eternal Consolation in Christ

In the presence of Jesus Christ, where this work of the Spirit took place, John says to the people: "Look, that very person upon whom the Spirit has descended and been poured out without limit—the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" Friends, through this event, Jesus is making a very important declaration. From John the Baptist’s perspective, he was the last prophet and the one preparing for the end. But Jesus Christ, who is the "End" itself, has come. By the Spirit descending upon His head and the baptism of the Spirit being bestowed upon Jesus, God personally demonstrated that this person is the "Last One." Thus, Jesus Christ became the Last. Of course, the word "last" contains a future meaning, referring to what will happen ahead—the end.

 

But let us pay attention to this phrase: "The Lamb who takes away the sin of the world." When is the judgment for the sin of the world supposed to happen? Naturally, it is proper for the judgment of the world's sin to take place in the distant future. It is the natural order that when we all stand before God’s judgment seat, every sin we have committed is listed, and a verdict is given for this sin and that sin, with a final settlement at the very end. Therefore, the judgment of the world's sin is an event of the Last Day. But what does the Scripture say here? It says that the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world has been sent now. The "End" has come to Jesus now, and the final judgment has appeared in Jesus Christ now. Jesus Christ is currently receiving that judgment Himself. To say He "takes away the sin of the world" means not only that He bears the individual sins of each and every one of you, but also that Jesus Christ is now shouldering that final judgment which the righteous and just God will bring upon this world. Therefore, He received that judgment, could not help but die under it on the cross, and was also resurrected.

 

Then, what does it matter to us that Jesus Christ received that judgment? As we have observed throughout, if you became one with Jesus Christ through His water baptism from the beginning, then you also received that judgment with Christ. You are passing through that judgment with Christ, and you are becoming the "last" with Christ. You and I are the last. The word "last" is not an abstract term; it means the "end" or "consummation" that you often speak of. That "end" which we call Heaven and the Kingdom of God—where we believe there will be no more tears or sorrow, only eternal joy with God—that "end" belongs to you and me. It means that Heaven is already being realized for you now through Jesus Christ.

 

Do you know why believers cannot help but receive true consolation? The comfort received when a problem in this world is solved or a matter is well-resolved is truly very small. Those are things that come for a moment and soon pass away. Isn't there a time when a husband treats you well and you feel good, but at other times he breaks your heart? Where in this world is there a husband or wife who is always good? The peace that the things of this world can give us has very clear limits. Then, how on earth can those who believe in Jesus maintain peace? Do we practice some form of asceticism? Should we all practice asceticism together and resolve, "I am a rock," regardless of how the world moves? Certainly not.

 

Your peace does not come from your own discipline or from denying the storms of the world. Because the peace of God in heaven is with you now, God commands: "Be at peace, be at peace." Therefore, as I mentioned earlier, if you truly value John the Baptist’s perspective, you must look at yourself not based on the situation you are in or the emotions you feel, but based on God’s promise. Who are you? You are the people who enjoy Heaven right now. We are tasting all that glory of the Kingdom of Heaven here and seeing it bit by bit in advance, but after the brief time in this world passes, we will enjoy that heavenly glory eternally and bask in God’s immeasurable grace. So, if there are those who have passed away before us, you do not need to be too sorrowful. We may grieve because we are physically separated, but in every other way, we rejoice. That is the true consolation of God. Because we have already received the final judgment together with Christ, we gain the assurance that our sins have been forgiven.

 

Type and Fulfillment: The Lamb Who Answered Isaac’s Question

John calls Jesus "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." Out of so many expressions, why was it "the Lamb"? When you hear the word "Lamb," you might simply think, "Jesus must be the Passover Lamb." But the history surrounding the Lamb is much deeper and longer than that. Let me tell you in advance: Jesus is the "Last Lamb." This does not merely mean He is the final one in a chronological sequence, but that He is the "Ultimate Lamb" who embodies all the glory that will come from heaven. To understand this fact deeply, let us go back to Genesis in the Old Testament and examine it closely. I will read Genesis 22:1–8:

 

"Sometime later God tested Abraham. He said to him, 'Abraham!' 'Here I am,' he replied. Then God said, 'Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.' Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. He said to his servants, 'Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.' Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, 'Father?' 'Yes, my son?' Abraham replied. 'The fire and wood are here,' Isaac said, 'but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?' Abraham answered, 'God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.' And the two of them went on together."

 

This story is one that those who have attended church since Sunday school days know so well they have almost memorized it. Abraham gets up early in the morning and takes Isaac up the mountain. It is because God commanded him: "Sacrifice your son, your son Isaac." For us, this is a part that is truly difficult to understand. Why did it have to be that son? It wasn't as if there were many sons in the house; God was asking for the one and only son he had left. What would we have done if we were Abraham? This scene invites countless imaginings. Even as a literary work, it is a dramatic scene that would shock us all. What was Abraham thinking all through the night? What was in his heart as he packed his bags in the morning? What kind of conversation did he have with his son during the three-day journey to Mount Moriah?

 

The Bible records that Abraham set out with Isaac. As you read the story of Isaac closely, you discover in him a shadow of Jesus Christ. Isaac makes no particular complaint. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a son like this? He obeys his father’s words, goes where he is told to go, and remains still even when his hands and feet are bound. Here, we see the archetype of a son who obeys perfectly, just as Jesus Christ did. However, the fundamental reason Isaac looks like Jesus Christ is that he primarily represents the nation of Israel. Although the true representative of the nation of Israel is Jesus Christ, in the Old Testament, that representation appears through figures like David, Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob.

 

Isaac in this text stands as the representative of Israel. He climbs the mountain carrying the wood for the burnt offering on his back. This is because Israel is, by nature, a being that has no choice but to be burned to death upon the very wood it carries. He was destined to build a fire with the wood he carried himself and die upon it. That wood is death and despair. Or, it could be the greed that we hold onto until the very end. To use a biblical expression, it would be our "sin." Israel had to carry that burden of sin up the mountain, pile it on the altar, and die there. In this context, Isaac’s question feels so poignantly sorrowful: "Father, where is the lamb?" You and I know the ending of this story well. How does it end? According to the confession that "the Lord will provide," God personally prepares a ram and lets the sacrifice be offered with it. It is the grace of "Jehovah Jireh" that we know so well.

 

The Suffering and Victory of the Cross: The Blessing of the Lamb Made One with Us

The true answer to the question Isaac asked—"Where is the lamb?"—is actually found not in Genesis 22, but in John 1:29, which we read today: "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" Friends, while Abraham was climbing the mountain with Isaac, God was also climbing the mountain with "God’s Isaac." While Abraham was binding his son on Mount Moriah, God was also binding "God’s Isaac." Mount Moriah was not a place where Abraham found God, but where God called Abraham’s name and came to find him. God released Isaac, who was rightfully supposed to die. He liberated the one who should have been cut into pieces and died as a burnt offering due to his own sin, and He took the knife out of Abraham’s hand.

 

And in that place, He laid the "Isaac of God." Do you not see the image of Jesus Christ climbing Mount Moriah carrying the wood for the sacrifice? Do you remember Jesus Christ, who carried the cross and climbed Mount Moriah, Mount Zion, and the hill of Golgotha? God placed Jesus Christ in that spot on Mount Zion, on Mount Moriah, and on the hill of Golgotha. We only come to realize the reality of the wood we were carrying for the sacrifice once we arrive there. We see that Jesus Christ is dying in that place. It is only then that we face our despair, our death, and all the greed and sin we have held onto. We realize only then that the place where we were supposed to die—the place where we should have groaned in pain and despair under that heavy burden—has become a place of consolation, joy, and gratitude.

 

This Lamb appears once again at the Passover. The Passover lamb stayed in the same house with the people of Israel for four days. Why was the lamb intended for sacrifice not slaughtered immediately but kept for four days? It was to show that this lamb was the people of Israel themselves, and that the fate of the lamb was the fate of Israel. Thus, the lamb died instead, and Israel, which should have died, instead gained freedom. Now, in the Gospel of John, we witness God’s "Last Lamb." It is the Lamb of God who has become one with us. He became one with us by receiving baptism alongside us, and He became one with us by personally lying in the place where we were supposed to die. And on the cross, He cried out, "I am thirsty." In this way, the Lord became completely one with us.

 

Friends, is your life not thirsty? In the midst of that thirst, the Lord gave us living water to drink and died thirsty himself. To give us true freedom and life, He died in our place where we should have died. The Lamb we meet at the end of our great journey of faith is the very Lamb who, being one with us, will hold a wedding banquet in the Kingdom of God and bestow all blessings upon us. He is not the lamb of David, nor the lamb of Abraham, nor the lamb of Moses, but your Lamb and mine. Friends, will you not taste the living water in this thirsty world together with that Lamb? Will you not die with Him and live with Him, and fully enjoy the consolation of heaven?

 

Let us pray.

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Help us to cast away the arrogant righteousness of trying to exalt ourselves and instead stand as humble servants who pave the path upon which the Lord will tread. Even amidst the wounds and despair of the world, let us lay down our human expectations and grant us spiritual eyes to look only upon Your promise: "I will be with you."

 

We look to Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, who carried the wood of sin that we should have carried and died upon, and climbed Golgotha. We believe that because the Lord received judgment in our place, eternal consolation has come to us.

 

As Your people now go out into this parched world, pour out the Holy Spirit without limit upon them, so that they may live a life of victory, confessing every day, "My cup overflows."

 

In the name of Jesus Christ, who became one with us, we pray. Amen.