“Watch the Lamb” (John 1:29-34)

*Crucifixion, by Matthias Grünewald

It’s a Wonderful Life!

Perhaps some of you have had a chance to watch the classical movie, It’s a Wonderful Life. In the movie George Bailey becomes overwhelmed by his troubles and reaches a point where he wishes he had never been born. Then the angel Clarence shows him what life would have been like without him. Suddenly, George sees his family, his friends, and his whole community with new eyes. Nothing around him has changed, but he has changed. He begins to see that what he thought was an ordinary life was actually a wonderful life.

Perhaps today, some of us need to be given new eyes. My prayer is that, for those who are searching, you may see the gift God has promised through Jesus, who said, “I came that you may have life, and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10) And for those who already believe, may God rekindle our wonder, our joy, and our commitment. The gospel gives us more than a new perspective; it gives us new life.

Forgiven
In this scripture, we see what it means to have new life in two ways: forgiveness and empowerment. First of all, when we come to Jesus and trust in him, we receive forgiveness of our sins. John declared, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29) At that time, people came out to John the Baptist. They confessed their sins and were baptized. John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance and cleansing. But one day, Jesus, who had no sin, came to John and asked to be baptized. So what was happening here?

Gordon MacDonald once told this story in a powerful way. He was a pastor at Grace Chapel in Lexington, MA for 12 years. In 1987 he publicly confessed and repented of an adulterous affair. He experienced God’s forgiveness in a very personal way. He asks us to imagine the scene of Jesus’ baptism if it had happened in the twenty-first century. Imagine John’s baptism taking place in our lifetime. People are coming to be baptized, so someone sets up a registration table. They hand out name tags to everyone who wants to be baptized. When you register, the person at the table asks, “What’s your name? And what sins do you need to repent of?” You might say, “My name is Gordon, and I’m an adulterer.” So every person being baptized receives a name tag with their name and their sin, written underneath. My name tag might say, “Victor.” And underneath it might say, “Hypocrisy. Pride. Judgmental spirit.”

Then Jesus comes. Jesus doesn’t need a name tag. But before he enters the water, he asks each of us to take off our name tags. And then Jesus puts all our name tags on himself. Mine and yours. My name and your name. My sins and your sins. And Jesus goes down into the waters of baptism, identifying himself with our sin. That is why Jesus was baptized by John. Jesus became our sin, and we became his righteousness. (2 Corinthians 5:21)


That is the context of Isaiah 53:

“Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering… he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” (4-5)

In 1515, Matthias Grünewald painted the Crucifixion. It was painted for a hospital caring for people suffering from a terrible disease called ergotism. This disease brought unbearable suffering—painful seizures, violent spasms, constant diarrhea, relentless vomiting. Many people died in agony, their bodies twisted by the disease. And in this painting, Christ is depicted as if he, too, were suffering from the disease. His limbs are distorted and twisted. The artist wanted those who were suffering to see this: Jesus suffers with you, and Jesus suffers for you. To Christ’s left, John the Baptist stands, pointing his long finger toward the crucified Lord. And at John’s feet stands a lamb carrying a cross, as if to say, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” This is the good news. Jesus entered into our deepest pain. He bore our sin. He carried our suffering. By his wounds, we are healed. We are forgiven.

Empowered
But there is more! The new life God has promised through Jesus is not only about being cleansed from the past, our guilt, and our shame. It’s also about empowered living.

When Jesus was baptized, John saw the Spirit coming down from heave like a dove. Then he testified, “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.'" (John 1:33)

As Jesus began his ministry, he declared his mission, quoting from Isaiah 61: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor." (Luke 4:18-19) Jesus brought God’s kingdom here and now. Jesus brings new life to us through the power of the Holy Spirit.

William Temple explained this new life in Christ this way: “It is no use asking me to write a play like Shakespeare. I cannot. But if the spirit of Shakespeare lived in me, then I could. In the same way, we cannot live like Jesus on our own. But if the Spirit of Jesus lives in us, then we can.” Jesus promised: “The Spirit… abides with you, and will be in you.” (John 14:17) When we trust and follow Jesus, we are given a new heart, new desires, new strength – strength to love, to forgive, and to live for God and for others.

Last Sunday, I shared with you how I experienced divine healing. But the even more amazing thing was what God was doing inside me.

After my military service, I returned to college to finish my studies. Those were some of the most transformative years of my life. It felt like as if light had pierced my darkness. I felt a sense of being at home. I felt a sense of purpose and direction. I felt a sense of wholeness. And my “restless” wandering was gone. Yes, as human beings, we all wander. We are restless people. But the degree of that restlessness can be very different. Before, I felt like I was restless, floating in the water just trying to survive. Now, I still feel restless at times. But deep in my heart, I feel like I am on the deck – safe and secure. This is my story. But this is also our story.

Watch the Lamb!
A friend of mine once shared with me her story of spiritual homecoming. She grew up in the church, but during her teenage years, she drifted away from God. She was wandering. Then, in college, a friend invited her to a prayer meeting. During the prayer time, she began to weep. After a while, she saw a vision. Right in front of her stood Jesus, with his arms stretched out toward her. She asked, “Where were you when I cried out for help?” And Jesus replied, “My daughter, I have been waiting for you with outstretched arms for twenty years.”

Friends, there is a wonderful life available to us, and promised to us, in Christ. The Bible says, “Anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons!” (2 Corinthians 5:17, MSG) This is the new day. Have you found this wonderful life in Christ? Come. Watch the Lamb of God. Look to Jesus and live!