Have you ever had someone tell you something that you did not expect to hear, and it totally shocked you? We all have some of these in common: the assassination attempt on President Reagan, the explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger, or 9/11 are all moments in history that shocked us so much that most of us remember what we were doing when we heard the news. But then there are times that are not so common to the general populous.
o I remember when my brother called me to tell me he had aggressive colon cancer. I sat outside of a church member’s home. I had just arrived to start a family fun night and my brother called my cell phone to give me the news. Stunned in silence and then overcome with emotion as I briefly considered the unknown.
o I remember when Charis (my wife) announced to me she was pregnant with our fourth child. You see, two things would usually happen every time she was pregnant. First, she would start dropping things – a lot. Second, she would love cutting open a lemon and sucking it dry. So, to tell me she was pregnant with our fourth child, she came downstairs to my office…waited for me to look up from my sermon preparation…and proceeded to suck a lemon dry to the rind. With no other words, I looked at her and said, “You’re kidding!”
Shocking statements or announcements have a way of getting our attention, don’t they? John the Baptist makes a shocking statement in John 1:29 that certainly gained the attention of the Jews of the day.
“Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”
Perfection - “lamb of God.”
This phrase indicates something the Jews of the day would understand. The Jews were in the practice of making sacrifices to God to atone for their sin. The blood of a PERFECT lamb would need to be shed to atone for their sin.
To declare Jesus as the lamb of God would declare perfection. No blemish. No sin. This lamb didn’t require judgment, so He would be free to take other’s judgment in their stead.
Sacrifice – “lamb of God.”
The Jews of the day would also understand that this phrase referred to Jesus as a sacrifice. A fatal sacrifice would be the thinking as they compared this declaration to their practice of sacrificing a lamb for their sins.
This would be a jarring declaration, but it probably presented some confusion as well. We know the disciples didn’t fully understand His purpose from the beginning AND the Jewish people largely looked at Jesus as the earthly king to save them from Roman oppression.
Payment – “which taketh away the sin of the world.”
This would apply to everyone. World-wide. Complete removal of judgment available to all who accept this sacrifice (this payment) as their own.
We all want the truth. Right? Well, maybe not. Have you ever had someone ask you if this outfit made them look fat? Or they got a new haircut and they ask if you like it? They usually want you to flatter them no matter what you really think. Right? I mean, who wants to tell someone they look fat or their haircut is a devastating mistake?!
Sometimes, our human reasoning leads us to want to believe a lie instead of the truth. These three truths (perfection, sacrifice, and payment) lead us to reckon three beliefs as lies.
3 Lies to Stop Believing
1. Seeking additional ways to guarantee heaven as my eternal destination.
Jesus was the PERFECT LAMB. If additional means are needed, then Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross wasn’t enough…then that would mean, Jesus is not enough…He isn’t the PERFECT sacrifice…He isn’t able to take away the sins of the world. Good news! Jesus is MORE than enough! Jesus is the perfect lamb.
Stop trying to add to His sacrifice to make it enough (baby baptism, church attendance, confirmation, 10 commandments. being a good person, etc…). Nothing needs to be added to Jesus’ sacrifice. It is complete. We are complete in Him! (John 3:16-18; I John 4:10) (sing Complete in Thee)
2. Ways to earn my forgiveness or to earn the favor of God.
The first lie affects the unregenerate (ones who have not personally accepted God’s gift of salvation). The second lie affects the child of God. The perfect sacrifice has already been made for me. The ransom has been paid in full. The work of salvation “was finished” on the cross. God cannot love me anymore than He does right now (I John 4:19; Jeremiah 31:3). God’s grace for the believer is accessible by faith (Romans 5:2). We must aim to present good works to God as an outcome of my faith in Him…as a demonstration of my love for Him (John 14:15) --- NOT as a means to earn His favor or grace.
3. Living as though victory over sinful words, actions, and thoughts is hopeless.
We believers were placed into a position of victory at the moment of salvation. The perfect lamb of God took away the sins of the world with His gift of salvation – by grace through faith (Ephesians 1:7, 11-12)!
What is often the problem then? A wrong view of sin’s nature (at least in part). When we consider choosing sinful choices, we usually consider the pleasure of sin…not the horror, wicked, evil nature and outcomes of sin!
What is often the problem then? A wrong view of sin’s future. The pleasure lasts for a brief time. The baggage of our choices can last a lifetime or even for an eternity.
o Gossip or slander – lifts you up because it presses others down, but it demeans the view others have of you and breaks down trust in you with those to whom you are speaking. If you are willing to talk about others to them, then you are willing to talk about them to others (James 3:8-10).
o Lying – saves you from “getting caught now,” but it always catches up to you (Proverbs 12:22; Ephesians 4:25). This breaks down trust in relationships. Trust is a crucial factor for relationships and takes long periods of time to rebuild.
o Illicit online activities – releases endorphins (pleasure seeking hormones) into the blood stream. It is usually very private – so no one else knows. You fool yourself into thinking it is no big deal…you aren’t harming anyone (you reason in your mind). Here’s the problem: it’s a huge deal!
1. These websites are fueled by human trafficking…this makes you a supporter of human trafficking.
2. These online activities affect how you view the opposite gender…a view that changes faster than you will want to admit.
3. These online activities are addictive.
4. These online activities WILL affect your real relationships (i.e. – spouse, co-workers, younger extended family members, and even strangers).
5. These online activities are clearly outside the best view of – the correct view of – relationships…the biblical view of relationships. These illicit online activities are sin! Case closed.
Imagine if a man came to your door and said, “You have won a prize! All your debt is now paid off in full! You mortgage, your credit card, your car loan, your medical bills – everything is paid in full!” Many, if not most would reply, “Are you kidding me?!” We would say that because it had been what we longed for, but it seemed too good to be true. Is this how we handle our relationship with Jesus?
Here’s the truth…
1. Jesus is the only way to heaven…I cannot add anything to make heaven a reality for me or anyone else.
2. Jesus cannot love me any more than He does right now. He wants to pour his favor on me.
3. Jesus’ gift of salvation puts me in the position of victorious Christian living.