Behold the Lamb of God

[0:00] Now for a few moments this morning I want to turn with you back to the portion of scripture that we read there in John chapter 1 and to read down at verse 45 where we read that Philip findeth Nathanael and said unto him, We have found him of whom Moses in the law and the prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip said unto him, Come and see.

[0:41] Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him and said of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile or deceit. Nathanael said unto him, Whence knowest thou me? How do you know me?

[0:59] Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. Nathanael answered and said unto him, Rabbi, thou art the son of God, thou art the king of Israel.

[1:18] We talk very often about discoveries that we make ourselves or other people make and there are eureka points in life when great discoveries are made.

[1:35] But here in the scripture is the greatest discovery of all that any sinner in this world can make.

[1:46] And that is to discover that they themselves are sinners and that Jesus Christ is the only savior. Now that might not be palatable to some of us, but that is the facts of scripture.

[2:03] And that is the word of God. We see down through the chapter there how confused their minds were. And if we had lived in that time as well, we would also be confused.

[2:19] We are surrounded today by books and we are surrounded by the New Testament. And they all didn't have the New Testament. And because of that within the court, they knew Moses and they knew about these things.

[2:32] But they knew nothing, very little about this one. Although all the signs pointed from the Old Testament into the New Testament of the fulfillment of the great prophecy from the very beginning that Jesus Christ was going to come.

[2:50] But they were very impatient in his coming because they weren't really, they were exercising their own minds and their understanding of what this coming really was.

[3:06] And that is why we find them, they're questioning John the Baptist here. They're asking him, who are you? Or in other words, who do you think you are?

[3:18] And John says that he's not the Messiah, he said. He's not anywhere near it. But he said, what I am, he says, I am, as Paul said, by the grace of God, I am, he said, a voice calling in the wilderness.

[3:38] Prepare for the one who is coming. And that one that is coming is the Christ, the one who was in their midst there. And we, he said, the world knew him not.

[3:53] But he said, as many as received him, to them gave he the right or the power to be the children of God. And these are people who were not born of the blood, my friend, of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

[4:18] But of God. And this is the one that they confess here, that they have found. John said, behold the Lamb of God, he said. Don't behold me.

[4:29] Don't look to me, John says. Luke, he says, above me, to the Lamb of God, he said, who takes away the son, the sins of the world. This is the one who was promised that he would come.

[4:44] And I'm not worthy, he says, of undoing or doing his sandals, he says. And that was the most menial of tasks that anybody could have.

[4:55] The servant who tied their sandals and tied their shoes or whatever it was. But now these same people are making this great discovery of who Jesus Christ really is.

[5:10] And that is the discovery that you and I and all need to know. It's not couched in theology.

[5:22] It's not couched in quick questions or snap questions. It's just asking them straightly. Who are you looking for here this morning?

[5:33] Are you looking for, to tick a box? Or are you here with a mission to be right with God? To find out who this Jesus Christ really is?

[5:48] And that is the answer to the big question in the world and throughout the whole world. Is a lack of knowledge of who Jesus Christ is.

[6:01] And that is what everybody who is a true Christian professes. That Jesus Christ is the Son of God. But he had to go through multiple ways of showing them that.

[6:15] And that is why we see here that when Jesus here finds Philip, he said. He findeth Philip. Now that might sound strange.

[6:29] Because usually people go around saying that they found Jesus. And we know what they mean, you see.

[6:39] We know our own language and our own understanding of these things. As if it was, we have found Jesus. That's not what he's saying here. He said, Jesus found Philip.

[6:51] And Jesus found Nathanael. And he knew all about Nathanael. They didn't have to come and tell him anything regarding that.

[7:03] And this is why that we see that the true Christian friend. We need to learn that the prerogative is always God's.

[7:16] The first point of when this work begins in your life. The first stages of it is from God. This is before the world was.

[7:29] Before eternity was. I knew you. I knew you. He said. And that is why it is so important that our faith is founded upon the word of God.

[7:44] Upon the truth of God. Not what man says. But what God is saying to us here. That he found Philip. He found Philip. And by that.

[7:55] By that. It is. Makes all the difference. That is why. It is eternally. He's eternally found. No amount of doubt.

[8:08] He said. Made him way for. Concerning the promises of God. That's what Abraham. Was said about him. No amount of doubt. And that doesn't do away with doubt.

[8:21] My friend. That we know these things. It actually brings the doubts in. More so. Than locks them out. And that is here. The Holy Spirit.

[8:32] Is sovereign. In its work. And it's sovereign. And that's why we must pray. For the Holy Spirit. Before we try to do anything.

[8:43] In God's name. In Christ's name. For he has told us. Without me. He said. You can't do nothing. You can't do nothing. You can do a lot of harm. You can talk all day.

[8:54] But without me. Nothing is going to happen. He said. And that is why. It is important. That he has. This place. In our lives. Christ spoke directly with him.

[9:09] And said. Jesus. Find Philip. And he goes on. From that one. To another. And through all the different circumstances.

[9:21] And providential ways. That God works through. So are. To bring a soul. From darkness. To light. You might not think.

[9:32] That there is darkness. In you. Today. Here. You might think. That you're quite good. You're quite sufficient. And you're. Nothing bothers you. Regarding these things. Providing. As long as you are in the church.

[9:43] Here. But. Let me tell you. You need more. Than the church. My friend. You need more. Than the church. You need. To be. A Christian. You need to be in Christ.

[9:53] My friend. That is the important thing. Not being in church. That's important. All these things are fine. In their own place. But we need.

[10:04] My friend. To be closer. To God. Than that. And because. Of that. Jesus said. I am the doer. He said. If any man enter.

[10:15] He shall be saved. He said. He shall be saved. Diversities. Of operations. By way. Of the saving. Of souls. Thousands. And ten thousands.

[10:26] Of God's chariots. As he pleases. To. To deal with us. Here. But. As J.C. Ryle said. Many. Many. Years ago.

[10:39] He said. That all. Through Christians. Are led. By one spirit. Are washed. In one blood. Serve one Lord.

[10:53] Lean. Upon one. Saviour. Believe. One truth. And walk. By one. General. Rule. Rule. And that.

[11:05] Puts it. Very succinctly. All. That is. In a Christian. Led by one spirit.

[11:18] Washed in one blood. Serve one Lord. Lean upon one saviour. And one truth.

[11:29] And walk. By one. General. Rule. It's not. Walking. As we want. Ourselves. To do everything. We want. Ourselves.

[11:39] Or anything. Like that. No. There is discipline. In this life. And that is why. We find it here. He put a new song.

[11:50] In my mouth. My God. He said. To magnify. Not to magnify. Myself. Not to magnify. The company. The people. Or whatever. But.

[12:01] To magnify God. And that is how we must leave this place today. Have I magnified God? Have I praised God? Have I. Have God.

[12:12] Know that the praise comes from my heart. To see him. And that is the same man. Who comes here. And findeth Nathaniel.

[12:24] He finds Nathaniel. And he says. An Israelite. In whom. There is no guile. And Nathaniel.

[12:34] Before that. Had said. Well. Can any good thing. Come out of Nazareth? They said. Surely. That is not a man. Without guile. Is it? Guile.

[12:46] Is the old way. Of saying. Deceit. Was that not prejudiced? What he said there? How can he say. No good. Can come out. Of Nazareth.

[12:57] But that is what he said. And Jesus. Says. That Nathaniel. Is one. Man. Without. Deceit. He is exactly.

[13:08] What he is. On the inside. That is how God sees it. God sees the inside. Man looks. On the outside. We are happy. Providing everything is fine.

[13:20] On the outside. But God searches. The heart. And that is the worrying thing. For us all. He said. He was an honest man.

[13:32] He was sincere. He was a child of Abraham. Also. A Jew. Without duplicity. Nothing. Because he expected.

[13:44] The promised Messiah. Promised Messiah. And that was very much. The exception. At that time. When Christ came.

[13:56] Into this world. The world had not. Known. Such darkness. As it had. At that time. But so little.

[14:07] Witnesses. In the world. When he burst. Into the world. In the incarnation. And we need to worry.

[14:17] About that. In our own lives. In our own land. And in our country. That we are. We are slowly. Diminishing. The light is diminishing. In our midst.

[14:28] A lot of. Our Christian friends. Have left this world. And left it. As a darker place. Because of that. And then the. The powers of darkness. Come in. Try.

[14:38] To extinguish. The light. But he said. That is something. That has been going on. From the beginning. Of time. That the light.

[14:50] Shineth. In the darkness. And the darkness. Comprehended. It. Not. Couldn't. Comprehend. But they couldn't.

[15:01] Extinguish it. That is why. You are on safe ground. Today. In Christ. That nothing. Can extinguish. The light of God. That God has lit up.

[15:12] In your heart. It is himself. It is himself. That is within you. Christ. In us. He said. The hope. Of glory. And what do we think.

[15:23] About that. And there is a man. He was a very straight man. He was a man. Who was expecting. And this man. Didn't expect this.

[15:35] Reply. When. Jesus said that. To him. He said. In other words. Here is a man. I can work on this man. I can work. In his life.

[15:46] Here is a woman. I can work. In his life. The woman. At the well of Samaria. I can work. On this person. My brain. Because. She wasn't saying.

[15:57] Christ said. I have come. He says. The sick. He says. Have no need. Of a doctor. But those. Who are ill. He said. They need the doctor. They need the doctor. And that is why.

[16:08] He said. I can work. On Nathaniel. I can get him. To say. What I want him. To say. He was.

[16:19] A seeker. My brain. Nathaniel. Was a seeker. And I wonder. If you are. A seeker. Here this morning. Are you a. Secret seeker.

[16:30] Well. You wouldn't be. Or you wouldn't be here. You might be. In your home. Wishing. And hoping. And what not. But. This is a.

[16:42] Seeking. Here. For. A savior. So that. You might. Know. What. True. Freedom. Really is.

[16:52] When you look. Out of the world. There. And all the young. People. Not all the young. People. But a lot of the young. People. There's so much. That's packed. Into their lives. And.

[17:04] Day school. And night school. And after school. Or whatever it is. There has to be something. Always happening. So that the children. Have. Haven't. A hope.

[17:15] Of hearing anything. In the gospel. And that is how the world. Operates. That's how Satan. Operates. To keep us. Keep us busy. So that we don't stop.

[17:25] To think. Of the eternal issues. The things that make. For our peace. And this is him. This is this man.

[17:37] Here. This is his position. He stretches. The gospel. Hand. Out. By grace to him. He said to him.

[17:48] You come. And see. You come. And see. If this is right. If this. If I am. Who I say I am.

[17:59] Is that not. Oh his name. I am. That I am. But there's. Nathaniel's. Predicament. Also. Says. How do you know me.

[18:10] He said. How do you know me. Well. We sang there. At the beginning. That God. Is the searcher. And the seeker.

[18:21] Of every secret thought. In our heart. Here this morning. Your heart. Is wide open. To God. Wide open. With all the good things.

[18:32] And the bad things. In our life. And we're all. A mixture of both. And that is why Saul. In his. Zeal.

[18:43] For the gospel. His own. Type of gospel. Sent. Went. With a book. With a letter. To Damascus. That day. Without a thought. About Christ.

[18:54] But to kill. All the Christians. All those who were standing. On Christ's side. He was to annihilate them. Out of outside. Because. They were standing. In his way.

[19:05] Of religion. In his way. Of thinking. And there are many. Like that today. Who have their own. Thought. On what. What being a Christian is.

[19:18] But that won't stand. You. On that day. It won't stand. He had to fall. On the ground. There. In his full flight.

[19:28] He had to fall down. And say. Lord. Who art thou Lord? Who art thou? See. He knew immediately. Who it was. And this is what Christ. Wants you to know here.

[19:39] And the scripture. Wants you to know. Who Jesus Christ is. That he is. The son of God. And until you know. Who Jesus Christ is. You will not be able.

[19:50] To know. What Jesus Christ. Is able to do. In your own. Personal life. Not in somebody else's life. Right. Not in somebody else's life. Because that's very often.

[20:00] How we measure. Ourselves. Against other people. And I'm better than this person. That. We're all sinners. My friend. We're all sinners. And we all need.

[20:11] To know this. Who Jesus Christ is. That I might know. What is. And confess. That there is nothing. He is. Unable to do.

[20:22] Nothing. Not just. To change. Your life. Here today. But. Every person. Out there. Even in the gutters. Of the land.

[20:33] Where in he is able. To do that. Because. He has all power. In heaven. And. Upon earth. Christ was saying.

[20:45] I know you. I know you. Jesus saw him coming. He said. And that word saw. That's a very. Important meaning. It's not the same.

[20:56] As seeing with the eye. He saw it coming. Saw him coming. May you be here today. Maybe. And. You're just yourself.

[21:08] You think. That's. As far as I'm fine. Myself. That's fine. Well. You need more than that. You need more than that. I need more than that. Everybody needs more than that.

[21:19] And that is why. We feel so strongly. About salvation. Atonement. And all these things. Is. We want. The best. For everybody.

[21:30] Okay. Not a second best. Not a pseudo-Christianity. Not a sectish. Christianity. We want. The real thing.

[21:42] And he said. Do you know. Who I am. He said. And John said to him. The Lamb of God. He said. That takes away.

[21:52] The sin. Of the world. He said. I may see you. That God knows. Everything about you. Behind. Before. The hospice.

[22:03] He said. And laid on me. Thy hand. This knowledge is too hard. It's too high. To understand. My friend. We fall short of.

[22:14] But when. The truth. Hooks you. Hooks you. It searches you. You may try.

[22:25] To shake it off. But this is. An eternal. Calling. It's an effectual. Calling. And anything. That's effectual. Comes with. With the.

[22:36] All the power. Of God. Behind it. And you have. To submit. To this. Passion. Nathaniel. Had no knowledge.

[22:46] Of this. He. He didn't. Certainly. Didn't think. He would be submitting. To God. Or to any person. At that time. But how little. Of God's power. Changes. Alive.

[22:57] Alive. Changes. Alive. Totally. Totally. Don't be looking at. At what it has done. In somebody else's life. That you find fault. In that person.

[23:09] But. You look at it. And what is possible. To do. In your own life. That's how. The devil. Immediately. Diverts. The system. Onto somebody else.

[23:21] But that's not. Your concern. Or my concern. In the deepest sense. Our concern. Is that we are. Shortly. Going to leave. Time. Here. And we are. To head up. To be. Faced.

[23:31] The face. At the judgment seat. Of God. And Christ. What do you think. Of him. What do you think. Of Christ. He said. What do you think.

[23:43] Who do you say. That I. Well. Christ's perception. Then. Says. Oh he said. Before Philip. Before Philip. Called you. Under the fig tree.

[23:56] There. Says. I knew you. I saw you. Before Philip. Opened his mouth. He said. I saw you. There is nothing. God doesn't see. As I said before.

[24:06] And this is a stunner. For this man. It practically. Stunns him. He thought. That nobody knew. This is the arrow. That pierced his heart.

[24:19] And that's what we need. The scripture. To go forth. As an arrow. Full of this Holy Spirit. Into our hearts. So that our hearts. Are enlarged.

[24:30] And we can. Accommodate more. Of the scriptures. And of the truth. Well. There was one thing. That happened. Under the. The fig tree.

[24:41] There it says. Nathanael knew. What it was. Nobody else. Knew. What it was. And that is a picture. Of our own selves.

[24:53] That there might be. A secret. Sin. Lying there. In us. Barring the door. The door. My friend. Behind. Keeping it. From opening up.

[25:04] To Christ. A lot of speculation. As to what. This was. Was it some secret sin. Was it a vow. That he had given. One time. When he was.

[25:15] Not well. And. Remember. When you're. Not well. You think of a lot of things. And then. He about. Something to the Lord. That if the Lord. Would only. Loosen him. From this situation.

[25:26] He would be there. But. After we. We get on our feet. We don't have any. Much word about. But God remembers. All our vows. That we have made. And this was also.

[25:40] The way that. Some of the Jews. How they worshipped. Silently. Under the fig tree. The red. The old testament. Is it. And God. Had taken note.

[25:50] Of all these things. And just like David. When the man. Came to him. And told him. About the Ulam. And how cruelly. He had been treated.

[26:02] And he said. Oh I'm going to kill that. Oh he said. But you are. The man. He said. It went home. Right into. His heart. Thou art the man. He said.

[26:13] It's personal. My dear friend. It is personal. Now. That is why. We need to deal. With God. On a one to one. Basis. He knows.

[26:25] Our victory. He knows. All our secrets. He knows. Our morality. Our other wise. Our Christianity. And our Phariseeism.

[26:37] As well. So we pray that. This becomes an issue. That the spirit of the Lord. Would convict you.

[26:49] And then lead you. To convert you. Of your sins. But you say. But I don't. Yes. Everybody sins. Everybody.

[27:00] Everybody sins. We have original sin. In us. My dear friend. Before we.

[27:10] We. We begin. Our own. Sinning. In this world. And that is why. We need. This. Forgiveness. Because.

[27:23] If you leave this world. The way. You are. If you are not. In Christ today. There is no. Instrument. In the grave. My friend. There is no instrument there. To turn you.

[27:33] This way. Or that way. As a tree falls. There. It must. Lie. Lie there. My friend. It does not matter. About the eulogy. It does not matter.

[27:45] About the tribe. That goes out. From a people. Makes no difference. To God. It says. He said. Do you know my son? He said. That is what I am interested in.

[27:56] Nothing else. And that is Nathaniel's. Profession. My friend. He professes. The word. He said. The son of God. See how quickly. Everything happened. To him.

[28:08] From being. Coming from there. Over here. And now he knows. That this is the Christ. And that is the whole. Reason that we have.

[28:18] The scriptures here. To undo. And unblock. Our own prejudices. And all. Our own presuppositions. And what not. And see it.

[28:29] In the light. Of scripture. Who Jesus Christ is. And he says to us. Follow me. He didn't say. Follow that person. Or the other person.

[28:40] They're like sheep. Like that. We are easily. Led us away. And we go down. This way. And that way. But he said. Follow me. That's what we have. To do this. Course correction. Every so often.

[28:51] To make sure. That we are. Where we ought to be. Follow me. He says. And do you know. Of anybody. That Christ has. Given the wrong directions to.

[29:02] Never. Never. Follow me. He said. Means. Follow me. Home. Follow me. Holy. In this life. Holy.

[29:15] In this world. God. And that's not an easy thing. Although he said. He wasn't without guile. He didn't say. He was without sin. Not at all. And that's what had to be dealt with.

[29:28] And that was. Taken away. When he recognized. Who Christ is. Amazing. How simple. It is. And yet.

[29:38] How complex. It is. How difficult. It is. For us. Because. The prerogative. Is God's. When God comes. Starts knocking on the door.

[29:49] Of your heart. There. He wants submission. That he wants you. To open that door. That is. The sovereignty of God. And that is. The responsibility.

[30:01] Of man. And somebody asked. Spurgeon. How do you reconcile these two? He said. To them. I never reconcile. Friends.

[30:11] He said. You don't need to reconcile. Friends. His enemies. That need to be reconciled. His sins. Were taken away. And that is why.

[30:24] He is the bridge. Between. Heaven. And earth. Here. And there is to be. None other. No other. Time. Here for us.

[30:34] Is a breathing space. Between. Two eternities. Two eternities. And by that. It doesn't depend.

[30:45] Even on our knowledge. Of the Bible. Our knowledge. Of it. That might be a stumbling block. That might be. Keeping the door shut. Because we have set conditions. Before God.

[30:55] On how. He is to open the door. And he says. Open it. Come. And see. He said. For yourself. Come and see. There is a prayer meeting.

[31:06] Here every week. And that is exactly. What it is all about. For people to come. And see. For themselves. Don't leave it to somebody else.

[31:16] To judge it for you. Or to think that you know better than God. You don't. And I don't. Make sure. Make sure.

[31:28] That. Your eternity. Is an endless hope. Not. A hopeless end. And the difference between.

[31:41] Is Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. And that. Would give us. All. Joy. In our hearts. In the midst of all the sorrow. All the pain.

[31:52] All the anguish. And all the other things. That come and go. In our life. Together. But we can say. Thou art Christ. The son. Of the living God.

[32:03] And he said to him. Blessed are you. Because. Flesh and blood. Has not revealed. That to you. But my father. Who is in heaven.

[32:16] And that. Seals it. All for us. On this morning. Jesus. Christ. Of Nazareth. Here. Is passing by.

[32:28] He's passing by. Here today. Be passing by. Here tonight. Also. And he might be knocking. At your door. At your victory.

[32:40] To see. Whether. You are. What you say. That you are. You're as clean. Inside. As.

[32:51] It is. Outside. May God bless. To us. Those few. Moments. Together. Around this world. And may it be. A means.

[33:02] Of encouraging us. A means. Of strengthening us. A means. Of upholding us. A means. Of keeping us going. Along the way.

[33:12] In the midst of everything. That life. Throws at us. And throw it at you. If you want. The world. To throw something at you. You be a Christian.

[33:24] And you'll know exactly. The meaning. Of this word. So you want a challenge. Then. You follow Christ. To be with God.

[33:44] Forever. We can sing. Psalm 23. And things like that. But that doesn't mean a thing. Unless we know. What we are saying. That we will dwell. In the house of the Lord. Forever.

[33:56] Psalm 37. At verse 3. Set thou thy trust. Upon the Lord. And be thou doing good.

[34:07] And so thou in the land. Shall dwell. And verily have food. Delight thyself in God. He'll give thine heart's desire. To thee. Thy way to God commit.

[34:18] Him thrust it bring. To pass shall he. And like unto the light. He shall thy righteousness display. And he thy judgments. Shall bring forth. Like noontide of the day.

[34:30] Rest in the Lord. And patiently. Wait for him. Do not fret. For him. Who prospering in his way. Success. In sin.

[34:41] Doth get. Those verses to God's praise. Set thou thy trust. Upon the Lord.kahen.难 He hath thyself in the limit, thy heart's desire to lead.

[35:32] Thy way to God's promise in God's degree to power shall lead.

[35:48] And by God through the mighty shards thy righteousness play.

[36:03] And he thy judgment shall bring forth thy good time of the day.

[36:19] Rest in the Lord and patiently wait for him who not rest.

[36:35] For him who offering in his way subsistence in again.

[36:53] And now may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit rest upon you. And abide with you now and evermore. Amen.