[0:00] We're going to begin our worship by singing to God's praise. We're going to sing in Psalm 95, the Scottish Psalter version, page 357.! Psalm 95, page 357.
[0:14] We're going to sing from verse 1 to verse 6, a psalm that leads us very much into worship, a psalm that speaks of coming to sing to the Lord, to sing our praise to him, to make a joyful noise to the Lord.
[0:29] We're going to sing from verse 1 to verse 6, the tomb of his brother, James' heir. We stand to sing. Of our salvation.
[1:04] A joyful noise speak to the roar of our salvation. Let us sing sounds to him with grace and make a joyful noise.
[1:35] Let us sing sounds to him with grace and make a joyful noise.
[1:47] What God and great God and great King have above all thoughts he is. What God and great King have above all thoughts he is.
[2:18] To him that spacious sea he loved, for he the same did me.
[2:30] That dry land also from his hand is for my first pity. That dry land also from his hand is for my first pity.
[2:51] O come and let us worship him, let us bow down with all.
[3:02] And on our knees before the Lord, our maker let us fall. And on our knees before the Lord, our maker let us fall.
[3:32] Let's bow our heads in a word of prayer, let us pray. Our Father in heaven, as we gather this evening hour, we thank you to be able to come in worship of you.
[3:46] We thank you that we have been able to sing of that very privilege, to sing of the delight and the praise that we are to offer up to you. We are to come and make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
[4:00] And we thank you that that is what you are to so many of us here, that you are the rock. The rock upon which our salvation is built and our very own personal salvation.
[4:13] We thank you that we can know you as that rock. And we pray for others maybe who have yet to confess and to commit their lives to you. That they would come to understand you in that way.
[4:25] The joy of worshipping you in the Lord of salvation. The Lord who has done all for his people. And that we are to come. And even as the psalmist says, to come on our knees before the Lord.
[4:40] Our maker let us fall. We see you in that way as well, Lord. That we can only come humbly before you. And the more we see you, the more we acknowledge you.
[4:51] The more we recognize that it is on our knees we approach you. That we are ones who are poor sinners. And yet we thank you for the wonderful saviour we have in your son, Jesus Christ.
[5:05] And so we pray that as we worship you, we would do so in that sense of spirit and truth. That as we come to your word and as we sing praise from it.
[5:16] As we hear it read. As we consider it together. That all that we would do, Lord, would know your blessing behind it. That you would be pleased to be in our midst.
[5:27] That we would know your presence here with us. That we would know your spirit ministering to all of our hearts. For we can approach you, Lord, after a busy week.
[5:38] Maybe even a busy day. We can approach you in so many different ways. With so many different thoughts and feelings in our hearts and head. But yet, Lord, we thank you that you are able to calm us and to still us.
[5:50] And that we pray that even now, Lord. That you would help us to be still in that sense of the psalmist saying. Be still and know that I am God. And so help us even at this hour just to know that calmness within.
[6:05] That peace of being able to hear your voice speaking to us. That peace that prepares our hearts. Not just for worship this evening. But for God willing tomorrow as well.
[6:17] As we seek to gather around the Lord's table. As we seek to do it. In remembrance of all that has been done for us. In the coming of our Lord. In his living in the midst of a fallen world.
[6:31] In his seeing the needs of this world. In weeping over the sin of the world. And ultimately in his giving his life. On the cross.
[6:43] That through his death. Through his shed blood. That we might have life in him. And so we pray, Lord. That you would guide us in all that we do.
[6:54] And hear our prayers. Together as a people this evening. Hear our prayers for each other. Hear our prayers for our loved ones. Hear our prayers for neighbors and friends.
[7:08] And our community as a whole. As we seek your good upon us. As we seek for ourselves to know you better. And to be in that closer relationship and walk with you.
[7:20] And as we pray for others to come and to taste and see of your goodness. As we pray for those who maybe we love so dearly. That we pray for so long for.
[7:32] To come and worship you in that sense of knowing you as their Lord and God. We pray that you will continue to help us to pray. And even for those who maybe we've only known a short time.
[7:44] Or know very little of. Or even those we know nothing about. But see around us on a daily basis. Or even just from time to time. We can have burdens for prayer.
[7:55] For so many different people. And we thank you for the way that you lay that on our hearts. And the way that you help us to remember that. In prayer we come.
[8:06] Acknowledging what we cannot do. But acknowledging that all things are possible with you. And so hear our prayers. Hear our prayers for the church.
[8:17] Why near and far as well. We thank you for all your people. And we thank you for other congregations. Even this weekend. Who have a time of communion.
[8:28] As they meet in Barvis. And back this evening. And tomorrow God willing. For the Lord's Supper. We thank you for the encouragements that you give in these times. And we pray to see your hand upon your church Lord.
[8:42] That we would see sinners being called to repentance. And sinners being saved. We pray to see new people coming to profess the Lord as their Savior.
[8:53] And we thank you for all that you have been doing. And are doing in that way. That you are indeed calling people to yourself. We hear it often Lord. We see so many discouragements around us.
[9:06] But we hear more and more of encouraging news of the church near and far. Of how there is a stirring among young people. Middle aged and old. How there is an interest in the gospel.
[9:18] An interest that in many ways had waned in so many different places. But yet there is a stirring Lord that we would long to see more of. That we would see your word being read and heard and proclaimed throughout our land.
[9:35] That we would see the days of your power in our midst once again. Reviving us as a people and as a nation. And we pray that for the church at large throughout the world.
[9:47] We thank you that you have your people to all ends of the earth. And we pray Lord that you would continue to pour out your blessing on your church near and far. We thank you for all who go out with your word.
[10:01] And in missionary service and ministry service. Throughout all ends of the earth. We thank you that you call your people to serve you in so many different ways.
[10:12] We thank you for those who you have called even from the congregation here. Into ministry near and far as well. We thank you for Muriel and for her ministry over many years in Cambodia.
[10:26] And we continue to pray for her that you would bless her and keep her. And make her to know your grace each and every day. And even as we can look forward to seeing her online, God willing, next week.
[10:39] We thank you for the technology that allows that to enable to be in touch with her. To see her and to hear her. And to encourage one another together. We thank you for others, Lord, who you call to that service as well.
[10:53] And we pray, Lord, that you would encourage more to be involved. We thank you for the service for the street pastors here on last evening. For four new street pastors being commissioned.
[11:05] And we thank you for that team that goes out over the weekends, week by week. Seeking to help and to encourage and to look out for those in the streets of the town.
[11:16] We pray your blessing, your protection over them. And above all, Lord, encouragement in the Lord for them as well. That they would realize that whatever we do in your name, that our labors are not in vain.
[11:30] And so we pray, Lord, that you would build us up in that way. To be your servants in this place. Remember us then and continue with us this evening and over the weekend. To know the blessing of your presence throughout this weekend.
[11:44] Guiding us and helping us. Giving us your peace and the joy of the Lord as our strength. As we seek your face at this time. We ask your blessing over the singing of your praise.
[11:56] We thank you for all of us as he leads us this evening. We pray that you will help us all sing with that joy in our hearts. That we are worshiping you as our Lord. As our maker.
[12:07] As our keeper. The one who has given us that hope of salvation in Christ. So continue with us. Go before us. Pardon us. For all our sin as we come confessing anew.
[12:19] How far short we fall. And yet thankful that with you. There is forgiveness. So hear our prayers. Go before us. And all we ask. We ask in the name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
[12:31] For his sake. And for his glory. Amen. We'll sing again to God's praise. This time in Psalm 119.
[12:42] The Scottish Psalter version. Psalm 119. And we're singing at verse 105. Page 163 of the psalm books.
[12:54] Psalm 119. Section number 14. At verse 105. Singing the whole of this section. To verse 112. Psalm speaks there in verse 105.
[13:08] Of the way the word of God. Is a lamp that shines before my feet. It is a light that guides me. On my way. And that's the word that we seek. This evening together.
[13:19] That the word of God would indeed shine before us. And guide our ways. Your words a lamp that shines before my feet. The tune is Highland Cathedral. And we stand to sing.
[13:37] Your words a lamp that shines before my feet. It is a light that guides me on my way.
[13:51] The oath that I have taken. The oath that I have taken. I've confirmed. That all your righteousness I will obey.
[14:06] O Lord, you know that I have suffered much. Please share my life according to your word. I've said the willing places of my life. Please share my life according to your word.
[14:21] I've said the willing places of my life. The willing places of my life. Instruct me in your righteous laws, O Lord.
[14:39] I will not disrepair to you, Holy Lord. Though constantly my life is in my hands.
[14:54] Although the wicked set a snare for me. I am not left the path of your commands.
[15:07] Your shouts are my heritage always.
[15:20] And every day they make my heart rejoice. My heart is set on keeping your deep peace.
[15:35] And to the very end they are my choice. Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw, Btw chapter, you find it around page 1069. John chapter 1 and at verse 29, let's hear the word of God.
[16:25] The next day he, that's John the Baptist, saw Jesus coming towards him and said, Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me. I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.
[16:53] And John bore witness. I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.
[17:15] And I have seen and have bore witness that this is the Son of God. The next day again, John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, Behold, the Lamb of God. The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.
[17:35] Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, What are you seeking? And they said to him, Rabbi, which means teacher, where are you staying? He said to them, Come and you will see.
[17:51] So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.
[18:06] He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, We have found the Messiah, which means Christ. He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, So you are Simon, the son of John.
[18:23] You shall be called Cephas, which means Peter. The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, Follow me. Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
[18:40] Philip found Nathanael and said to him, We have found him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. Nathanael said to him, Can anything good come out of Nazareth?
[18:56] Philip said to him, Come and see. Jesus saw Nathanael coming towards him and said to him, Behold, an Israelite indeed in whom there is no deceit. Nathanael said to him, How do you know me?
[19:10] Jesus answered him, Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you. Nathanael answered him, Rabbi, you are the son of God. You are the king of Israel.
[19:25] Jesus answered him, Because I said to you, I saw you under the fig tree. Do you believe? You will see greater things than these. And he said to him, Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.
[19:45] Amen. And may God bless that reading from his word. Before we come back to this passage, we're going to sing again to God's praise in Psalm 34. The Sing Psalms version, Psalm 34.
[19:59] We're going to sing from verse 12 down to the end of the psalm. Psalm 34, page 41 of the psalm books, and at verse 12.
[20:11] Does anyone delight in life and long to see good days? Then keep your tongue from evil speech, your lips from lying ways. Depart and turn from evil paths and practice what is right.
[20:23] desire to know the way of peace, pursue it with your might. We're going to sing from verse 12 to the end of the psalm to the tune Bethesda, and we stand to sing.
[20:34] Does anyone delight in life and long to see good days? Then keep your tongue from evil, does anyone delight in life and long to see good days? Then keep your tongue from evil, your lips from evil, you'll be able to see good days. Then keep your tongue from evil, you'll be able to see good days. Then keep your tongue from evil speech, your lips from lying ways.
[21:14] Depart and turn from evil past and practice what is right.
[21:32] Decide to know the way of peace, pursue it with pure might.
[21:50] The Lord sights up upon the just. He listens to let be awakened to ready.
[22:12] Reject and lost! From earth to the love the rest!
[22:25] !! the Lord the responds and feeds when distressed.
[22:39] The Lord grows near the broken heart open and heart and rest to the defense from all the troubles the the Lord will set them free!
[23:09] the Lord set them free! The Lord protects!
[23:20] His every bone and broken none will be! the and broken will be!
[23:33] The wicked I condemn to death all those who hate the just who hate just but saves their soul bear not condemn for him the Lord they trust!
[24:07] the Lord the Lord the Lord the Lord the gospel John and our this evening is verse 29 John chapter 1 verse 29 next day the saw coming him and said behold Lamb God takes sin the world well we are to communion weekend we do so with different things going on in our lives experience we've all got different aspects of life we were busy with but we ask where is our focus as we come this evening and as we look ahead God willing to tomorrow what is our focus on perhaps we all come from different stages of busyness and tiredness of the day of the week of the months of the years we all come with different burdens different things going on but we are coming this evening and God willing tomorrow to have a focus not on that or on ourselves or what is going on around us but to focus on
[25:39] Jesus because we come this weekend as we always do worship with him very much in our focus in front of us but especially as we do so with the Lord's Supper to do this in remembrance of him and so tonight and this evening I want to fix our eyes on Jesus through the word of God and through the sacrament which we'll partake in or watch on and just behold the wonder of such a gracious Saviour for as we come we can often come not just with the burdens of life but with the burden of sin and sin can be a real sense of weight upon us the closer we come to the Lord and as we come to the Lord's table there is that weight of sin that we see our own sin and the sin that took him to the cross the cost of our sin the price of our sin being forgiven and perhaps we even come asking questions such as can my sin be forgiven or how can my sin be forgiven well as we come
[26:59] I want us this weekend to focus on the Lamb of God the Lamb of God behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world so this evening we're going to look at this particular text in John where we see the Lamb who was promised then tomorrow morning God willing we'll go back into the Old Testament we look at Isaiah 53 and there we see the Lamb who was punished and then again God willing tomorrow evening we'll go forward to the book of Revelation and there we'll see the Lamb who is praised our focus is going to be very much on the Lamb of God as one hymn writer put it asking the question what can wash away my sin nothing but the blood of Jesus what can make me whole again nothing but the blood of Jesus it is the blood of the Lamb that cleanses us from all our sin and that is what we come to remember this evening and tomorrow
[28:17] God willing the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world it's a time of year when people have been busy lambing of course and as is often the case outside the back of the Manson plaster field at this time of year there's a number of sheep and lambs there in the field and it's interesting just watching them it's been such a lovely spell of weather for them this year they're just bouncing around the field but I often find interesting is watching our dog Benji the collie he'll sit out the back watching them from a distance and he'll sit for hours in the day sit or lie or with his paws up on the wall just looking over fixated on the lambs watching them just going about the field at a distance but so intently looking in their direction and what it makes me think of is this as he is fixated on the lambs in the field am I in the same way fixated on Jesus is my day to day life in that sense just looking fixated on Jesus intently looking to him knowing that in him
[29:39] I have the most precious saviour in him the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world and there I am to look and to see and study and know that my greatest need of all has been met in him so that every day we're living we're fixated on him well that's what John the Baptist is saying to the people here and to ourselves this evening he's saying behold look fixate yourselves on Jesus here is the lamb of God who has come to take away the sin of the world the gospel written by John in John 20 verse 31 we're told why it was written it says there but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ the son of God and that by believing you may have life in his name everything that we're looking at here even as you go through the whole word of
[30:45] God it is written that we might believe that Jesus is the Christ the son of God and that by believing in him you might have life in his name so let us come this evening and tomorrow and see the life that we have through faith in Jesus Christ the Lamb of God who came so this evening we're going to look at the Lamb of God promised and that's what we have in this text this evening the Lamb of God promised and three things I want us to take from this verse this evening first of all we see this is looking at Jesus the Lamb of God we see first of all his presence then secondly we see his person and then thirdly his purpose his presence his person and his purpose and so the first thing we have is his presence and the very first words that John the Baptist says to us there in this verse is the next day
[31:48] John the Baptist saw Jesus coming towards him and said behold behold look they're out and they're seeing Jesus coming towards them and this is John the Baptist speaking behold look the opening chapter of the gospel of John is remarkable in what it tells us go back to the start of the chapter and just read some of the first verses there in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God he was in the beginning with God all things were made through him and without him was not anything made that was made and him was life and the life was the light of men the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it and then you go further down into verse 9 and you start seeing the true light which enlightens everyone was coming into the world he was in the world and the world was made through him yet the world did not know him he came to his own and his own people did not receive him but to all who did receive him and who believed in his name he gave the right to become the children of God it's remarkable what we're reading there and then verse 14 the word became flesh and dwelt among us what are we being told we are being told that someone has come to us and this person is God himself and the person of Jesus
[33:25] Christ he came in human form the word that was in the beginning with God and was God has become flesh and dwelt among us and John the Baptist is saying here look behold see who it is it is none other than God who has come to us in the person of Jesus it is the Lamb of God it's like John the Baptist is saying have you seen who this is do you see who it is that is coming we ask ourselves this evening have you seen him do you know him in this way are you looking for him even now because what you find in the gospel is that people were looking and expecting this person to come even as you look in this chapter as we read about
[34:26] Andrew and Simon Peter's brother in verse 41 he first found his own brother Simon and said to him we have found the Messiah we have found him we have seen him you go further on into chapter 4 verse 25 and 26 and the woman of Samaria the woman at the well and she's there speaking with Jesus not recognizing or realizing who it is but she says this to him in verse 25 the woman said to him Jesus I know that Messiah is coming he who is called the Christ when he comes he will tell us all things so there's this expectation he is going to come we know he's coming and then Jesus said to her I who speak to you am he what a moment for that woman looking and here he is in front of her and the old testament was pointing all the time towards his coming the prophets spoke of it
[35:32] Isaiah being one as we will see tomorrow God willing the Psalms so many of them speak of the Christ messenger after messenger told it God had made a promise he was going to send a savior for the world and he kept his promise and so here is John the Baptist saying behold look here is the one we have been waiting for here is the one we have been expecting or looking expectantly for a Messiah a savior was to come and he is here behold so tonight we are hearing this again the one that John the Baptist was saying look behold see who it is
[36:35] God has sent his son for his people Emmanuel they would call him God with us the word became flesh and dwelt among us that is the one we remember behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world do we hear that this evening do we hear who it is it's not just my word to you it's not just John the Baptist word to you it is God's word to you that as you come as we prepare ourselves to sit at the Lord's table our focus is on behold God with us he gave us his son he is with us a missionary once spoke about how important he saw his role as being a missionary being one who was to show
[37:47] Jesus to others and he gave an illustration of just how important it was by speaking of another missionary from many years ago and he said about this other missionary many years ago he was a missionary in China and a large oil company was starting to expand into China and they were looking for someone to work for them who had some knowledge of the country and so the company offered a huge amount of money to this missionary in China to work for them and he refused he turned it down they came back they doubled the money on offer they wanted him to come and work for them and he said to him well what do you want we can't give you any more money than that and the missionary replied the money doesn't have anything to do with it the job you are offering me is too small I've got a greater job to do as a missionary as a servant making
[38:52] Jesus known so that is the greatest job there is one writer described John the Baptist in this way he the Baptist ministry was the most beautiful ministry that any man could ever have been given because his ministry was to point sinners to Jesus Christ behold look here is the Messiah the Saviour it is the greatest job of all to point people to Jesus and we can all do that every one of us can say behold look look at his word it is here before us here behold Jesus he came for his people just think of it who pointed you to Jesus who took time to point you to
[39:56] Jesus and say behold come come and see this Jesus maybe someone is pointing you to Jesus just now and saying look come and hear of this man come and hear of this Saviour it could be so many different people in our lives that we've experienced a parent a grandparent a teacher a friend a minister even a stranger but in our lives so many people are saying behold look and we too should be saying the same to others ourselves behold look Jesus is here what a blessing it is to point others to Christ but always making sure that we ourselves are looking fixated on him too so John the Baptist is pointing he is pointing towards
[40:57] Jesus and we see it's not just pointing at a distance and others who pointed us to Jesus was not just pointing at a distance and saying look there is Jesus far off far away that you cannot know it was pointing towards him to come to him to love him to remember him that's what the word of God is doing for us here behold look come love this Jesus remember this Jesus so we have his presence the second thing we have here is his person if he is John the Baptist is saying behold look well what is it that we are to see well John the Baptist as he looks and points he says behold behold the lamb of God behold the lamb of
[42:00] God but what does this mean behold the lamb of God they were seeing a man walking towards them and yet what John the Baptist is saying is behold the lamb of God well when John is calling John the Baptist is calling Jesus here the lamb of God what he was saying about him it was full it was full of meaning it was full of recognition of those who would know their scriptures and know their scripture well because as he was calling him the lamb of God it was describing so much of what the Old Testament was saying about the son of God about Jesus because when you go through the Old Testament you find the lamb is so important for example when you go into Exodus chapter 12 you have there the account of the
[43:04] Passover as the children of Israel going to be leaving Egypt you had this last curse that came upon them and they were kept by the blood of the lamb the lamb that was sacrificed the lamb without spot and without blemish a year old the perfect lamb was sacrificed and the blood was sprinkled on the lintel and the door posts and the angel of the Lord passed over and so there was the lamb was slain there in Exodus chapter 12 you have the lamb that was promised to Isaac as Abraham led him up Mount Moriah in Genesis chapter 22 there was a lamb there provided by God you have countless records of lambs being sacrificed in Israel as sin offerings down through centuries it's incredible when you go through the
[44:04] Old Testament how many lambs were used in sacrifice for sin Isaiah pictured the coming Messiah as a lamb slain as we will see tomorrow in Isaiah 53 and so throughout the Old Testament there is this imagery of the lamb that is so important the lamb that was slain the lamb that was sacrificed for the forgiveness of sin and so now as we come into the New Testament we see Jesus coming into the world and what was Jesus purpose in coming into the world but to go to the cross to lay down his life for his people even as Mark says it in Mark chapter 10 even the son of man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many behold the lamb of
[45:11] God God provided God provided and here is the provision this is what John the Baptist is looking and seeing behold the lamb of God going back to Genesis chapter 22 in verse 7 Abraham and Isaac going up to Mount Moriah and they were going up to offer a sacrifice but there was something missing and Isaac could see this and Isaac said to his father Abraham in chapter 22 verse 7 my father and he said here am I my son he said behold the fire and the wood but where is the lamb for the burnt offering there was something missing but Abraham said the Lord will provide and so he did the Lord provided well as we look to this passage here in
[46:14] John when John the Baptist is saying behold the lamb of God we're seeing Jesus is God's final answer to that question posed to Abraham by Isaac where is the lamb where is the sacrifice for our sin who can take our sin away Jesus behold the lamb of God the person it was Jesus himself and the question for people then and for ourselves today is do we see the lamb for who he is do we see the lamb as slain for us are we listening are we looking are we beholding
[47:15] Jesus Christ fixated on him as the lamb of God we hear it so often there was a woman called Elizabeth Barrett a very famous poet back in the 1800s but her story was a very sad story her background was from a very sad background when she was young her father was very hard on her and he never wanted her to marry but she did marry a man called Robert Browning but the wedding was held in secret because her father so disapproved of things and eventually the married couple they moved away to Italy so they could live their lives but Elizabeth she never gave up on the relationship with her parents and every week she would write a letter to them and not once did she get a reply after ten years of writing letters a box arrived in the post one day and inside the box she found all the letters that she had sent unopened unread they hadn't looked at them they just boxed them and sent them back she was writing to them pleading for reconciliation pleading for the relationship to be made right but the letters meant nothing to her parents it might have been different had they just opened even one or two of those letters and read what she had to say and yet her story is so similar to the story of how God looks to his people for reconciliation how he has given us his word how he has delivered to us a message repeated again and again from generation to generation saying to us like this text behold the lamb of
[49:28] God who takes away the sin of the world and yet we leave our Bibles closed we leave things unread unsaid and poured away for another time but we praise God that he has opened eyes as well that he has opened our ears to hear to understand who this is that here we are seeing the person who is Jesus the one who we love the one who we come to remember when John is writing here and saying here is the lamb of God he's talking now about not just a religious observance he's not talking about just going through the motions anymore as we see so often happening throughout the Old Testament instead of giving the lamb without blemish they would give the lamb that was sick they lost their fixation on Jesus on the forgiveness of sin through what was perfect and right they were going through the motions the sacrificial lambs year by year the Passover being kept but losing its meaning and can that happen to us as well we can come to another
[50:55] Lord's table and just go through the motions of it just do it as we always do it but are we really fixated on who we are doing it for on what he has done for us it's not just routine it's our relationship with the Lord this do in remembrance of me the person who is Jesus Christ do you have this relationship with him do you recognize him for who he is the lamb of God the son of God who has come who we see who we behold do we love him with all our hearts well if we do we come the final thing we see here is his purpose his purpose and we see that in the last words that he says in this verse behold look the lamb of
[52:05] God who takes away the sin of the world we have his presence we have his passion and finally here we have his purpose who takes away the sin of the world coming back to the question we had at the start as we come there can be this burden of sin the burden of the cost of our sin of our sin being so heavy a load that it's not possible for it to be forgiven how can my sins be forgiven well the purpose of Jesus coming as the lamb of God was that through his death through his dying on the cross our salvation our forgiveness would be purchased the lamb of God was sacrificed that's what was happening throughout the
[53:10] Old Testament every year they had this sin offering where the lamb would be sacrificed but here is the final one the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world Psalm 130 which we'll sing in a moment it speaks of that very fact how if we should stand before the Lord and if the Lord should mark iniquity O Lord who could stand but with you there is forgiveness that you may be feared that is what the psalmist says with you there is forgiveness the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world there was a woman called Clara Barton she was one of the founders of the American Red Cross one day a friend came up to her and they started speaking and the friend reminded her of an incident in her past when something bad had happened to her and her friend was speaking to
[54:18] Clara and saying this Clara just had a distant look as if she had never even heard of this incident and her friend said to her don't you remember it you must Clara's answer was no I distinctly remember forgetting it she put it away well that's what the Lord does for his people God sent his son so that he might prick our conscience so we might be brought to repentance that we might know forgiveness of sin that our sin would be forgotten as the psalmist puts it in psalm 103 as far as east is from the west so far as he removed our transgressions they are forgotten so if we are to stand before
[55:21] God on the day of judgment we are to come before him knowing our sins but yet through faith in the Lamb of God and with faith in Jesus Christ he can say to us I distinctly remember forgetting your sin where at the cross when Jesus the Lamb of God gave his life that he might take away the sin of the world so what does that ask of you tonight where does it call you to come tomorrow to remember what has been done to remember the cross the Lamb of God who was sacrificed to take away the sin of the world behold the
[56:24] Lamb not at a distance not looking at this from a way of perspective but coming near drawing near to God our Father through his son Jesus Christ the Lamb of God by the power of his spirit not at a distance but in a relationship saying this is my Lamb this is my Saviour this is the one I am trusting my life my soul my all to the hymn how deep the Father's love the second verse says this behold the man upon a cross my sin upon his shoulders ashamed I hear my mocking voice call out among the scoffers it was my sin that held him there until it was accomplished his dying breath has brought me life
[57:34] I know that it is finished it was my sin that held him there and we can look and behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world what does the Lamb mean to you will you come to the table not out of routine not out of habit or without thought but knowing his presence seeing his person who it is that came for our sin and acknowledging his purpose that he would take away the sin of the world if you believe you come but what do you feel you can't come what if you feel that you're at a distance that your sin cannot be forgiven well look look and behold the lamb of
[58:51] God who takes away the sin of the world the sin of the world you are included your sins can be forgiven if you will repent confess and turn and look behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world may we all come fixated on him let us pray our father in heaven may you bless your word to us and the thankful hearts that we have for a love like no other how deep the father's love for us we thank you lord that you have remembered us that you look down upon us and help us to look in wonder on our saviour the lamb of god who takes away the sin of the world we ask it in his name amen we we're going to conclude by singing to god's praise in psalm 130 psalm 130 page 421 the scottish psalter version the tune is martyrdom we'll sing the whole of this wonderful psalm lord from the depths to thee
[60:24] I cried my voice lord do thou hear and to my supplications voice give an attentive ear lord who shall stand if thou o lord should mark iniquity but yet with thee forgiveness is that feared thou mayest be we'll sing the whole of this psalm to god's praise we stand to sing for come the depths to thee I cry my voice lord do thou hear unto thy supplications voice give an attentive ear lord who shall stand if thou o lord choose my benign with thee are dead with thee forgiveness is the fear thou mayest be
[61:59] I pray for god my soul the great my hope is in his word for love may for more may watch my school waits for the lord!
[62:37] my save more than they like to watch the morning night to see!
[62:53] let Israel open the Lord! give the Lord!
[63:05] for with him mercy be! and let he us redemption is come with him and from all his his and from all his benign his shall redeem after the I'll go to the main door and close with the benediction.
[63:51] After the benediction I'll go to the main door and close with the benediction. Now may grace, mercy and peace from God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit rest upon and abide with you all now and forevermore. Amen.