John 1:29
John is often referred to as the Apostle of Love, this because he not only wrote of God’s love but he also had a recognition of the love of Jesus for him. Five times in the gospel that bears his name, John refers to himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved”. It wasn’t that Jesus loved him any more than he did the others, but John was the one who realized it!
His descriptions of God in the first chapter of John show us a softening of the image of the Father. The Old Testament depicts God as distant, loud and constantly angry with His people. Many men die, entire towns are burned up and a sacrificial system is instituted that kills over 2 billion lambs, clouding the sky with the smoke off of the altar. As John describes God, he unfurls a three-fold description, showing us the Trinity in a different light.
In describing where Jesus originates from John tells us, “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him” (John 1:18). Jesus comes from the bosom of the Father; a description that shows God as nurturing and gentle.
Next, Jesus is called “Lamb of God” by John the Baptist, as He approaches the Jordan River to be baptized. John could have called Him, “The Lion of Judah” and he would have been just as truthful, but John knew that Jesus did not come to live and die as a lion, but rather as the Lamb. Every Jew standing there would have caught the reference, as they had lived their lives sacrificing lambs, and now here is THE Lamb, who would take all of their sins away. Again, God is now gentle as a lamb.
Finally, John describes the scene of Jesus’ baptism as the Spirit descended from heaven like a dove and landed on Jesus. Here is the Holy Spirit, typified by the dove that left Noah’s Ark, wandering until He could find a place to rest His foot, lighting upon the Son of God. Though the Spirit can hunt down sinners like a hawk, and cause saints to soar like an eagle, it is the dove that is used to describe Him at Jordan.
The Father’s bosom; the Son as Lamb; the Spirit as dove, this is a different face of God! Because of John’s descriptions of the image of God, man should feel a welcome call from the Father to approach Him without fear. As Lamb, Jesus would go forth to the slaughter, not for sins which He had committed but for the sin of the world. John is careful not to say, “The sins of the world”, for this denotes that Jesus will take away individual sins, and we know that He did not do that.
Rather, He died for the “sin” of the world, and His death at the cross has solved the sin problem once for all. Anyone who accepts Christ as their savior has no more “sin problem”. Though they fail and fall into “sins”, they are no longer a sinner, and sin has no dominion over them (Romans 6:14).
If you have been shy to approach the Father, for fear that He will point out your failures, please know that He has already killed the Lamb on your behalf. Your lamb would be worthless, for it could not take away sins (Hebrews 10:4), so God provided Himself a Lamb (Genesis 22:8). Thank God for Jesus!
John is often referred to as the Apostle of Love, this because he not only wrote of God’s love but he also had a recognition of the love of Jesus for him. Five times in the gospel that bears his name, John refers to himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved”. It wasn’t that Jesus loved him any more than he did the others, but John was the one who realized it!
His descriptions of God in the first chapter of John show us a softening of the image of the Father. The Old Testament depicts God as distant, loud and constantly angry with His people. Many men die, entire towns are burned up and a sacrificial system is instituted that kills over 2 billion lambs, clouding the sky with the smoke off of the altar. As John describes God, he unfurls a three-fold description, showing us the Trinity in a different light.
In describing where Jesus originates from John tells us, “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him” (John 1:18). Jesus comes from the bosom of the Father; a description that shows God as nurturing and gentle.
Next, Jesus is called “Lamb of God” by John the Baptist, as He approaches the Jordan River to be baptized. John could have called Him, “The Lion of Judah” and he would have been just as truthful, but John knew that Jesus did not come to live and die as a lion, but rather as the Lamb. Every Jew standing there would have caught the reference, as they had lived their lives sacrificing lambs, and now here is THE Lamb, who would take all of their sins away. Again, God is now gentle as a lamb.
Finally, John describes the scene of Jesus’ baptism as the Spirit descended from heaven like a dove and landed on Jesus. Here is the Holy Spirit, typified by the dove that left Noah’s Ark, wandering until He could find a place to rest His foot, lighting upon the Son of God. Though the Spirit can hunt down sinners like a hawk, and cause saints to soar like an eagle, it is the dove that is used to describe Him at Jordan.
The Father’s bosom; the Son as Lamb; the Spirit as dove, this is a different face of God! Because of John’s descriptions of the image of God, man should feel a welcome call from the Father to approach Him without fear. As Lamb, Jesus would go forth to the slaughter, not for sins which He had committed but for the sin of the world. John is careful not to say, “The sins of the world”, for this denotes that Jesus will take away individual sins, and we know that He did not do that.
Rather, He died for the “sin” of the world, and His death at the cross has solved the sin problem once for all. Anyone who accepts Christ as their savior has no more “sin problem”. Though they fail and fall into “sins”, they are no longer a sinner, and sin has no dominion over them (Romans 6:14).
If you have been shy to approach the Father, for fear that He will point out your failures, please know that He has already killed the Lamb on your behalf. Your lamb would be worthless, for it could not take away sins (Hebrews 10:4), so God provided Himself a Lamb (Genesis 22:8). Thank God for Jesus!
