A New Age

Order of Service

• Hymn — Come, Ye Thankful People, Come
• Call to Worship — Romans 15:8-12
• Hymn — Joy to the World
• Prayer of Invocation
• Corporate Confession of Sin
• Assurance of Pardon — Psalm 103:11-13
• Scripture Reading — Acts 26:12-32
• Hymn — Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy
• Pastoral Prayer
• Offering
• Prayer of Dedication
• Hymn — Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus
• Sermon
• Hymn — Gracious Spirit, Dwell with Me
• Benediction — 2 John 1:3

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Sermon Title: A New Age

Scripture: John 1:29-34

I. The Wiping Away of Sin

A. John the Baptist's announcement in John 1:29 is epoch-making language: Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world B. For an Israelite audience, "lamb" and "sin" together immediately evoked substitutionary sacrifice — an unblemished animal slaughtered in place of the sinner

1. Israel was steeped in the sacrificial system: bulls, goats, and lambs offered week after week for the forgiveness of sin
2. The most prominent association would be the Passover Lamb, whose blood caused God's wrath to pass over Israel in Egypt C. Jesus does not come merely for Israel but to take away the sin of the world
3. John uses "sin" in the singular, conveying sin in its totality — the comprehensive plague on mankind since the Fall of Adam
4. The Greek word translated "takes away" carries the idea of lifting, carrying, and bearing — the Lamb bears our sin and wipes it away D. This is the headline of the gospel: Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world
5. "Behold" is a word demanding attention — like a newsboy crying, "Extra! Extra!"
6. Bad news dominates every media outlet, but no amount of bad news can drown out this good news
7. For the Christian, what defines, guides, and guards you is not bad news but this good news

II. The Witness of the Son

A. John bears witness in John 1:34: I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God B. The Passover Lamb connection points beyond sacrifice to sonship

1. The angel of death passed over the firstborn sons of Israel (Exodus 12)
2. Exodus 13 emphasizes that the firstborn of every household belongs to the Lord and must be redeemed — the firstfruits from the womb belong to God, just as the firstfruits of the harvest do C. John's statement in John 1:30 — after me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me — must be understood in light of the preeminence of the firstborn in Israelite culture
3. John does not come first; the Son does, because he is the eternal Son — pre-existent before all creation
4. Jesus is the true and eternal Firstborn who fulfills and supersedes all the typology of the firstborn in the Old Testament

III. The Washing of the Spirit

A. John's testimony in John 1:32-33: I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him … this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit B. This inauguration of Jesus's public ministry ushers in a new age marked by the washing and indwelling of the Holy Spirit C. The Spirit's remaining on Jesus distinguishes him as the one who will pour out the Spirit on his people

1. John baptizes with water; Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit
2. The Spirit is the guarantee of the believer's inheritance — the down payment of the full harvest yet to come