Behold the Lamb of God
Behold the Lamb of God - a Sermon on John 5:31-35
Originally preached March 9, 1958
Scripture
31If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.
32¶ There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true. 33Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. 34But I …
Sermon Description
In this sermon on John 5:31–35 titled “Sent From God,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd turns to the message of the gospel and the witness to that message. Why do people need salvation? Since the fall, all are born into sin. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. None are righteous, not even one. All who are in sin are under the judgment of God. However, there was One sent from God, the Lord Jesus Christ. He was sent to save and bore the penalty of sin on the cross as a substitute for sinners. He made a sacrifice for sin that if one applies to his or her life by belief and faith, they shall not perish but have everlasting life. This was Jesus’s message of the gospel. Jesus says that this is true because He testifies to it. He also reminds that God sent another to witness and testify that Jesus’s message was true, the great prophet John the Baptist.
Sermon Breakdown
- John the Baptist's ministry was to prepare the way for Jesus.
- John's baptism was a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Repentance is essential to salvation.
- John preached that people examine themselves in light of God's law and holiness. People must realize they deserve nothing but hell due to their sin.
- John preached that Jesus is the fulfillment of Old Testament promises of salvation. Jesus is the fulfillment of the Passover lamb and daily sacrifices.
- Jesus is the fulfillment of Isaiah 53 which prophesied the suffering servant.
- John declared Jesus as the "Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." This means Jesus saves us, not ourselves.
- Jesus became man through the incarnation in order to save us. He identified with us in baptism though sinless.
- Jesus defeated Satan in the wilderness. Satan had to be defeated for sins to be taken away.
- Jesus lived a perfect life and obeyed God's law. The law had to be fulfilled for sins to be taken away.
- Jesus is the sacrifice for sins as the spotless Lamb of God. God put our sins on Jesus and punished them in Him.
- We can only be saved by believing Jesus took away our sins as the Lamb of God. We must stop trying to save ourselves.
- We can rejoice in our salvation and defeat Satan by claiming Jesus as the Lamb who took away our sins.
Sermon Q&A
Understanding Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon on John 5:31-35
Based on Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' sermon on John 5:31-35, I'll provide questions and answers that capture the essence of his teaching on Christ as the Lamb of God and John the Baptist's testimony.
What is the significance of John the Baptist's testimony according to John 5:31-35?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, Jesus references John the Baptist's testimony not because He needed human validation, but to help people be saved. Jesus states, "I receive not testimony from men, but these things I say that ye might be saved." The Lord emphasizes that if people had truly believed John's testimony about who Jesus was, they would have been saved. John's testimony pointed to Jesus as the Son of God and the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world, which remains sufficient evidence for salvation today.
Why is repentance essential before coming to Christ?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that repentance is the necessary preliminary step before truly coming to Christ. He states, "No man will ever truly come to Christ unless he has first believed the ministry of John the Baptist." John preached "a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins," which involves examining oneself in light of God's holy law, facing one's sinfulness, and giving up every attempt to defend oneself. Repentance means acknowledging that we have no claim on God's love and that we have been selfish, self-centered, and have put our will before God's will.
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones mean when he says John the Baptist "laid the axe to the root of the tree"?
This phrase refers to the thoroughness of repentance that John demanded. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that John was saying, "It's no longer enough just to trim and clip a little bit of the branches and knock off a few dead leaves. It's not enough even to take off an occasional big branch." Rather than merely being "a little bit sorry for certain things," true repentance requires radical and thorough work—examining ourselves deeply, facing the plague of our own hearts, and realizing how we've offended against a holy God. This thorough repentance prepares the way for Christ.
What did John the Baptist mean when he said "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world"?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, this statement declares that Jesus is the fulfillment of all the Old Testament promises regarding salvation. Specifically:
- Jesus fulfills the Passover lamb typology, where the blood of a lamb protected Israel from death
- He fulfills the daily temple sacrifices where lambs were offered every morning and evening for sin
- He fulfills Isaiah 53's prophecy of one who would be "led as a lamb to the slaughter"
This statement announces that the long-promised Messiah had arrived—the turning point of history and the fulfillment of what the prophets had spoken about.
How does Jesus take away sin according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones' sermon?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that Jesus takes away sin not by merely teaching us that God forgives, nor by showing us how to save ourselves, but by actually bearing our sins away. This process involved:
- The Incarnation – becoming human to deal with human sin
- Identifying with sinners at His baptism, though He had no sin Himself
- Defeating Satan in the wilderness temptation
- Living a perfect life for 33 years, fulfilling God's law completely
- Becoming the sacrifice (the Lamb) where God "hath laid on him the iniquity of us all"
Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that on the cross, God placed our sins on Christ and punished them in Him, allowing Him to offer us free pardon and forgiveness.
What is the significance of Jesus being "God's Lamb" rather than man's lamb?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out that previously, men provided lambs for sacrifice, selecting animals without blemish. However, Jesus is "God's Lamb"—God Himself provided the perfect sacrifice. This is significant because it shows that salvation is entirely God's work, not man's. As God's Lamb, Jesus is perfect, spotless, and sufficient. God chose Him, laid our sins upon Him, and punished them in Him. This divine provision means our salvation is completely secure and accomplished by God Himself rather than through human effort.
How should Christians respond to accusations of their past sins?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones provides practical guidance for believers troubled by remembrances of past sins. Rather than allowing these thoughts to keep us from approaching God, he suggests responding: "You're right, I did sin, but Christ has died for that sin. It's blotted out. It's gone. God made Christ the lamb who has borne my iniquity and who has suffered the stripes that I richly deserve. Get behind me, Satan." The Christian can approach God with thanksgiving for forgiveness rather than repeatedly asking for it, confident that their sins have been fully dealt with in Christ.
The Book of John
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.