Lessons 33-34

LESSON 33 - The Interval Between Mk 1:13 and Mk 1:14

More than 40 days after His baptism in the Jordan River, Jesus, having recovered His strength from His time of fasting, left the wilderness and returned to the area of Bethany/Bethabara, where John the Baptist was ministering to the people. During the time Jesus was in the wilderness, John the Baptist had been telling the people and religious leaders that the Messiah had come. He had been answering their questions. (John 1:19-25) John hadn't seen Jesus in over 40 days.

Jesus came and stood in the crowd. John saw Him there. I'm sure John was glad to see Him again. John probably had been wondering where Jesus had been in the last month or so.

John 1:26-28 (Good News Bible) 26 John answered, "I baptize with water, but among you stands the one you do not know. 27He is coming after me, but I am not good enough even to untie his sandals."

28 All this happened in Bethany on the east side of the River Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Jesus came back the next day to where John was.

John 1:29-33 The next day John saw Jesus coming to him, and said, "There is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘A man is coming after me, but he is greater than I am, because he existed before I was born.’ 31I did not know who he would be, but I came baptizing with water in order to make him known to the people of Israel."

32 And John gave this testimony (to the people): "I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from heaven and stay on him. 33I still did not know that he was the one, but God, who sent me to baptize with water, had said to me, ‘You will see the Spirit come down and stay on a man; he is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34I have seen it," said John, "and I tell you that he is the Son of God."

Did you notice that John keeps bringing the conversation back to his testimony of the Messiah? John doesn't get caught up in declaring his own greatness, but he only seeks to bring attention and recognition to the Son of God.

Principle: Keep bringing people's attention back to Jesus.

LESSON 34 - The interval between Mk 1:13 and 1:14

John 1:29-33 The next day John saw Jesus coming to him, and said, "There is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

Reading this same scripture again, which was also in last week's lesson, did you notice that when John the Baptist saw Jesus, he called Him the Lamb of God. You would have thought John would have referred to Jesus as the King or at least the Prophet of God, but he didn't. He called Him the Lamb of God. Why?

In the Jewish religion, a lamb was one of the innocent animals that could be used as a sacrifice for sin. Its blood would atone for (wipe out, purge, forgive) the sin of the person who brought it to the altar.

It was called a substitutionary sacrifice, meaning the lamb took the place of the sinner on the altar and gave its life for that person. God established that principle and practice when Adam and Eve sinned in the garden of Eden. In Gen 3:21 God decreed that something must give its life to provide the covering of the sin from His sight. He declared that this was the only way a person could be forgiven for his sins. Heb 9:22 The sacrifice that was offered had to be the best lamb, unblemished and spotless. 1Peter 1:18-19

Jesus willingly came to Earth to be our Lamb, our Sacrifice, the One Who would give His life so that we could receive the forgiveness of our sins. His blood provided the payment for our sins. Jesus was innocent. He had no sin of His own.

Do you remember the verses in lesson 15 that described Jesus as sinless:

Hebrews 7:26 For such an high priest (Jesus) became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners....

1 John3:5... in Him (Jesus) is no sin...

1 Peter 1:19 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, ... 19But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

2 Cor 5:21 For he (God) hath made him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

Heb 4:15 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

1 Peter 2:22 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22Who did no sin, neither was guile (deceit) found in his mouth: 23Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not;

Jesus was the sinless Son of God. He had no personal sins that had to be paid for. Yet He chose to come to Earth and become our Sacrifice, to pay for our sins, so that we wouldn't have to die and go to hell, so that we could be forgiven and reconciled to God.

Let's stop and give thanks for Jesus, the Lamb of God Who became the Way for us to be forgiven and cleansed of all our sins. He deserves all our praise.