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Identity and context formed the two responses. 

In a setting much like we have today, John the Baptist was baptizing people in the Jordan River.  Crowds began to gather out of curiosity.  Jesus showed up—John points to him and says “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” John 1:29 This likely created two questions:

Question 1

• God is providing a lamb? We are to provide a lamb.

Question 2

• He can take away the sin of the entire world?

This claim by John concerning Jesus is so crucial to understand, because our lives and future are dependent upon our relationship to Jesus.

The Lamb.

• From the beginning of Scriptures, sin created a separation between God and man.
  
  
• Death became the penalty of that sin and eternal judgment was the final death and separation from God.
  
  
• The shedding of blood is the only way for sins to be cleansed and paid for. Hebrews 9:22
  • A sacrificial animal would serve as a temporal approach towards God.
  • The animal must be perfect and unblemished.
  • The costliest and most perfect of animals set apart for sacrifice was a lamb. [Hoover’s bring out the lambs]

• The lamb is seen as a trusting and most gentle of animals and to sacrifice one was to cut to our hearts the guilt of our sin that cost the life of an innocent lamb.

• A patriarch would provide the lamb, a perfect lamb for the forgiveness of sins. Repeated many times at least annually. 

God provided a lamb that can take away the sin of the world? 

For this to be possible it would require a human being who had never sinned to suffer the penalty of death that they had not earned.

• Every man has sinned.
  
  
• Requires a new “Adam” who did not make the mistakes of the first Adam.
  
  
• How do you do that? Only God can do that.

The son of God chooses to become human.  Hebrews 2:14-18

• As God he could not die which a lamb must be able to do. (14)
  
  
• A sinless man dying would break the power Satan had over death. (14b)
  
  
• This death would free those who live in fear of death. (15)
  
  
• Hence, Jesus became human in every way to serve us as priest. (17a)
  • He is a priest that would be merciful and faithful by nature. (17b)
  • He is a priest who would make atonement by offering the sacrifice—himself! (17c)
  • He is a priest that can help mankind handle the temptations of life, because he never lost a battle to temptation. (18)

Are you saying he is both the lamb and the priest?

He is now serving as Priest and advocate on our behalf.  Hebrews 4:14-16

• Like the priests of old who appealed to God and received our lambs, sacrificed them, and appealed to God for mercy, Jesus now appeals to God for mercy for our sake. (14)
  
  
• His appeal is empathetic because he has experienced the power and pressure that temptation applies to our weak flesh. (15a)
• Jesus encountered all that can tempt you, yet he never failed! (15b)
  
  
• You are invited to run to God’s throne of grace! (16)
  • There we will experience mercy.
  • There we will experience grace.
  • We can do so with confidence!

Invitation: You are invited to receive by faith the work of the great High Priest and the Lamb of God.

“Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” John 1:29  His name is JESUS!