Jesus is identified as the Lamb of God

John 1:19-51
AIM: Identify Jesus, the Lamb of God and respond with faith

A) John Identifies himself with scripture
(19) Testimony of John the Baptist when Jews (Pharisees (vrs John 1:24) sent priest, Levites from Jerusalem to ask "who are you" (25 hour walk to 51 hours if there was no way to cross to get to Bethany, John 1:28)

• Because John was filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:15) people came to John from all over to hear him preach "repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand", they confess sin and were baptized in the Jordan (Matthew 3:1-6), he also taught people what God expects from him people (Luke 3:8-14).

(20) John said, I'm not the Christ

• Luke 3:15 tells us people were in expectation, questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ - but he openly said to all that he was coming to baptize with the Holy Spirit (at Pentecost) and fire (at judgement), see Luke 3:16-17; Acts 2:1-4; Rev 14:14-16; Daniel 7:13.

(21) They asked "Elijah?"  he said "I am not", "the prophet" "No"

• Reincarnation is explicitly denied in the Bible, Hebrews 9:27 says each man is appointed to die and then face judgement
• Elijah was taken up (2 Kings 2:11), yet spoken of regarding day of the Lord (Malachi 4:5), at the transfiguration of Jesus Elijah and Moses were there as well as the Father speaking (Matthew 17:1-13).  Jesus explained John the Baptist was like Elijah, Matthew 17:11-13; Luke 1:16-17 - some see the two witnesses as being before the final judgement (Revelation 10:1-11:19)
• The Prophet was promised in Deuteronomy 18:15; Acts 3:18,22-26

(22-23) "We need an answer for those who sent us", "I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord,' as the prophet Isaiah said (Isaiah 40:3)

(25-27) "Why baptizing if not Christ, Elijah or Prophet", "I with water, among you stands one you don't know, comes after me"

B) John identifies Jesus, the Lamb and Son of God

(29) John sees Jesus, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (forty days later Matthew 3:13-4:2)

• Matt Henry: "great sacrifice, by which atonement is made for sin, and man reconciled to God", plan of redemption (Acts 2:23), Our Passover lamb (1 Cor 5:7)
• Eternal Lamb (1 Peter 1:19-20; Revelation 13:8), Perfect sacrifice (Isaiah 53:4-10), Lamb to the slaughter (Isaiah 53:7)

(30-31) Jesus is who John has been preaching about, why he baptized - so Jesus would be revealed to Israel

(32) John, "I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, remained on him

• Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit, to be born of the Spirit to see and enter God's kingdom (Luke 3:16; John 3:3,5)
• Believers would receive the Spirit like wind and fire and flow from their heart streams of living water (John 3:8; 7:38-39; Acts 1:5;2:1-4,17) Faith is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8-9;1 Cor 12:13)
• Living Water: Song of Solomon 4:15; Jeremiah 2:13;17:13; Zechariah 14:8; John 4:10;7:37-38; Rev 7:17

(33) (Holy Spirit) said to John, whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit 

(34) John's witnesses: "this is the Son of God"

• Prophecy in Isaiah 9:6, Child is born, son is given his name called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace
• The tempter believed, Matthew 4:3,6 as did demons in Matthew 8:29 and His disciples Matthew 14:33; 16:16 and everyone understood Jesus claimed to be Son of God Matthew 26:63;27:40,43,54
• Jesus taught we would be called sons of God (Matthew 5:9) and this has happened as 1 John 5:20 says, "And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.", Ephesians 1:5 we are adopted through Jesus Christ.

C) Andrew, Simon/Peter, Philip and Nathanael follow Jesus

(35-36) John, two disciples points to Jesus, "Behold, the Lamb of God!"

(37-38a) They followed Jesus who turned, saw them following asked "what are you seeking"

(38b) "Rabbi/teacher, where are you staying"

(39-42) "Come and you will see", they stayed with him a day - Andrew believed and told brother Simon/Peter we found the Messiah/Christ
(43-35) next day Jesus Galilee, found Philip from Bethsaida city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael found him whom Moses in the Law and prophet wrote: Jesus of Nazareth, son of Joseph
(46-47) Nathanael doubts, Jesus recognizes him as honest Israelite
(48) Nathanael questions Jesus about knowing him and Jesus answered "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you."
(49) Nathanael says, Rabbi, you are Son of God, king of Israel
(50-51) Jesus answered because I said v48 you believe - you'll see greater things "heaven opened and angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man