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Sermon Text: John 1:29-41
John the Baptist doesn’t have much of an ego when it comes to Jesus, does he? Not at all, which is good because ego kills love. How? Because ego justifies all manner of selfish actions and decisions without much concern for how others are affected, how hurtful those actions might be, or what the aftermath will be. Prideful ego doesn’t accept attention being given to someone else, or if it does, there’s reluctance, conditions, some jealousy.
John the Baptist doesn’t do that, not even a little. It would have been easy for him to not deny being the Christ. John had crowds, momentum, followers. John talked Jesus up instead glad for Jesus to have the attention, “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29) Then did the same thing the next day, “Look, the Lamb of God!” (Luke 1:36) He watched his disciples follow after Jesus. John losing his followers isn’t a failure, though it may feel like a blow to ego. This is John being a faithful follower of Jesus making sure people know exactly who the Messiah is. Not John. Jesus, the one and only Lamb of God.
“Lamb of God” is a very loaded title, each word packed with significance. Lamb, think Passover, blood on doorposts, judgment passing. Blood on the atonement cover showing sin’s dealt with, not ignored. Every sacrifice without blemish pointed to this one, the sinless Son who went to slaughter to atone with his life for sins not his. And this Lamb is of God. God selected his Son for this work of grace so that the offering made for our benefit would be perfect. No flaws. No sins in word, thought, motive, or attitude. Perfectly pleasing to the Father, and therefore, perfectly sufficient for us. God publically designated him has Savior, the Lamb who takes away sin. That’s what Jesus is for. Not leverage, not a mascot for causes and our passion projects. Jesus came for the salvation of sinners. That purpose, our salvation, is his glory now. “As far as the east is from the west,” Psalm 103 says, “so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”
Jesus did this not for a few or the worthy or outwardly religiously impressive, but for the world, all the rotten and lost ones of us included. All sin. All people. A burden only he could lift has been lifted, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:17) John wrote later. Jesus wasn’t only the Lamb of God for the time after his baptism or only on Good Friday; his whole life was Lamb of God work. The Lamb couldn’t have blemish, no spot, no broken bones. Ideal. Pristine. Jesus lived that way for us.
Even John needed confirmation of this from the Spirit, “I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.” (John 1:31) No ego here. John isn’t claiming secret knowledge, but admitting he needed help in doing the work God gave him to do, even if that work made him look a lil strange. I’m sure more than one person thought John was odd. I’m sure John knew that. And I’m sure he didn’t care, as long as people learned about Jesus through him. That’s what made him tick, drawing attention to Jesus, then letting Jesus be Jesus.
Explaining that more clearly in John 3:28-30 he says, “You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’ 29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30 He must become greater; I must become less.’” This is pride-free living. Our pride doesn’t usually say, “I am against or jealous of Jesus” outright. More often it says, “Sure, I’ll do what Jesus says, as long as I stay important too.” Those who love Christ and love God’s saving will being accomplished in Christ are fine with Jesus being central. Those who want to use Jesus for something else like status, comfort, control, or power, have problems with letting Jesus be Jesus.
So what happens when Christians get an ego about Jesus? We stop patterning ourselves after him. We start filtering people, forgetting about the “sins of the whole world” thing. We of course know Jesus is for everyone. We confess this readily, but we don’t always give him out that way. Sometimes, we just wanna be comfortable, manufacture control. Jesus becomes our possession, something we’ve figured out, gotta be careful with, and that others might mess up by doing it wrong. Rather than pointing like John and saying, “Hey, look!” we build methods for doing Jesus stuff and turn them into moral categories. Style gets confused with faithfulness. Preference masquerades as principle so Jesus happens properly. And when we take credit – however subtly – for what Jesus does, we begin thinking success depends on our clarity, delivery, execution, knowledge, effort.
Ego says, “People listened and got something outta this because of me.” Faith says, “Thankfully, anybody gets anything beneficial out of anyone who stands and speaks here because of Jesus.” Ego withholds help. Faith borne love says, “This person’s sins are paid for already. God’s helped them immensely. I will too. If they don’t read the Bible, how can they read me to see that?” Love kills ego. Faith doesn’t make people meet self-defined criteria in order to receive mercies and kindness. It welcomes by opening up hearts and doors to all others, not worrying they and their baggage is gonna mess up our sweet setup. Faith says and thinks other things entirely, first that we go and find people to point their eyes and draw their attention to Jesus because he’s the only Lamb of God who has taken their sins away on his cross. Then, if we can’t find anyone and people find us and come to us, we see this place for what it is: a triage center for broken humans who need what I need and what I have to give. Healing. Forgiveness in their risen Lord, the Lamb who was slain and now lives! Jesus!
How can I remove my ego, be all things to all people or something to someone? Let’s see how we can spur one another on in that! What’s it look like to not have an ego about Jesus? Love to everyone in ways they need, will see, can feel. It looks like pointing to Jesus, explaining who he is, how awesome he is, and then stepping back and watching the joy in another’s eyes as they behold Jesus, too. Like a teacher watching students head off to the next level of school, John watched Andrew and John run after Jesus and see for themselves that Jesus is exactly who he is, their salvation.
Look how Jesus interacts with them. Their hearts had to be pounding when he turned around and started the conversation, “What do you want/seek?” Wide-eyed glance exchanged, “‘Rabbi, where are you staying?’ 39 ‘Come, he replied, ‘and you will see.’” (John 1:38-39) No force, just invitation. John even notes the time, just before dinner. They spent time. They talked. They listened. They were convinced that salvation had come and they found others. Peter, a brother first. Then, a little while later, they went out and like the Baptist, they let Jesus be Jesus, pointed, and said, “Look, the Lamb of God. He’s taken away your sins” and watched gladly as people followed him. Do the same. Amen.