Behold the Lamb: Why Do We Follow Jesus?

Tonight we begin a series in the Gospel of John, one of the most personal and powerful accounts of Jesus’ life and ministry. In John 1:29–39, we see a moment where John the Baptist publicly identifies Jesus for who He truly is.

When John the Baptist saw Jesus approaching, he declared, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” This statement carried deep meaning for the people listening. In Jewish culture, lambs were sacrificed as an offering for sin. By calling Jesus the Lamb of God, John was announcing that Jesus would become the ultimate sacrifice—one who would take away the sin of the entire world.

John’s story actually began about thirty years earlier. His parents, Elizabeth and Zechariah, were faithful people from a priestly family, but they had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive and had grown old. One day, while Zechariah was serving in the temple, the angel Gabriel appeared to him with an incredible message: Elizabeth would give birth to a son named John, and he would prepare the way for the Lord.

At first, Zechariah struggled to believe the promise. Because of his doubt, he lost the ability to speak until the prophecy was fulfilled. Sure enough, Elizabeth became pregnant and later gave birth to John. When it came time to name the child, Elizabeth insisted his name would be John. This confused many people because it wasn’t a family name. When Zechariah confirmed the name by writing it down, his voice was immediately restored and he began praising God, declaring that his son would be a prophet who prepares the way for the Lord.

Years later, John began preaching, calling people to repentance and announcing that the Savior was coming. One day, while he was teaching, Jesus walked by. John pointed Him out and boldly declared that this was the Messiah—the Lamb of God.

Two of John’s disciples heard this and immediately began following Jesus. When Jesus noticed them, He turned and asked a simple but powerful question:

“What do you seek?”

This question still speaks to us today. Why do we follow Jesus? Is it out of fear, curiosity, tradition, or genuine love for God?

Jesus responded to their curiosity with a simple invitation: “Come and see.” They followed Him, spent time with Him, and their lives were never the same.

When John called Jesus the Lamb of God, he was pointing to the ultimate sacrifice that was coming. Sin separates us from God and leads to spiritual death. But because of God’s deep love for us, He gave His Son so that we could have life.

Imagine someone you love deeply lying in a hospital bed, fighting for their life. What would you be willing to sacrifice to save them? If your love was genuine, you would give everything you could.

That is exactly what God did for us. His love was so great that He gave His Son so we could be restored to Him.

The Gospel of John not only teaches us how salvation comes through Jesus—it reveals the depth of God’s sacrificial love. The real question for each of us is the same question Jesus asked those first disciples:

What are you truly seeking?

And are you willing to follow Him when He says, “Come and see”?

– Pastor Madi