Behold the Lamb of God
The sermon highlights the significance of John's baptism and the New Covenant, emphasizing Jesus' role in giving eternal life to men and women.
G.W. North emphasizes the significance of John's baptism as a divine announcement of the end of the Mosaic law regarding personal sacrifice for sin, highlighting Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice, the 'Lamb of God'. He explains that John called for repentance and offered baptism as a means to prepare for the coming of Christ, who would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. North asserts that water baptism, instituted by God through John, serves as a symbolic representation of the spiritual baptism that grants eternal life, marking the transition from the old covenant to the new. The sermon underscores the importance of recognizing Jesus' role in fulfilling the law and providing a new way of salvation. Ultimately, it calls believers to embrace the transformative power of the Holy Spirit.
Text
By introducing John's baptism, God was announcing to that generation the imminent dissolution of the Mosaic doctrine of man's personal sacrifice for personal sin. He was saying that He was going to do it all Himself, indeed had already accepted the responsibility for it -- 'Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world'. By analysis John is found to be saying, 'all that you need to produce is fruit meet for repentance. Don't bring anything else; let me do the rest, come and let me baptise you'. He is also found saying of Jesus, 'He shall baptise you with the Holy Ghost and fire; let Him do that'.
By God's ordination and commandment through John, baptism as a method as well as a practice had been introduced to men.
Having been divinely instituted, water baptism has come to stay as the official picture of what takes place in the real baptism it represents. It is a visual aid to the understanding of the Baptism in the Spirit, which is the Lord's method of giving eternal life to men and women throughout this era. Established first as a type under John by water during the last days of the passing Covenant, baptism was finally established in reality under Jesus by the Spirit on the first day of the New Covenant, namely the day of Pentecost. The new superseded the old.
Sermon Outline
- Introduction to John's Baptism
- John's Message
- The Baptism of Jesus
- He shall baptise you with the Holy Ghost and fire
- The official picture of the Baptism in the Spirit
Key Quotes
“''Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world''.” — G.W. North
“He is saying, 'all that you need to produce is fruit meet for repentance. Don't bring anything else; let me do the rest, come and let me baptise you'.” — G.W. North
“He shall baptise you with the Holy Ghost and fire; let Him do that.” — G.W. North
Application Points
- Recognize the significance of Jesus' sacrifice for the world's sin.
- Understand the role of water baptism as a visual aid to the Baptism in the Spirit.
- Trust in Jesus to baptise you with the Holy Ghost and fire.