Grosey's Messages

29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, 'After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.' 31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel." 32 And John bore witness: "I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God."
35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God!" 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, "What are you seeking?" And they said to him, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?" 39 He said to them, "Come and you will see." So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus.

Some Sights Afflict us
Little girl run over by a car.
The parachutist falling to his death.
Some Sights Appall us. The photograper who got the Pulitzer prize for photography who took the shot of the starving African boy and the vulture in the background just waiting for its meal. It is the more appalling to know that the photographer was more keen on getting his prize winning photograph than he was about the starving boy. He was later asked what happened to the boy. He confessed that he didn’t know. About 6 months later he was found dead at his own hand. The letter he left said “ I am so sorry. I was more inte3nt on the prize photo than the life of the child. I am so sorry.”
Some Sights Affect us.
For the disciples of John the Baptist, the sight that He pointed out was immediately life affecting.
Their lives were immediately affected. They left all. They immediately made it their life’s undertaking to be with Jesus. They immediately started bringing others into the same life affecting relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Their lives were profoundly affected.

(a) Although Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the world, the world on the whole knows very little about Him.
He created the world and came into it, but the world did not recognize Him (v.10). Furthermore, those among whom He came refused to receive Him. This tragic fact accounts for the state of the world today. It is good to enjoy life, but we cannot get away from the fact that we live in a very sad world. God’s purposes are not narrow; “The true light which gives light to every man was coming into the world”; but then, as now, the world has failed to recognize its Creator.
(b) Countless people within the Churches know little of the real Jesus.
It is often very obvious at a memorial service that the relatives and friends of the deceased know little or nothing about the gospel. Many of them have probably had water baptism but have never had the baptism which Jesus gives. One reason for the pitiful state of the Church today is that so many of its members have been baptized with water but not with the Holy Spirit. Many are trusting in their water baptism, confirmation, church membership and so on; but unless a person has been baptized by Jesus with the Holy Spirit, that person is not a real Christian. (Notice, in John 3, Jesus’ encounter with Nicodemus who, although a learned religious teacher, knew nothing of the new birth.) This is very confusing to people outside the Church, who expect high standards from those inside the Church. It is even more confusing when political parties and various national groups describe themselves as ‘Christian’, although their activities have nothing to do with the forgiveness of sin or the gift of the Holy Spirit! In Lebanon we hear of the ‘Christian Militia’ doing the most dreadful things in Beirut! This same confusion led the Jews to attribute the awful massacres carried out by the Nazis during the last world war to Christians, because they regarded the Germans, being Gentiles, as automatically Christian.
It is possible for a person to be born a Muslim, but no one can be born a Christian. We can be born into a Christian family or in a Christian country, but only those who have been born again are real Christians. This is why we have in Northern Ireland today people born into Protestant or Catholic traditions being described as Christians; yet probably only a small percentage have been born again of the Spirit.
(c) Many want to be called Christians, but want nothing to do with the real Jesus
We live in a world where it is very hard to point people to Christ.
There is the problem of confusion
There is the problem of liberalism and charismaticism
What can we learn from John the Baptist about pointing others to the Lord Jesus?
1. Know Who you AreChristian Herter was running hard for reelection as governor of Massachusetts, and one day he arrived late at a barbecue. He'd had no breakfast or lunch, and he was famished. As he moved down the serving line, he held out his plate and received one piece of chicken. The governor said to the serving lady, "Excuse me, do you mind if I get another piece of chicken. I'm very hungry." The woman replied, "Sorry, I'm supposed to give one piece to each person." He repeated, "But I'm starved," and again she said, "Only one to a customer." Herter was normally a modest man, but he decided this was the time to use the weight of his office and said, "Madam, do you know who I am? I am the governor of this state." She answered, "Do you know who I am? I'm the lady in charge of chicken. Move along, mister." This is a woman who knew her position and wasn't about to be intimidated. Do we as Christians recognize the significant position in which we stand because of Christ?
Today many trot out the idea that you have to love yourself. But there is a wrong kind of self-love. Jean-Jacques Rousseau had the nerve to say what others learn to camouflage:
What could your miseries have in common with mine? My situation is unique, unheard of since the beginning of time. The person who can love me as I can love is still to be born. No one has ever had more talent for loving. I was born to be the best friend that ever existed. Show me a better man than me, a heart more loving, more tender, more sensitive. Posterity will honor me because it is my due. I rejoice in myself. My consolation lies in my self-esteem. If there were a single enlightened government in Europe, it would have erected statues to me.
If we listen to Rousseau carefully, we hear the same self-esteem and moral superiority and exaggerated sense of entitlement that we venerate today. Haven’t you ever resented being overlooked? Haven’t you ever thought, “If only they knew what a wonderful person I really am”? Haven’t you ever thought, “I can’t be happy until my world is arranged around me in just the pleasant way I want”? I have. Arnold Toynbee studied civilizations across the sweep of history, and he concluded that self-worship is the
religion of mankind, though that self-exaltation takes many different forms.
That kind of self-love will keep us far from Christ and far from our own happiness. It’s why the prophet Isaiah said, “Stop regarding man” (Isaiah 2:22). E. J. Young re-worded Isaiah this way: “The greatest need of man is to reject man.”4 That’s counterintuitive. It’s the most natural thing in the world to cling to ourselves and treat Jesus as an add-on. But God wants us to turn that around, because setting the highest value on Christ enriches us. A glad sense on the heart that Jesus Christ is worth everything – that is Christianity.
Augustine understood the difference it makes. When he looked out at society, this is what he saw:
Two cities have been formed by two loves: the earthly city by the love of self, even to the contempt of God; the heavenly city by the love of God, even to the contempt of self. The former glories in itself, the latter in the Lord. The one seeks glory from men; but the greater glory of the other is God. The one lifts up its head in its own glory; the other says to God, “You are my glory, and the lifter up of my head.”

What’s wrong with the world today is not that there isn’t enough love. The world is filled with love. But it’s misguided love-of-self that keeps trumping love for God and leaves us stuck in our miseries. Even Christianity can be redesigned this way. It’s a Christianity with faith but not repentance – accepting Christ but not rejecting self. That isn’t the gospel. If we haven’t made up our minds about this, if we haven’t suffered the loss of all things to gain Christ, then we’re still in conflict with Him.
2. Know What you DoJohn Knew He Was A Signpost to Indicate The Reality of The Messiah.
31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel." 32 And John bore witness: "I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God."
John Knew He Was A Signpost To The Sufferings Of the Lord Jesus Christ.
29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, 'After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.'
God is saying to you today with infinite tenderness and love, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” He knows what you’re feeling inside. He knows the you that you fear. He knows your shame and how you deeply long to be rid of yourself. And this is his answer to your longing: “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”
“Behold, the Lamb of God.” What does that mean? John is thinking of all the lambs sacrificed for human sin on the altar of Old Testament worship. Those sacrifices were meaningful, but the blood of an animal could never liberate a human conscience. Now John is saying that Jesus is the ultimate sacrificial lamb, “the Lamb of God.” The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross was provided by God, not by us. And the sacrifice of Jesus is satisfying to God, and it can be to us too.
A Lamb For A man
A Lamb For A Nation
A Lamb For the World
A Lamb For You.
“Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” What does that clause mean – “who takes away the sin of the world”? It means he’s enough for you. If Christ suffered enough to save the whole world, then he suffered enough to save you from all your sin and guilt and failure and shame and despair and tears and regrets. His sacrifice was big enough for the world and therefore big enough for you. You may admire Jesus as a teacher, and you may follow him as an example; but your happiness begins when you prize and value and esteem and delight in Christ as all the sacrifice you will ever need for all your sins, past, present and future, and you reject your own hard won moral superiority as garbage because through Christ alone your sins are, before God, as though they had never been sinned, the Lamb of God has taken your sins clear away,
And what is important about what you do? Its Jesus. Its pointing others to Jesus!
WE Sangster once said that there are two questions that can embarrass most Christians into silence: “When was the last time you lead someone to Christ, and when was the last time you tried.”
John Knew He Was A Signpost To Others To Follow The Lord Jesus Christ.
35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God!" 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.
It wasn’t about John gathering disciples. John was in fact very good at gathering disciples.
Mark 1: 4 John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were flocking to him, and they were baptized by him in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins.
But John knew it was all about getting others to follow Jesus. So it is today. Its not about who has the most brilliant orchestra, the biggest band or the greatest seating, its about getting people to follow Jesus.
3. Know What Is Important About What You do.
John 3:26 So they came to John and told him, “Rabbi, the One you testified about, and who was with you across the Jordan, is baptizing—and everyone is flocking to Him.” 27 John responded, “No one can receive a single thing unless it’s given to him from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the • Messiah, but I’ve been sent ahead of Him.’ 29 He who has the bride is the groom. But the groom’s friend, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices greatly at the groom’s voice. So this joy of mine is complete. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”
John the Baptist was so enthusiastic about the Lord Jesus
35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God!" 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.
There was only one thing that mattered to john the Baptist, testifying to Jesus Christ. It has been so throughout all generations. Are you keen to tell others about the Lord Jesus Christ?
This power of Christ and of His Spirit was clearly demonstrated in the days of revival under Dr John Sung. The Rev Dr Timothy Tow who was born again at the Singapore Pentecost of 1935 through the preaching of Dr John Sung testified,
Through the John Sung Campaign, a great revival came to many lethargic and sleepy churches in Singapore. That was church growth sent down from heaven by the outpoured power of the Holy Spirit. The results of the Singapore Pentecost were born of God. By contrast, the results of the Billy Graham and Luis Palau crusades were born chiefly of man. While Billy Graham and Luis Palau spent $1 million and $1.45 million respectively during one full-year’s advance preparation to bring in the crowds, John Sung spent not one single dollar in any kind of advertisement. Like Elijah he came, and like Elijah he went.
The Bible-Presbyterian Church grew because it did not forget the power of Christ as manifested in the days of the John Sung revival and Spirit-empowered evangelism. Dr John Sung would organise evangelistic bands during his Gospel campaigns. The Rev Dr Timothy Tow recounts,
Half-way through the campaign, the preacher began to call for volunteers to his Preaching Bands. Now that we were saved, we were saved for a purpose—to witness Jesus Christ to those who had never heard. Dr Sung lamented the fact that Chinese pastors were consigned by an unconscionable congregation to every chore, big or small, in the church. The pastor was treated like an old amah, he said. Unless members would go out evangelizing, the prospect of church growth was dim. With these admonitions he drew in batch after batch of volunteer preachers. Thus the Singapore Christian Evangelistic League was born.
Dr Keith Hinton, author of Growing Churches Singapore Style,
Any discussion of the movement of people from China in the context of church growth must mention evangelist John Sung. … No person has made a greater spiritual impact on the city than Sung in those brief, few-day visits. He not only won thousands to Christ but more significantly, he organized the converts into witness bands of three and sent them out into the streets, and he effectively challenged Christians to win the lost world to Christ. … [T]hroughout Singapore today one finds key Christian leaders and influential lay people who attribute not only their conversion but their model of devotion and commitment to service to the ministry of John Sung.
. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”
The branches that bear the most fruit hang the lowest.
John was happy to be in Jesus' shadow. John tries to explain to his disciples that their role was a privileged role … he does this by using the analogy of the "best man" at the wedding.
John is merely the "best man" … Jesus is the groom, the people the bride.
The "best man" does not focus attention toward himself, it is his role BY PRIVILEGE to do whatever he can to help the groom and bride, to keep the focus on them … this role John happily takes on!
John even states that now at the end of his own ministry and seeing Jesus coming into His own has brought him great joy! Notice John's comment here in 3:29 -- "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."
Coming to the close of his ministry and life John is quite satisfied to see Jesus getting all the attention … how different from the young disciples who followed him, they were struggling with career plans and success!
When I turned 30 I wanted to build a large church. At 40 I wanted to learn how to preach. But at 50 I want to know God deeply. -- Truman Dollar in Fundamentalist Journal (Nov. 1987). Christianity Today,
John was honored and considered it a privilege to focus attention toward Christ … are you?
John says it clearly in 3:30 … and it is still true today: "He must become greater; I must become less."
John had a good grasp on his place in the Kingdom … and Jesus' place!
John was simply a man from earth with an important task, John was NOT the Messiah and therefore did not want the focus on him, only on Christ!
Such humility is exactly the kind of spirit we are to have in God's work.
John's goal in life was to fulfill the mission given to him, whatever that meant, even imprisonment and death if necessary.
He would not deviate from the plan.
He would not get lost in the admiration of the Jews for him … and John was quite popular!
Even though popular John guarded his heart … and his position, he was a servant, a forerunning, an announcer … not the Messiah!
For genuine satisfaction as Christians we must do what we are called to do, not get lost in finding the "best" thing for ourselves.
John's message never changed, when highly successful by worldly standards it was: "behold the lamb of God which takes away the sins of the world" and when he was arrested it was the same, even at the moment of death it did not change, it remained: "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him." (3:36)

How do we buy in?
This is the best part. It’s right there in the word “Behold!” Or maybe your translation says “Look!” Whatever the wording in your translation, our part is simple. Christ sacrifices himself, so that we don’t have to. All we do is look, behold. When Moses raised up the bronze serpent, everyone who looked at it lived (Numbers 21:4-9). That was an Old Testament picture of Christ. Look and live!