John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose.
The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.
And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! John 1:26-36
1991-03-24 Jesus – Holy Harmless, Separate from Sinners, and without Spot
This is part of the introduction of Jesus to Israel. What a moment that must have been when they discovered who Jesus was. I think that I realize how the first discoveries and discoverers of Jesus felt.
It’s hard for Americans, who have been taught and know the greatness of this country, to see it self-destruct. We might say, “Oh, that there were someone so great that they could see the road that we are on, and the disaster that we are heading for, and get us off that road – someone who is so full of integrity that they could not be bought or influenced away from righteousness.” We’d love to see someone like that come on the scene.
There were some bright young men in Jesus’ time that had similar feelings. They knew the Bible. They knew what Jerusalem should be like. The glorious city of God was controlled by pagan Rome and their own religious leaders were corrupt and ungodly. These young men, like the Christians of today, had great expectations. Just as we glory and think about the second coming of Christ to straighten out this world, they yearned for the appearance of the Messiah who could set all of that mess that they lived in straight. What a moment it must have been for them when there he was and they found him.
One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. John 1:40-41
Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. John 1:45
What a moment this must have been for these young men, who so much wanted to see the Messiah come and actually stand in the presence of God the son, Jesus, like no other man. I’m sure they sensed that moment. They sensed he was like no other man and that he was one of flawless character – someone they could have total confidence in. John the Baptist said, “Behold, the lamb of God.” He was without spot or blemish. All other men besides Jesus are blemished. It doesn’t take long to spot the blemish. Some lust for power and some lust for money. Some lust for women. Some are lazy. Some are worthless. Some are slaves to drink. Some are slaves to smoking. Many are vain. Many take the name of the Lord Jesus in vain. Jesus was without spot or blemish. Jesus, the most high God is worthy of our praise. He is creator. He cares. He bled and today he is without spot.
For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens. Hebrews 7:26
When those young men that we call the disciples met Jesus they knew he was the one, the holy one of God. He is described by Peter as a lamb without blemish and without spot. 1 Peter 1:19
A sinner could not die in my place. A good man could not die in my place, because even a good man is a sinner and the Bible says all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Only one who is holy, and spotless could provide a fit sacrifice on my behalf. We are not redeemed with corruptible things , such as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Jesus as of a lamb, without blemish and without spot. That’s God’s way. When the Israelite was to sacrifice, he was to select out of the flock not a cripple, not a blemished lamb, but the best, clean lamb of the flock. The most prized. The pick of the litter, so to speak.
When humans give to sacrifice they are proud of their charitable spirit, even if it’s old clothes given to charity. They may be tired of wearing those clothes for one reason or another. A woman doesn’t go out and purchase a thousand-dollar dress and take it right to the Salvation Army. It’s only after it’s been worn, out of style, stained, or torn and when she would never consider being seen in it again that it’s given to the needy. When God offered up a sacrifice for you it was like the pick of the litter, in that it was the most valuable thing that he had. Jesus offered himself without blemish and without spot. We say, “What can I spare? I’ll give it to God.” God says, “I’ll give the crown jewel of heaven for you.”
Jesus was without spot. He went through a three year examination and was found worthy – pure and clean. Have you considered the testimonies to his purity? The first testimony of great significance was when the Holy Father in his voice from heaven at Jesus’ baptism said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” God is never pleased with sin.
John the Baptist gave testimony to Jesus when he said, “It is He whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose.” Jesus said John the Baptist was the greatest man that ever lived. Matthew 11:11. John said he was unworthy to open his shoe.
As the disciples were awe struck at the shining brilliance of Jesus at the Mount of Transfiguration, and as two of the greatest humans that ever lived, Moses and Elijah, that had come back from heaven just for that moment, the voice out of heaven from God said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.” Matthew 17:5
Have you considered the testimonies to Jesus’ spotlessness? The testimony of the Holy Father at Jesus’ baptism, and the testimony of John the Baptist as he started his ministry, the testimony of the Holy Father again at Jesus’ transfiguration, and then we have the testimony of the apostle John, who actually leaned on the body of Jesus. John said, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life.” John 1:1.
I’d like to bring in one other witness to the spotlessness of the Lord Jesus Christ. How about one of the worst traitors that ever lived? Judas Iscariot’s witness was, “I have betrayed the innocent blood.” Matthew 27:4. Jesus had no blemish. All that testified about Jesus said he had no blemish, even Judas.
For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens. Hebrews 7:26
Notice, it says that he is a high priest. Jesus was our high priest. What is the use of a high priest? The high priest represents us before a holy God. He is our representative before a holy God. When Jesus represents me, he is the perfect representative, because God sees no blemish in Jesus, so he is satisfied with Jesus on my behalf. What can make you feel better that? To know, that before God you have a representative that God is satisfied with, so he is satisfied with you.
Jesus is Holy. It means separated from all that’s unholy. We understand the definition of unholy better than we understand holy. Jesus is harmless. This word, harmless, means without bad or without duplicity. It means nothing corrupt is mixed in with his holy character. Humans are famous for duplicity. Jesus didn’t have any. Humans act so righteous on Sunday, but they use the Lord’s name on Monday. That is duplicity. Jesus was pure without any of that type of hypocrisy. Jesus was undefiled. It means nothing that defiles or pollutes. There was not any little speck of Jesus that polluted his whole nature and spotted it. It only takes a little tiny thing to ruin something. Jesus is separate from sinners. That is thought provoking isn’t it? People say he ate with Publicans and sinners. Here is the great thing about Jesus. He met the Samaritan woman at the well and he spoke to her about her soul. She was a woman of greatly stained character. Also, the woman taken in with adultery, he spoke with her. He called Levi, the tax collector, to his side. He sat down and ate with the kind of people that the good people of society looked down upon. He ate with them. He talked with them. With Jesus it had nothing to do with proximity, but with purity. Their sin could not rub off on him, but his saving power could bring them to repentance.
Folks get saved and they have a hard time being around sinners without the stench smelling them up and that’s why we believe separation is good. The defilement that could come into your ears may become a part of you if you work around people. That is why we need to be at three or more services a week so that we can have the purifying affect of the word of God work into us while we are going through our work week with defiled people, otherwise we slide. We want to become more like Jesus so that even when we are with sinners and talking to sinners we are separate from sinners. Do you know what that means? It means our presence has some impact on them, not their sin having a bad affect on us.
He was holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and without spot. How great it must have been when these sincere young men looking at the pollution of their society and wishing for the Messiah and someone said to them, “We’ve found him!” What a great moment and then the many testimonies that have to do with his purity from John the Baptist, from the father in heaven, from the Apostle John, even from Judas, and Peter.
How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Hebrews 9:14
This statement in Hebrews 9:14 denotes one who is of unblemished character, untainted conduct, and of unimpeachable consistency in every detail of his life. What is more precious to me than Jesus, who offered himself for me! He is creator, he cares, he bled, and he is without spot.
If you’ve read or heard this sermon you know that in your heart your not saved and on your way to heaven. You don’t have security that your in Christ. Friend, you could have that security today. If you would pray and lift up your heart to God and say, “Lord, I know I am a sinner and need to get saved. I thank you that the holy one has represented me and I want to be saved. Please save me today.” If you’ll do that now in your heart and answer this invitation and see it in the Word of God you could be gloriously saved from all your sin for all eternity today. I say that on the authority of the Bible and not my own opinion. Would you do it?
Faithful Pastor 