Dare to Be: Voices in the Wilderness Dare to Behold Him
Dr. Neil Epler (8:30 AM) | Deacon Tyler Grant (11 AM)
John 1:29-34 | Oct. 12, 2025
(John 1:29-34) 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.”
The picture of baptism was a sign of the coming Messiah.
(Isaiah 4:2-4) In that day the branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be the pride and honor of the survivors of Israel. 3 And he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy, everyone who has been recorded for life in Jerusalem, 4 when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem from its midst by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning.
You will spend your life being sent by people or living sent by God.
Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. (29)
We will never live our life for Christ without continually beholding Him.
What does it mean to dare to behold Him?
1. To dare to fix our deliberate focus on Him above all else. (Heb. 12:2) Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
2. To dare to receive what Jesus offers us. (John 1:33) …this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.
3. To dare to bear witness to what you have seen and received. (John 1:34) And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.
Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. (29)
Jesus is the solution to every problem.
And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 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.’ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.” (32-34)
Will I bear witness to what we have seen Jesus in, through, and around us?