Behold the Lamb of God: What John the Baptist Saw That Changed Everything

GOSPEL OF JOHN SERIES • DAY 3 OF 32 • LENT 2026

The greatest prophet in Israel's history pointed away from himself to Jesus. Here's why his witness matters for your faith today

📖 John 1:19-51 | ⏱️ 6 min read | 💡 Witnesses to Christ | ✝️ The Art of Decreasing

"The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and said, 'Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. He is the one of whom I said, "A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me."' ... John testified further, saying, 'I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from the sky and remain upon him. I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, "On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the holy Spirit." Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.'" (John 1:29-34, NABRE)

The Man Who Knew How to Disappear

John the Baptist is having his best week ever. Crowds are coming from Jerusalem to hear him preach. People are getting baptized. Religious leaders are paying attention. He's the biggest thing happening in Israel.

And then Jesus shows up.

Watch what John does. He doesn't compete. He doesn't compare. He doesn't try to hold onto his moment. He points. "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world."

In that moment, John the Baptist teaches us the most important lesson in Christian discipleship: it's not about you. Your job is not to be the light. Your job is to point to the light.

This is going to be a theme throughout John's Gospel. Real faith always deflects attention away from itself and toward Christ. Real witness always makes much of Jesus and little of ourselves.

"Who Are You?" (The Question That Reveals Everything)

The religious authorities send priests and Levites from Jerusalem to interrogate John. They want to know: "Who are you?"

John's answer is fascinating. He tells them who he's not before he tells them who he is.

"I am not the Messiah."

"Are you Elijah?"

"I am not."

"Are you the Prophet?"

"No."

Three times, John refuses titles that people want to give him. He will not let anyone make him into something he's not. He knows exactly who he is and, more importantly, who he's not.

Finally they press him: "Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us? What do you have to say for yourself?"

And John gives them Isaiah 40:3: "I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, 'Make straight the way of the Lord.'"

A voice. Not the Word. Just a voice. And not even a voice calling attention to itself, but a voice preparing the way for someone else.

This is humility at its purest. John knows he's a signpost, not the destination. A herald, not the king. A best man, not the groom.

⚡ KEY INSIGHT: When John calls Jesus "the Lamb of God," he's packing centuries of Jewish history into four words. Every Passover, Jewish families sacrificed a lamb to remember how God delivered them from slavery in Egypt. Every day in the temple, priests offered lambs for the sins of the people. Isaiah 53 prophesied about a suffering servant who would be "like a lamb led to slaughter." John sees Jesus and declares: He's the lamb all the other lambs were pointing to. The final sacrifice. The one who actually takes away sin.

"He Must Increase, I Must Decrease"

Later in John's Gospel (3:30), when John's disciples get worried that everyone is going to Jesus instead of staying with John, the Baptist says something stunning: "He must increase; I must decrease."

This is the pattern of Christian life. Jesus gets bigger, we get smaller. Jesus gets more glory, we get less. Jesus is lifted up, we fade into the background.

And here's what's beautiful: John the Baptist doesn't say this with resentment. He says it with joy. In John 3:29, he compares himself to the best man at a wedding: "The one who has the bride is the bridegroom; the best man, who stands and listens for him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. So this joy of mine has been made complete."

The best man's job isn't to marry the bride. It's to make sure everyone pays attention to the groom. And when the groom shows up, the best man's job is done. That's not failure. That's success.

John the Baptist understood something we desperately need to learn: the most spiritually mature thing you can do is get out of the way so people can see Jesus.

The First Disciples (And How Jesus Finds Us)

After John points to Jesus as the Lamb of God, two of John's own disciples leave John and start following Jesus. One is Andrew. The other is unnamed (probably John, the author of this Gospel).

Jesus turns and sees them following. "What are you looking for?"

It's the first thing Jesus says in John's Gospel. Not a command. Not a pronouncement. A question. "What are you looking for?"

They answer with their own question: "Rabbi, where are you staying?"

And Jesus gives them the invitation that echoes through all of Scripture: "Come, and you will see."

Not "Come, and I'll explain everything." Not "Come, and I'll give you a theology lesson." Just "Come and see." Faith starts with an invitation to come and experience Jesus for yourself.

They went and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. John even remembers the time: "It was about four in the afternoon." Some moments are so important you remember exactly when they happened.

Andrew's Witness (The Power of a Simple Invitation)

The first thing Andrew does after meeting Jesus? He finds his brother Simon and says, "We have found the Messiah."

Notice he doesn't say "I have discovered a new philosophy" or "I have figured out the meaning of life." He says "We have found." Or more accurately, they've been found. They were looking, and Jesus met them.

Andrew brings Simon to Jesus. And Jesus looks at him and says, "You are Simon the son of John; you will be called Cephas" (which means Peter, "rock").

Jesus sees who Peter is and who Peter will become. He sees both the fisherman standing in front of him and the rock on which he'll build his church. This is what Jesus does. He meets us where we are, but he sees who we're becoming.

Philip and Nathanael (The Skeptic Who Becomes a Believer)

Jesus finds Philip and says, "Follow me." Just two words. Philip follows.

Then Philip finds Nathanael and says, "We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets, Jesus, son of Joseph, from Nazareth."

Nathanael is skeptical: "Can anything good come from Nazareth?"

It's an honest question. Nazareth was a nowhere town. Nothing significant had ever happened there. Why would the Messiah come from Nazareth?

Philip doesn't argue. He doesn't try to convince Nathanael with theology or proof texts. He just says, "Come and see."

That's the same invitation Jesus gave. "Come and see." Don't take my word for it. Don't take anyone's word for it. Come and encounter Jesus for yourself.

When Jesus sees Nathanael, he says, "Here is a true Israelite. There is no duplicity in him."

Nathanael is shocked: "How do you know me?"

Jesus answers: "Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree."

We don't know what Nathanael was doing under that fig tree. Praying? Studying Scripture? Wrestling with doubt? But whatever it was, it was private. It was between him and God. And Jesus was there.

Nathanael's response is immediate: "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel."

From skeptic to believer in one encounter. Because he discovered that Jesus sees him. Knows him. Was present even in his most private moments.

YOUR LENTEN PRACTICE THIS WEEK:

John the Baptist's whole ministry was about pointing to Jesus. Who in your life needs someone to point them toward Christ? This week, practice Andrew's approach: "Come and see." Don't argue. Don't preach. Just invite someone to encounter Jesus with you. Bring them to Mass. Share your favorite psalm. Tell them what Jesus has done in your life. Be a witness, not a lawyer.

What This Means for Your Life

This passage is full of witnesses. John the Baptist points to Jesus. Andrew brings Simon. Philip invites Nathanael. Each one plays their part in bringing others to Christ.

And notice: none of them have it all figured out yet. Andrew and John barely know Jesus when they start telling others about him. Philip's theology is a bit shaky (he thinks Jesus is "son of Joseph"). But they don't wait until they're experts. They witness from where they are.

That's permission for you. You don't need a theology degree to point people to Jesus. You don't need perfect doctrine. You just need to say, like Philip, "Come and see."

The other thing to notice: Jesus meets each person differently. He asks Andrew and John a question. He renames Simon. He calls Philip directly. He shows Nathanael that he's been seen. There's no formula. There's just encounter.

Jesus meets you where you are. Not where you think you should be. Not where other people are. Where you are. And he invites you, just like he invited those first disciples: "Come and see."

For Reflection

John the Baptist's whole life was about making Jesus known and making himself less. Where in your life are you trying to be the light instead of pointing to the light? Where do you need to decrease so Jesus can increase?

And who is Jesus calling you to bring to him, the way Andrew brought Simon and Philip brought Nathanael? Who needs your simple invitation: "Come and see"?

Lord Jesus, teach me the humility of John the Baptist. Help me to point always to you and never to myself. Let me be a voice preparing the way, a witness who makes much of you and little of me. Give me the courage to invite others into encounter with you, trusting that you will meet them right where they are. Like Nathanael, help me to see that you have seen me, known me, loved me all along. Amen.