The reason for saying His rank is so high and He is from eternity is because this is what it takes

for a person to be the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

No ordinary human being can be the Lamb of God. No ordinary human being can take away the sin

of the world. So why can't an ordinary human being take away the sin of the world?

That's the question John Piper answers from John 119-34 in this episode of Light and Truth.

This sermon was originally preached at Bethlehem Baptist Church on November 16, 2008.

You will need to decide whether you are going to listen to the testimony of John the Baptist.

And here's what's at stake. Look at verse 33. John said,

I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize that's God. He who sent me to baptize said to me.

He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Spirit.

But the testimony of John is not based on what he knows about Jesus. It's based on what God told

him to say about Jesus. And therefore what's at stake in the decision you will make now as to whether

to listen to John's testimony is whether you will listen to God. Of course, you don't have to

believe that. But if you're not going to believe it that John speaks for Jesus, you should base that

choice on understanding and not on ignorance. Shouldn't you? And therefore we need to pay attention

to what John says so that we can render a wise judgment as to whether we will believe what he says

is the Word of God or not. And therefore we will focus our attention on the testimony of John the

Baptist, which is the testimony of God to his Son. Let's pray. So Father, I pray for

right, true, wise, informed decisions to be rendered concerning whether we will believe John

or not. Then he came totally oblivious to what John testifies concerning the one whom he saw

grant that they would learn rightly now so that they might know and form a right judgment with

your help concerning these things. I ask this in Jesus name. Amen. John the Baptist appears at the

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