John the Baptist proclaims Jesus as the Messiah

John 1:29-34

Though Christ's ministry was effectively inaugurated when John baptized him more than forty days before, this is the moment when the heavy cords start buzzing and the percussion starts mounting. This is when John, the most exciting and genuine and godly religious figure Israel has seen in four hundred years, points to Jesus and says, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!"1

All this time, likely for months on end, John has been urging the masses who came to see him, "Turn away! Turn away from your sins!" John's reputation has grown so big that religious bigwigs have rolled up their tunics and trekked out into the desert to speak to him.

And now, the climax! Now, the person who can take away the sins of the past and the future! The sacrifice for all men--the Lamb of God.

John doesn't miss a chance to be humble here. He's one of the most famous people in his country, and without missing a beat he declares that the whole point of what he's been doing, the whole point of his life basically, has been to reveal this normal-looking Jesus guy to Israel.

This is the beginning of an extraordinary, epic adventure. The introduction to the story is finished--the action has officially begun.

1. John 1:29