John 1
Who is this Lamb who takes away the sin of the world? Who is He, that Man of sorrows, coming into the world and saying that He is able to take up the question of sin and settle it? No mere man could do that. Who then is this One? If we turn to the beginning of the chapter we shall find a whole string of glories as the answer, connected with that Lamb—the Lord Jesus Christ.
One has often seen persons carrying a string of beads, having so many prayers to go through in connection with each bead; and one has thought, Ah! if the glories of the Lord Jesus were seen by His people as a string of pearls, so that they knew how to count over those glories, what far happier hearts and faces the people of God would have! One cannot turn from titles of highest glories to titles of humiliation without seeing a depth of moral glory coming out, God having to stoop very low because of going to touch this question of sin—He alone being competent to do it. "Behold the Lamb"! The words were like a living touch to the hearts of those who turned and followed Him. Their hearts were laid hold of by this Christ, this Lamb of God who was drawing them to Himself.
He is at work just in the same way now; people cannot tell how it is, but they are drawn and constrained to go seeking this Lord. They find Him melting their hard hearts and they are drawn on to follow Him—still a man, though now in glory instead of being down here. He has left the door of heaven open that the glory may be seen, and we can enter in through the rent veil. We can enter by a new and living way into the place where He is—can follow Him into heaven itself.
Unless the heart is on fire from having seen Jesus, how any little thing turns it aside from the glory of that Lord! How that little word "Nazareth" came between Nathanael and the Son of God! But when he sees Jesus, he finds that Philip has not said half enough, and falls down in worship at once. How one simple word from this Christ could unravel the deeper glory which Nathanael saw and owned!