Introduction: "Relationship" is a word that is over-worked and misunderstood, but it is still a good and useful word. As Christians we often say that "Christianity is not a religion (i.e. ceremonies and regulations) but a relationship with an individual," Jesus of Nazareth. Actually, relationships (plural): He is the Lord, we are His servants. We are sinners, He is our Savior. He calls us brothers and friends. He is our Commander in Chief, we are His soldiers. We are sheep, He is our Shepherd. We are students, He is our Teacher. We want to know Jesus, and in order to do that we need to know ABOUT Him; and we need to spend time WORKING WITH HIM. Paul wrote: "We are laborers together with Him." And Jesus said, "Lo I am with you always, even to the end of the age." So, we must LEARN ABOUT JESUS, and we must SERVE HIM, and then we will gradually get to know Him better and better.

Last week we learned that Jesus was 1) God in the flesh. And 2) the Messiah foretold in the Old Testament. Today we will discuss three more facts about Jesus:

I. Jesus is the Lamb of God (John 1:29).

A. He is our "propitiation" (I John 2:1-2). The Greek word may also be translated "appeasement" or "satisfaction." His sacrifice on the cross satisfied God's Justice. Sin cannot merely be ignored by a holy God. God cannot be satisfied without the proper sacrifice.

B. Isaiah also described the Messiah as sacrificial lamb (Isaiah 53:7-12).

C. Anyone who rejects God's lamb, which He provided at such personal cost, is in trouble with God (Hebrews 10:26-31).

II. Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit (John 1:32-34).

A. Why must He be Spirit-filled? Because of His emptying (Philippians 2:5-8). He laid aside His heavenly glory and the exercise of His powers in order to become a real human being.

B. There was no limitation, no holding back, no intermittent filling. Jesus was fully empowered by the Spirit, and always empowered by the Spirit (John 3:34 and Luke 4:1, 14, 18 and many other verses).

C. He is no longer filled with the Holy Spirit, because He has risen from the dead. He has ascended into Heaven. He has taken back the full use of His Divine powers. He sits in glory at the right hand of the Heavenly Father.

III. Jesus is the only begotten Son of God (John 1:34).

A. Every believer is a child of God (John 1:12).

B. But Jesus is the only begotten Son of God, not merely "a" Son of God. John uses the particular article here in Greek, "the" Son of God. He emphasizes this again in John 1:18 and 3:16, calling Jesus the "only begotten" Son of God, who has a special relationship with the Father. Jesus is the second Person of the Trinity.

Conclusion: Do you want to know God? Then you must know Him by knowing Jesus, who is God's revelation to us. You can know Jesus by 1) learning about Him; and 2) working together with Him. As we increase in knowledge, faith and obedience, we will know Him better and better.