What do you see when you look at the cross? The Roman soldiers looked and they saw garments to be coveted and a robe for which to gamble. The priests looked and they saw an enemy to be destroyed. The curious passersby, who sat down and watched Him there, saw a scene in which to idle away a weary hour. One malefactor looked and saw another criminal, like himself, being crucified. The other thief looked and saw hope for heaven: “Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.” The centurion looked and said: “Surely this man was the Son of God.” The ruler of the Passover feast looked and saw a polluted body that had to be removed before the Sabbath Day drew on. Pilate’s quaternion of soldiers looked and were commissioned with three deaths to be ascertained. Two of the three certainly expired with the breaking of their bones by heavy mallets, and the other was declared certainly dead with a spear, opening His heart and His side. John looked and saw a fountain of blood and water for atonement and the cleansing of our sins. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus looked and saw a precious body to be lovingly laid away. God the Father looked and saw the sacrifice of His only- begotten Son. When you look upon the cross, what do you see? When Jesus stands before you, upon His brow the crown of thorns, mocked, rejected, scourged, bleeding, dying, what do you feel? Surely, surely we are conscience-stricken, for His suffering is a revelation of the judgment of God upon the sin of our own hearts. It is our sins that placed upon His brow the crown of thorns. It is our sins that laid upon His back the cruel and heavy stripes. It is our sins that nailed Him to the tree. Surely it is our sins that we see in the sufferings of His cross, in His tears, in His sorrows, in His wounds, and in His death. When you look at the cross, what do you see? Do you see the love of God for a lost humanity? He died in our stead. It is by the love of God for us that we are delivered from so terrible a penalty. When you look upon the cross, what do you see? Do you see our victory over sin and death and the grave? Through the torn veil of His flesh, we have our entrance into heaven. When you look upon the cross, do you hear God’s call to the human heart? Do you not feel God’s entreaty to your own soul?
Posted on: Thu, 04 Sep 2014 20:21:08 +0000
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