Seeing Jesus

In the book of Hebrews, we read about Jesus, the Son of God, who, in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him, that was able to save him from death, and was heard, in that he feared that we were a son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered, and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him. Our text says, with strong crying and tears, this emphasizes Christ's humanity. Our text also says, he became the author of eternal salvation.

This speaks of his divinity. Here, we have a vivid picture of the man of sorrows, offered up as a sacrifice for sin, when Jesus was here, in his earthly ministry. He went about doing good, as he passed through towns and villages, he fed the hungry, he healed the sick, Jesus made the blind to see, Jesus made the lame to walk, Jesus even raised the dead to life, yet wicked men cried out away with him, and nailed him to a cross.

We read in Isaiah about Jesus, the man of sorrows. He is despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief, and we hid, as it were, our faces from him. He was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows, yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted, but he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. All, we like sheep, have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. Look at that man on the cross, friend, look at that blood-stained Savior for sin, see him there, with his arms outstretched, beckoning you to come to him, and believe on him.

Look at that blessed man on the cross, friend, Jesus, the friend of sinners, Jesus, the pearl of great price, we're selling all for, so we may be gained. Look at him, hanging there, the Son of God, who declares, look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth, for I am God, and there is none else. Look closely at him, friends, gaze intently at him, friends, who would please the Lord to bruise him, see the thorny crown tilted upon his noble brow, see the nails protrude out of his hands and feet, as he struggles on that cross, beneath the weight of sin.

Look at him, see the wood he is fastened to, stained by his own blood, see the crowd of his enemies, mocking him, taunting him, to come down from the cross, as they point their fingers and wag their heads, see the sun darken, as of all creation, begins to groan, at the sight of this spectacle and scandal, the rocks begin to quake, the sky goes dark, as the Father looks away from his only begotten Son, as he becomes a curse for us, we hear the agonized cry, pierce the sky, my God, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? This terrible scene, of what takes place next, is described in the Gospels, and behold, the veil of the temple, was ramped in twain, from the top to the bottom, and the earth did quake, and the rocks rant. Look at that man, on the cross, friend, as he hangs there, as a sacrifice for sin, look at that blood-stained Savior for sin, my sins, your sins, see the love of God for sinful man, and this was manifested, the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live, through him, herein is love, not that we love God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son, to be the propitiation for our sins, if you don't know, this blessed Savior, friend, turn to Jesus now, there's power, power in the blood, there's power in the Gospel to save, and that power flows out to all who come in repentance, confessing they are sinners, and own him as their Savior and Lord, listen friend, to this Gospel call, and the Spirit and the Bride say, come, and let him that heareth say, come, and let him that is a thirst come, and whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.