WE SEE JESUS
Part 2
Pastor Floyd H. Crook
(1982)
“THEREFORE we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip….Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet….But now we see not yet all things put under him. BUT WE SEE JESUS, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste DEATH FOR EVERY MAN.” Hebrews 2:1,8b,9.
JESUS MINISTERING TO MANKIND
We see Him, as He grew up to manhood, going in and out among the people in various places. The Bible declares, He “went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him,” Acts 10:38. Many of the religious rulers did not believe. As time drew near for Him to die on the cross, we see Him in the presence of those leaders; and the multitude cried out: “Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas.” Pilate asked them a question that is certainly important to us today: “What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ?” This is the ALL-IMPORTANT QUESTION THAT EVERY ONE MUST FACE.
Jesus, at one time, uttered these words: “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This he said, signifying what death he should die.” John 12:32-33. In other words, He was saying that He was going to be lifted up on the cross, and that all of the human race is going to be drawn to Him one way or another; either in salvation or condem-nation. God laid on Him the sins of the entire world; every one has the respon-sibility of taking Him as Savior. If they refuse, they will still have to deal with the Son of God.
They took Jesus out to Calvary’s hill and put the nails in His hands and feet. The Old Testament records these words: “...they pierced my hands and my feet.” There are a lot of false prophecies, but this is a true prophecy. We see Him there for six long hours. We can not imagine the terrible agony that He went through. He not only suffered, physically, but the last three hours He was bearing the sins of the whole world. There God the Father turned His back on His well beloved Son. We have the fulfillment of prophecy in both the Old and New Testaments, when Jesus cried out these agonizing words: “My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Psalm 22:1. Think of your own sins now as a Christian (made free from sin), how you would feel if all of those sins you were once engulfed in, were again heaped upon you. All of the sins of all people of all ages were heaped upon Jesus there on that cross. Can we treat His sacrifice lightly?
About one and one-half years ago, I was stricken, with a heart attack (I will not go into details), but this may give you a little thought. Those few hours of agony I went through gave me a deeper appreciation of what Jesus went through for me. It was not any thing pleasant to go through, but I am glad I had that experience. I can not tell you what it meant to me - the reality of the suffering of Jesus Christ in my behalf. In many ways, during that time, the Lord enabled me to see Jesus in it all.
Continued – Part 3 in the next issue
