Can I invite you now to do as Hebrews 12:2 instructs us to do? That is, come along with me to the cross, and let’s turn our eyes to look up at Jesus, for there we will find there is so much to see, like the many facets on a diamond:
Seeing His love for us as He is pouring out His life unto death. “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters” (1 John 3:16).
Seeing Him as He holds out His nail-pierced hands to receive our burdens of sadness and despair. "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).
Watching as His blood flows freely from His wounded head, His hands and feet, His side, and realizing that He is covering over our sins in that way. “...love covers over a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8).
Hearing Him crying out to the Father to forgive His enemies, realizing that's His very heart's cry for you and me, His enemies, is to be forgiven and restored. “Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing’" (Luke 23:34).
Looking as He bows His head, in an act of worship, and freely gives up His spirit, so that you and I could have His Spirit. “When he had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’ With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit” (John 19:30).
Knowing that He gave up His entire life, His very breath, all His blood, for you, and for me. “The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father." (John 10:17-18).
Question 4. What does it mean to you to ‘come to the cross and look at Jesus’?
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Iris shares: "To come to the cross and look at Jesus means to look at nothing else.To come to the cross and look is to see Satan defeated. To see all my sin, all of evil, all that makes me guilty disarmed and powerless. Satan has no more weapons. Satan can hurt me no more. Jesus disarmed him, and has conquered.
To come to the cross and see Jesus is to take my eyes off of myself and see love. To see love drive out all fear. To see love tell me its okay, to see it all finished and done and paid. To come to the cross and see Jesus is to see the way to the father. To see my sins become white as snow. To see myself worthy and able to come to the father in confidence.
To come to the cross and look at Jesus is to look at the old Iris and see her vanish. See a righteous and powerful Jesus living in her. See her best friend loving her to death. To come to the cross and look at Jesus means to lose control, lose the grips, and let him lead. To surrender and let him live, let him rule completely as the Lord he is.
To come to the cross and look at Jesus is to have hope. To be free. To be healed."
David writes, "God understood our human condition. He loves us so much he was willing to sacrifice His son. The great thing anyone can do is give up his own life. But God is powerful and knew He has power over death and life and he wanted to show us His great love for each of us. It means everything to see Jesus suffer for me and to know all is paid for now and forever all out of love."
Harris writes, "To look at the price and sufferings of Christ for every need of mine and also for the grace and power to live for Him. To be encouraged by His love and to see that the cross alone is enough to live for Him as one with Him."
Carnell writes, "To come to the cross and see Jesus is to see sin forgiven, satan defeated, the chains of sin broken, I am free from the bondage of sin. Satan and sin no longer has dominion over me. Jesus death on the cross has given me freedom. It has completely cleansed me and healed. I am stain free from any sin. His blood has washed me white as snow. As I look at the cross I see Jesus has conquered Satan and he can't harm or accuse me of anything. Any weapon against me shall not prosper. To come to the cross is to see my old man hanging there dead and lifeless never to be raised again and I am walking in Christ as a new creature old things are past all things have become new. As I look to cross I see Jesus' love being poured out to me with every drop of blood. At the cross I have healing, deliverance, and freedom."