“Fix our eyes not on what is see, but on what is unseen” II Corinthians 4:18
Many in the world have viewed “The Passion of the Christ”. It depicts the true account from scripture of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. He paid an excruciating penalty for our sins. We praise His name! There are however several sacrifices Jesus made that would be impossible for the human eye to comprehend visually.
Jesus became flesh
The first “unseen” is found in John 1:14 – “The Word became flesh and lived for a while among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father.” Think of it: Jesus is the Son of God, left heaven, full of all His rights, honor and splendor. He left it all to come and live as one of His very own creation. We moan and groan about life. For centuries Jesus heard our complaints, the way people treat us, the way our bodies physically ache. Yet Jesus was willing to come to live among us and even more He came for the sole purpose to die for us. So as we view the cross fix our eyes on the very Son of God, our creator submitting Himself to death, even the death of the cross. He is worthy of all our praise!
Jesus the perfect Lamb
The second “unseen” is found in John 1:29 - "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” Jesus Christ became the once and for all sacrifice to atone for our sins. “He committed no sin. He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness.” I Peter 4:22,24. Jesus Christ was and is the only one born into this world with no sin. He never knew what it felt like to be guilty. He never experienced a sleepless night because of being afraid of being caught. He never knew the cancer-like ache of hatred. He was sinless – He never knew sin - - - Until the cross! We see the physical pain of the beatings, cruelty and agony of the cross. But what we can only imagine is one’s guilt and shame, filth and depravity of our sin. What we cannot imagine is that He (Jesus, The Son of God) endured the sin of ALL humanity, with its horrendous shame and agony of the lost. “Look the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” How can we not surrender to the One who became the ultimate sacrifice for us? We humbly bow in His presence.
Jesus was alone
Jesus was left alone. His disciples ran for their lives. He had no one to stand up for Him at the so-called trial. They even made Him carry His own cross after being beaten almost to death.” They mocked Him saying: He saved others, but He can’t save Himself.” Mark 15:31 After all He had done for the people. The healing, the kindness shown to the outcast and the teachings to bring them close to God, He was left to suffer alone. We have felt alone before, but in the midst of our loneliness we can always call on God and He is there. Jesus, however – when on the cross – had willingly taken all sin upon Him and now He was left alone – to die without God.” “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Mark 15:34
Jesus had sin so heaped upon Him, God could not look at Him. Jesus felt the abandonment of His God. We think we can see the physical suffering Jesus endured on the cross. We may even experience some minute portion of the hurt of insults and abandonment, BUT WE WILL NEVER HAVE TO KNOW THE ULTIMATE AGONY OF BEING FORSAKEN BY GOD, unless we choose not to accept Jesus’ sacrifice for our sin.
It is good to visualize the pain and suffering Jesus endured on the cross. We can see the physical abuse lashed at the perfect Son of God, but as we fix our eyes on Jesus Christ we can see:
1. The creator leaving heaven to dwell among us.
2. He who had no sin but took our sin for us.
3. He felt forsaken by God so we would never have to.
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2
The good news is Jesus died on the cross, "But God raised Him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on Him." Acts 2:24
As followers of Jesus Christ and because of His resurrection we are promised eternal life with Him.
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