Looking Unto Jesus

01 INTRODUCTION

When John the Baptist, pointing the people to Jesus, who was coming unto him, exclaimed, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world,” he opened at once the great theme of the wreck and rescue of mankind. The world’s first and fatal malady is sin. All its sufferings and sorrows, its woes and disappointments and wrongs, its corruptions and evil passions, - pride, hatred, envy, and revenge, - its thorns, malaria, mildew, and desert wastes, its fairest and dearest hopes blighted and buried in the mold and darkness and terror of the tomb, - all these find their origin, nourishment, and support in this one root of bitterness, this upas tree of sin. The world is wrecked and ruined so long as the virus of this deadly evil courses in the veins of men. LUJ 7.1

The only remedy, then is the removal of sin. The one indispensable condition to the return of peace and happiness and paradise, is that men shall be rescued from this leprous taint; that sin and the love of it - sin which thrusts its deceitful tendrils through all the mind and heart - shall be eradicated from the souls of men, and the curse and scars of its presence be wiped from all the face of nature. LUJ 7.2

But who is sufficient for this mighty task? What means are adequate for its accomplishment? Men cannot do it; angels cannot do it; there is only One of exaltation so high, of merit so great, of power so mighty, as to be able to reach down an arm of strength, and lift from humanity the awful burden; only one name under heaven, given among men, whereby they must be saved, - the name of Jesus: the exalted Being to whom John pointed, - the Lamb of God, the divine and only begotten Son of the Everlasting Father. LUJ 8.1

Thus does John place his hand upon the world’s great trouble and sorrow - sin! He reveals that which can alone bring deliverance; namely, the taking away of sin; and he names the agent by whom alone it can be done - the Lamb of God. LUJ 8.2

Thus is our Lord placed at once in the very focus of that view which should attract the attention of mankind. To him as the one source of help, the one beacon of hope, all eyes should be turned; and the voice of him who appeared in the wilderness of Judea, to prepare the way of the Lord, as it rose loud and clear in the ears of the people, calling them to “behold” him, was only seconding the natural impulse of every truly awakened heart. LUJ 8.3

But so great is the deadening power of Sin that the mere revelation of the facts of a provided salvation is not enough to arouse the soul. Blind eyes must be startled by a vivid light, and dull ears pierced by an earnest cry, to behold and seize the opportunity of life. So by that marvelous forerunner of Christ, the voice was raised. “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” Prophets had long foretold his advent; but now he had appeared, and men could behold him. Subsequent teachers in the field of divine truth, repeated and re-echoed the same call. “Looking unto Jesus,” says Paul, “the author and finisher of our faith.” Again he says: “We see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death:” and in two other passages he expressly enjoins upon us to “consider” him. “Consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds:” and again, “Consider the apostle and high priest of our profession, Christ Jesus.” Hebrews 12:2, 3; 2:9; 3:1. LUJ 8.4

And our Lord himself invites us in still stronger terms to consider him, by revealing how much depends upon our connection with him. “Come unto me,” he says, “and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you ... and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” Matthew 11:28-30. He declares that he is the true vine, and we are the branches; and that, as the branch can bear no fruit, when severed from the vine, so we, without him, can do nothing. John 15:1-6. Through the same apostle, he appeals to us again: “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” 1 John 5:12. The last degree of punishment is denounced against the sinner who treads him under foot Hebrews 10:29); while to the overcomer it is affirmed that he shall sit with Christ upon his throne. Revelation 3:21. LUJ 9.1

These passages are a beginning of the wonderful revelations concerning him of whom John spoke. They begin to show us the reasons why we should “look” unto Jesus, and “consider” him who is the apostle and high priest of our profession. In view of the fact that a vital connection with him is made so essential to future life and happiness, what overmastering impulses should be awakened within us, to know more of his nature, position, and work, and upon what terms that living connection with him may be maintained on which our all depends. LUJ 9.2