Looking unto Jesus

Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. (Hebrews 12:2)

I remember the first bike my father bought me. It was a little too big, so he had to put blocks on the pedals so I could reach them. I was so excited as he taught me to ride. I tried to keep my balance but didn’t have much success. I was in constant danger of falling off, but all the time my father held the saddle. I remember him coming to the front of the bike and holding the handlebars, so I stayed upright. He said to me, “Gordon, you will never ride a bike until you learn to look up!” His advice had an immediate effect, and off I went feeling as if I owned a Rolls Royce.

It is the same in our Christian lives. Our spiritual power and progress are dependent upon looking up to Jesus. Too often we try to find answers within our ourselves and go our own way. That’s when we lose balance, and our lives become wayward and unstable. The Lord is always there to hold the saddle, and to stop us and say, “Gordon, look up!”

“Behold the Lamb of God” were words John the Baptist said on two occasions. First he used them to declare the Lord Jesus as the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). We come to Christ by looking to Him in simple faith as our Saviour. On the second occasion, John said, “Behold the Lamb of God!” (John 1:36), and Andrew and his fellow disciple followed Jesus, had fellowship with Jesus and witnessed for Jesus. We look to Jesus for our sanctification. He wants us to abide in Him, follow Him and serve Him.

“Looking unto Jesus” are words we read in Hebrews 12:2 to encourage us to always look up in faith to Jesus. He is the source and completer of our faith. The Lord Jesus suffered in love for us. He now sits in glory and sustains us in our daily pathway of faith through the power of His endless life.

“Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works” (Titus 2:13-14). With these words the Spirit of God encourages us to be looking for the return of the Lord Jesus for His people, as is described in 1 Thessalonians 4. And – to be looking for “His glorious appearing” as the King of kings and Lord of lords when every knee shall bow to Him and every tongue “confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:11). John explains that “everyone who has this hope in Him (Jesus) purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:3). The reality of this hope transforms our lives.

“We, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13). Through Peter’s words, God causes us to look beyond Christ’s millennial reign, during which righteousness reigns, to the eternal state and the Day of God when He fulfils all His purposes of love and grace in Christ, and righteousness abides.

God took Moses to Mount Nebo and the top of Pisgah to view all the land of Israel. The Father takes us by the hand and by His Spirit to the Lord Jesus to view eternity.