SEPTEMBER 17, 2024
“…they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him…and shall be in bitterness for him…” (Zechariah 12:10)
When sinners receive Jesus Christ, they shall look upon Him as pierced and slain: and the initial result will be bitter repentance. Of all sights, a sight of Jesus crucified is the sweetest; but at the same time, it causes bitterness. This look initiates that Godly sorrow which works repentance unto salvation.
This sight of Christ suffering and bleeding and dying for us brings bitterness, as it should; first, for not having known how Christ so loved us before – that I had been as those who “passed by” unmoved by His sacrifice. For having slighted such love is crime upon crime, of which once convicted, brings great bitterness of soul. Sin, its greatness, and its effect are seen in our own Lord’s cruel death, and this makes us deplore our guilt and His woes. When we see the wrath of God, its justice and terribleness so displayed, we tremble; and as we see His suffering as really our own it should be acknowledged with bitter tears. The hymn writer, John Newton, puts it like this:
“I saw One hanging on a tree,
In agony and blood;
He fixed His languid eyes on me,
As near His cross I stood.”
“My conscience felt and owned the guilt,
And plunged me in despair;
I saw my sins His blood had spilt,
And helped to nail Him there.”
“A second look He gave, which said,
“I freely all forgive;
This blood is for thy ransom paid,
I die that thou mayst live.”
We are reminded of the Apostle Peter, as he was warming himself at the fire of Christ’s enemies on the night of Christ’s great agony. Jesus, as He was being cruelly treated before the high priest, turned and looked at His Apostle, and Peter went out and wept bitterly. For him, it was bitter repentance, but he was forever changed. Never again would he deny his Lord. When we are tempted to dishonor our Lord, or to act in any manner that would bring shame upon our profession of Christ, let us take another look at the cross; and let us feel His eyes looking back at us. The sight of our Savior dying for our sin surely ought to cause bitter sorrow unto repentance.
We must nail our sins to the cross of Christ – fasten them upon the tree on which He suffered. Sin will begin to die within a man at the sight of Christ on the cross, for the cross of Christ accuses sin, shames the sinner, and by a unique virtue destroys the very heart of sin. We must treat sin as Christ was treated when He was made sin for us; we must lift it up and nail it to the cross; we must fasten its hands and feet by repentance, and pierce its heart by Godly sorrow. Note the lyrics of another poem, the title of which is Nails:
“I heard the crowd in Pilate’s Hall, I mark the wrathful mien;
Their shouts of “Crucify” appall, with blasphemy between,
And of that shouting multitude I feel that I am one;
And in that din of voices rude, I recognized my own.”
“I see the scourges tear His back, I see the piercing crown,
And of that crowd who smite and mock, I feel that I am one;
Around yon cross, the throng I see, mocking the Sufferer’s groan,
Yet still my voice it seems to be, as if I mocked alone.”
“Twas I that shed the sacred blood, I nailed Him to the tree,
I crucified the Christ of God, I joined the mockery,
Yet not the less that blood avails to cleanse away my sin,
And not the less that cross prevails to give me peace within.”
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