What a revelation of grace!!
How can we not be moved, how can a heart resist such love!! God allowed His innocent Son to suffer the punishment for our sins, the sins of the whole world!! But, in order to be benefited by this grace, we must behold it. How many are daily feeding upon this most wonderful truth? Listen to the Words of Jesus, and understand what lies from below can do to one's faith.
The mother of Jesus, supported by John the beloved disciple, had followed the steps of her Son to Calvary. She had seen Him fainting under the burden of the cross, and had longed to place a supporting hand beneath His wounded head, and to bathe that brow which had once been pillowed upon her bosom. But she was not permitted this mournful privilege. With the disciples she still cherished the hope that Jesus would manifest His power, and deliver Himself from His enemies. Again her heart would sink as she recalled the words in which He had foretold the very scenes that were then taking place. As the thieves were bound to the cross, she looked on with agonizing suspense. Would He who had given life to the dead suffer Himself to be crucified? Would the Son of God suffer Himself to be thus cruelly slain? Must she give up her faith that Jesus was the Messiah? Must she witness His shame and sorrow, without even the privilege of ministering to Him in His distress? She saw His hands stretched upon the cross; the hammer and the nails were brought, and as the spikes were driven through the tender flesh, the heart-stricken disciples bore away from the cruel scene the fainting form of the mother of Jesus.
The Saviour made no murmur of complaint. His face remained calm and serene, but great drops of sweat stood upon His brow. There was no pitying hand to wipe the death dew from His face, nor words of sympathy and unchanging fidelity to stay His human heart. While the soldiers were doing their fearful work, Jesus prayed for His enemies, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." His mind passed from His own suffering to the sin of His persecutors, and the terrible retribution that would be theirs. No curses were called down upon the soldiers who were handling Him so roughly. No vengeance was invoked upon the priests and rulers, who were gloating over the accomplishment of their purpose. Christ pitied them in their ignorance and guilt. He breathed only a plea for their forgiveness,--"for they know not what they do."
We are saved by grace, grace that we take into our hearts. What is grace? "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." This is grace, that Christ should not only love us while we are sinning, but that He would suffer for our sins while we were yet sinners! Yes, He was interceding for those who were nasty and torturing Him. He could have come down from the cross. But, He did not. He suffered intense agony, not so much from the pain, but from the separation between Him and His Father.
Upon Christ as our substitute and surety was laid the iniquity of us all. He was counted a transgressor, that He might redeem us from the condemnation of the law. The guilt of every descendant of Adam was pressing upon His heart. The wrath of God against sin, the terrible manifestation of His displeasure because of iniquity, filled the soul of His Son with consternation. All His life Christ had been publishing to a fallen world the good news of the Father's mercy and pardoning love. Salvation for the chief of sinners was His theme. But now with the terrible weight of guilt He bears, He cannot see the Father's reconciling face. The withdrawal of the divine countenance from the Saviour in this hour of supreme anguish pierced His heart with a sorrow that can never be fully understood by man. So great was this agony that His physical pain was hardly felt.
Satan with his fierce temptations wrung the heart of Jesus. The Saviour could not see through the portals of the tomb. Hope did not present to Him His coming forth from the grave a conqueror, or tell Him of the Father's acceptance of the sacrifice. He feared that sin was so offensive to God that Their separation was to be eternal. Christ felt the anguish which the sinner will feel when mercy shall no longer plead for the guilty race. It was the sense of sin, bringing the Father's wrath upon Him as man's substitute, that made the cup He drank so bitter, and broke the heart of the Son of God.
What love! Imagine the heart of our heavenly Father as He watched His innocent Son suffer!! Wonder O heavens and be astonished O Earth!! This is love, this is grace!
And, Jesus knew His mother doubted He was the Son of God. "Must she give up her faith that Jesus was the Messiah?" How could that be?
The "teachers" of Israel had deceived the people as to their need of a Savior. Satan had hatched a lie that blinded the people to see the Lamb must suffer and die. What a deception! That the mother of Jesus would not believe it was the Son of God as He suffered for her sins and the sins of the whole world!
How is it today? Do we understand our continual need of a Savior, or do we think we can be separated from God and retain eternal life? Many make all kinds of excuses that they can sin and be saved. But, if we were to spend a thoughtful hour a day contemplating the life, suffering, and death of our Savior, our eyes would be opened to the truth. This is our prayer, that there would be a revival and reformation in God's church. That will come when enough begin to focus their attention upon the Lamb of God as He hung upon the cross. This beholding of grace has power to take away the sins of the world.