“For consider him that endured such contradiction
of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.”
Hebrews 12:3
When
the Spirit of God tells us to consider Christ, he is telling us to ever
remember and bear in mind who he is. Nothing more
inspires faith, confidence, and a sense of security in this world like the
blessed knowledge of Christ. He is the mighty God (Isa. 9:6). He is the
infinitely Holy God-man, our Mediator (1 Tim.
The Spirit of God would have
us constantly consider our Savior’s mediatorial offices. He ever speaks of
Christ and teaches all who are taught of him ever to consider Christ. He is our
everlasting Surety. He is our Prophet, Priest, and King. The Lord Jesus Christ
is our mighty Advocate in heaven.
We should constantly
consider our Savior’s mission, that for which he came into this world in human
flesh. He came into this world for the singular purpose of saving his people
from their sins for the glory of God (Matt.
When we are called of God to
endure trials and afflictions for his name’s sake, then we should
especially remember and consider the patience with which our blessed Savior
endured all that he suffered for us. What relentless contradiction, what
never-ceasing opposition he suffered from sinners and for sinners! He was
opposed by his own kinsmen after the flesh (John 7:5). He was opposed by those
very sinners for whom he suffered.
When he was born at
From the commencement of his
ministry until its end he endured the unbroken, relentless, “contradiction
of sinners against himself.” He endured Satan’s temptations, the slanders
of men, the unbelief of his own disciples, the betrayal of his friend, mockery
and shame, and all the horror of
Our Lord Jesus Christ felt
keenly that contradiction. Let us never imagine otherwise. He was the man of
sorrows and acquainted with grief. He cried, “Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked
for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none” (Psa. 69:20).
“Go to dark
There your Savior’s conflict see, watch Him there (O bitter hour!)
Turn not from His griefs
away, ― Learn of Jesus Christ to pray.
Follow to the judgment hall,
view the Lord of Life arraigned;
O the wormwood and the gall!
O the pangs His soul sustained!
Shun not suffering, shame,
or loss, ― Learn of Him to bear the cross.
Mark that miracle of time,
God’s own sacrifice complete;
‘It is finished,’ hear Him
cry, ― Learn of Jesus Christ to die.
Early hasten to the tomb Where they laid His breathless clay;
All is solitude and gloom.
Who hath taken Him away?
Christ arisen meets our
eyes, ― See Him seated in the skies!”
―James
In the midst of all that our
blessed Savior suffered any man might be expected to collapse, but the God-man
set his face as a flint, until the work was finished (Lk. 9:51; Isa. 50:7). He
would not turn back. He came here to redeem us, knowing full well the price by
which we must be redeemed; and he voluntarily determined to pay it because of
his great love for us. Whenever we are tempted to murmur against his
providence, give up the race set before us, and find ourselves becoming weary
and faint, “consider him!’
Don Fortner