Look To Jesus And Live

“Oh Lord, please make a bee-line for our hearts today, and convict us of our sin, and turn us to the cross of forgiveness where we might kneel in repentance. Please give us that which enables our hearts to worship You. And then teach us how to live. How do we apply your Word oh God? What changes need to be made in our lives? How do we live to honor You? Oh come and open your Word to our hearts, and open our hearts to Your Word.”

I want to begin this morning by telling you that it is possible to live our lives in such a way that all our needs are met, and every fear is calmed. It is possible to meet every test and trial, every difficulty and hardship with great confidence. It is possible to live in this way.

Now I want to take you to several places in Scripture that show us exactly how to do this. As we’re turning, please answer the question, what do these passages have in common? So the first one is Psalm 25:15: “My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only he will release my feet from the snare.” Psalm 25:15 (NIV) “But my eyes are fixed on you, O Sovereign Lord; in you I take refuge--do not give me over to death.” Psalm 141:8 (NIV) O our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you." 2 Chronicles 20:12 (NIV) 20 "Gather together and come; assemble, you fugitives from the nations. Ignorant are those who carry about idols of wood, who pray to gods that cannot save. 21 Declare what is to be, present it-- let them take counsel together. Who foretold this long ago, who declared it from the distant past? Was it not I, the Lord? And there is no God apart from me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none but me. 22 "Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. Isaiah 45:20-22 (NIV) “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2

So in the OT passages we have several difficult situations, but the same remedy in them all. 1 guy was trapped in a snare but his eyes were on the Lord to release him, another guy faced a vast army and didn’t know what to do, but he turned his eyes to the Lord to win the battle. Then there were those who were praying to idols and were lost, so God says, “Look to me, all the ends of the earth and be saved.” Different situations, same solution. “Fix our eyes on Jesus,” and specifically how He endured the cross and then sat down at the right hand of God.

That is how to live our lives so that we can face traps or troubles or testing or trials confidently. Not looking to ourselves as if we had the solution, but looking to God. Looking to the God who made us, and the God Who sent His Son to die for us.

Now let’s open our Bibles to John chapter 6. Let me remind you this morning that there have only been two people who have ever walked on water. Only two. And it was not Jesus Christ and Bruce Almighty. No, it was Jesus and Peter. And Peter could only walk on water as long as He was looking at Jesus. As long as he fixed his eyes on Jesus he could walk supernaturally, he walked on top of his problem while focusing on Christ, and so do we. But the moment he started focusing on the winds and the waves he sunk. When he became distracted he started drowning, and so do we. But when he looked to Jesus and said, “Lord, Save me,” Christ raised him up. And all of these Scriptures are an illustration of our text today in John 6 verse 40 that says:

“For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” John 6:40 (NIV)

Looking to Jesus and believing in Him always results in life and being raised up. The title of my sermon this morning is simply “look to Jesus and live” or, you can change it if your situation dictates to “look again to Jesus and live” if you’ve gotten your eyes off of Him.