Meditation On Cross

Meditation on the Cross

Hebrew : 6.4-6; This is a hard verse in the Bible. Those who donot repent of their sins, those who do not desire repentance, those who do not like to be reproved, those who would not listen to any of remonstrance and those who do not change their life in spite of adversities are the people who would willfully close their eyes on this verse. They do not like to read these words. When the Lord Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross of Calvary two thousand years ago out side the gates of Jerusalem He endured untold physical sufferings, mental and spiritual agonies and was put to utmost shame and disgrace. Again like the Jews of old there are many Christians to day who are crucifying their Lord at rest, times with out number. The above text refers to those people; The Lord Jesus Christ can no longer be seen on the wooden cross out side Jerusalem today. But He can be seen hanging on a different cross. St. paul says that the Jews crucified over Lord 2000 years ago out of ignorance. They would not have crucified our Lord had they known His glory. (I cor. 2:8)

But we who have known the Lord and seen His glory cannot plead ignorance like the Jews of old for crucifying our Lord again and again. Hence we bring dishonour and reproach to the name of Jesus Christ. Those who thus willfully reject Christ belong to the first group. The back sliders are seen off others before whom the lord is being dishonoured these constitute second group We read in the 15th chapter of st. Luke that there is great rejoicing before the angels in heaven over one sinner repents. And these angels are greatly distressed when one Christian backslides and sins against the Lord. For they behold every thing that transpires on this earth. Hence the backsliders bring dishonour to Christ before the angels also who belong to the third group. Christians also observe the life of a backslider and Christ's name is being reproached before then and they constitute the fourth group. According to the word of God the saints in heaven like the angels, Know every thing takes place on this earth Hence the back sliders bring dishonour to Christ and these come under last group.

From the above we learn that we bring dishonour to the name of the Lord when we backslide. If you belong to one of these groups let us immediately repent and turn back to Him. Just as the Roman soldier thrust the Cruel sphere into the side of our Lord perpetrate the same deed every time we sin against the Lord

We can never realize the intensity of our lord's physical sufferings when he died for our sins. His head was crowned with a crown of sharp thorns, which sank deep and tore the flesh ot His fore head. His back was torn to shreds and become bleeding mass of flesh furrowed to pieces by the severe lashes of the cruel Roman whip. From the crown of this head to the sole of his foot, our Lord was bleeding with the excruciating pain imaginable. And yet infinitely far greater and more intense were the bitter anguish of heart and spiritual agony that our lord Jesus christ endured when He died as our substitute on the cross of calvary.

Every sin that we commit pierces the very heart of Jesus like the spear-thruat of the Roman soldier. The heart of Jesus is bleeding for you and for me. The justice of God demands the punishment of our sins but the matchless love of Jesus has prome ted him to taste this punishment of our sins upon himself hence we read in Isaiah 53: 5,6 "He was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities, the chasement of our place was upon Him and with his strips we are healed... wondrous amazing love.

During this Lenten season as we meditate upon the sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ and His death upon the cross for our redemption, may God.give us the grace to repent for our sins, Hence all that we have to do is to surrender our lives wholly to Him, captivated by his matchless love, and accept His as ou personal saviour..