One Sacrifice for Sin: BEHOLD THE MAN!

"But this man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sin, for ever sat down on the right hand of God." —Hebrews 10:12 [KJV]

The cross of Christ is the Christian's glory. Yet the small share that Jesus hath in the Christian's affections is his shame. Really disciples of Jesus do not love their Saviour as they ought. Why? because they are slow of heart to believe His love to them and His sufferings for them. How little are our hearts in meditation upon the labours of love, toils of sorrows, and agonies of soul, which Jesus in our nature sustained on our account. If a friendly arm is reached forth and snatches a poor mortal from the jaws of approaching death, O how does it call forth love to his kind deliverer! when he reflects on his danger, how does it excite his gratitude! he cannot think of his Preserver but he remembers His mercy. 

But where is our warm affection, our fervent love to that precious MAN, whose heart was as a flame of love to us, and who willingly offered Himself as a sacrifice for our sins? how was He straitened till this baptism was accomplished! how did His soul long till it was finished! But alas! we think too little of our danger. We are too prone to look upon sin as a matter of small moment; because the sacrifice of Jesus is not so constantly upon our hearts. Disciple, dost thou not see cause of mourning for this? hast thou not cause to pray daily for more heart-affecting views of Jesus by the Spirit? O the infinite value of this ONE sacrifice! Sin, how malignant its nature! How deep its stain! nothing but blood divine could atone for it. How prevalent this ONE sacrifice! it hath for ever put away ALL our sins. 

BEHOLD THE MAN! gaze, wonder, adore, and love; Jesus on the cross, fully atoning for sin. This work being for ever done; behold this MAN for ever sat down on the right hand of God. There He pleads the sinner's cause and presents the perfection of His sacrifice. What singular consolation is this! A sense of sin is distressing to the converted soul. But O, when the ONE sacrifice by this ONE MAN is beheld by the eye of faith, how does it revive the drooping heart, give peace to the troubled conscience, and excite joy in the sorrowful mind? Poor sinners have nothing else to look to for hope. Pardon and peace can be had from no other object but the blood of Jesus. Of this we can never glory too much. Nor can our confidence be too strong, our expectations too great, our triumphs in Jesus over sin, Satan, the law and death, be at any time unseasonable. These precious truths are our neverfailing springs of consolation. "The blood of Jesus cleanseth from all sin. If we sin, we have an Advocate with the Father,"—1 John 2:1.

Our faith adores Thy bleeding love, 

And trusts for life in ONE that dy'd; 

We hope for heavenly crowns above 

From a Redeemer crucify'd.

 

-preacher William Mason (1724-1797 A.D.)