This Christmas ….Fix your eyes on Jesus
Christmas is often a season when we forget the true meaning of the holiday and become wrapped up in, and overwhelmed by, the seemingly insurmountable “to do” list of sending cards, baking cookies, decorating, and shopping. Rather than letting ourselves get swept away by the pressure of finding that “perfect” gift for each person in our lives, let us be obedient to Scriptures’ directive in Hebrews 12:2
2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2
Oswald Chambers writes “
“That Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God (Luke 1:35). Jesus Christ was born into this world, not from it. He did not emerge out of history; He came into history from the outside. Jesus Christ is not the best human being the human race can boast of— He is a Being for whom the human race can take no credit at all. He is not man becoming God, but God Incarnate— God coming into human flesh from outside it. His life is the highest and the holiest entering through the most humble of doors. Our Lord’s birth was an advent— the appearance of God in human form.”
His Birth in Me
. “My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you . . .” (Galatians 4:19). Just as our Lord came into human history from outside it, He must also come into me from outside. Have I allowed my personal human life to become a “
God Evident in the Flesh.
This is what is made so profoundly possible for you and for me through the redemption of man by Jesus Christ.
The Spirit of God testifies to and confirms the simple, but almighty, security of the life that “is hidden” with Christ in God.
When you really see Jesus, I defy you to doubt Him. If you see Him when He says, “Let not your heart be troubled . . .” (John 14:27), I defy you to worry. It is virtually impossible to doubt when He is there. Every time you are in personal contact with Jesus, His words are real to you. “My peace I give to you . . .” (John 14:27)— a peace which brings an unconstrained confidence and covers you completely, from the top of your head to the soles of your feet. “. . . your life is hidden with Christ in God,” and the peace of Jesus Christ that cannot be disturbed has been imparted to you.
All the failures in the Christian life can be traced to losing our focus or taking our eyes off Jesus. On different occasions in the book of Hebrews the writer admonishes us to turn our eyes upon Jesus.
We read in Hebrews 3:1, "Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus." The word "consider" means "to observe fully." The ideal is to fix and keep your eyes on Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our profession.
In our text, Hebrews 12:1-2, the writer speaks to us of the importance of keeping our eyes on Jesus. He admonishes us to keep, "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith." The word "looking" speaks of "looking away to Jesus" and carries the idea of a fixed gaze. We are to look away from everything else, and look away to Jesus.
The songwriter put it into word ...
- O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free! - Refrain:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace. - Through death into life everlasting
He passed, and we follow Him there;
O’er us sin no more hath dominion—
For more than conquerors we are! - His Word shall not fail you—He promised;
Believe Him, and all will be well:
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!
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