LIFTING UP JESUS by H. A. St. John

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Dec 27, 1905

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 31, No. 52.

LIFTING UP JESUS.

By H. A. St. John

BY H. A. ST. JOHN.

"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life." John 3: 14, 15.

IT is our exalted privilege to point all men to Calvary, there to behold Jesus lifted up, dying on the cross, and thus by His death making it possible to eventually take away all the sin of the world. But how shall we lift up Jesus?—Manifestly, by keeping before the people the crucified One, who is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world. Jesus is ever to the sinner as a lamb slain before the throne of God in heaven, and also at the door of the sinner's heart on earth. He is ever accessible, and ever efficient in taking away all sin, in cleansing from all unrighteousness, and saving to the uttermost, all that come unto God by Him. All sinners that come unto God must come by this one way, by the royal way of the cross.

The world is one great hospital, teeming with the sick, sinful, suffering, dying; and the only efficient, complete, and infallible remedy is the One lifted up on Calvary's cross. Look upon Him and live, is the good news of the Gospel message to all the world.

But no one can be a Moses, and thus lift up Christ as the fountain of light, life, and health, until he has for himself found that light, life, and health, by beholding the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. He must be able to say in very truth, I was sick, but now I am well; I was lost, but now I am saved; I was sinful, but now I am washed and made clean, yea, I am redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, and I love to proclaim it. If it is simply theory with no genuine experience of salvation, conversion, and transformation; if you have not really become a new creature in Christ Jesus, your words will be as empty and unfruitful as the sounding brass or tinkling cymbal. But if, by beholding the lifted-up Jesus, you have been brought from error to truth, from darkness to light, from sin to salvation, from the horrible pit to the solid Rock of Ages, with the new song of praise to God in your mouth, then you may indeed lift up Jesus by telling it out with gladness. If Jesus has become to you the Chiefest among ten thousand and the One altogether lovely, then that overflowing divine love in your soul will enable you to so lift up Jesus that other souls will be attracted, converted, and saved.

Remember ever that God measures, not by how much you do, but by how much love you work; and the words and deeds of pure love are always fruitful. It is but our reasonable, and ought to be our most delightful and joyous, service to lift up Jesus every day and everywhere.

"Lift Him up, this precious Saviour, Let the multitude behold; They with willing hearts shall seek Him; He will draw them to His fold. Lift Him up in all His glory, 'Tis the Son of God on high; Lift Him up, His love shall draw them; E'en the careless shall draw nigh. "O then lift Him up in singing, Lift the Saviour up in prayer; He, the glorious Redeemer, All the sins of men did bear. Let them hear again the story Of the cross, the death of shame; And from tongue to tongue repeat it; Mighty throngs shall bless His name."