Hebrews 12:2. looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
O the beauty of the glory of Jesus that’s in view as we read this verse!
“HE IS THE FOUNDER AND PERFECTER OF OUR FAITH”
The earliest promise of Jesus as the founder of our faith is the protoevangelion in Genesis 3:15. And the last reminder of the perfection of our faith is found as the Bible ends to reveal the scope of eternity. We read that God now dwells in the midst of His people (Revelation 21:3). That’s perfection.
The entire Bible is about Jesus, the founder or originator of our faith, who perfects and brings faith to completion in the lives of His people. The Bible is God’s promise that He who initiated faith will bring it to fruition. Look at Jesus—the Bible is all about Him, and He spills over the covers of the Bible both front and back.
The plan of redemption was laid in eternity past before the world was created, before the front covers of the Bible. For we read that Jesus is the Lamb who was slain before the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8; cf. Hebrews 9:26). And beyond the end covers, the fruit of the faith is enjoyed well after the prayer of Maranatha is answered.
We have to draw a line that stretches from eternity past to eternity future to fairly represent the work of Jesus as the founder and the perfecter of our faith. To see how far this line stretches, we look not through the peering eye of the James Webb Space Telescope, or any human conception, but we look at Jesus.
“ENDURED THE CROSS, DESPISING THE SHAME”
As we watch this line stretch we tend to raise a small blip in the middle of a line. A hill as it were that reminds us of Calvary at the center of time. We even sing the hymn, “On a hill far away, stood and ol’ rugged cross…”
A question may well be raised, if the cross was really set on a hill or by the way (Matthew 27:39). However, I want to suggest to you that getting stuck on the nuance of this mindless discussion may cost us the loss of a greater truth. For what we have here is no hill but a chasm. It is the deepest Mariana Trench like no other.
Why you may ask?
Philippians 2:8 reminds us that Jesus humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Jesus who was in the form of God, not just emptied Himself of all divine privilege, not just take on the form of a servant, not just was born in the likeness of man, and not just become obedient to death, but after all that condescension, He was willing to go further to die on the shameful cross. For “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—” (Galatians 3:13).
What incomprehensible depth! So we sing,
Give me a sight, O Savior,
Of Thy wondrous love to me,
Of the love that brought Thee down to earth,
To die on Calvary.
Oh, make me understand it,
Help me to take it in,
What it meant to Thee, the Holy One,
To bear away my sin.
“SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE THRONE OF GOD”
O Look at Jesus, for a mere look is not sufficient.
For the One who was willing to go to the deepest chasm to redeem is now lifted to the highest high.
All authority is given to Him (Matthew 28:19-20; cf. Ephesians 1:20)
He is far above all rule and authority and power and dominion (Ephesians 1:21)
All things under His feet and He is head over all things and given to the church (Ephesians 1:22).
There is no higher throne (Revelation 22:3). There is no greater name (Philippians 2:9; cf. Acts 4:12)
COME BROTHERS, COME SISTERS, TAKE A LOOK AT JESUS
For the founder of our faith who was willing to obey the Father’s will in the plan of our redemption from eternity-past; the perfecter of our faith that will last for eternity-future (cf. Hebrews 10:5-10); the one who was willing to go to the lowest depth is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Look at Him!
Not look for Him for He fills all in all (Ephesians 1:23).
Look!
Not in the manger where he once was laid as a babe.
Not among the crowds, on the dusty streets of Galilee, where once He walked.
Not on the cross, where He once was lifted up, rejected as the King of the Jews.
Not in that borrowed grave, where he once was laid buried it seemed along with the dead hopes of His disciples.
But look at Jesus, the reigning One, the soon coming One.
The One who spills the covers of every known breadth, the length, the depth, and the height. The One who spans eternity.
Look at Jesus!
It is Him we remember. It is His death we celebrate.
Amen!
