An Uplifting Sermon on 6 Benefits of 'Looking Unto Jesus'
by Pastor Jim Feeney, Ph.D.
- Summary: After He rose from the dead, Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matthew 28:18). So you may look unto Jesus for every need, every provision, every blessing you seek for your life. And from His First Coming to earth to this very day, the heart cry of hungry souls is: "We would like to SEE JESUS!" (John 12:21)
Hebrews 12:2, KJV “...looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith...”
- •• Jesus — the name above all names. In Jesus Christ resides limitless power over time and eternity. Every promise of God in the Bible (2 Corinthians 1:20) finds its fulfillment and guarantee in Jesus — the beginning and end, the Alpha and Omega (A to Z), the author and finisher of our faith. All God's promises, said the apostle Paul, are "Yes!" in Christ.
•• The NIV translation says, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus.” As we do that today, as we focus on the magnificent blessings that flow from Him, we will see just how much our lives can be bettered by placing Jesus, the Son of God, at the very center of our lives. Seeing Jesus as the focus of our existence puts all else into proper perspective.
•• What does it mean to "look unto Jesus"? Let me suggest 6 very important ways. And very likely the Lord will show you even more in His Word.
1) Looking Unto Jesus for Salvation —
Acts 4:10, 12 ...It is by the name of Jesus Christ.... [12] Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.
John 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
- •• How are we to be saved? to have our sins forgiven? to be born again and become sons or daughters of God? Through Jesus, the crucified and resurrected Son of God. He is the one and only way to God. The Bible declares that salvation is found in no one else. Jesus confirmed that when He said that no one comes to the Father except through Him.
•• In February 1969 I personally entered into that salvation. As a young officer in the U.S. Air Force, I repented of my sins and asked Jesus to be my Savior in a very personal way. My life changed profoundly and eternally that very evening, as I was born again and began a new life committed to serving God and His Son Jesus Christ.
•• If your heart is desiring to have that relationship with Jesus the Savior, I encourage you to read these Scriptures on salvation. They will help you to “look unto Jesus” and receive forgiveness of sins and eternal life with God.
2) Looking Unto Jesus in Water Baptism —
Romans 6:4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
- •• When we looked to Jesus for salvation, we were, in a spiritual sense, “crucified with Christ” (Galatians 2:20). Jesus died on the cross for our sins, and we identify with that saving act by repentance and faith in Him, and we receive forgiveness and salvation.
•• After Jesus died on the cross, He was buried, then rose from the dead on the third day. Again in a spiritual sense, like Jesus we too are buried — “buried with him in baptism” (Colossians 2:12). And just as Jesus rose literally from the dead, we rise from the waters of baptism to “walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4, KJV).
Acts 10:48, Lamsa translation He commanded them to be baptized in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
- •• So we see now that, by faith and repentance, we have been “crucified with Christ” and then, in water baptism by immersion, we are “buried with him”. How fitting, then, that our baptism be “in the name” of our Lord Jesus Christ. Remember our main text today: “Looking unto Jesus”.
3) Looking Unto Jesus for the Baptism with the Holy Spirit —
Luke 3:16 ...He [Jesus] will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
- •• Every saved and baptized Christian should look to and focus on Jesus for the mighty baptism with the Holy Spirit.
•• All four Gospels echo the words of Luke, that Jesus Christ is the Baptizer with the Holy Spirit.
•• The early Church needed and received this awesome power from God for ministry. Jesus had told them, “...stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). This heaven-sent power came to them on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4), when they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in tongues as the Holy Spirit enabled them.
•• We too need this great Holy Spirit baptism to fulfill our portion of the Great Commission in this 21st century. And it too is received by “looking unto Jesus”, the Baptizer in the Holy Spirit.
4) Looking Unto Jesus for Physical Healing —
Mark 16:17-18 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name ... [18] they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.
Acts 9:34 “Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up....” Immediately Aeneas got up.
- •• While He walked the earth, Jesus healed the multitudes of every conceivable affliction. And Jesus is “the same yesterday and today” (Hebrews 13:8). He still heals today!
•• No matter what illness you may be dealing with, look unto Jesus for its healing! Jesus “took up our infirmities and carried our diseases” (Matthew 8:17). Just as He came to bear our sins, Jesus came to bear our sicknesses. All of them! There is no affliction too hard for Jesus to heal. Focusing on Jesus your Healer opens the door to regaining your health.
- • Psalm 103:2-3 Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits — [3] who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases. God's promise of healing for "all our diseases" is one of the great benefits of looking unto Jesus.
5) Looking Unto Jesus for Deliverance —
Mark 16:17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons...
Acts 16:18 ...[Paul] turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her.
- •• As you minister to unbelievers in the name of Jesus, even demonic possession can be broken by the power of His Name. Jesus and His followers in the early Church are regularly recorded as delivering people from demons and leading them to faith in Jesus Christ.
•• There is no demonic power which can stand against the name of Jesus invoked in faith.
6) Looking Unto Jesus to Overcome Weariness and the Weight of Heavy Burdens —
Matthew 11:28 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
John 16:33 I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I [Jesus] have overcome the world.
- •• Exactly as Jesus foretold, this world is full of trouble! None of us is exempt. But Jesus said to take heart, because He had overcome the world.
•• In the midst of the heaviest burdens, and in times of seemingly disabling weariness, Jesus’ words speak out: “Come to me ... I will give you rest.”
•• There is peace in this troublesome world. It's one of the wonderful benefits of looking unto Jesus, the Prince of Peace.
In sum, let’s be “Looking Unto Jesus...” —
- • for salvation
• in “burial” with Him in water baptism
• for the baptism with the Holy Spirit
• as our healer
• as the deliverer from any and all demonic opposition
• as the one who gives rest to the weary
“...looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher
of our faith...” (Hebrews 12:2, KJV)
Jesus is the author and finisher, the beginning and the end, the Alpha and Omega, the A to Z, and the Lord over everything in between! So fix your eyes on Jesus, look unto Him for all His gracious provisions. These 6 we've looked at are wonderful examples of (Prov. 103:3) "all [the Lord's] benefits" available in looking unto Jesus.
If you have a few minutes more, I invite you to listen to Alan Jackson's stirring rendition of the great Gospel song "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus."
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©2011, 2015, James H. Feeney.
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Pentecostal Sermons and Bible Studies
by Pastor Jim Feeney, Ph.D.