And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced. — John 19:37
If you are like me, there are a lot of times in life I have been accused of things. I remember a lot of times when I was younger, my parents would know that I had done something and call me over to talk about it. They would share they believed or knew me to have done something. There were times that I had not done what I was accused of. Other times, I would deny it, knowing well that I was lying and guilty of what they said.
As you grow older, you may find yourself facing other accusations in life. Others will say you said something that you shouldn’t have. Maybe you went somewhere you shouldn’t have. Sometimes those accusations are true, but there are certainly times that they are not.
In John’s record of the gospel, we are reminded here of the words of Zechariah 12:10. In the Old Testament, it was foretold that the people would look on the one that they pierced. They would place their eyes on the one who lived a sinless life, making Himself a sinless sacrifice for the sins of the world.
I certainly was not alive in Jesus’ day. I was not there the day that He was crucified. Yet, through my mind and through the words of scripture, I can imagine the events of that day. I can go to the tomb where Jesus was laid and see that it is now empty. I know that the story is true. But I also know that the reason He was pierced was sin.
As you go through your day today, take a moment to take a closer look at the Savior who died for you. Maybe you didn’t drive the nails in His hands, but those nails held all of your sin. You may have not driven the spear in His side, but the blood that He shed was His redeeming blood for you.
Today, look at the cross of Jesus. See the one that may have been pierced some 2,000 years ago. Yet, you and I were just as responsible for His piercing and death as the people that day. Reflect on the one who was pierced and died for you and rejoice because He has redeemed us from those sins.