The Son of Man Lifted Up

¹ Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. ²  This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” ³  Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” ⁴  Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” ⁵  Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. ⁶  That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. ⁷  Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ ⁸  The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

⁹  Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” ¹⁰  Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? ¹¹  Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. ¹²  If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? ¹³  No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. ¹⁴  And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, ¹⁵  that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.^”

“By being “lifted up,” our Lord meant nothing less than His own death upon the cross. That death, He would have us know, was appointed by God to be “the life of the world” (John 6:51). It was ordained from all eternity to be the great propitiation and satisfaction for man’s sin. It was the payment, by an Almighty Substitute and Representative of man’s enormous debt to God. When Christ died upon the cross, our many sins were laid upon Him. He was made “sin” for us. He was made “a curse” for us (2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:13). By His death He purchased pardon and complete redemption for sinners....The truth before us is the very foundation stone of the Christian religion. Christ’s death is the Christian’s life. Christ’s cross is the Christian’s title to heaven. Christ “lifted up” and put to shame on Calvary is the ladder by which Christians “enter into the holiest” and are at length landed in glory. It is true that we are sinners – but Christ has suffered for us. It is true that we deserve death – but Christ has died for us. It is true that we are guilty debtors – but Christ has paid our debts with His own blood. This is the real Gospel! This is the good news! On this let us lean while we live. To this let us cling when we die. Christ has been “lifted up” on the cross and has thrown open the gates of heaven to all believers.”

“The cross is the lightning rod of grace that short-circuits God's wrath to Christ so that only the light of His love remains for believers.”