There are
different reasons in the Bible as to why Jesus came and why He died. They are linked closely together. In my reading of the Bible, the main ones are:
1.
The love of God. John 3:16
2.
To testify to the truth. John 18:37
3.
Give abundant life. John 10:10
4.
To die instead of us. John 10:17 & 18
When I was
small, and hearing about God and Jesus, before I knew that God the Father and
God the Son are one, I use to think that God did not like us and that only
Jesus loved us because He died. Funny!
John 3: 16
says “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that
whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” God, the
Father, Son and Holy Spirit, love the world (us). We can receive the full blessings of God
because God love us a lot. Jesus Christ, God the Son, left heaven,
and came to earth because God loves us.
John 18: 37 says ““You are a
king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus
answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came
into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth
listens to me.” Jesus was
answering Pilate here. The fact that Jesus
came to testify to the truth, means the truth was (still is) under attack, and lies were (still is)
being promoted as the truth. The Jews
were not living according to the truth about who they are and what God expected
of them. In fact they were so lied to,
they could not even recognize the truth in Christ. All of mankind did not know who man is or who
God is and what He desires to accomplish, although we all are without excuse as 'the heavens declare the wonders of God'- Psalms 19:1.
The devil does not want us to know the truth. Real truth is reality and comes from
God. The truth about God, mankind, the
devil, is empowering to know and the devil will fight to stop us from embracing
that truth.
John 10:10 says “The thief comes
only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and
have it to the full.” Jesus was referring to His sheep. He came so we have life abundantly. The life that we get from Christ is never
ending, and over flowing. Is your life
like that?
John 10:17 & 18 says “The
reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up
again. No one takes it from me, but I
lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to
take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”
We were born
sinners. Sin/evil entered into this
world through Adam and Eve’s sin. We
were condemned to death. We were
separated from God. We hide from God,
because we were/are guilty. We came to
the place of finding ways to get God out of the picture so we don’t have to
face Him. Those who believed in Christ
got life, redemption.
This Easter season, let us consider even deeper what Jesus came on this earth to accomplish for us. Allow the truth of His life on earth to move us to gaze on the face of God, and allow Him to change us. Amen!
