Why Jesus? Why did he come?

So today's message is a specifically communion message.

Excuse me. And It answers this question. Why did Jesus come?

Why did Jesus come to Earth? That actually is a question that you might ask someone who is not a Christian who maybe have some spiritual questions or maybe they maybe they're familiar with some stories about Jesus that might be a good opening line to ask them a question. Why did Jesus come? And secondly, what difference does that make to any of us on a daily basis? So the context of this is there to memory verses that I have that I was thinking about doing a community message on, and one of them is Luke 19:10 where Jesus goes to Zacchaeus his house and he says, salvation has come to this house since he also Zacchaeus is a son of Abraham for the son of man came to seek and to save the lost. It's interesting that Jesus says, since he also is a son of Abraham, he was he was Jewish Zacchaeus Was a Jew who was a tax collector and was serving the Roman authorities. Why would the phrase? He also be important to Jesus speaking at Zacchaeus' house. Because Tax Collectors were Scoundrels were known as Scoundrels. They weren't they were excluded from the religious People's Community. And so, he was then welcomed to the table of the Lord, so to speak. Amen. Zacchaeus Was welcomed and Jesus came to seek and to save the Lost What does it mean to seek? Well, the word actually means to go from place to place in search of something. Mark 137. When Jesus is, the crowd is so big that they can't find where Jesus is and, and they come outside and they say Jesus. Everyone is looking for you. Everyone is searching for you. Everyone is seeking you. And then Jesus says, let us go to the other towns so that I may preach there also. It's an interesting answer to when the people say Jesus, everyone is looking for you and he says, well, let's go to this other place. But he came to seek and to save the Lost. And Mark 10:45 for even the son of man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life his suit gay, his soul that word is awesome. Used for soul to give his life as a ransom for many. And so actually these two versus dew point out a little bit of review, I'm at the teacher and me, can't help. But review the, we've been doing a series on the attributes of God and it points out more attributes of God's nature. Is that in Luke 19:10. God is the one who seeks out those who were lost and calls them to repentance. Any Mark 10:45 Jesus serves the people and gives his life for people. Those are two attributes of God's nature God, seeks out people and cause them to repentance and Jesus serves people. And in humility gives his life for people. So, those re-emphasize really aspects of God's love aspects of God's love service and seeking out, Sinners for salvation, the aspect of God serving- That we think well, who does God serve? Luke chapter 12 is always fascinated me. This is just a side point. Not not directly related to the message but Luke chapter 12 verses 35 through. 37 says this. Jesus is telling his followers about about the end times, and he says, be ready, stay dressed for action, and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their Master to come home from the wedding Feast so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and Knocks. Blessed, are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table and he will come and serve them. Is that interesting that says the master will have them recline and serve them. God is a serving God. He's giving of himself. That's what we talked about talked about God's love is that he is eternally giving of himself to others.

So that I think that's just a radical thought that here, Jesus is saying be ready for when the master comes and even when the master comes, he will serve. Those in his kingdom and his at his table to Mark chapter 10 now no doubt in the in the in the in the new Heaven and a new Earth, we will also be serving the lord but it's just interesting to me that that that phrase is used there. a markten shows us that we're exactly like the disciples in some ways, There's nothing new Under the Sun so to speak. So we read the scriptures and we think will this is an ancient world. This is the world that I can't relate too. Well, how people behaved in the ancient world is very similar to how people behave today and so it's relevant for all of our lives. So imagine that we're exactly like the disciples. We make the same mistakes, they do. And so, starting in verse 35 James, and John, come to Jesus, and they come with this interesting question, Jesus, we want you to do for us. Whatever we ask.

That doesn't seem like the right question, notice. He doesn't scold them or say, will that such an arrogant question? How can the two of you, Jada? John, come on. That's it. Go to the back of the line. I don't want to talk to you two for the rest of the day. Get behind the other disciples. No, he clarifies there question. He says, what do you want me to do for you? And into clarifying their question, he exposes their selfishness cuz it's actually their question as we would like prominence in your kingdom. And Jesus says, oh really can you endure the suffering that I will endure? Can you drink the cup of suffering that I will drink the cup of God's Wrath. In the Old Testament is referred to as, as a cup. The cup drinking a cup with sharing some one's fate. It was it was taking upon yourself that suffering. Can you endure the suffering that I will endure imagine James and John, if you're there with James and John they look at each other. Can we John can we endure the same cup? Yeah, we can. Okay, sure. How about you John? Oh yeah, yeah, I did that last week just just been there. Done that I can do that. The overconfidence of James and John reveals the first reason. Why Jesus came And this is, that's this. Here's the first reason. Jesus came to serve mankind by exposing. Our pride are selfish hearts, and revealing of our Vital need a new undivided heart, undivided heart. Jesus knows our hearts are selfish. She says, you cannot serve, both God and money. What we need is a new undivided heart. So, Jesus came to serve, but how did he come to serve humankind Humanity? He came to serve by exposing their greatest need exposing their pride. I mean, think about this James and John have been going along with the disciples and Jesus. All the sudden the last couple chapters of Mark. He starts talking about going to Jerusalem and he starts talking about being betrayed and hand it over and killed and Rising again. And his disciples are going to. What does all this mean? We don't we don't get it. And James and John or thinking. Well, I don't get all that. I mean being betrayed handed over killed Rising. Well, I mean, it sounds like the kingdom is right around the corner. So Jesus, can we have a spot? Can we have a spot right at your right hand wanted to write him. One of your left, that was the number one. And number two, spots of of a 40.

They didn't realize that he was talking about going to the cross and suffering. It was their overconfidence. It was their arrogance. It was their selfish hearts that he was exposing and many people, Many religious people, many some of us here today. Perhaps some of you today who have followed Jesus for a long time are still coming to Jesus with the same wrong question. And it starts this way. Jesus, I know I am saved, and I will spend eternity with you, that's great, and all I know that. But could you bless my life in other ways in the meantime, If it's not too much, could you give me a low conflict, marriage? Could you give me a fruitful family? Could you give me an upward career track? Can you give me two weeks at the beach each year and a nice car. Can you give me a Christian version of everything that a non-Christian already wants to get out of life? That's the wrong question. I mean, John Piper. I remember he said it so clearly, he said, people who are not Christians will not be attracted to Christianity because Christians are healthy wealthy successful problem-free a Tetra Tetra. Why? Because that's what the world is already seeking. The world is already seeking those things. Jesus says, don't worry about what you will wear. Don't worry about what you will eat for the Gentiles run after those things.

Sometimes we simply come to Jesus with the wrong question. The selfish question. Now, sometimes it's not as obvious as James and John. We want you to do for us. Whatever. We would like, I mean we know that, you know, we as Christians we need to be humble. We can approach God in that manner. So what do we do? We have a little, maybe false humility and we say will God, you know, I know I've done wrong things. I know I've send it, but if it's not too much God could you just blessed me in this one way?

The wrong question. James and John assumed, they knew how God's kingdom operated. Their starting point was Jesus. You, we want you to do something for us.

That's not the sit. That's not the same thing as the blind man. A few verses later who says son of David have mercy on me.

The other disciples were indignant, they were upset. Why were the other disciples upset? I've always been fascinated by this, it records, you know, reaction got recorded by Mark, the other disciples were indignant.

Why were they indignant? Oh, James and John, they're always doing that. They're so arrogant. I don't think that's why they were indignant. I think there's other disciples were indignant because they probably wanted the same thing as James and John. They probably wanted to be favored in some way.

Brothers and sisters. God is not a Genie in a Bottle appearing. When you want him to God, is not the grand benefactor to endorse has the you do you lifestyle And we come to him with our once, in our desires and and got to be really great if I could do this and got this yet, just go ahead and do it, just do it just like the Nike ad, just go for it. God is not a grand benefactor to tacitly endorsed, what we already want. Jesus is not your AI companion, who says, who we can say to hate Gemini. What kind of clothes make me look good? What kind of outfits are going to make me look good? I mean, you can spend all day chatting with g p. T. Virtually.

And yet we come to God many times. With the things that we want. Now, it's hard to discern sometimes. Obviously, if we have pain, we have difficulty in our lives. We have seen in our lives. It's, it's hard to discern. Sometimes God, am I asking for this? Because it's a good desire. That that you have put on my heart or am I asking for this? Because it is a selfish desire. But my point is simply this James and John wanted prominence. They wanted position, they wanted status, they want to notoriety, they wanted recognition.

And Jesus says, wait a second that's the wrong question. Jesus came to serve, but by exposing our pride. Now here's a clarification. Jesus came to serve, I'll state it another way. Jesus came to serve mankind, but not because we are entitled to be served. You see?

Jesus Took the lowest place and so Jesus knows what we really need and he is willing to tell us if we are listening.

So many times my prayer list is God, this is how I hope this turns out. Will you make it happen?

Or it's what I've already decided is Lord, this would be a good outcome. This would be a positive outcome for me. This would be a positive outcome for my family. This would be a positive outcome for the church. It's hard for me to tell many of those times that made those may be selfish prayers. But open yourself up and ask God, what do I really need in this situation? Give me what I need.

The proverb says give me poverty nor riches but give me what I need.

We need to come to God with what we need and what we asked him for what we need. And then listen. Ask him what we really need and then listen to his answer.

It's a reversal of the way, we normally think. Do you see that? He says, Jesus says about John the Baptist, he says there's none who have come before him, their greater than John the Baptist. And yet the least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than John the Baptist.

So Jesus is saying, leave your selfish desires. I will take care of your needs. You don't need prominence. You don't need to make a name for yourself. I know everything about you and I have loved you since the foundation of the world.

Boy, if that doesn't level the field for what we hope to quote unquote, accomplish in life, Jesus says, I have loved you since the foundation of the world. You don't need to make a name for yourself.

Jesus is telling all of us today, as he told James and John, you need the humility of a servant, you need a new heart, you need to lay down your strongest desires at the cross. Your desires for achievement or things, or people, or approval, lay down, your desires, for a certain, kind of Health, the right, kind of job or the status of end of influence. Lay those down at the cross, repent and turn, and you will find it. I will give you myself.

That's the, that's the, the Paradox that we realize in following Jesus, is that often times Jesus wants to give us himself and we want things.

was reading a Catholic author and he was talking about prayer and he said this, he said it is the desire for God which is the most fundamental appetite of all and it is an appetite which we can never eliminate Resonates with Ecclesiastes chapter 3, where talks about God has put eternity in men's hearts. He says this appetite for God, this desire for God, we may seek to disown it but it will not go away. If we deny that it is, there we shall, in fact, divert that desire for God to some other object or range of objects, And then he says, and that will mean that we invest some creature or creatures with the burden of our full need for God, a burden, which no creature can carry. He says, all people have an appetite for God, have a desire for God, but we try to fill it with other things.

And if we invest other people or other creatures or other other material things in our lives, with that desire for God, that those things cannot carry, that desire.

It's a challenge to us. So, the challenge that I'm giving myself, and the rest of us is our we diverting our appetite for God to something else. Do we have a craving for God, which we really becomes can become a craving for success or approval or position or for being able to say I can make everyone in my family, okay? No, you can't. You can't manage that only God can manage that. I remember, we went to a parenting seminar once and and the speaker started off by saying we all have your kids have one perfect parent and it's not you It's gone. They got our attention quickly.

Jesus came to expose our pride. That we often start with the wrong question. Ask Jesus, what we really need and listen for his answer. I was reading this passage this week. Psalm 62 verses 5 through 7. For God Alone. Oh My Soul. Wait in silence. From my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my Fortress. I shall not be shaken on God, rest my salvation and my glory. My mighty Rock by Refuge is God.

And I was thinking this week as I read that passage God, it is you alone. Who will give me boldness? It is you alone, who will give me, acceptance it is you alone, God, who will show me, what is right? It is you alone. Jesus, who renews my mind, it is you alone who have blessed me in the Heavenly Realms with every blessing in Christ, Jesus, it is you alone. Who would give me daily wisdom? And so many times, I mean, all of us need human encouragement. All of us need relationships in which we can be be built up and challenged and and people praying for us. And all of that we need that But we have to be careful that we don't try to seek what we can only receive from God. If we need to be careful, not to seek that from other people or other things.

Second reason, Jesus came. Jesus came to willingly and obediently, give his life in place of Sinners, to purchase their freedom from bondage to send. For even the son of man came not to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. And to give his life as a ransom for many. What's the son of man? The son of man is generically, sometimes used to refer to human being. But when Jesus uses it up himself, it is a reference to himself as the Messiah. It is a reference to his divinity, in the Book of Daniel gives a bit of background to this. In Daniels Vision. It says I saw in the night visions and behold with the Clouds Of Heaven. There came one like a son of man and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom that all peoples Nations and languages should serve him. His Dominion is an everlasting Dominion which shall not pass away and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed. Daniel has this Vision that this is we're not talking about any Horton are human being here. One, like the son of man who comes and is given this Kingdom. It's a reference to the muscle to his rulership. And so Jesus is our King.

Jesus, is our King, not only because he will rule in heaven, but also, because he willingly gave up his life in the place of sinners.

Commentator William Lane says, this on the term, the son of man. It said he says it expresses, the element of self-sacrifice in the death of Jesus who offers himself in obedience and, and listen to, this carefully. His death has infinite value because he dies not as a martyr. But as the Transcendent son of man, Jesus, the Messianic servant offers himself as a guilt offering in compensation for the sins of the people. What was the ransom that was paid? A life of perfect obedience. That was the payment in compensation, for our sins, for the penalty of our sins. So I'm 49 says, no, no man can give his life as a ransom for another. No human being can do that. Only the God, man, only the one who is, who is fully human, and fully Divine could do that. And then Isaiah 53. It says that he by his wounds. We are healed. The word Ransom means it is the means or instrument by which release or Deliverance is made possible. We think of Ransom and let you know, kidnapping movie or something. He and I went and that's an aspect of it. But the idea is here that he offered himself as a ransom to lose to release to dissolve, the untie to put it into None of us can Ransom ourselves. And be freed from sin. We can't, we get the ransom, can't be paid by someone else's faith in our family. Or buy a saint that we pray to that. Somebody praise to wear or the by no person can Ransom themselves. They need to be ransomed. They need to be bought. They need to be free by Jesus. The only savior. Amen.

Only Jesus can fully and finally put an end to our sins. And he paid the ransom for Sinners such as you and me. In order to release us, what a release us from a life in bondage of in slavery to send I told you before many times, how I try to fix things at my house. And usually doesn't end well because I might be able to fix part of it. But then I mess up another part that I have to call somebody else to come and fix. But I enjoy the process of self-discovery. What you could self-discovery that is partly destructive to my house.

But Satan's goal is to keep us in the dark and this weekend since the daylight is getting less, I was trying to we had some deck boards replaced by a by handyman construction crew. And and then I looked and I thought, you know, I mean this is where the problem started. I said you know, there's three other boards, that look a little bit, cracked a little bit rotted. I think I'll replace those two. And, you know, if that was two nights of frustration, but it's getting darker. And I'm out there trying to remove old Nails out of these deck boards. And and I've got a drill and I've got a crowbar and I've got a hammer and, you know, I'm leaning over like this, you know, and trying to hold the flashlight in one hand. When you're in the dark, you can't see what you're doing. So you end up hurting yourself. So I have the drill there and I'm trying to hold this one thing and I'm trying to try to actually get the the screw out of the board, and my hand on the drill slips and hits my finger.

And I thought all that was I mean that really hurt for about 5 minutes and then it was okay. And I thought okay, nothing bad will. Then the next day at 2 in the afternoon, I'm on the computer and I look at my finger and I go. So which one of these is not like the other, it's all red and purple with everything sound like okay. Thank goodness. There's an Urgent Care like, 3 miles away and so I go to the Urgent Care. They take an x-ray, they say, you know, you bruise that you didn't break it. Thank goodness, you know, go easy on it, you know.

but when I'm trying to do things in the dark, I end up hurting myself when I'm trying to fix things and end that Satan's goal is to keep us in the dark. So that so that we remain in sin so that we remain in bondage so that we remain in this state of thinking that we can do things. When really we're we're causing more of a problem.

So, Jesus came to free us from that, that's why he calls himself. The light of the world. I came to bring light, I am the light of the world, whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. Light of life that that covers it all the light of Life. John Hayden says this, Talk about setting us free. John 8 is on the next slide. I think. Jesus answered them. Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. There's that bondage language. The slave does not remain in the house forever, the sun remains forever, so if the son sets you free, you will be free. Indeed. Let's just read that last verse together. So if the son sets you free, you will be free. Indeed. He has made a place at the table for us. Amen.

He has brought us into the family of God. We don't have the identity of slaves anymore. We have now and identity as Sons and Daughters of God we have a place at the table and so when Jesus uttered it is finished he was saying that the debt of obedience that we owe to God is paid for we sing in the song, How Deep The Father's Love For Us, his wounds have paid my Ransom, his wounds have paid my Ransom. He bought our freedom. I've seen t-shirts when people get baptized at that, have this lettering that says Jesus in my place Jesus, in my place, he was willingly. Vicariously our substitute on the cross that he was our substitute. I j. I Packer put it this way.

In a book, explaining the of the atonement. The payment that was made to. To offer free us from sin. He says God's Redemptive love must not be conceived as somehow triumphing and displacing God's justice. As if the Creator judge just decided to let bygones be bygones the measure of God's holy love for us. Is that while we were still sinners? Christ died for us. So he says he sang both God's love and God's justice are woven together on the cross. And he says, if we by faith, we look back to Calvary from where we are. Now, what we see is that the list of our own unpaid debts of obedience to God, for, which Christ paid the penalty in our place.

If we look back to Calvary from where we are now, we see the list of our own unpaid debts of obedience to God. For which Christ has fully paid the penalty in our place. The Bible uses the language of redemption. Redemption to redeem something. What do we do when we redeem a coupon at the grocery store?

you make a purchase you if you receive something, because you have that coupon, Jesus has fully paid our debt.

Now that doesn't mean he immediately frees us from every sin. The moment we trust in him or even in a few years of being a Christian but slowly over time, he peels back the layers and sometimes that's painful ants but in Mercy and Grace, we learn to trust Jesus as our father. Trusted Our Father, our heavenly father, we learn to trust Jesus as our Shepherd and our friend. The third reason he came is for them to free us from sin to free us into a life of Joyful humble service. he saved people into a life of Joyful humble service, even the son of man came not to be served, but to serve

he setting the example for the disciples, How did he demonstrate that? So that his followers would do the same. You just need to look over to the Book of John. Isn't it ironic that Jesus is talking to James and John. And then later John records, John Chapter 13 where Jesus washes disciples feet at the Last Supper, the Passover meal, where he takes up the Basin and the towel and wash their feet. To serve means to render help by performing duties, which are often of a menial nature. Washing the guest feet was the job of the lowest slave in the house. And the scripture says Jesus, then loved them to the end, love them to the full. He showed them the full extent of his love by washing their feet.

And there he washes, James, and John's feet. Who earlier had asked for a place of prominence. I think John was probably realizing do the son of man came not to be served but to serve And give his life as a ransom for many. I think, John realized that when Jesus was washing his feet,

look at what John writes about the savior's love in the savior's Mission. And in first John, chapter 3 by this, we know love that he laid down his life for us and we all to lay down our lives for our brother. But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need yet, closes his heart against him. How does God's love abide in him little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and Truth. Loving others serving others. Is intentional.

Is through acts of service, not just in words. So, two questions to close with. The son of man came to give his life as a ransom for many. Are you one of the many His sacrifice is only effective for those who trust him, who turned him. And so the question is, are you willing to be rescued? Are you willing to surrender your life to Christ? And you simply do that by confessing your sins repenting turning back to Christ, turning away from sin and turn into Christ. And saying Jesus, you are the only one who can save me. You were the only one who can free me from sin. You are the only one who gives me any hope at all.

Are you willing to be rescued and then? Secondly, are you serving Christ in the humility? He gives

I think recently it was one of the anniversaries for Hurricane. Katrina, what was it? 2020 years, 25 years, 20 years, I think 2005. The rescue swimmers after Hurricane. Katrina who got in the water and were pulling people out. They had a motto. And their motto was So Others May Live. So Others May Live. Jesus came into this world so that you and I might live. And we serve him. So That Others May Live. Let's pray.