Jesus Came- Part 1

Introduction- I Timothy 2:3-6

As we approach the Christmas holiday, a time for celebrating the entrance of the Savior into the world through the womb of a virgin, we will take the next several weeks to look into the scriptures which help us to understand why He came.

1 Timothy 1:15 “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.”

The scripture plainly states that Jesus Christ came into the world for the express purpose of saving sinners, but there are many aspects of this ministry of redemption that are worthy of consideration and explanation.

Today we will consider the fact that He came into the world to be a mediator between God and men.

Prior to Christ’s coming there was no one who was qualified to hold this position, but the manner in which Christ came into the world (as a man while also maintaining His deity) made Him perfectly suited to fill this role.

This passage opens with an exhortation to believers to pray for all men, and especially for those who are in positions of authority.

This they should do in the hope that they may be able to lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty—these being the conditions which are most conducive to the spread of the gospel.

It is good and acceptable in the sight of God if believers should engage in this manner of praying and living.

This exhortation then leads to a series of theological statements which flow from the phrase “God our Saviour.”

God’s Desire (Vs.4)

It is of note here that God is spoken of as “our Saviour”—often we speak of Christ as our savior but less frequently do we speak of God the Father in this manner, and yet is it absolutely true of Him in the same sense that it is true of Christ.

It is after all God who sent His only begotten Son into the world to fulfill His plan of redemption for humanity.

This verse plainly states that God’s desire is that all men should be saved—there are none who are excluded or exempted from salvation.

If God’s desire is that all men should be saved then we must assume that He has provided the means whereby all men can be saved for it would be foolish to say that God desires for all men to be saved but has not supplied the necessary provision so that they could actually be saved.

This statement does not however mean that every man will indeed be saved—instead it indicates that all men may be saved.

In Jesus Christ God has supplied the means for the salvation of all mankind, and yet only those who believe and receive Him shall ultimately be saved.

God has made salvation possible for all men and yet each individual must decide for himself whether or not He will receive the offer of salvation through Jesus Christ.

This verse also states that it is God’s desire that all men should come to the knowledge of the truth—of course this speaks of the truth concerning Jesus Christ—who He is and what He has done to secure the redemption of man.

Again there is some degree of human responsibility here as God has chosen that the gospel should be spread by men who would proclaim the gospel throughout the world.

There is no argument whatsoever to be made that God has excluded some and has chosen only a select portion of humanity to salvation—this verse clearly expresses the fact that God will have all men to be saved.

In sending His son to suffer and die for the sins of men and then raising Him from the dead, God has provided a means for all men to be saved—now every man must decide how he will personally respond to God’s offer of salvation through Jesus Christ.

There is not anyone upon Earth who cannot be saved and who cannot come to the knowledge of the truth—it is only a matter of proclaiming the gospel to them and their receiving it by faith placing their trust in Jesus Christ.

One God & One Mediator (Vs. 5)

The scripture here repeats a familiar phrase “there is one God”—this simply expresses the reality that there are not a multitude of gods to which we may make an appeal for salvation—there is but one true God.

There are many in our world today who believe that there are many gods and that so long as a person has faith in something they shall ultimately enjoy eternal bliss.

The scripture however boldly proclaims that there is but one God and that there is none other like Him.

Before Christ came there was no one who could stand as a mediator between God and men—no one who was qualified to bridge the gap between God and humanity.

Job 9:32–33 “For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, And we should come together in judgment. Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, That might lay his hand upon us both.”

Job in his day felt the need for one who could act as a daysman (a mediator) between man and God.

Illustration—maybe you have seen the illustration where there is a deep canyon and a cliff on either side—on one side God is in some form represented and on the other a representation of humanity. This is meant to show the impossibility of man getting to God on his own. Then in many cases another image is show with a cross bridging the divide. In fact it would be even more appropriate to place Christ in the chasm because it is HE who allows men the opportunity to be reconciled to God.

Jesus Christ came to be that mediator between God and men and He alone is perfectly qualified to serve in such a role being simultaneously 100% God and also 100% man.

Jesus as God came into this world as a man in order to bring men to God.

Jesus came as a means of revealing God to men so that men could then be reconciled to God by Him.

Hebrews 2:14-18 provides a beautiful explanation of this truth.

Hebrews 4:15 “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”

He took on him the same flesh and blood which characterizes all humanity.

He faced death so that we could be free from the fear of death.

He became like us so that He could be a merciful and faithful high priest—having personally experienced the plight of mankind.

He suffered temptation so that He could effectively secure (aid/help) those who are tempted in the same manner.

Jesus Christ came as one of us so that He would be qualified to be a mediator between men and God.

There is no other mediator aside from Him and men may only get to God by Him and Him alone.

Acts 4:12 “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

John 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

Notice the emphasis in this verse of the fact that He came as “the man Christ Jesus”—this does not mean that He forsook His deity only that He embraced humanity.

A Ransom for All (Vs. 6)

Jesus literally gave himself as a ransom for all men.

It is important to note that Jesus was not forcibly crucified, for at any moment He had more than sufficient power to overcome His captors and to free Himself from their torments.

It is evident from the scripture that Jesus willingly faced the suffering and anguish of the cross because of the love that He had for His Father and for all mankind.

No man took His life from Him, He voluntarily laid it down so that man could be reconciled to God through Him.

John 10:18 “No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.”

Jesus gave Himself as a ransom—this we are probably most familiar with in the case of a kidnapping where a person is taken and in order to effect their release their loved ones must pay a price to ransom them from their captors.

The idea is the same here—Jesus gave Himself as the ransom payment to secure our release from the bondage of sin and death.

He paid the price so that we could be free.

1 Peter 1:18–20 “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,”

Jesus lay down His life so that you and I could live eternally.

Men were before held in bondage to sin and death but through the payment which Christ offered all those who believe on Him are now set free.

1 Corinthians 6:20 “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

1 Corinthians 7:23 “Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.”

If you have believed on Christ and received Him as your Savior it is important to understand that you have been bought with a price and that you now belong to Him!

This means that we ought no longer to serve men but instead we should serve Him who bought us with His own precious blood.

The scripture also states that this was to be testified in due time—God sent Christ into the world at precisely the moment He knew would be best suited to His coming and now the testimony of who He is and what He has done must go out into all the world.

Conclusion

This passage should provoke a response in each of us today.

For those who know Christ and are saved, it should serve to motivate us to pray for the lost and to do all that we can to get the gospel to them in the hope that they may believe and receive the Savior.

For those who have not yet come to Christ and who have not yet received Him as Savior—why do you wait?

Jesus Christ came into this world to be a mediator between you and God so that you could have a personal relationship with Him.

Jesus gave Himself a ransom for all, but more importantly this morning He gave Himself a ransom for you— He has purchased you with His own precious blood, but you must place your faith in Him if this purchase is to be finalized.

Jesus paid the price for all men and it is God’s desire that all men would be saved—He has provided for your salvation and all that you must do is respond in faith to the message of the gospel and place your faith in Jesus Christ receiving Him as your personal Savior today.

The truth is Jesus died for you, He was buried and rose again to the means of your redemption, He waits today for you to receive His offer of Salvation by placing your faith in Him.