The Purpose of Jesus

December 21st and 22nd 2002

-This is the week end before Christmas.

-I have been talking about LIVING ON PURPOSE. I will come back to that but I want to break in with a message about Jesus and His purpose.

-He is our example. If we want to live a life motivated by purpose we need to look at His example.

-I was joking this week with the prayer group about people wanting to take Jesus out of Christmas. (It is Christ-mass) In other words, it was a celebration of Christ.

-That is kind of like taking food out of lunch.

-I watched a great show on the History Channel called unwrapping Christmas. It was a very accurate account of how Christmas came to be.

-It was not a Christian holiday at all. As a matter of fact it became such a wild holiday that it was banned in England and America at one time.

-Most of the traditions have been co-opted from pagan celebrations.

-Even though it was co-opted back and filled with Christian meaning, we have to be honest about its origins.

-We don’t want a life based on a lie.

-The good news is: THE WORLD IS CELEBRATING THE BIRTH OF THE MESSIAH.

-IT IS A FUN TIME AND MUCH OF IT IS TRADITIONAL. That is OK.

-You are a product of your culture. Most of all you are a Christian.

-Jesus really was born in Bethlehem. He really did have a virgin mother. The facts are there.

-Take advantage of the opportunity to share the real truth….Jesus.

-Why did Jesus come? What was His purpose?

-That is very important because your purpose is wrapped up in His purpose.

-Who You are and why you are here is tied to who He is and why He is here.

1. JESUS CAME AS AN ANSWER TO A PROMISE

Luke 2

21On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived.
22When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord"[2] ), 24and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: "a pair of doves or two young pigeons."[3]
25Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ. 27Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
    29"Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
       you now dismiss[4] your servant in peace.
    30For my eyes have seen your salvation,
        31which you have prepared in the sight of all people,
    32a light for revelation to the Gentiles
       and for glory to your people Israel."
33The child's father and mother marveled at what was said about him. 34Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too." 36There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37and then was a widow until she was eighty-four.[5] She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 38Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

Galatians 4

4But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.

-Jesus is the answer to the problems of mankind and the promises of God as a solution to those problems.

-Beginning in Genesis God promises a redeemer. He is to be born of woman, the seed of Abraham, the seed of David-the Son of David, yet David’s Lord.

-He is to be born in Bethlehem, born of a virgin.

-He will be Jesus-Yahweh saves. He is to be Immanuel-God with us.

-He is to be God and man.

-Heaven came to earth in that little baby.

Jesus’ purpose was to fulfill the promise. He did it.

-The world was ready for Him.

-He came when the Romans had built roads linking the world. The Greek language was the uniting language of the world.

-Everything was ready. At the perfect moment in history….it became HIS STORY.

2. JESUS CAME TO DEMONSTRATE THAT GOD LOVED PEOPLE

-God cares about people.

-He didn’t sit in heaven and say- I LOVE YOU.

-He got personally involved.

-Demonstrate means “to show with examples.”

EXAMPLE

It is said that Cyrus, the founder of the Persian Empire, once had captured a prince and his family. When they came before him, the monarch asked the prisoner, "What will you give me if I release you?" "The half of my wealth," was his reply. "And if I release your children?" "Everything I possess." "And if I release your wife?" "Your Majesty, I will give myself." Cyrus was so moved by his devotion that he freed them all. As they returned home, the prince said to his wife, "Wasn't Cyrus a handsome man!" With a look of deep love for her husband, she said to him, "I didn't notice. I could only keep my eyes on you- -the one who was willing to give himself for me."

John 3

16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,[6] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Romans 5

8But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

-Jesus came to show us how God felt about us.

-He left no doubts.

-At the time of Jesus’ coming there had been about 400 years of silence.

-The people were wondering if God cared about them.

-He wasn’t giving them prophetic messages and He didn’t seem to be showing up in their lives.

-His answer to the question was JESUS.

3. JESUS CAME TO DESTROY THE ENEMIES WORKS IN YOUR LIFE

-I ALWAYS THINK OF Chuck Norris movies where the emaciated POW’s are being brought out. The world forgot them but our hero came to get us out.

Isaiah 61

1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,

John 10

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

1 John 3

He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work.

-To destroy means to ruin or kill.

-Satan came to destroy me. Jesus came to destroy the destroyer.

-My life was ruined spiritually, emotionally, and in every way.

-He bought my life back.

-I was in slavery and Jesus bought me with His own life.

EXAMPLE: Flu in the 70’s (probably 1977) I was healed and have never had it since. He did it, He’s doing it, and He will keep doing it.

-He is the God who was and is and is to come.

-Jesus is the same, yesterday, today and forever.

-I love the continuous tense.

Prayer for the sick

JESUS CAME AS AN ANSWER TO A PROMISE

JESUS CAME TO DEMONSTRATE GOD’S LOVE

JESUS CAME TO RELEASE US FROM THE DESTROYER AND HIS EFFECTS