Why Jesus Came: To Give Us Hope

PRAYER

We have in the past weeks been asking the question of why Jesus was born as a child.  Why didn’t he just come as an adult, make atonement, resurrected by the Father, and ascend to heaven? Today we look at a slight slant on that question.

Did you ever wonder why Jesus didn’t wait to be born until today?  Think about it: his miracles could have been on YouTube; the resurrection could have been reported on CNN; the Sermon on the Mount could have been Podcast.  Why does Paul say in today’s passage in Galatians 4:4 that Jesus was born in the “fullness of time”?

EVERY PERSON HERE SHOULD KNOW WHY JESUS CAME WHEN HE DID

1. WHY DID PAUL SAY WHAT HE DID?
1. The Greek language
2. The Roman Roads-The Roman world was crisscrossed by a network of some 50,000 miles of main military highways and approximately 200,000 miles of secondary roads
3. The number of slaves-the gospel offers freedom
2. WHY DIDN’T JESUS WAIT UNTIL TODAY?
1. Because Christianity is about Truth and not Technology.

                                                               i.      There are tricks on YouTube just as good

                                                              ii.      We have the words of Jesus in the SOM

                                                            iii.      Technology blurs the line between truth and fiction and overshadows truth.

1. Because Christianity is about Discipleship and not Display.

                                                               i.      A Real relationship with Jesus calls us to real relationships with other people.

                                                              ii.      A Real relationship with Jesus calls us to real relationships with those with whom we are not comfortable.

1. Because Christianity is about Hope and not Hype                                                                i.      Some of you need a shot of hope.

                                                              ii.      Hope comes not in better programs

                                                            iii.      Hope comes in the form of the Baby and the book that tells us about him.

There was a restaurant in Atlanta called the First Church of the Fried Chicken and BarB-Que.  The Story was that the church was struggling and so it started having suppers to raise money.  The suppers started doing so well they started serving lunches.  They became so busy serving meals that the church work began to suffer and eventually they gave up being a church and just kept the bar-b-que.  They kept the name because that’s what everyone knew.  EVERY CHURCH FACES THIS DANGER WHEN WE FAIL TO GO ABOUT OUR TASK OF OFFERING HOPE TO THE HOPELESS AND FREEDOM TO THOSE WHO ARE ENSLAVED.

I’d like to thank all of you who have been so kind to me with your cards, emails, Christmas gifts beyond which I deserve.  I’d like to read you a letter that was waiting for me when I arrived back in the office this morning.

 I would like to apologize to anyone who is on their way to Christ whom I offended.  I truly meant no offense.  The last thing in the world that I would do is offend you.  But you see I must answer to a higher authority.  I must stand and be judged by God and his word and the Apostle Paul says in I Cor. 11:29 “For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body”

What is wrong with us?  Are we so unconcerned with those who need the hope of the gospel?  The hope this church needs is found not inside the four walls, but in taking the gospel outside to those who so desperately need it.

There are people you know who need the hope of not available on YouTube or CNN but only through a baby.

One year not long before Christmas I was driving by a funeral home that is near my house.  As I stopped at a red light, I saw a young lady in her mid-to late twenties and two small children a girl of about seven and a boy of about five get out of the car.  The young lady then lovingly brought out a man’s suit and began to walk toward the funeral home with it.  As they were walking the boy took hold of the suit and I could see him say “please, let me carry it.  The mother held on to the hanger but let him help carry the suit and I will never forget what happened next.  He picked up the arm of that suit that had obviously belonged to his father and he smelled it, and he started to cry.

Those are the people that Jesus was born for; People so desperately in need of hope that the world seems to be crashing in on them.  Those are the people Jesus came to save.  Can we see that?  Can we accept that hope?  Can we stop our strife and criticism and hatefulness long enough to tell those people that there is hope?  I think you can.  I think that this church has hope and a future.  Go out and prove me right.