The Purpose of Jesus - pt.1

Introduction

Last week we began a new series titled ‘From the Cross to the Tomb’. We began with the message titled ‘The Perseverance of Jesus’.

In looking at the last 24 hours of His natural, physical life, we began after what’s known as the ‘Last Supper’ in the garden where Jesus had went with His disciples to pray.

And what we focused on was that over the next several hours - through that night and into the next morning, Jesus suffered many things. And knowing that Jesus - being God in the flesh - could have at any point said ‘NO MORE’… but instead Jesus persevered. He continued on.

He persevered - though His disciples fell asleep & then forsook Him and fled

He persevered - though His Father denied His prayer

He persevered - THROUGH the accusations

He persevered - though rejected by those He came to redeem

He persevered - though He was spat upon & buffeted at the High Priest’s house

He persevered - THROUGH the betrayal of Judas

He persevered - THROUGH the denial of Peter

He persevered - THROUGH the mocking - the Crown of Thorns & the Purple Robe

He persevered - Up Mount Calvary’s Hill

He persevered - When Nailed to a Tree

Aren’t you glad that He did?

Before we move on to what transpired upon the Cross, I thought it God ordained that I’d take this time and deliver this brief message unto you.

Today we’re going to examine this message titled “The Purpose of Jesus” I think it’s important to as we go through the events from Passover some 2,000 years ago, we never forget WHY. And I believe that v10 of Luk. 19 sums it up for us today.

Luk. 19:10 “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

(Previous Messages in this Series)

“The Perseverance of Jesus”

In v10, the first thing that I want to focus on is ‘Our Position”

I. Our Position (“lost”)

Jesus describes it as ‘Lost’

The word ‘Lost’ indicates a helplessness & hopelessness

You have no clear direction and you’re unsure of where to go & what to do.

This is a good word to describe mankind without Christ

Without Christ, we are Helpless

That is to say that we have no ability to save ourselves from the Judgment and Damnation of God.

Men say ‘Well I’m a good person’. But here’s the trouble. ‘Good’ is a relative term. ‘Good’ compared to what? Are you ‘good’ compared to the child molester? Are you ‘good’ compared to the murderer?

Republican’s will say ‘I’m good compared to those Democrats’, and the Democrats will say ‘I’m good compared to those Republicans’.

But let me tell you what… My Bible says: Rom. 3:10-12 “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”

WE are not good, because WE are sinners! 1Jo. 1:8 “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”

We’re helpless because we’re sinners by nature and by practice

Without Christ, we are Hopeless

Not only are we Helpless because we’re sinners, but we’re hopeless because there’s nothing we can do to erase that sin!

We stress in our society to when we offend someone, we should say ‘I’m sorry’. (Ill.) A little kid bites another - we say ‘go tell them you’re sorry’. So they tell them… but the bitemarks are still there. Is anyone here going to tell me that sorry fixes it? Because if you do, I’ll come over and punch you in the face right now, then tell you I’m sorry. Let me know if the sting is still there.

You see, Our SIN has separated us from God - and we could tell God we’re sorry for it all day long, but the barrier is still there.

So if Sorry doesn’t fix it, there’s really nothing else we can do…

We could attend church - it doesn’t take it away

We could give to the church - it doesn’t take it away

We could help old women cross the street - it doesn’t take it away

We could feed all the little orphans in Africa - it doesn’t remove that barrier between us and God!

We’re LOST in our natural selves

Our Position is Lost - but thank God for the Passion of Christ! For Jesus Came to SEEK Lost souls

II. His Passion (“seek”)

The Premise of His Passion

What I mean is the foundation. What would drive the God of Heaven to leave the glory & laud of angels to be born in a manger, rejected by men and crucified upon the Cross of Calvary? The answer is simple. The Premise (Foundation) of His Passion is a ‘so’ kind of ‘love’!

Joh. 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

God ‘SO’ loved you & He ‘SO’ loved me that Jesus came to bear our sins upon the Cross! 1Jo. 4:9-10 “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

In this life I have some people who love me. I also have some who hate me. But I can say without a shadow of doubt that not one soul on this earth knows the depravity I’ve known in my life and my mind. But there’s one who knows - and even knowing all of that, He still loved me enough to die for me! Rom. 5:8 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Jesus sought because He loves us!

The Pursuit of His Passion

Make no mistake - our God does not allow sinners to Go through this world and fall off into a devils Hell while He takes His leisure.

God is not sitting back with a yawn while souls leave this world and enter into damnation

The only way a soul lifts their eyes in Hell is because they followed after the things of this world and in doing so, are hiding from the Salvation of the Saviour. Why do I say that? Because Jesus is SEEKING! Jesus is SEARCHING! Jesus is PURSUING! Jesus is GOING AFTER LOST SOULS!

This is how God is! We see this all the way back in Gen. 3. Gen. 3:6-10 “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.”

You may lift up your eyes in Hell - but if you do, it’s not because God put you there unfairly, nor because God simply allowed it. Because God loves you, and He’s searching for you! He has been! Because He loves you! You are the Pursuit of His Passion! He’s seeking you today! Will you continue to hide from Him as Adam did?

We see the Pursuit of His Passion

We see our Lost Position. Secondly, we see His Passion to Seek. Lastly, we see His Power to Save!

III. His Power (“save”)

Notice I said ‘HIS” Power… because we have no power within ourselves.

Entirely the Work of God

Today we’ve spent time hearing about the work in Guatemala. And we’re thankful for the labour extended. But that work, nor any other can get man into Heaven. No work can man to to Justify himself in the sight of God. Rom. 3:20 “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”

Paul said: Gal. 2:21 “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”

This meaning that if we could’ve earned it, then Jesus did not need die on the Cross

This means that if we need works to add to Christs sacrifice, then Jesus’ sacrifice was insufficient - GOD FORBID!

Heb. 7:25 “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”

Salvation is Entirely the Work of God

Extended by Grace

Eph. 2:8-9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

Rom. 5:15 “But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.”

Grace - Unmerited Favor! God’s Grace is truly Amazing!

Experienced through Faith

This is man’s part - it’s so easy, man fouls it up! All you have to do in order to experience the salvation that Jesus provides, is make the decision to trust in it. (Explain Salvation - Understand sin, Judgment, Jesus)

This means in your heart you say ‘Jesus I trust you - and you alone to rescue me from Hell - the place I deserve and take me to Heaven, the place I don’t.’

This means you’re not trying to earn your way

This means you’re not trying to pay your way

This means that you understand you can’t earn your way and Jesus has ALREADY paid the price - and you just place your trust in Him.

You can experience the salvation power of Christ - if you’re simply receive the free Gift that Jesus offers.

Conclusion