Christmas is right around the corner. Family, friends, presents, parties, decorating, baking, and movies are all part of the holiday season. It can be a time of joy, sadness, grief, busyness, stress, and relaxation. Whatever your plans or emotions, one thing is first and foremost for why we truly celebrate the Christmas season; The birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. God in human form. God Incarnate. The Word became Flesh. Heaven came to earth.
Now many might say that we don’t know the real birthdate of Jesus, or Christmas is a pagan holiday, or anything else of the sort. Thats why I want to take a look at why Jesus came. Not when necessarily, but why. Why the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ was the single most important event in human history. The greatest event in the history of the world.
“I know men and I tell you that Jesus Christ is no mere man. Between Him and every other man in the world there is no possible comparison.” This quote from Napoleon helps to see the impact Jesus had on human history. The birth of Jesus was the greatest event and He impacted history more than any other human being. But why did our Lord Jesus Christ come?
As the Apostle John said, “And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which, if every one of them were written down, I suppose not even the world itself could contain the books that would be written.” (John 21:25). Well many have certainly tried. More is written about our Lord Jesus Christ than any human in history. Everyone has something to say whether a believer or not. But as I have mentioned, the only Truth comes from Scripture. What we know about Jesus comes from the Word, the Truth found in God’s Word, Holy Scripture. Who better to ask why Jesus came than Jesus Himself.
Our Lord says in John 6:38-40, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. This is the will of Him who sent me: that I should lose none of those He has given me but should raise them up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father: that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him will have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” Jesus came to serve the will of God. What was God’s will? To redeem people. God sent His Son to gather up those who believe in Him, and to raise them up to Him, on the last day.
Jesus did not come for reasons we may think or read in various books and videos. Jesus was not a political revolutionary who tried to eliminate social abuses. He did not come to do what He felt was best. Jesus came on a Divine commission. His work was not human, it was Divine. Jesus said, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish his work.” (John 4:34). The only thing that satisfies our Lord Jesus Christ is to do the will of God the Father.
Jesus was a willing servant. He humbled Himself and became obedient to the will of God. To gather together the believers, the redeemed people of God. Those, who through their faith and belief, have been saved and delivered from sin and the punishment of sin. Those who believe the Truth, the Truth of Scripture, the Truth of the Word. Jesus says in John 18:37, “I was born for this, and I have come into the world for this: to testify to the Truth. Everyone who is of the Truth listens to my voice.” Jesus came not only to do the will of God, but to speak the Truth of God. Jesus is Truth. Scripture, the Word of God, is absolute Truth. “Everyone who is of the Truth listens to my voice.” If you are of God, you will listen.
Jesus came to fulfill the law. He says in Matthew 5:17, “Don’t think that I came to abolish the Law or Prophets. I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.” Jesus did not come to set aside God’s morality, right and wrong, but to emphasize the standard. “There is no one righteous, not even one.” (Romans 3:10). Our Lord Jesus fulfilled the law perfectly for us. He died for our sins. He imputed, gave to us his perfect righteousness, through his perfect fulfillment of the law. So that we can have an advocate in front of a Holy God, who will speak for us, because we believe. We believe and our faith is in our Lord Jesus Christ.
We repent, believe, and walk as our Lord walked. We are obedient and keep His commandments, and repent when we do not. The more we walk with Christ, the more we hurt when we disobey His commandments. The commandments given to us in Scripture. Of which the two greatest are, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39). Our Lord came here, fulfilled the law perfectly, died for our sins, and now gives his righteousness, His perfect fulfillment of the law, to those who repent, believe, and place their faith and obedience in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Those whose faith is not in our Lord are lost. They walk in darkness, not in the light. “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10). If He is not here, how can this be? He does it by the Holy Spirit. Jesus came, died for our sins, ascended to the right hand of God, and left upon those who believe, the Holy Spirit. Jesus says in John 14:15-17, “If you love me, you will keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. He is the Spirit of truth.” Jesus came as a perfect example for us, and left with us the Holy Spirit to help in our walk with Christ.
Jesus came to serve the will of God, speak the Word of God, sum up the law of God, and save the lost for God. Jesus came to save. Those who reject bring upon themselves judgement. “Anyone who believes in him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned.” (John 3:18). Jesus didn’t have to come and bring judgement. Those who reject our Lord bring upon them judgment. There are only 2 groups of people, God’s people and the devil’s people. Jesus came to save. He left with us the Holy Spirit. God gave us the Truth in Holy Scripture. Those who do not believe bring judgement upon themselves.
Jesus came to free those who believe from sin and death. “I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.” (John 10:10). Jesus came to save the lost. Those who put their love, faith, and trust in our Lord Jesus Christ, His Word, His Truth. For that, we celebrate Christmas. The birth of our Savior. The birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.
By Jason Pauley
