10 REASONS JESUS CAME
In His perfect prayer to the Father, Jesus (Heaven’s Perfection) revealed why He came to earth. This prayer can be found in John chapter 17 and is often referred to as “The High Priestly Prayer.” The thing that encourages me about this prayer is that Jesus was actually interceding for His followers today as much as He was for His disciples. “I’m praying not only for these disciples but also for ALL who will ever believe in Me through their message.” (20)
A few weeks ago, with her broken sign language, Talia asked us, “Why did you adopt me?” In the simplest way my wife could explain, she responded. “We love you and we wanted you to have a family. We didn’t want you to be alone.” A few days later, she asked us the same question and we gave the same answer. She obviously wanted to hear this story again and again…and again. It almost became a fun little bed-time ritual. She’s such a smart little girl! Both of our children’s faces light up when we tell them the details surrounding their adoptions. Perhaps we over dramatize the flight to China and the search for a beautiful child waiting for a family, but they want to hear about it...and we gladly share this information with them. It’s a personal story that reveals how they received a new name, a new family and a new life.
I often hear preachers complain about the difficulty of finding sermon material during the Christmas season. They argue that it's hard coming up with fresh material each year. My advice is to stop struggling. Some things bear repeating. Just like my children want to hear about the details leading up to their adoptions, we should want to hear the details surrounding the birth of Christ. The Incarnation is a very important part of the Gospel narrative, which means WE need to hear it often. That makes it a personal story that reveals how MY life in Christ began...with a loving God pursuing us, “while we were still sinners.” (Romans 5:8) separated from God with no name and no forever family.
So just before He went to the cross to make it all a reality, Jesus had an intimate moment with His Heavenly Father that reveals why He came. By the way, since Christmas lands on a Sunday this year, I want to encourage all my preacher friends who are struggling to find something to preach. Here’s a 10-point sermon outline that’s sure to get your people home in time for dinner on Christmas Day.
1. JESUS CAME TO BRING GLORY TO HIS FATHER
“Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son so He can give glory back to You.” (1) “I brought glory to You here on earth by completing the work You gave Me to do.” (4) “Now Father, bring Me into the glory We shared before the world began.” (5) The “hour” Jesus was referring to was the hour of His death. The “work” He referred to was the work of the cross. This means the Father was glorified at the cross. As the perfect Son of God, Jesus was in a unique position to bring glory to His Father. It is impossible to talk about Christmas without talking about the cross of Christ. By the way, reading these words makes me think about what the angels said on that first Christmas Eve. “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those whom God is pleased.” (Luke 2:14)
2. JESUS CAME TO SHOW US THE WAY TO SALVATION
"For you have given Him authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one you have given Him. And this is the way to have eternal life—to know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one You sent to earth." (2, 3) Pretty simple…God sent Jesus to this earth so we can know the Father. And how do we know the Father? By believing in His Son Jesus Christ. Jesus said it Himself, “I have come that you can have life, and have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10)
3. JESUS CAME TO BRING JOY
“Now I am coming to You. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with My joy.” (13)
It’s my favorite Christmas carol. “Joy to the world! The Lord is come. Let earth receive her King.” This song isn't talking about the kind of happiness we hear in all those "other" Christmas songs. For those of us who profess Jesus as Lord, we can experience this joy even through difficult circumstances. Whether it’s unemployment, heartbreak, cancer or false accusation, we can experience the eternal joy of Christmas every single day of the year. When Jesus was born, this is
why the angels could say, "Don't be afraid!" I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people." (Luke 2:10) How does it make you feel knowing He came to give YOU this joy?
4. JESUS CAME TO PROCLAIM TRUTH
“I have given them Your Word…Make then holy by Your truth; teach them Your Word which is truth.” (14, 17)
Jesus was not born to keep secret the truth of God. He was born and came into the world to bear witness to the truth, the unchanging absolute truth of God. When He was falsely accused and standing trial, Jesus was asked a powerful question by Pilate. “What is truth?” Here was Jesus’ simple, yet profound reply; "For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Every one who is of the truth hears my voice." (John 18:37) Here’s great advice for anyone seeking truth this Christmas. Take up the Gospel and read. You will discover the truth and the truth will set you free. The Baby we worship in the manger is more than a pretty centerpiece for your nativity set. Jesus said, “I am the way the truth and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6) I promise if you seek Him you will find what you're looking for.
5. JESUS CAME TO GIVE PROTECTION
“During My time here, I protected them by the power of the name You gave Me…I’m not asking You to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one.” (12, 15)
As humans, we love stories about protection. Whether it’s Guardians protecting the Galaxy or a Body Guard keeping watch over a child, we are drawn to the idea that vulnerable humans need protection. When Christmas rolls around each year, do you ever think about protection? That’s pretty much the last thing on my mind.
Yet Christmas reminds us that God's protection comes in the form of peace and strength in the middle of a crisis. Sometimes God's protection comes as an ending to a trial because He sees something over the horizon that we cannot see. We can have the same peace Joseph had when the angel said, “Your wife is going to have a son, and you are to name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21) As believers who have placed our faith in Jesus, we are promised NOTHING can separate us from His love. This Christmas we can rest, knowing that regardless of whatever we’re going through, Jesus is our protector.
6. JESUS CAME TO BE OUR SUBSTITUTE
“I give Myself as a holy sacrifice for them, so they can be made holy by Your truth.” (19)
This is a side to the Christmas story that isn’t often told. Jesus came to die. He was born in order to be our substitute on the cross. The writer of Hebrews says it better than I ever could. “Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could He die, and only by dying could He break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could He set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.” (Hebrews 2:14, 15)
I’m really not trying to put a damper on your Christmas spirit, but there was just no other way. Jesus HAD to die. Otherwise, we’re toast! A holy sacrifice was required to pay for your sins and mine. Why would anyone choose to ignore this part of the Christmas narrative? It’s the greatest victory over evil that has ever accomplished. THIS IS CHRISTMAS! HE died so we don’t have to. We are holy because HE is holy. He came to be our substitute.
7. JESUS CAME TO GIVE US A JOB
I just got off the phone with a good friend who is unemployed. His heart was broken a few weeks ago when the company he loved and invested so much into had to let him go. The fact that we are so close to Christmas made it even harder. Our prayers are with the men and women out there who are looking for jobs. But the truth is, regardless of your employment status, God has already given you the best job ever. In His prayer, Jesus goes on to say, “I have passed on to them the message You gave Me.” (8) “Just as You sent Me into the world, I am sending them into the world.” (18)
That’s pretty much it. God wants us to take His Good News with us wherever we go. He even reminded us before ascending back to heaven. “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.” (Mark 16:15) In a day and age where it’s hard to find a good paying job, it should satisfy us knowing God has the perfect job waiting on His faithful servants. The retirement package is out of this world!
8. JESUS CAME TO SHOW US WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO GET ALONG
Years ago, my dad told me that when my grandfather was on his deathbed, he quietly whispered these last words to his three sons. “Boys, I want you to forgive each other. Stop fighting and get along.” I think there had been some relational conflict between the brothers over a business deal that fell through. Feelings were hurt and lines in the sand were drawn. They hadn’t spoken to each other in months. They needed that reminder and I’m sure God used PawPaw's words to set them on a path towards peace and reconciliation.
I often wonder how many family members and friends refuse to speak to each other during the Christmas season. Do they realize Jesus prayed that we would be unified? “I pray that they will be one, just as You and I are one- as You are in Me, Father, and I am in You….” (21, 22) It’s almost as if God is saying, “Hey kids, I want you to forgive each other and get along.”
9. JESUS CAME TO SHOW US LOVE
In that same verse, Jesus goes on to say this about love: “May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know You sent sent Me and that You love them as much as You love Me…I have revealed You to them, and will continue to do so. Then Your love for Me will be in them, and I will be in them.” (23, 26)
On Christmas Day, useless (temporal) gifts will be given and sleepy platitudes of gratitude will be displayed in response. This year, let’s try focusing on the greatest gift ever given. “God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) "All you need is love!" If the love of Jesus Christ is on your Christmas list this year, then that really is all you need.
Finally…
10. JESUS CAME TO OFFER HOPE
Jesus said, “Father, I want these whom You have given Me to be with Me where I am.” (24) Here’s a great question: Who has the Father given to the Son? Who will the Father give the Son? Was it just His twelve disciples? Some suggest only a select few can be called. I'm sure they mean well, but their message to an elite theologically astute audience lacks hope. Be encouraged. The people God draws to His Son are the ones who humbly seek Him in repentance. “The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9) The answer to that question is seen throughout the Scriptures. As we seek God in repentance, God draws us to Himself. This is the hope of Christmas.
The Incarnation remains a symbol of hope for ALL people, even those who don’t regularly attend church. With all its simplicity, the Christmas story helps connect people to the core message of the Christian faith. Think about the simplicity of the Christmas narrative. It’s amazing enough that God would become a man. But because Jesus paid the ransom for people’s sin, His arrival became the birth of hope for all mankind. He's done everything that's required. All we have to do is accept His free gift of salvation.
Do YOU believe?
Aren’t you glad Jesus came? Which of these things are you most thankful for? Which ones do you need the most? Christmas doesn’t have to be boring. We have about 10 days before Christmas. Try focusing on one of these things each day leading up to Christmas.
