Why He Came

TITLE: Why He Came
DATE:  October 6, 2019

Christ is risen. He is risen, indeed.

TEXTS wherein Jesus says why he had come:
 John 10:10 (ESV) - 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
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John 12:46 - 46 I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.

Matthew 5:17 (ESV) 17  “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

John 18:37-38 (ESV) 37  Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” 38  Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him.

Luke 4:43 (NIV)  But he said, "I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent."

Nobody who knew him could ever say that George Smith didn't have courage. George was a daring jet test pilot in the 1950's who had the 'right stuff'. Back when the sound barrier was first being broken, George thought he could face anything without flinching. That's exactly what he did until the day came when he had to bail out of a jet going 805 miles per hour.

George survived the emergency ejection, but he never wanted to get in a plane again.

 It was during his hospital stay, a nurse shared with him her cure for fear. She said this: "Courage, is knowing the worst -- and discovering that, in God's world, the very worst can't really hurt you." Her words made a difference to the test pilot.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that Jesus was in a far more dangerous position than that of a test pilot. Jesus' job was not the breaking of a sound barrier. His job was to tear down the barrier that separated sinners from their Father; His work was to shed His blood so there might be a new covenant between God and man.

While a test pilot has a chance to survive a crash; there would be no such possibility for Jesus. There were no words of comfort a kindly nurse could give to make things better. Jesus' life would end with His sacrifice on the cross. But until those nails were pounded, His duty was to share the story of God’s love.

 In many ways it was a thankless job. People from His hometown tried to kill Him; His family thought He was unbalanced; people that He healed forget to give thanks, and even His closest followers misunderstand His message.

Who, seeing His life, would have the stamina to continue on? Which of us would be willing to sacrifice home and family, children and tomorrows for such an unappreciative audience? We wouldn’t ,but Jesus did.  He was, is, and always will be the One with the 'right stuff.”

THE PRAYER: Lord Jesus, we know there were times when You must have felt like quitting. You never did. Instead You continued to do the job for which You had been sent. I know there are jobs that You have given me. Make me faithful in the performance of that work. In Your Name. Amen.

The music which introduces and concludes our devotions was written by Guy Baumann. He along with three of his brothers perform on the album: The Baumann Brothers which may be ordered here: http://thebaumannbrothers.com/index.html