Why did my Saviour come to earth
Why Did My Saviour Come To Earth? - December 17, 2000 - a.m.
-Drew Chapados
Text: Isaiah 9:1-7
Good morning to all as we have gathered together to engage in one
of the most important and fulfilling activities of life: public praise
of God the Father and His Son Jesus the Christ. Many people around
this time of the year focus intently on the gift of heaven that came to
earth so many years ago in the form of a little baby and we would
encourage all to continue to look intently on what Jesus means and has
always meant to the world.
When you think about the gift of Jesus it is truly amazing what
God did. Sin had entered the world through the first human pair and
had wrought its destructive course through all of our lives and to
remedy it, it took only one man!
Just one man made the difference for millions of people with regards to
heaven and hell.
Yet, we realize that this one man who began his life as a worshipped
and praised baby and ended it as an executed & despised rebel is truly
more than a man because he continues to be the hope and life of
millions of souls around the world. Colossians 2:1-4
One of the songs that you hear especially around this time of the
year is "O come, O come Immanuel" and I would just like to set the tone
this morning by reading this song.
Now read with me a wonderful prophecy found in Isaiah 9:1-7.
What are a people without hope? I think it would be safe to say
they are a people who feel trapped. The loss of hope means the loss of
joy, peace, & freedom!
So, the meaning of this song is much different to us than it would have
been to the Jewish people over 2000 years ago. They were a captive
people with a promise that a Messiah was to come but he still wasn't
there. In many ways the Jews had lost their freedom, they were slaves
to other nations and other kings, more importantly; they were a fallen
nation under God. Sins yoke was upon their necks and someone had to
come and lighten their loads (John 8:32-36, Matthew 11:28-30).
What I would like us to do this morning, is to try to imagine what
it would be like if we were on the other side of the cross not looking
back at the Messiah's coming to earth but looking ahead to it.
In that mind frame then look at the answers Jesus gave to the question,
why did my Saviour come to earth?
What would you be looking for in a Saviour?
As a people who were enslaved to other men and to sin, what would a
Messiah to be mean to you?
As you cried for Immanuel (God-with-us) to come, what would you expect
Him to do?
It is interesting to me that in the four gospels Jesus made at
least 15 specific reasons why he came to earth! Why he came in the
form of a baby in a manger and walked this earth and then died & rose
and eventually left.
Why those roughly 33 years 2000 years ago, where the Divine became
human and what was Eternal placed Himself in time and changed the
entire world.
I think if you look at the reasons that he gave, you would find
the actual definition of the Jewish Messiah!
Although many of his people rejected him, nonetheless he was the
genuine article bringing to man their most precious needs. Perhaps it
can open man's eyes today again to the reason there is a Saviour who
walked among men:
1) Matthew 9:13 (Mark 2:17, Luke 5:32)- to call sinners to repentance.
Of all the things that hold man captive, the number one thing is sin!
Jesus came to call people to repent. To recognize the awfulness of sin
and how it destroys people's lives & souls and to give them up for
Jesus. He isn't just teaching though the need for repentance, he also
makes clear he did not come for those who feel they have no sin!
Notice the Saviour only came for those who 'needed' saving! Now, who
in the world needs saving? All people, but the fact remains some don't
believe they do and can never truly appreciate the gift of Jesus. As
people look at Bethlehem, may they look inside their own hearts and
lives and see if they have responded to his reason for coming.
Psalms 34:18
2) Luke 9:56 (also see Matthew 18:11, Luke 19:10)- not to destroy men's
lives but to save. If people could see this side of Jesus. Why did
Jesus come? Not to destroy people (John 3:17), but to save them. What
reward did Jesus receive for this mission? Death, but it still didn't
change his mission. He didn't come to kill those who disagreed with
him, beat up others who lived foolishly, but to save them from their
own destruction. What would you expect in a Messiah? Wouldn't it be
someone that instead of fearing or turning away, someone who came to
save you? Someone who came to give you what you most desperately were
calling him for. O come, O come Immanuel!
3) Matthew 20:28 (also Matthew 26:24, Mark 14:21, Luke 18:31-33,
Luke 22:27, 24:25,26) I came to die! Of all the things the song of
glad tidings and peace to all should remind us of this time, is that
the baby in Bethlehem's destiny was to be crucified! (Luke 2:34,35)
As Joseph held the new born king in his arms and showed him to Mary,
it was the Father above who best understood what would happen to this
child. From the beginning of the world, Jesus would one day come to
die. (John 12:27) Why? So he could be the Messiah that man longed
for and needed. Those who then found refuge in the shadow of that old
rugged cross could then repeat the words rejoice, rejoice, Immanuel has
come to thee O Israel! John 18:37- I have come to rule all those who
are seekers of truth.
Why did Jesus come? He came for the very reason Israel wanted him to.
He came to offer up himself that all those who turn to him in
repentance and obedience might know for certain that they have been
redeemed.
I wonder if you know that this morning?
Do you know for certain that the Messiah has come for you and will come
again for you?
If not why not come now, Acts 2:38, let's stand and sing…
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