5 Reasons Jesus Came To Earth

5 REASONS JESUS CAME TO EARTH

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR

1. A Notre Dame football star appeared in court as a witness in a civil suit. The Judge asked, “Are you a member of this year’s Notre Dame football team?” “Yes, Your Honor,” the athlete replied.

2. “What position do you play” asked the Judge. “I play center, Your Honor.” “How good a center are you?” “Sir,” he replied, “I’m the best center Notre Dame has ever had.”

3. There was a little ripple of laughter and the case went on. The Notre Dame coach, who was present, had been quite surprised the player had said that, because he was always such a modest player.

4. Later the coach asked him why he said what he did, and the young man answered, “I didn’t want to coach, but there was no choice. I was under oath!”

5. Oh, it’s hard to be humble! But at least he knew his mission!

B. WHAT WAS JESUS’ MISSION ON EARTH?

1. Jesus repeatedly made it clear that he understood that His mission on earth led to a cross. “From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life” Matt. 16:21.

2. What did Jesus hope to accomplish in completing His mission? Wouldn’t it be insightful to know what Jesus expected to happen at the Cross? In a way, we do.

3. Five times in the Book of Matthew, Jesus says, “I came….” In these five statements he indicates what He intended to accomplish in completing His mission. Each gives insight into what happened at the Cross.

C. THESIS

1. Let’s take a look at these 5 passages and the images that they could represent. The 5 images:

I. A GAVEL IN A COURT ROOM

A. VERSE “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill” Mt. 5:17.

B. EMPHASIZES THE PERFECTION OF JESUS

1. HUMOR. It’s amazing how quickly we remember what the speed limit is when we see a patrol car on the side of the road!

2. Jesus knew that someday we would all stand before God to be judged at the Great White Throne judgment. On that terrible Day, all of us would be found guilty and condemned because we did not keep God’s Law (Rom. 3:19).

3. So Jesus came to take our place and fulfill God’s Law. Five times the Scriptures say He was without sin. For Jesus to be our substitute on the Cross He had be free from sin. Only then could He be an acceptable substitute. Jesus fulfilled the Law; He kept all 613 commands of the O.T.

4. At the Cross Jesus took our sins upon Himself and transferred His righteousness to us.

5. The image of the gavel in the courtroom reminds us that we’re not only declared “not guilty” because we’re purified by His blood, but we’re also imputed with His positive righteous. This combination should give us every confidence of being accepted by our Father God.

II. THE NARROW GATE WE COULD NEVER ENTER

A. TEXT

“But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” Matt. 9:13.

B. AN ENTRANCE MADE FOR US

1. If you’ve ever driven by an expensive country club, seen the strong gates, and known you had no way of getting in, you know what it’s like to be on the outside looking in.

2. Jesus came in search for us who were on the outside looking in. The Pharisees rejected the (normal people) tax collectors and “sinners” and told them they would never be admitted to the Kingdom of God. But Jesus the Redeemer said that WE were the very reason He came to earth – to call us sinners to repentance.

C. THE GOOD SHEPHERD CARRIES US TO HIS FOLD

1. How wonderful that the Good Shepherd came in search for us, the lost sheep. He puts us on His shoulders and carries us to His fold. Once inside we can go in and out and find good pasture.

2. Jesus said, “I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture” John 10:7-9.

3. Praise God we are now in the sheepfold of the Son of God!

III. A LINE IN THE SAND