Jesus Came For Us Series

Much of the world does not understand Christmas. Christmas is celebrated but only the trapping of Christmas is presented.

We see it all around us in the music of the season:

“I dreaming of a white Christmas”

“Rock around the Christmas Tree”

“Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer”

“Santa Claus is coming to Town”

There are about as many if not more secular songs of Christmas as there are Religious, Christian Carols of Christmas. Even in Muslim countries, Christmas is celebrated. But a good bit of the world, including those who live across the street of the church have no clue what Christmas is about. The Sunday School answer we know - We celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. But here is the question many Christians have a tough time answering, “Why did Jesus come?” “What is so important about His birth?” Here is the real reason, if you get nothing else out of this message, get this:

John 3:16 (NKJV) For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Jesus came for us. This where we are going this morning as we continue to look at the this first chapter of John.

John 1:9–14 (NKJV)

Why did Jesus come? That is the question many ask.The Greek philosopher Socrates made this statement: "Oh that someone would arise, man or god, to show us God." In the minds of scholars, here's one of the greatest philosophers who ever lived; and yet he, himself, had beating in his own breast--and he admitted it--oh that god could come in a man and show the world god in human form. Plato, who was one of the great students of Socrates, said, "Unless a god man comes to us and reveals to us the Supreme Being, there is no help or hope." [1]

Astronaut James Erwin is one of but 12 men to walk on the moon (Apollo 15) . As he stood upon the lunar landscape and looked up at the earth, he prayed for the first time in his life. He thought about the strife among nations, poverty, hunger, and rampant evil; and he thought to himself: "What is more important than man walking on the moon is that God should walk on earth." Jesus is God come to earth and He rules both in heaven and earth. [2]

Jesus came for us. God came and walked among us. The writer of Hebrews related that we do not have someone who has not been where we are:

Hebrews 2:17–18 (NKJV) Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.

God knows the sufferings and the temptations we face if for no other reason, God, as the man Jesus experienced these things Himself. For us, it is all about Jesus. For God it was all about His love for us. There are four Statements in the Bible that address why Jesus was born? [3]

All of these express reasons was for our benefit.

1. Jesus came to reveal God to us.

John 1:18 (NKJV) No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

We wonder what God is like. Philip asked that question.

John 14:8–9 (NKJV) Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

To know God the Father, is to know Jesus the Son.

2. Jesus came to redeem mankind.

Galatians 4:4–5 (NKJV) But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

God had establish the Law with His chosen people, so Jesus came under the law to redeem those under that Law. The same is true for the rest of us.

John 3:17 (NKJV) For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

3. Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil.

1 John 3:8 (NKJV) He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.