Great Reasons Why Jesus Came Down to Earth
The Book of Romans
Romans 15:8-13
Sermon by Rick Crandall
(Prepared December 20, 2021)
BACKGROUND:
*Let me remind you that in Romans 1-11, the Holy Spirit led Paul to give us a full explanation of the gospel. There Paul spelled out the truth about our terrible sinfulness and our desperate need for God's salvation. Paul made it clear that salvation can only come by God's grace through faith in our crucified and risen Savior Jesus Christ.
*Here is the heart of the gospel or good news about Jesus: He died on the cross for all of our sins. Then 3 days later Jesus rose again from the dead! And now He will give eternal life to everyone who will receive Him as Lord and Savior.
*That's why in Romans 1:15-17 Paul said, "As much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, 'The just shall live by faith.'''
*The gospel is the central focus in Romans 1-11, but in chapter 12 Paul begin to write about the practical side of Christian life. And in chapter 14, he began to address one of God's greatest concerns: and that is harmony in His Church.
*We can see this truth in the new commandment the Lord gave His followers on the night before the cross. In John 13:34-35, Jesus said, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.'' Then in John 17:11 Jesus prayed to our Heavenly Father and said, "Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are."
*Our harmony as Christians is extremely important to the Lord, but it has always been a challenge in God's Church. One persistent source of conflict in the early church was between the Jewish and Gentile Christians. The Jews naturally wanted to cling to the old ceremonial ways, such as circumcision, strict dietary laws and observing the Jewish holy days. The Gentile believers weren't inclined to do that, and most important, it wasn't God's plan for His Church.
*Paul went into detail about this problem, and we can see his concern in vs. 5-6. Here Paul prayed, "Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." Then in vs. 7, Paul pleaded for the Christians in Rome to "receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God."
*In today's Scripture Paul again stressed the oneness and hope all Christians have in Jesus. But Paul also gave us some of the great reasons why Jesus came down to earth. Please think about this as we read Romans 15:8-13.
MESSAGE:
*I never thought of these verses as Christmas Scripture, but they surely help us see why Jesus came into our world, and aren't you glad? You may be going through some tough times right now, and I know for sure that some of us are. But Christian: on your worst day, aren't you still glad that Jesus Christ came down to earth? I know you are!
*Think of the angels and shepherds in Luke 2:7-14:
7. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8. Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.
10. Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.
11. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
12. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.''
13. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
14. "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men!''
*God wants all of us to share in the wonder, peace and joy of that first Christmas day, and it will help us to explore why Jesus Christ came to earth.
1. FIRST: JESUS CAME TO FULFILL GOD'S PROMISES TO THE JEWS.
*We see this truth in vs. 8 where Paul wrote, "Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers." Jesus humbled Himself to become a servant to the Jewish people to confirm the truth of the promises of God. The eternal, living Word of God came down to confirm the written Word of God.
*Both the Scripture and the Savior have been given to us to reveal the truth of God. And we can always count on the truthfulness of God. He always keeps His promises because He is the ultimate Truth!
*God never lies, and in fact, He cannot lie. That's why in Titus 1:1-2, Paul opened his letter with these words: "Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which is according to godliness, in hope of eternal life which God, WHO CANNOT LIE, promised before time began."
*God cannot lie, and Jesus came for "the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers." But how many promises has God made in His Word? A quick internet search gives a wide range of answers. Some say 3,000, 6,000, or 8,000 promises. Rick Reed also saw an estimate of 30,000 promises in the Bible! But that seemed high, since there are only 31,173 verses in the Bible.
*Rick also told the story of Everet R. Storms, the Canadian schoolteacher who began to keep a record of the promises during his 27th reading of the Bible. It took a year and a half for Mr. Storms to compile his lists, and it included 7,487 promises from God to man! (1)
*The first promise of the coming Savior is in Genesis 3:15. Adam and Eve had already sinned in the Garden of Eden. But God promised that the Seed of the woman would crush Satan's head.
*Then in Genesis 12:2-3, God made some wonderful promises to Abraham. The Lord made 7 promises to Abraham in two short verses: "I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.'' That last promise was all about Jesus coming to save everyone who will receive Him as Lord and Savior.
*Also remember the wonderful Christmas promise in Isaiah 9:6-7. God gave this prophetic promise about 700 years before Jesus was born: "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this." Praise the LORD!
2. JESUS CAME TO FULFILL THE TRUTH OF GOD'S PROMISES TO THE JEWS. HE ALSO CAME SO THAT ALL PEOPLE COULD GLORIFY GOD.
*Paul spoke of this goal in vs. 8-9 where he wrote:
8. Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers,
9. and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written: "For this reason I will confess to You among the Gentiles, and sing to Your name.''
*Yes, Jesus came to confirm God's Old Testament promises to the Jews. But that's not all. Jesus came for the Gentiles too! That's basically everyone who is not a Jew. Revelation 5:9 tells us that God will save people from every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation.
*And this was God's plan from the beginning. That's why at the end of vs. 9, Paul quoted King David's prophetic words from Psalm 18:49. The Holy Spirit led David to write this prophetic song about the Messiah a thousand years before Jesus was born. Here, the coming Christ spoke to His Heavenly Father, and said, "For this reason I will confess to You among the Gentiles, and sing to Your name.''
*Jesus came so that people in every nation might give glory to God. And yes, Jesus came because He loves us. Nobody loves us more! But the Lord ultimately came for the glory of His Heavenly Father.
*And He came for people all over the world. Paul amplified this truth in vs. 10. There he quoted from Moses' song in Deuteronomy 32:43, "And again he says: 'Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people!''' Then in vs. 11 Paul quoted Psalm 117:1. "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples!''
*Jesus came so that people from all over the world could give glory to God. And don't miss the mercy here. There are countless great reasons for us to give glory to God. But here in vs. 9 Paul singled out God's mercy. Jesus came "that the Gentiles might glorify God FOR HIS MERCY."
*Through the cross of Jesus Christ, we glorify our God because He is a merciful God. And the Psalms are full of prayers and praise for the mercy of God. We see His mercy over a hundred times in the Psalms!
*Here are a few examples from King David:
-In Psalm 23:6 he said, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever."
-In Psalm 25:6-7 he prayed, "Remember, O LORD, Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindnesses, For they have been from of old. Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; According to Your mercy remember me, For Your goodness' sake, O LORD."
-And in Psalm 103:8-11 David declared, "The LORD is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him."
*One more example is Psalm 117 that Paul quoted here in vs. 11. Psalm 117 is the shortest Psalm in the Bible. It only has two verses and says, "Oh, praise the LORD, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples! For His merciful kindness is great toward us, And the truth of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD!"
*Our God is most merciful. But His mercy had to come through the cross of Jesus Christ. Jesus took the punishment for all of our sins when He died on the cross for us. Now our Risen Savior offers His eternal life to everyone who will put their trust in Him, and we have every reason to give glory to God!
3. JESUS CAME SO THAT ALL PEOPLE COULD GLORIFY GOD. AND HE CAME TO GIVE US GODLY HOPE.
*It's the everlasting hope Paul mentioned three times in vs. 12-13. There the Apostle quoted from Isaiah 11:10 and wrote:
12. . . Again, Isaiah says: "There shall be a root of Jesse; and He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, in Him the Gentiles shall HOPE.''
13. Now may the God of HOPE fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in HOPE by the power of the Holy Spirit.
*Here Paul talked about Christian hope, but what kind of hope is that? Pastor James Chandler gave a great explanation. One Thanksgiving when he was a little boy, James got asked to say the family prayer. And in that prayer, he said, "Dear God, I sure hope the Oakland Raiders make it to the Super Bowl!"
*James remembers that prayer, because he learned it "wasn't really appropriate." And he said, "As I grew, I also learned that real hope is not the kind of hope I mentioned in my prayer. Real hope is not a wish, but confidence in a certainty." (2)
*I like that definition: "Real hope is confidence in a certainty." Real hope, godly hope, biblical hope, is joyful confidence in something that is certain. That is the kind of hope Paul is talking about here.
[1] AND WE CAN HAVE TOTAL CONFIDENCE IN JESUS BECAUSE IN VS. 12 HE IS THE "ROOT OF JESSE."
*Jesse was King David's father, but the Lord is the root of Jesse, even though Jesus was born a thousand years after Jesse. In fact, Jesus is both the root and the offspring of Jesse. The Lord Himself said this in connection with King David. In Revelation 22:16 Jesus said, "I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star."
*As the root of Jesse and David, the Lord was their source of life. In fact, Jesus Christ is the source of all life because He is the eternal Son of God. Colossians 1:13-17 is one of the Scriptures that speak about Jesus being the source of life. There Paul tells Christians that God the Father
13. . . has delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,
14. in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.
15. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
16. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.
17. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
*Jesus was the source of all life because He is God, one with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. Then the Son of God humbled Himself to become the offspring of Jesse and David. And Jesus did that so that He could be our Savior. We can put our hope in Jesus Christ because He is the source of all life, and Savior of all who will trust in Him.
[2] WE CAN ALSO HAVE TOTAL CONFIDENCE IN JESUS BECAUSE HE IS RISEN FROM THE DEAD.
*We trust that Jesus is alive forevermore! It is just as Isaiah prophesied in vs. 12, "There shall be a root of Jesse, and he who shall rise. . ." RISE: A four letter word that changes all eternity for us, because Jesus rose again from the dead!
[3] WE CAN ALSO HAVE TOTAL CONFIDENCE IN JESUS BECAUSE HE WILL RULE OVER THE NATIONS.
*Again in vs. 12: "There shall be a root of Jesse; and He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, in Him the Gentiles shall hope.'' Jesus will reign forever and ever, -- in righteousness, kindness, and mercy!
[4] BUT CHRISTIANS, WE CAN ALSO HAVE TOTAL CONFIDENCE IN JESUS BECAUSE OF THE POWER OF HIS PRESENCE IN OUR LIVES.
*It's the power Paul confirmed in vs. 13 when he wrote this blessing: "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
*The "God of hope" fills us "with all joy and all peace in believing, so that we may abound in hope." Paul was talking about a super-abundance here. Our cup overflows, as God transforms us through the power of His Holy Spirit.
*And I like this Greek word for power. It's "dunamis." That's where we get our word "dynamite." And God is at work in our lives through the dynamite power of His Holy Spirit. But none of this could have happened without Jesus coming at Christmas. And none of this could have happened without Jesus dying on the cross for our sins.
*Remember the boy who got into trouble when he prayed, "Dear God, I sure hope the Oakland Raiders make it to the Super Bowl?" Well, he found out about real hope a few years later, and it happened in a most unusual way. James said, "As a teenager, I went to an outdoor drama of the crucifixion of Christ. I was not a Christian but was curious about all of this Jesus stuff.
*The audience was to play the part of the crowd during Jesus' trial and death on the cross. We all shouted, "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!" They brought Jesus out and began to beat him. Even though I knew it was just a play, I was amazed at how I was drawn into it.
*As we, the crowd, began to follow Jesus up the hill carrying his cross, Jesus stopped and fell to his knees. I didn't know he was supposed to do that. A Roman Soldier looked right at me, pointed, and yelled, "You: Carry his cross!"
*I was stunned and confused. I hoped he was talking to someone else. But before I knew it, there I was carrying this heavy wooden cross up the hill. For the first time, all of this Jesus stuff began to make sense." (3)
CONCLUSION:
*James found out about the sure hope we can have in Jesus Christ. And God wants you to have it too! That's why Jesus came at Christmas, and that's why He died on the cross for our sins. As we go back to God in prayer, let the living Lord fill your heart with His hope today.
(1) Everet R. Storms story in the book ALL THE PROMISES IN THE BIBLE by Herbert Lockyer - Source: "How many promises there are in the Bible?" by Staff Writer: Rick Reed - Columnist for the Daily Commercial - 212 East Main Street, Leesburg, FL 34748 - https://www.dailycommercial.com/story/lifestyle/columns/2017/07/08/reflections-how-many-promises-there-are-in-bible/20305079007/
(2) Sermon Central illustration contributed by James Chandler
(3) SermonCentral illustration contributed by James Chandler
