THE MISSION OF JESUS CHRIST

 

In the Beginning

Adam and Eve were created by God in an environment that was perfect.  They were placed in the garden of Eden where there was no knowledge of good and evil.  Nothing was restrained from them except one thing.  The tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

 

Genesis 2:16-17   And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: [17] But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

 

In the process of time and because of their unwillingness to obey the Lord, they broke this commandment and sin was introduced into the world.  Mankind fell from the sweet communion that he enjoyed with his creator.  No longer was there a beautiful innocence in the garden it was replaced with a nature of sin that led them downward.  In fact, not many verses away the first murder was recorded.

 

Genesis 4:8   And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

 

This original sin brought about a physical and spiritual death to  all of mankind.  From the time of the fall till now there has been a continual falling away from God.  As man has marched away from God, there has been profound changes in his body, spirit and the world around him.  In the beginning these people lived very long lives.  Adam lived to be 930 years old and his son Seth lived to 912. 

 

Genesis 5:4-8   And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters: [5] And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died. [6] And Seth lived an hundred and five years, and begat Enos: [7] And Seth lived after he begat Enos eight hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters: [8] And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years: and he died.

 

As you read further you will notice a general decline in the length of life.  All of mankind will continue to experience a continual dying process because of the results of sin.

 

Romans 6:23   For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

The Days Of Noah

 

Genesis 6:5-6   And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. [6] And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

 

In the days of Noah we see a march away from God and truth.  The whole world was without any sense of morality or goodness.  Because of this, God decided to destroy the world.  He spoke to Noah and commanded him to build an ark to the saving of his house.  By faith, Noah and his sons obeyed God.  As a result, they were the only families saved from the judgment that God brought upon the earth.  This judgment was designed to wipe out any traces of wickedness in the world and thereby go back to the place of communion that was in the garden.  The flood certainly wiped out all of the wicked people but didn’t wipe out the wicked nature that was placed in him at the fall.  We discover that it wasn’t very long after the flood that man began to go back to his ways of rebellion against God.  Even though this was the case, the Lord promised that he would never again destroy the world with a flood again.  The next step was to introduce the law to us.

 

         

The Law

 

After calling his people out of Egypt in the great exodus, God gave the children of Israel his law.  The law established Gods’ feelings about right and wrong.  He established a moral code that is adhered to even to this day in most nations.  Little by little man was coming back to a place of fellowship with the creator that he had once enjoyed.  However, the law still did nothing to change the heart and man simply obeyed it out of the fear of judgment.  Furthermore, the word declares that by the works of the law there was no freedom or victory from sin.

 

Romans 3:19-20   Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. [20] Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

 

The law was very complicated and many sacrifices were required.  One of the most notable of these was the offering of the Passover lamb.  This sacrifice was instituted at the time that Israel was delivered from Egyptian bondage. 

 

Exodus 12:1-17   And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, [2] This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you. [3] Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: [4] And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb. [5] Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: [6] And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. [7] And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. [8] And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. [9] Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. [10] And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire. [11] And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the Lord’s passover. [12] For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord. [13] And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. [14] And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever. [15] Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel. [16] And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you. [17] And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever.

 

The blood of this lamb was put upon the doorpost of each house to protect it from the death angel, which was to pass through the land.  In that night all of the firstborn that had no covering of the blood was killed.  All who obeyed were freed from death.  This was a type and shadow of the perfect lamb whose blood would not only save man from death, but would deal with the corruption that was destroying his heart.  Jesus became the perfect lamb of God for our complete deliverance.

 

The Lamb of God

 

John 1:29  The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

 

John announced Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world whose mission it was to take pay the price for our sins and to change the heart of man. 

 

Luke 19:10  For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

 

By the shedding of his precious blood he came to redeem man from the terrible scourge of sin and wickedness.  In this act of love he also became the fulfillment of the Old Testament law concerning sacrifices.  What a love! 

 

John 3:16   For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

 

The final destination for his ministry was a cross on Calvary’s hill. 

 

Romans 6:23   For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

Luke 23:33-34  And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. [34] Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

 

No longer does man have to be shackled by the chains of darkness, sin and death.  The gift of God is for all who will accept his redemption and obey him.  This is cause for great joy!

 

Luke 2:10-11   And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. [11] For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

         

The Good News

         

The good news is that man doesn’t have to be a slave to sin any longer.  None of us can pay the price for our own sins.  In his infinite love he paid the price that we could not pay.  By the death, burial and resurrection we now have hope. 

 

1 Corinthians 15:1-4   Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; [2] By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. [3] For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; [4] And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

 

Col. 1:13-20 (KJV) Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: [14] In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: [15] Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: [16] For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: [17] And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. [18] And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. [19] For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; [20] And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

 

Jesus Christ was not just a prophet.  He was more than a good man and he had more to give than miracles.  He was the Lamb of God.  One songwriter penned these beautiful words about the mission of  Calvary, “When he was on the cross, I was on his mind.”  Calvary satisfied the debt for the sins of the world and opened the door to victory for all!

 

Romans 5:8 (KJV) But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

 

It is through the gospel that we are saved.  The gospel is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  When we obey the gospel we must die through the experience of repentance.  This means that we die out to our old life styles and turn ourselves toward God.  We are buried with him in baptism and we rise to walk in a newness of life in the baptism of the Holy Ghost.

 

Romans 6:1-7 (KJV) What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? [2] God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? [3] Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? [4] Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. [5] For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: [6] Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. [7] For he that is dead is freed from sin.

 

The Apostle Peter preached this message on the day of Pentecost, the first day of the New Testament church.

 

Acts 2:37-39 (KJV) Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? [38] Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. [39] For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

 

How can we be free from the bondage of sin?  Repent, die out to sin and turn to God.  Be buried with him in baptism in the name of Jesus Christ.  Receive the gift of the Holy Ghost –resurrection power.  When this happens, deliverance takes place.  No longer is sin and death the dominant force in our lives but righteousness and Godliness replace sin and wickedness.  Jesus Christ is seeking to deliver, heal and set free the souls of mankind.  That is what his mission was and is today! 

 

Conclusion

 

Jesus Christ came to save the world!  Through his atoning death we can be set free from any kind of bondage.  If you would like further information about the plan of salvation, just let me know and I will be happy to write back.  As always I pray that God will give you his eternal freedom through the sacrifice that he made on Calvary.  Hope to see you again soon!

 

Sincerely

 

Greg Wirths

 

Focus on Freedom

 

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Thanks for taking the time to go through this lesson with me!  I pray that it will be a blessing to you.  This study gives us a clear understanding of the man Jesus and his purpose for coming.  The mission of Jesus Christ was to save mankind and the reason was love.  His love reaches out to the entire world with salvation and happiness. Isn’t that what everyone is looking for?  Let’s get started!