Scripture tells why Jesus came to this earth. Even though Jesus clearly told His followers, they did not fully understand until the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Jesus had plainly told them twice before (8:31-32, 9:9-10) that He will suffer, die, and rise again. Now Jesus repeats Himself.
Mark 10:33 “Listen,” he said, “we’re going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die and hand him over to the Romans. 34 They will mock him, spit on him, flog him with a whip, and kill him, but after three days, he will rise again.” [1]
The disciples still didn’t understand because their view of the Messiah blinded them. They thought Jesus had come to bring an earthly Kingdom. But His Kingdom was not of this world. I am thankful I don’t have to understand all the Lord is doing before it is effective and meaningful!
Jesus Came to Give His life as a Sacrifice
Jesus existed as Spirit and the eternal Word before He was born into this world. John 1: 1 In the beginning, the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He existed in the beginning with God. [2] In God’s mercy, Jesus took on flesh and blood and was born into this world both as God and man. This is a great mystery, and one humans cannot fully comprehend.
Jesus, as both God and man, could pay the price for our sins on the cross. In John 1:29, Jesus is called the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world. After Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sins, there would be no further need for any other sacrifices. Hebrews 10:12 But our High Priest (Jesus) offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand.[3]
Jesus is Our Bridge to Heaven
It changed everything when Jesus paid the price for our sins on the cross and rose from the dead on the third day. The cross of Jesus would be our bridge to eternal life. The cross is a literal crossroads. To go to heaven, we must place our faith in Jesus as our Savior. We must go through Jesus as He is the only way. He is the door or the gate to eternal life.
John 14:6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.[4] Jesus came to rescue us, but He does not make us believe in Him. As people, we must humble ourselves and come to Jesus as the Holy Spirit draws us. John 6:40 For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day. [5]
Do you know why Jesus came? Find out here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/mark-i-once-was-blind
[1-5] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Tyndale House Publishers.