Why Did Jesus Come?
Why Does Jesus Matter?
Session 2: Why Did Jesus Come?
https://app.rightnowmedia.org/en/player/video/860458?session=881600&position=0
After answering the question, “Who is Jesus?”, some may assume that that’s the end of the conversation. But the identity of Jesus—as fully God and fully human—presses us further, almost forcing us to ask, “Okay, then why did he come?” What are some common answers you’ve heard to the question, “Why did Jesus come?”
To answer why Jesus came, J.D. pointed us to what Christians for two thousand years have referred to as the gospel. Though “gospel” is a word Christians use all the time, J.D. said it’s a word we rarely pause to define. How familiar are you with the concept of the gospel? If you were asked to explain or define the gospel, what words would you use to do so?
For an exercise to help you understand the basic message of the gospel, see Practice 1 in the Deeper Walk section at the end of this session.
J.D. defined the gospel for us in one sentence. He said, “God, in an act of grace, sent his Son Jesus to earth as a man so that, through his death and resurrection, he could rescue us, reign as king, and lead us into the eternal, full life that we were created to enjoy.” What aspects of J.D.’s definition have you heard before? Are there any parts of it that you’re unfamiliar with? If so, which parts?
To complete an exercise that invites you to give thanks to God for his gospel, see Practice 3 in the Deeper Walk section at the end of this session.
Breaking down his definition phrase by phrase, J.D. began with another word Christians use often: grace. Read Ephesians 2:1–5. The gospel is an act of God’s grace towards us—the reality that, as J.D. said, “God did for us something that we neither earned nor deserved.” The concept of grace sets Christianity apart from every other religion and religious message in the world. For what reasons is it incorrect to say that all religions are basically the same? How does the concept of grace make Christianity distinct from all other religions? When did you first recognize the grace of God in your life?
While other religions work off the premise, “I obey, therefore I will be accepted,” Christianity, according to J.D., says, “I am accepted by a gift of grace, therefore I will obey.” Likewise, whereas other religions are spelled “DO,” Christianity is spelled “DONE.” Have you ever believed that you must obey or “do” to be accepted by God? In what ways did that belief let you down? How does Jesus’s gospel free us from that beliefs?
For an exercise to help tell your story of coming to faith in Jesus, see Practice 4 in the Deeper Walk section at the end of this session.
J.D. explained, “the most significant thing about Jesus’s life is not what he taught. It’s what he did during his final week on earth”—namely, dying by crucifixion and rising from the dead. Read Colossians 2:13–14. In dying, Jesus bore our sin and the penalty for our sin, paying our debt in full. As J.D. said, “nothing more is owed” by those who follow Jesus. What debts do you believe you owe to God? In what ways do those “debts” burden you spiritually and emotionally? How do you react to the idea that Jesus has fully paid your debts for you?
The good news of the gospel is that Jesus did not stay dead. Three days after his crucifixion, Jesus rose from the dead, bearing witness that he is, in fact, the Son of God. He conquered death and now offers us new, abundant life through the Holy Spirit. Read Paul’s brief articulation of the gospel in 1 Corinthians 15:1–4. In your own words, how would you articulate the significance of Jesus rising from the dead? What do you think it looks like to live the “full, abundant” life Jesus offers through his resurrection?
Through the resurrection, Jesus launched a new kingdom where he is the rightful king. J.D. said in this kingdom, “things in the world exist like God created them to be . . . [it is] a kingdom characterized by justice and righteousness and compassion and peace and, most of all, love.” Read Psalm 145:1–2, 8–20. What words and phrases in this psalm about God’s kingdom stand out to you, and why? In what ways does God’s kingdom differ from the “kingdoms” we’re a part of today? Where do you see evidence of the kingdom breaking through into the places where you spend your time?
When we become followers of Jesus, we’re welcomed as citizens of his kingdom, pledging allegiance to him. And that means we get to be his representatives here on earth. Read Mark 8:34–35. What specific words does this passage use to communicate what following Jesus requires of us? What do you think it looks like to direct your allegiance to Jesus and represent him and his kingdom here on earth? In what practical ways can you apply the ideas in this passage in your everyday life?
J.D. said one day Jesus will return and bring the kingdom in its fullness—healing all the broken things in the world, like our bodies, our education and political systems, and even nature itself. Until then, J.D. said, “we’re supposed to live out the principles of the kingdom . . . and extend its healing into the world.” What are some ways that you can extend healing into the world? What are some ways that the kingdom’s healing has been extended to you?
The last part of J.D.’s definition of the gospel says Jesus will “lead us into the eternal, full life that we were created to enjoy.” Phrasing it another way, J.D. said “God created us to thrive, and we can only thrive when he is at the center of our lives.” Read John 10:10. What does it mean to thrive, according to this verse? Are you thriving? If not, what is keeping you from experiencing the “full, eternal life” you were created to enjoy?
In Jesus’s day, the word “gospel” was used to announce a military victory. It signaled that the emperor “had won a great battle” and the people no longer needed to live in fear. J.D. explained that Jesus’s disciples, “commandeered that word to describe Jesus’s core agenda”—Jesus won a battle on our behalf, so we can accept his victory and live without fear as we share the good news with others. Does fear ever keep you from sharing the gospel with others? If so, for what reasons? To what degree does it embolden you to share, knowing that Jesus has secured a victory on your behalf? Who are the people in your life you could share the gospel with?
To complete an exercise that will help you share the good news of the gospel, see Practice 2 in the Deeper Walk section at the end of this session.
In addition to the victory Jesus secured on our behalf, what’s equally good news about the gospel is that we don’t have to work for it or earn it—we just have to receive it. Read John 1:12. Because Jesus loves us, he offers his salvation to us as a gift. All we have to do is receive it. Have you ever received Jesus’s offer of salvation? If not, what would it take for you to simply receive that gift from him? If yes, what could you do to remind yourself of the grace he’s shown you and live the “full life” he’s given you?
Last Word
Jesus, God the Son, came to earth with a specific mission: to announce and accomplish the gospel of the kingdom and to give all its benefits—forgiveness of sins, resurrection life, power of the Holy Spirit, etc.—to us as a gift. For many of us, his gift might seem too good to be true. But it is true. God really is that kind, that gracious, and that loving. So, what will you do with his offer of salvation? Will you keep trying to earn it yourself? Or will you open your hands and receive it as a gift of God’s grace?
Session's Question and Answer
Why did Jesus come?
Jesus came to announce and accomplish the gospel, which is the good news that through his life, death, and resurrection, Jesus rescues us, reigns as king, and leads us into the eternal life we were created to enjoy.
Deeper Walk
This section is designed to help you practice different ways to interact with God and reflect on what you’ve learned in this session. Pick at least one activity to try before the next session.
Practice 1: Memorization
God’s people have a long history of memorizing his Word, from the oral cultures of the first century and before to the modern day. Scripture memory hides God’s Word in our hearts and situates it on the tip of our tongues, equipping us, encouraging us, and readying us to deliver good news to those who need it.
Make it your ambition over the next several weeks to memorize Paul’s brief rendition of the gospel in 1 Corinthians 15:1–4, “Now I want to make clear for you, brothers and sisters, the gospel I preached to you, which you received, on which you have taken your stand and by which you are being saved, if you hold to the message I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I passed on to you as most important what I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.”
Practice 2: Community
In this session, J.D. was sure to remind us that, at its core, the gospel is a message of good news. What do we do with news? We share it! So in this exercise, that’s what you’ll aim to do—share the gospel with someone in your life.
But first, a word of caution. Don’t make it awkward by forcing a gospel conversation upon a stranger or neighbor or friend. As much as you’re able, try to initiate the conversation naturally and organically. Here are some tips that can help.
Start with someone you have an existing relationship with.
Steer the conversation toward spiritual matters.
Ask questions.
Tell them what you’re learning.
Be honest about your own questions and uncertainties.
Pray before, during, and after the conversation.
Don’t expect yourself to be perfect. Do the best you can and learn from your experience.
Practice 3: Prayer
To say that the gospel is good news is true, but it’s also an incredible understatement. The reality that God the Son assumed a human nature in the person of Jesus, entered the world as one of us, lived perfectly, and yet took our sin upon himself, paying its penalty with his own life, only to be resurrected from the dead three days later, and now invites us into the family of God by faith is more than just good news. It’s the best news in the history of the world. As such, we who follow Jesus should be stirred by the gospel to give thanks to God.
In this exercise, as a response to the good news of the gospel, you’ll simply pray a prayer of thanksgiving from the Psalms. Feel free to recite this psalm with others as a corporate prayer of thanks.
Psalm 100
Let the whole earth shout
Triumphantly to God!
Serve the Lord with gladness;
Come before him with joyful songs.
Acknowledge that the Lord is God.
He made us, and we are his—
His people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving
And his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him and bless his name.
For the Lord is good, and his
Faithful love endures forever;
His faithfulness,
Through all generations.
Practice 4: Testimony
Our story of coming to faith in Jesus—of receiving his gospel by faith—is often referred to as our testimony. A testimony is a simple and often effective way for us to share our story with others and introduce them to the same good news we’ve received. So, in this exercise, you’ll take some time to remember your story and record it in writing. It’ll be great practice for sharing the gospel with others.
Think back over your life and your process of coming to faith in Jesus. Consider these questions: What was your family like growing up? Did you grow up in and around the church? What was your life like before you heard the gospel? When did you first hear it, and who shared it with you? How long did it take you to believe that the gospel is true? How did your life change after you came to believe? What is your life like now? What major questions do you still have?
Once you’ve spent some time thinking about your process of coming to faith, write it out, and then consider who you could share it with.