The angel Gabriel advised Mary, “…they will call him Immanuel,– (which means, “God with us”) (Matthew 1:23). The Bible clearly teaches that the baby in the manger was God wrapping Himself in human form and making a personal visit to earth. John’s gospel begins “… the Word was God…The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:1 & 14).
But why? Why did the Creator choose to become a man? What was God’s ultimate mission? According to Scripture, Jesus’ thirty-three year tour of duty accomplished a number of divine purposes. But there was one ultimate reason God came to this planet that was predominant.
God came to earth to…
Reveal Himself perfectly to us. God revealed Himself partially in creation, He speaks to us subtly through our conscience, He communicated with us clearly in the Bible, but He has made Himself known perfectly in the person of Jesus. Jesus said, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). If you want to know the nature of God, examine the life of Jesus. “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form…” (Colossians 2:9).
Identify with our daily struggles. No one can accuse God of being aloof, not understanding human hurts. “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15.) Jesus was “despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering” (Isaiah 53:3).
Provide a positive example for us. God didn’t just send us instructions about how we should live, He modeled it for us in Jesus Christ. “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his steps.” (1 Peter 2:21).
Pay the severe penalty our sins. God clearly warned, “The wages of sin is death.” But since “all have sinned,” He came to earth to pay the price Himself so we could escape the eternal death sentence. This is a profound mystery but the God of the universe chose to lay down His life on our behalf. “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed…and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us al.” (Isaiah 53:5-6).
However, the primary purpose of God’s visit to earth was to conquer death and provide us with the hope of eternal life. Death is the consequence of Adam’s fall. The Bible calls death the last enemy to be defeated. No amount of money can buy an exemption. No exercise can prevent it from creeping up on us. No clever denial can prevent it from happening. “…man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment…” (Hebrews 9:27).
The picture below is not one you will ever see on a Christmas card. There are no bright Christmas lights or festive decorations. It’s not pretty, but it’s reality. And I hope it will serve as a vivid reminder of the ultimate hope of Christmas.
You see, I have been in this position many times. When a loved one faces death the family often calls a minister. The physician has gone; there’s nothing more medicine can do. At this point the family doesn’t call the financial advisor to remind the dying of his net worth. They don’t call for an entertainer to lighten things up. They don’t call for a biology professor to explain origins. They call for a preacher to read Scripture and bring some hope.
Everyone gathered at the bedside of the dying listens carefully to what is being quoted from the lips of Jesus. “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:1-3).
When I walk away from a deathbed, such as the one depicted above, two thoughts almost always come to my mind. First, I’m thankful the hope I bring to the dying isn’t based on human speculation; it’s based on an actual demonstration in the person of Jesus.
Only Jesus proved there is life after death by dying a brutal death, being buried in a sealed tomb and then coming back to life three days later.
Only Jesus can legitimately say, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies” (John 11:25).
My second thought as I leave the side of the dying is, “One day soon that’s going to be me on that deathbed.” As I walk to my car I reaffirm what I’ve believed all my life. “Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands” (2 Corinthians 5:1). “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfuits of those who have fallen asleep…
(1 Corinthians 15:20). Then I can go about my daily duties with confidence and joy because of what Jesus did for me.
That’s the ultimate reason that God came to earth. Because of God’s visit to this world we’re going to spend eternity with Him. “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive” (1 Cor. 15:22). That’s good tidings of great joy!
*Photo used by permission of family
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