What were the reasons Jesus came to save us? Why did Jesus leave His place of glory, Heaven or Paradise, to come to earth? Why would He sacrifice so much? Why would He suffer so much? And why would Jesus die such a horrible and painful death?
In this 4 part Bible study series we will look beyond the obvious reason Jesus came to save us. It is obvious that Jesus came to seek and save lost people. To pay the price for our sins. And to become the perfect sacrifice for our sins.
Luke 19:10 – “For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost.”
Yes, the reason Jesus came was to pay the price for all of our sins. And to save us from the wrath of God and eternal punishment for sin. We will dive deeper into the reasons Jesus came to save us. There is more to it than to simply give us eternal life, and then we can sit around until it is our time to go to heaven.
The Reasons Jesus Came To Save Us
Salvation Is Not The End All Reason Jesus Came To Earth
Why did Jesus come to save us ? Salvation is not the end all reason why Jesus came to earth. Many people think and act like when they are saved, they only need to relax and enjoy life, and wait for Jesus to come back. So they can then go to heaven. They think they have their “fire insurance” so they can relax and enjoy life. And wait for Jesus to come.
These types of people go to church, and even give some and serve some. But many are still living for themselves and living the way they want to. Living life and waiting for Jesus to come back, and then go to heaven.
With this type of thinking these people will miss entirely the reasons Jesus came to save us. In this 4 part series we will focus on the underlying reasons Jesus came to save us.
The Reasons Jesus Came To Save Us
Salvation Is Only The Beginning
Salvation and a restored personal relationship with God is only the beginning. The reasons Jesus came to us is much more than salvation. Yes salvation is the greatest gift ever. But Jesus sacrificed so much and died for you to have much more than that.
In our first 2 weeks we will focus on the first of 2 main reasons Jesus came to save us.
God’s Main Calling And Desire For You
What do you think of when you hear the words “God’s Call” or “God’s Calling” ?
Most people think of when God calls someone to be a Pastor. Or when He calls someone to be a missionary, like He did with my wife Nancy and I. Other people think of when God calls a person to be a Bible teacher or Life Group leader.
Most people think of when God calls us to do something, or to serve in a ministry. God does call us to serve and to participate in His kingdom work and mission. But this is not God’s main calling on our lives. It is not God’s main desire for us, to simply do things for Him.
God Desires And Calls You To Have Close Fellowship With Him
1 Corinthians 1:9 defines God’s main desire for you, and His calling on your life. Yes God wants you to participate in His kingdom work and mission. And He wants to use you.
But God’s main desire and calling on your life is for you to have close fellowship with Him.
1 Corinthians 1:9 – “God, who called you into fellowship with His son Jesus is faithful.”
This is not a verse about salvation. It is a verse written to Christians.God’s call and heart’s desire is for all Christians to have close fellowship with Him. This is one of 2 main reasons why Jesus came to earth to save us.
The Reasons Jesus Came To Save Us
Koinania Fellowship With God
“koinania” is the Greek word for fellowship in 1 Corinthians 1:9. Normally this word is used in the New Testament to describe to fellowship and unity in the church.
In this verse the context is that koinania is describing the type of fellowship that God desires to have with you. God desires this type of fellowship with you so much that He sent His only son Jesus to make it possible for you to have it. Jesus sacrificed everything and suffered terrible, all so you could be saved and then have koinania fellowship with you.
Koinania fellowship with God is defined as:
1) the closest possible fellowship with God
2) Unity or being one with God
There is a third part of koinania fellowship with God, and we will return to this verse in the 3rd part of this series to see what it is. It has to do with the 2nd reason why Jesus came to earth to save us.
One of the reasons Jesus came to save us is that He desires to have the closest possible fellowship with you. He wants you to know Him in real and personal ways. And to be completely united or one with Him.
The Reasons Jesus Came To Save Us
God So Loved The World…
Never did such a small word “so” mean so much. John 3:16 tells us that “God so loved the world”. God desires to have the closest possible fellowship with you. He wants it SO much that He sent His only son Jesus to suffer horribly and die the most horrible death to make it possible.
In “On The Physical Death of Jesus” you can see how much Jesus suffered physically. And Jesus also suffered emotionally and personally. For example when everyone abandoned and denied Jesus. And worst of all, Jesus suffered spiritually when all of our sins were poured out on Him. He was temporarily separated from God his Father. All because of our sins.
The Reasons Jesus Came To Save Us
An Amazing Love
Why does God desire to save us, and then have the closest possible fellowship and unity with us ?
1. You are God’s First Love – He loves you more than anything else He created. Being that you are God’s first love, He very much wants to have close fellowship with you. And for you to be one with Him, and one with His will.
John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Romans 5:8 – But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
1 John 4:19 – We love because he first loved us.”
God’s love is called “Agape Love” – the Greek word “Agape” means an unconditional, ever lasting, never changing, willing to sacrifice for your good type of love
You Are God’s Precious Treasure
You are God’s Treasure – Another of the reasons Jesus came to save us is that He desires to have the closest possible fellowship with you is that you are more important and more precious to God than anything else He created. You are God’s precious treasure.
Deuteronomy 7:6 – For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His treasured possession out of all peoples on the face of the earth.
Ephesians 2:10 – For we areGod’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
You are God’s handiwork. This means that you are His precious treasure. And you are a great, priceless piece of art to God. You are God’s masterpiece.
The Reasons Jesus Came To Save Us
You Are God’s Passion
Your are God’s Passion – Another of the reasons Jesus came to save us is that He desires the closest possible fellowship with you is that He is passionate about you. You are God’s passion. And God is passionate about having close fellowship with you.
Now here is what God wants to do in your heart. And in my heart. God wants to touch and change our hearts, so that He is your First Love. And your Treasure. And your Passion.
God wants you to love Him more than anything or anyone else. And God wants to be more important and more valuable to you than anyone or anything else. And He wants you to be as passionate about Him as He is for you.
What’s in our hearts is most important. It’s not just the things we do for God that matter the most. It is why we do the things we do, even in ministry. What we do need to be a reflection of our heart attitude towards God.
The Reasons Jesus Came To Save Us
Sometimes Doing Things For God Can Inhibit Our Fellowship With Him
God wants us to serve and do things to please Him, not out of obligation or a sense of duty. But out of love for Him. And from a heart that is thankful for what Jesus did for us on the cross. And from a heart totally devoted and passionate about God.
Sometimes we are so busy doing things for God in ministry, that we don’t have sufficient time to spend with God. And we do not develop our koinania close fellowship and unity with Him.
Whenever we are so busy doing things for God that we don’t have time to have fellowship with Him, then we are missing the most important thing to God. The closest possible fellowship and unity with God.
We can totally miss out on why Jesus came to save us. If we are not regularly spending time with Jesus and working on our fellowship with Him, then we will miss why He came. Yes Jesus came to give us the gift of salvation and eternal life. But He has so much more for us than this for our loves here.
Becoming Disconnected To Our Power Source
Ironically, we can actually become disconnected to The Power Source we need to fulfill God’s work and mission.
When God is your 1st Love, Treasure, & Passion, you will desire close fellowship with Him. And you will DO what you need to do: Spend time with God, read/study/meditate on His word, pray, learn to hear His voice, obey & do whatever God wants you to do…
So, what’s in our hearts is most important. Let Jesus place His own love and passion for God in your heart. Jesus loves God, and completely one with God. And Jesus was so fully passionate and devoted to God, that He obeyed God’s will and suffered and died on the cross.
We need to remember that close fellowship with God is very important to God – even more important than serving and ministry. Serving and ministry (and fruitfulness) are byproducts of our close fellowship with God.
John 15:1-2 – I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
John 15:5 I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains* (abides) in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit*. For apart from Me you can do nothing.”
*Fruit – Jesus is referring to spiritual & eternal fruit, and the fruits of the Spirit. Later in this series we will look more into spiritual & eternal fruit, and the key to being fruitful in God’s work.
*Remain or Abide in Jesus – “Continually live in close fellowship and vital unity with Jesus”. This is turn leads to Jesus living His life in & through you. And Jesus accomplishing His kingdom work and mission through you.
Living your life continually in close fellowship and vital unity with Jesus is the key to being the fruitful and victorious Christian that God wants you to be.
“The New Testament example of the Christian experience is that of a personal, passionate devotion to the Person of Jesus Christ.” – Oswald Chambers
The Reasons Jesus Came To Save Us
Is God A Personal Relationship Oriented God ?
Can you really know God in personal & real ways ? There are a great number of believers that only know about God. They are saved, but they have not developed and grown in their fellowship with God.
Can you really have close fellowship with God ? Being a Christian is a lifelong process of growing closer to Jesus and more like Him. Jesus wants you to know Him in real & personal ways. Not just know about Him.
Knowing Jesus in real and personal ways happens as we faithfully trust, follow, and obey Him in our lives. And as we invest the time and effort to seek Him with all of our hearts.
To Know God In The Bible
There are Hebrew words in the Old Testament and Greek words in the New Testament that describe knowing God. Many times the Hebrew words and Greek words have a much wider and more descriptive meaning than the words translated into the English language.
“…. So that you may know and believe Me (God), and understand that I am He.” – Isaiah 43:10
“Teach me your ways so that I may know you and continue in your favor.” – Exodus 33:13
The Reasons Jesus Came To Save Us
What Does To Know God Mean In The Bible?
Old Testament Hebrew Word “yada” – To Know God
The Hebrew word “yada” is used in the Old Testament and is translated in English as the word “Know” or “Knowledge”.
What does yada mean ? The Hebrew word yada has a much wider meaning than the English word know. The Biblical Old Testament word for Know God personally means the following.
Know God means:
- to Perceive
- to Learn
- to Understand
- to Recognize
- to Believe
- to Accept His Claims
- to Conform
- to Be Willing
- to Perform or Live
- to Obey
- to See or Experience
New Testament Words “oida” or “ginosko” – To Know God
The Greek words “oida” and “ginosko” are used in the New Testament. They also have the wider meanings as the Hebrew word “yada”. But in the context that they are used in the New Testament, they also have the following additional meaning. To know God means:
- to Believe & Accept Jesus
- to Know Truth
- to Know Jesus is to Know God
- to Respond in Faith
“I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.” – Paul (Philippians 3:7-10)
“This is Eternal Life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.” – John 17:3
“O, the fullness, the pleasure, the sheer excitement of knowing God on earth.” – Jim Elliott
The Reasons Jesus Came To Save Us
People In The Bible That Knew God Personally
Can you think of examples of people in the Bible that walked closely with God ? Here are a few examples.
Enoch – Genesis 5:21-24 – When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked faithfully with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enoch lived a total of 365 years. Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.
Abraham – Isaiah 41:8 – But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham my friend.
James 2:23 – And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”and he was called God’s friend.
Moses – Exodus 33:11 – The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend.
David – Acts 13:22 – After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.
The Reasons Jesus Came To Save Us
Language In The Bible That Indicates God Wants A Personal Relationship
Excerpts from Jeremiah 2:2 to 3:20 are a good example of how personally God is involved with His people. When Israel turned their backs to God in the Old Testament, God uses language to describe how personal it was to Him.
God took it personally. He describes His people as a bride that loved and followed Him. But later they left God. God describes this as though He was feeling like a person that was cheated on. God uses the word adultery to describe the act of Israel turning their backs to God, and leaving Him for other idols or false gods.
Jeremiah 2:2 – I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the desert.
Jeremiah 2:11 – Has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are not gods at all.) But my people have exchanged their glorious God for worthless idols.
Jeremiah 2:13 – My people have committed two sins: they have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.
Jeremiah 3:6-9 – During the reign of King Josiah, the Lord said to me, “Have you seen what faithless Israel has done? She has gone up on every high hill and under every spreading tree and has committed adultery there. 7 I thought that after she had done all this she would return to me but she did not, and her unfaithful sister Judah saw it. 8 I gave faithless Israel her certificate of divorce and sent her away because of all her adulteries. Yet I saw that her unfaithful sister Judah had no fear; she also went out and committed adultery. 9 Because Israel’s immorality mattered so little to her, she defiled the land and committed adultery with stone and wood.
The Reasons Jesus Came To Save Us
More Bible Verses About Having A Personal Relationship With God
Jeremiah 3:12-13 – Go, proclaim this message toward the north: ” ‘Return, faithless Israel,’ declares the LORD, ‘I will frown on you no longer, for I am faithful,’ declares the LORD, ‘I will not be angry forever. Only acknowledge your guilt– you have rebelled against the LORD your God, you have scattered your favors to foreign gods under every spreading tree, and have not obeyed me,’
Jeremiah 3:14 – Return, faithless people, declares the Lord, for I am your husband.
Jeremiah 3:19-20 – How gladly would I treat you like sons and give you a desirable land, the most beautiful inheritance of any nation. I thought you would call me Father, and not turn away from following me. But like a woman unfaithful to her husband, so you have been unfaithful to me.”
God Often Uses Marriage To Describe Our Relationship With Him
What is the most intimate relationship people can have ? Marriage. The Bible uses many examples of marriage to describe our personal relationship and fellowship with God. That is because God intended our relationship and fellowship with Him to be deeply personal.
Isaiah 54:5-6 – For your Maker is your husband— the Lord Almighty is his name— the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth.
Revelation 19:7 – Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.
*All of these use Marriage as a symbol of our Personal Fellowship with God
The Reasons Jesus Came To Save Us
Another Example – The Use Of The Word “Abba”
Jesus used the word “Abba” when He spoke of His Father God. He was the first to ever use “Abba” to speak of His relationship with God.
Abba is a very personal and endearing word for father. More accurately it stands for “Daddy”. It is a word that a child would use to describe his or her father. The one he or she trusts completely. And knows that Abba will protect and take care of him or her.
Luke 11:1-2 – One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray. He said to them, “When you pray, say: “Father…”
No one in the Bible referred to God as Father until Jesus came. Paul is the only other person in the Bible that used the word Abba.
Romans 8:15 – For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father”.
The first reason that Jesus came to earth to save lost sinners is because He desires to have the closest possible fellowship and unity with us. God is a personal relationship oriented God that longs for you to spend time with Him. And to grow closer to Him and more like Jesus.
And to know Him in real and personal ways, as you faithfully walk closely with Him. It is a lifelong process of trusting and obeying Jesus. And walking closely with Him throughout your lifetime.
The Reasons Jesus Came To Save Us
The Kind of Christian & Church God Wants
God wants all Christians and churches to be spirit filled, passionate, powerful, and fruitful. That is the type of Christian and church that brings a lot of glory to God.
John 15:8 – This is to My Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, proving yourselves to be My disciples.
The early church in Acts is an example of this type of church. A church filled with the presence and glory of God. Filled with spirit filled true disciples and followers of Jesus.
The early church in Acts is our example to follow.
The Reasons Jesus Came To Save Us
A Spirit Filled, Passionate, Powerful, and Fruitful Church
What are the keys or vital things that we need to have in order to be like the believers in the early church in Acts ? What was their secret to being such a dynamic and powerful church ?
In Acts 2:42-47 we will discover the keys to being the type of Christian and church that God wants. Both are tied to the reasons why Jesus came to earth.
We will find the 1st key in Acts 2:42.
Acts 2:42 “They devoted themselves t0 1) the apostles’ teaching, 2) and to fellowship, 3) to the breaking of bread and 4) to prayer.
It appears that the 4 things listed in Acts 2:42 are the keys to being a spirit filled, passionate, powerful, and fruitful Christian and church. Though these 4 things are very important, they are not the keys to being all that God wants us to be.
If a church does all of these 4 things (Read & Study the Bible, Fellowship, Eat Food together, and Prayer) will it be the kind of church that God wants ? Not necessarily. Yes these 4 things are very important.
They are very important, but they are not the keys to being what God wants us to be. Just about every church today do these 4 things in one form or another. There are Bible studies, preaching the word (hopefully), prayer meetings & ministries, various fellowship opportunities, and plenty of food.
In our 18+ years of missions ministry, we have preached in &/or trained &/or helped more than 230 churches in 28 countries. And we have visited many many more churches. Even though all of them are doing these 4 things, many are dead or dying churches.
What Matters Most Is What Is In Our Hearts
Even though most churches do these 4 things one way or another, many churches are dead or dying. Why ?
You can do all of these things, and yet your heart can be far from God. The religious leaders when Jesus came to earth are a great example. They knew the Scriptures better than anyone. And they prayed and fasted. And they participated in fellowship events with food.
But their hearts were hard and far from God. These were the people that Jesus had the hardest time with. They were the people that had Jesus killed. They were religious zealots, but they did not even recognize the promised Messiah when they saw him face to face.
They were blinded by their hard and unbelieving, arrogant, and prideful hearts.
The Reasons Jesus Came To Save Us
The First Key To Being All That God Wants & Having Close Fellowship With God
God does not want you to read and study His Word, and pray, and enjoy meals and fellowship together as a way to check off some sort of “What A Good Christian Should Do” checklist. Or as a part of some sort of religious routine or tradition.
And God does not want you to do them out of a sense of obligation or duty. Or because your pastor tells you that you should do them.
The 1st key to having close fellowship with God, and to being all that He wants you to be has to do with what is in your heart. We will find the 1st key in Acts 2:42.
Acts 2:42 “They devoted themselves…” This is the first key. The Greek word for devoted “proskartereo” is the strongest word in the Greek language for COMMITMENT. It literally means “latch on and refuse to let go”.
The believers in the early church in Acts didn’t “latch on & refuse to let go” of doing religious things, or to a religious lifestyle. They didn’t have a “What A Good Christian Should Do” checklist. But they had something in their heart.
They “latched on to Jesus, and refused to let go. They were completely and passionately committed and devoted to Jesus. They passionately loved Jesus and followed Him. No matter what He led them to do. And no matter where He led them to go. And no matter the dangers or the cost.
Willing & Ready To Suffer And Sacrifice
The believers in the book of Acts lived in a very dangerous and difficult time for Christians. The same people that killed Jesus were still around. This was shortly after Jesus died on the cross and rose again to heaven.
But the believers, the ones that are our examples to follow, were passionately committed and devoted to Jesus. They were ready to sacrifice and pay the cost to follow Jesus. Because their hearts were filled with the same love, passion, and devotion that Jesus had for God.
All of Jesus’ disciples, except John, died for following & serving Jesus. As did Stephen (Acts 7), Paul, and others. The apostle John was tortured and sent in exile to the island of Patmos.
“The New Testament example of the Christian experience is that of a personal, passionate devotion to the Person of Jesus Christ.” – Oswald Chambers
The Reasons Jesus Came To Save Us
The Results Of Being Passionately Committed & Devoted To Jesus
Because their hearts were filled with love, passion, and total devotion to Jesus, you can see the amazing ways God used them. And God can use you in the same way. To impact the world around you.
Acts 2:43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.
– sign of God’s presence & glory: awe, wonders & signs, miracles (supernatural)
Acts 2:44 “All the believers were together and had everything in common.”
– sign of God’s presence & glory: love and unity (supernatural)
Acts 2:45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.
– sign of God’s presence: great generosity, unselfishness, love/concern for others (supernatural)
Acts 2:46 “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,
– sign of God’s presence: joy, gladness – contentment, sincerity (supernatural)
Acts 2:47a “praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people (good reputation).”
– sign of God’s presence: sincere heart-felt worship, awe of God.
The Reasons Jesus Came To Save Us
The 2nd Key To Close Fellowship With God & Being All That God Wants You To Be
The 2nd key is hidden in the 2nd part of Acts 2:47.
Acts 2:47b: “and the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Notice that Acts 2:47b says that God added to their number, daily. Daily is a key word that we will look at. But first, notice who added to the church’s number. The Lord.
God was able to bless this church and He added to their number daily. People were being reached with the Gospel and being saved, daily.
How did this happen ? It could not have happened at all, if the people in the church were not doing their part.
Romans 10:13-14 “for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them ?”
The Lord could not have saved people daily if the believers in the church were not being what Jesus commanded them to be in Matthew 4:19. He called and commanded them to “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
A “fisher of men” is a believer that, in their daily life, shares the Good News of Jesus with others. The people in the early church of Acts faithfully and passionately followed Jesus. And faithfully and passionately shared the Gospel of Jesus Christ in their daily life. They were passionately devoted to Jesus 2/7, and thus did everything He called and commanded them to do.
The Reasons Jesus Came To Save Us
Success In A Church
How should we define what success is for a church ? Number of members ? Attendance ? How many programs we have ? How big the campus is ?
According to God’s Word, success is measured by God by the Spiritual & Eternal Fruit being produced. Essentially by the number of people being saved. And the amount of spiritual growth leading people to become true and devoted disciples and followers of Jesus.
Spiritual and eternal fruit and success can only be produced by God. Only God has the power to touch and save people. And only God, by His grace, can product transformation and spiritual growth in people. And this will only happen if His people are passionately devoted and committed to Him.
When we are passionately committed and devoted to Jesus, He can and will use us to further His kingdom work and mission. It all depends on what is in our hearts.
John 15:5 ““I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.“
You and I can do good things. But only God can do great and amazing things. Only God can produce eternal and spiritual fruit and success. Only God can touch and save. And only God can produce passionate and true disciples and followers of Jesus. We are the instruments and servants that God would like to use to produce the great spiritual and eternal fruit.
Doing Witnessing & Evangelism Is Not The Same As Being Jesus’ Witness
In Acts 2:47b it says that God added to their number those that were being saved – daily. God was able to do great and mighty things through the early church in Acts because they were passionately devoted to Jesus. As a result they were consistently faithful and obedient to whatever Jesus called and commanded them to do.
And they were faithful witnesses in their daily life. They were obediently sharing the Gospel with others in their daily life. Because they were 24/7 passionately devoted to Jesus in their hearts. They didn’t just do witnessing and evangelism occasionally.
They were filled with the same love and passion for lost people that Jesus had. 24/7. And it showed in their daily lives. They were driven by the same love and passion for lost people that drove Jesus to the cross. They didn’t just do witnessing. They were passionate witnesses 24/7, in their daily lives. They had a lifestyle of passion and devotion for Jesus. And a love and passion for lost people.
Where did this love and passion come from ? Acts 1:8 tells us.
Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will BE my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Not “you will do witnessing or evangelism once in awhile when the church has an outreach event. Or you will go on a mission trip and witness once in awhile. You will be filled with Jesus’ love & passion for the lost, and this will drive you to “seek and save the lost”. Like Jesus did.
You will be praying for and looking for opportunities to share Jesus and the Gospel with people wherever you go in your daily life.
The Reasons Jesus Came To Save Us
One Of The Main Signs Of God’s Presence In A Spirit Filled Church
One of the main signs of God’s presence and glory in a spirit filled church is there will be an abundance of spiritual and eternal fruit and success. Mainly salvations. And transformations & spiritual growth in the believers. In others words, people being reached with the Gospel, and true disciples being made.
The 2nd Key To Being A Spirit Filled Christian & Church
In Acts 2:47b we find the 2nd key. It is to faithfully and passionately join God in His mission. We must be on mission with God in our daily lives in order to experience God’s presence and power and glory in our lives. And in our church. If not we will never see the great and mighty things that God wants to do in and through you. These are the same things that God was able to do in the early church in Acts. Because of their love and passionate devotion for Jesus.
When our hearts are filled with love and passionate devotion for Jesus, we will do whatever He calls and commands us to do. And we will be whatever He wants. And we will go wherever He wants.
So the 2nd reason that Jesus came to earth to save us is to continue His kingdom work and mission. For us to be on mission with God and join Him in what HE is doing. In your community. And in your region. And in the world.
The Reasons Jesus Come To Save Us
The 2nd Key To Being The Christian & Church That God Wants
We continue to look into the early church in Acts. God placed this church in the Bible, in the book of Acts, to be our example to follow. They were passionately devoted to Jesus. And they followed and obeyed all that He commanded, no matter the cost.
They lived in dangerous times for Christians. The same people that killed Jesus were still around. And many of them would sacrifice a lot, suffer, and even die for Jesus. All of the apostles except John died for doing what Jesus told them to do. And others died too, like Stephen, Paul…
Their passionate devotion to Jesus was the 1st key to being all that God wanted them to be (Acts 2:42). Now we will see the 2nd key. And this key is tied into the 2nd reason Jesus came to earth to save us.
Acts 2:47a – “praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people (good reputation).”
Another sign of God’s presence – sincere heart-felt worship, and all were in awe of God.
Acts 2:47b – “and the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
The Lord added daily those who were being saved. Daily is an important word in this verse, and we will look at this in a moment.
Notice it doesn’t say “The Lord added to their number daily those who became members of the church. Many churches today have a mission of attracting as many members as possible. Which leads to more resources. Which leads to more programs that appeal to more people, which leads to a larger church. And a larger campus.
The Reasons Jesus Come To Save Us
How God Measures Success In A Church
God measures success differently than we do. His ways are not our ways. So how should we measure the success of our churches ?
Number of members ? Attendance ? How many programs we have ? How big the campus is ? These are all measures of success for many of today’s modern churches. But they are not necessarily true signs of success.
God’s measure of success is different. The main measurement of success that God uses is based on what is in our hearts. Love and devotion to Him is first. Which leads to obedience. Which leads to God being able to produce true success in a church.
God measures success in terms of spiritual and eternal fruit being produced. Only God can produce spiritual and eternal fruit. Which is salvations, and spiritual growth/transformation, which leads to people becoming true & faithful & obedient disciples. This can only happen when the people in the church do what God wants us to do.
The Reasons Jesus Come To Save Us
Being A Witness For Jesus Is Not The Same As Occasionally Doing Witnessing
In Acts 2:47b God added daily to the church. This can only happen because the Christians in the church were doing their part. They were obeying what Jesus had commanded them to do.
Paul says it best in Romans 10:13-14:
“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them ?”
God touched and saved a great number of lost people through the early church in Acts. Daily. This could not have happened if the people in the church were not doing their part.
They were actively participating in God’s mission work, and were daily sharing the Good News of Jesus with others. They lived a lifestyle of passionately being devoted to Jesus, and passionately sharing the Gospel with others.
Acts 1:8 says “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will BE my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
We usually focus on the receiving of power from the Holy Spirit to do witnessing and evangelism in this verse. But it also says “and you will BE my witnesses…”
Not “you will do witnessing or evangelism once in awhile when the church has an outreach event.” It means you will be filled with Jesus’ love & passion for the lost, and this will drive you to “seek and save the lost”
And you will be praying for and looking for opportunities to share Jesus and the Gospel with people wherever you go in your Daily Life. Driven by Jesus’ own love and passion in your heart, you will have a lifestyle of seeking to share the Gospel with lost people.
The Reasons Jesus Come To Save Us
What Is The 2nd Key To Being All That God Wants You To Be ?
The 2nd key to being the Christian and church that God wants is to faithfully participate and join Jesus in His mission. We must be on mission with God in order to experience God’s presence in our church, and to see Him doing what only He can do.
And that is the 2nd reason Jesus came to save us. To continue the work and mission that Jesus started when He was here on earth.
God does not need us to fulfill His mission. But He loves us and values us so much, that He gives us the privilege of joining Him in what He is doing. And God does this to give our lives meaning and purpose. It is a great honor and privilege to join Jesus in His kingdom work and mission.
“We were not saved from our sin simply so that we would qualify for heaven. God delivered us so we would have a relationship with Him through which He could carry out His mission to redeem a lost world.” – Henry Blackaby – Experiencing God
What Is God’s Mission ?
If joining God and actively participating in His mission in our daily lives is the 2nd reason Jesus came, then we need to understand what exactly is God’s mission. God is actively working all around the world today, and He wants us to join Him so that He can accomplish all that He wants to.
God is actively working in the hearts of lives of lost people, trying to bring them back into a restored relationship with Him. That is the 1st part of God’s mission.
And God is actively working in the hearts and lives of Christians, wanting to bring them into a deeper fellowship with Him. And to help them to grow to be faithful and devoted followers and disciples.
1 Timothy 2:4 “God wants all men to be saved, and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”
Jesus has a great love and passion to save all people. And He wants to fill us with His love and passion for the lost. So we will be driven by Jesus’ love and passion to actively pursue the lost.
Jesus defined very well the 1st part of God’s mission in Luke 19:10 – “I came to seek and save the lost. To actively seek out opportunities to share the Gospel with the lost. Even when they were not seeking God. Most lost people are not seeking God. They are lost. Only when God begins to touch their hearts and work in their lives will they start to be open in their hearts to seek and desire God.
Jesus was on a mission – of seeking and saving the lost. Jesus never sat around in the synagogue waiting for people to come to Him. He knew most lost people would not. So because He loved them so much, Jesus was always going out to seek them. So He could share the Good News of salvation with them.
Jesus was passionate about saving the lost, helping them to have a restored relationship with God. His great love and passion drove Him to sacrifice all, to suffer, and die a horrible death. All so we can have a restored relationship with Him.
The Reasons Jesus Come To Save Us
The 2nd Part Of God’s Mission
After the 1st part of God’s mission, seeking and saving the lost, comes the 2nd part. We will find this 2nd part of God’s mission in Matthew 28:18-20.
v. 18 – “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” It is clear that Jesus is saying that He is The Lord. He is The Boss.
v.19 – “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Jesus is saying that because He is The Lord, therefore go… The word go here means “as you are going”. Jesus is not telling everyone they need to go to Africa. Or China. He is saying as you are going about in your daily life. If you do not hear and sense God leading you to go to another country, then your mission field is where you are. Your mission is to reach the lost where you are, and then help them to become true disciples.
Again, sharing the Gospel with others is about having the same heart and love and passion for the lost as Jesus. And this will drive you to seek out opportunities to share the Gospel with others – in your daily life. As a lifestyle of love and passion for the lost. Not just doing evangelism occasionally.
The 2nd part of God’s mission is to make disciples. Once people are reached for Jesus by sharing the Gospel, they are baby Christians. God wants them to grow closer to Him, and more like Jesus. He wants them to become faithful, passionate, devoted followers of Jesus. And He wants them to actively participate in His mission too.
The Reasons Jesus Come To Save Us
Who Would Continue To Do God’s Mission After Jesus ?
Jesus faithfully started the mission of seeking and saving the lost. And then making disciples. But He knew that He was going to die on the cross to pay the price for all of our sins, and to save us. And He knew that He would return to be at His Father’s side.
So who was going to continue with the all important God’s mission work ? God had a plan.
Matthew 4:19 – “Jesus said follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.
What is a “fisher of men” ? A devoted follower of Jesus who obediently shares the Good News of Jesus with others in their daily life.
What does Jesus mean when He said “I will make you fishers of men” ? Jesus is promising that He will empower us to be able to fulfill His mission. It is the same as in Acts 1:8 when Jesus promised “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
To “be” a witness means that you too will be willing to sacrifice and even suffer & die for the sake of Jesus and His mission. Out of love and passion of God, and love and passion for others.
Back to Matthew 4:19 “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.” Jesus is not asking – He is calling and commanding us to be fishers of men.
The Reasons Jesus Come To Save Us
Who Is Called To Be On Mission With God
Who is Jesus calling and commanding ? Who is Jesus speaking to in Matthew 4:19 and Matthew 28:18-20 ? Is this call and command only for Pastors, Missionaries, and the leaders of the church ? Or is it for all Christians ?
In many many churches today only a small number of people and maybe the pastor, if anyone at all, shares the Gospel with others.
Campus Crusade For Christ (CRU) did some research around 15-20 years ago about how many Christians were actively sharing the Gospel. The results showed that only 2% of Christians actively share the Gospel.
Where do we need to go to find the answer about who Jesus is calling and commanding in Matthew 4:19 and Matthew 28:18-20 ? We will find the answer in God’s word.
Acts 8:1 – On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria…
This is right after Stephen was stoned to death for being a follower of Jesus. And then a great persecution of the church started. The early church was in Jerusalem. Acts 8:1 says that all of the regular people in the church, except the apostles were scattered. The apostles, or leaders of the church, stayed in Jerusalem.
Acts 8:4 – “Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.”
All the regular people of the church preached the Good News of Jesus wherever they went. In the midst of a great persecution and difficult circumstances. Remember, it was a very dangerous time for Christians. Their love and passion for Jesus, and their love and passion for the lost drove them to obediently and passionately share the Gospel with the lost.
They clearly understood that Jesus called and commanded all of His followers to be fishers of men, and to make disciples of all nations.
God Can Greatly Use People Who Are Passionately Devoted To Him
We see the results of the faithful obedience and devotion of the early church in Acts 2:47, and also in Acts 11:19-21.
Acts 11:19-20 – Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews. 20 Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus.
Acts 11:21 – The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.
What does “the Lord’s hand was with them” mean ? The Lord’s hand means His presence, His glory, His power working thru them, His favor, and even His resources.
God will equip us, and empower us, and provide all resources and anything else we need to fulfill His Kingdom work and mission. We are all called and commanded to be “fishers of men” or missionaries – wherever we are.
The Reasons Jesus Come To Save Us
All Of Us Have The Responsibility & Privilege To Be On Mission With God
Being called by God to be on mission with Him is a great privilege and honor. And a great joy. We all have the responsibility to carry on the mission that Jesus began. If we will not do it, no one will. If we do not fulfill our part of Jesus’ mission, then many many people will die without Jesus and spend an eternity suffering and paying the price for their sins.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19 “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.”
v.18 – “and gave us the ministry of reconciliation” – Who is “us” ? Only pastors, missionaries, and church leaders ? No, all Christians.
v.19 – “and he has committed to us the message of reconciliation” – Who is “us” ? All of us.
What is the message of reconciliation ? The Gospel
2 Corinthians 5:20 “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.
Paul calls us “Christ’s ambassadors” God has given us the extremely important job or task of taking the Good News of Jesus out to the lost. This is a great honor and privilege that God has given us.
Koiania Fellowship With God
In Part 1 we studied 1 Corinthians 1:9 and saw that God’s main call for us is to have fellowship with Jesus. This is not a verse about salvation. It is for Christians.
The Greek word “koinania” is used for fellowship. The definition of koinania fellowship wtih Jesus means:
1) Closest possible fellowship with God
2) Unity or Being One with God
3) A partnership with God where you join Him in His Kingdom Work and Mission
Being on mission with God in our daily lives is very important. It is the 2nd reason why Jesus came to save us.
The Reasons Jesus Come To Save Us
The Most Important Things In Our Walk With God
How important does our fellowship with Jesus need to be ? And how important does actively being on mission with God in our daily lives need to be ?
Matthew 6:33 – “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
What do you think seek first means ? It means to make these things your Top Priority, or the Most Important things in your life.
1 Corinthians 15:3 – “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures”
Knowing Jesus and sharing the Gospel were Paul’s top priorities in his life. Because they are God’s top priorities. Paul was filled with Jesus’ love and devotion for God. And he was also filled with Jesus’ love and passion for the lost. And for helping believers grow.
Are these things naturally our top priority or most important to us ? No not naturally. We need God to touch and change our hearts, and our priorities and passions. So they will be the same as His.
What does seek first His kingdom mean ? Being on mission with God, and reaching the lost and making disciples needs to be our Top Priority
What does seek first His righteousness mean ? A right relationship with God, which leads to the closest possible fellowship with Jesus.
These 2 things in Matthew 6:33 are the same as the 2 Reason why Jesus came to save us. And they need to be our top priorities and most important things in our hearts and lives.
Continue Growing Closer to God
Explore these related resources on Intimacy With God(opens in new tab):
- Intimacy With God(opens in new tab) — Discover how to develop a deeper relationship with God.
- Prayer(opens in new tab) — Learn how to develop a deeper and more meaningful prayer life.
- Reading the Bible and Bible Study(opens in new tab) — Learn how to read, understand, and apply God’s Word.
- Hearing God’s Voice(opens in new tab) — Learn how to recognize God’s leading and discern His voice through Scripture.
- Worship(opens in new tab) — Discover how worship can become a lifestyle.
- Seeking God(opens in new tab) — Learn what it means to seek God wholeheartedly.
- Knowing God Personally(opens in new tab) — Discover what it means to have a personal relationship with God.
- Spiritual Growth(opens in new tab) – What is spiritual growth? How can you grow closer to God and more like Jesus?
- Waiting on God(opens in new tab) — Learn how to trust God during seasons when you are waiting for His direction.
- The Holy Spirit(opens in new tab) – Learn who the Holy Spirit is, what the Holy Spirit does…
- God’s Purpose For Your Life(opens in new tab) – how you can discover God’s purpose & calling & mission
- Sharing the Gospel of Jesus: How Sharing Your Faith Deepens your Intimacy With God(opens in new tab)
The goal isn’t simply to learn more about God.
The goal is to know God personally, love Him deeply, hear His voice, walk with Him daily, and experience a growing intimacy with Him.
Kevin Bart has been a follower of Jesus for over 40 years. Kevin has taught Bible study classes, small groups, and discipleship classes for many years. He developed Pursuing Intimacy With God Bible studies website and book after many years of seeking God and studying His word. Kevin and his wife Nancy have 3 sons and 2 precious grandchildren.
Kevin is a former business owner, and current international missions ministry leader with more than four decades of combined business and ministry experience. After building and running a successful business for 23 years, with God’s guidance and blessings, he sold his company to dedicate himself to full-time global missions.
For over 20 years, Kevin and his wife Nancy have led a self funded international missions ministry. Utilizing learned business and financial management skills, as well as knowledge and experience in travel points and miles, to date they have had more than 5o mission trips to 36 countries in the Caribbean, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia.
After many years of studying the Bible and the Book of Revelation, and writing many Bible studies and articles, Kevin finally finished Unraveling The Mysteries of the Book Of Revelation. Hopefully it will be a blessing to many people.
