Why Did Jesus Come to Earth?
Why d
id Jesus come to earth?
Seriously, answer the question before you read further. What do you think was His primary purpose for coming to earth?
Did you answer, “To die on the cross and save us from our sin?”
That’s what most people who follow Jesus say. It’s true that He came to save us from our sins. It’s His desire that all mankind believe and be saved. We have new life because of Him.
However, this week the Lord gave me new understanding about His purpose for coming to earth. Consequently, I’m convicted.
Just before being arrested, on His way to the cross. Jesus spent intimate time with His disciples. He truths to encourage and strengthen them for the coming crisis of His crucifixion and departure from them.
He then turned His eyes toward heaven and spoke to His Father saying, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You” (John 17:1).
Jesus then mentioned our salvation, “as You have given Him (the Son, Jesus) authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him, and this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (John 17:2-3).
He then immediately returns to the topic of glorifying the Father and links it to having completed His assignment on earth. “I have glorified You on the earth, I have finished the work which You have given Me to do” (John 17:4).
Jesus came to glorify His Father. To glorify means to magnify, praise, honor, or cele
brate. Jesus shined a spotlight on His Father so we would see—and hopefully also celebrate Him. Jesus asked to be glorified so He could glorify His Father more.
Jesus’ work included dying on the cross to pay the price for our sins, but His ultimate purpose was to glorify His Father. Indeed, His birth is highlighted every year at Christmas. He also brought glory to His Father by living a sinless life as a man in the midst of a sinful society. His obedience to His Father, love and compassion for sinless people, the power evident in miracles, and the authority in His words all brought glory to His Father.
Jesus’ whole life pointed to His Father. Through Him we know the Father because His love, character, authority, and power were manifested and recorded through the life of Jesus.
Yes, He came to save us from our sins, but I no longer believe that was His primary purpose. Jesus came that we might know His Father, know that He came from the God, and believe in Him and the Father. These themes are repeated over and over through the book of John.
After speaking of glorifying His Father on earth, Jesus said, “I have glorified You on the earth, I have finished the work which You have given Me to do” John 17:4).
Our belief that the primary purpose of Jesus’ time on earth is so that we can be saved is an indication that we believe in a man-centered, or self-centered gospel.
But, it’s not about me, or about what I get out of it. Life in Christ is about Him. And His Father. About God—the three in one. The Spirit points us to Jesus. Jesus points to the Father.
Jesus is Father-centered. He came to introduce us to the Father. He died and took our sins upon Himself so that we might know and fellowship with a holy God. Indeed, so that through Jesus Christ, we might be one with Him. If we follow in His footsteps, we will be Father-centered too.
If our focus is on glorifying God, we will be more aware of His love for us, more confident in His care, protection, and provision, more certain that He is working His purposes out through trials and tribulation, and more abundantly blessed with His grace to walk through the tough times.
If our goal is to glorify the Father, rather than saving ourselves, it should not be difficult to rejoice in all things and to count it all joy when we encounter various trials. After all, we will be confident that our sovereign God is at work and will rejoice that our trial is for His glory.
The first question of the Westminster shorter catechism is, “What is the chief end of man?” In other words, what are we created for?
The answer: “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.”
For years, I wondered, “How can I, whose righteousness is like a filthy rag (Is. 64:6), have any glory to give a omnipotent, holy God? Nothing I can do will add to Him!”
But I was wrong. Through obedience, Jesus glorified His Father. If I obey Him, He can be glorified through me too. As I take up my cross daily (Lu. 9:23)and surrender to Him (John 10:17-18). He will more freely work in and through Me, and thus will more clearly shine forth from me.
I cannot glorify God, because I have nothing to offer. Nothing but me. However, as I surrender myself–my Me–to the Lord, He can bring glory to Himself through me. That, to me, is amazing.
But that’s what Jesus called us to. He told the Father, “As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world (Jn. 17:18). He sent us into the world to shine the light on God, so the world will come to know Him and will believe.
The world desperately needs to see and know our God.
Paul said, “Whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31b).
Lord, help us lay aside our self-serving beliefs and embrace and maintain a goal of glorifying You through our lives. May you receive all glory, honor, and praise so the world will know you.