Why did Jesus come to earth? Why did Christ come? In the verses preceding these words

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23)

" For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord"(Rom. 6:23)

All people on earth are sinners and the Bible says that there is none righteous, not one: all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God.

Sin entered all of humanity through the first people on Earth who were created by God - Adam and Eve. They disobeyed God and ate the fruit from the tree of the “knowledge of good and evil,” which the Lord forbade to eat. So sin entered humanity through disobedience.

" And the Lord God commanded the man, saying: Of every tree of the garden thou shalt eat, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it, for in the day that thou eatest of it thou shalt die"(Gen. 2:16,17)

The Lord God created Adam and Eve, placed them in Paradise and blessed them.

“And God blessed them, and God said to them: Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves on the earth” (Gen. 1:28)

They had direct personal communication with God. When God came to the Garden of Eden to communicate with his creation - man, they communicated directly, without any embarrassment. Adam and Eve communicated with God as their Master, Friend, Father. They had no barrier in communicating with their Creator. But when they disobeyed God and ate the forbidden fruit, between God and man the wall of sin grew and deprived man of fellowship with His creator. Because God is holy, and man was already stained with sin, and sin did not allow man to approach the holy God.

After the Fall of Adam and Eve, all the dominion that God had given them came under the control of Satan because they obeyed Satan. The Bible says: “Whoever is overcome by someone is his slave” (2 Peter 2:19). Satan came through the serpent and tempted Adam and Eve - he persuaded them to eat the forbidden fruit.

In the book of Genesis chapter 3 verses 1 to 13 it says:

“The serpent was more cunning than all the beasts of the field that the Lord God had created. And the serpent said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You shall not eat from any tree in the garden?’ And the woman said to the serpent, ‘We can eat fruit from the trees, only the fruit of the tree that is among heaven, God said, do not eat them and do not touch them, lest you die. And the serpent said to the woman, No, you will not die, but God knows that on the day that you eat of them, your eyes will be opened, and you will as gods, knowing good and evil. And the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes and desirable because it gives knowledge; and she took of its fruit and ate; and she gave it also to her husband, and he ate. And the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked, and they sewed together fig leaves, and made aprons for themselves, and they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees. Paradise. And the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” He said, “I heard Your voice in Paradise, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” And he said: Who told you that you were naked? have you not eaten from the tree from which I forbade you to eat? Adam said: The wife whom You gave me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate. And the Lord God said to the woman: Why have you done this? The woman said: The serpent deceived me, and I ate."

Adam and Eve were expelled from Paradise for their disobedience to God.

God's greatest plan is to restore communication with man.

But God had a plan to still save humanity and resume His communication with man, since God loves His creation very much.

And God sent Jesus Christ to Earth - His only begotten Son, who took upon himself all the sins of the world, shed His blood and died for our sins, so that we would be justified from sins through faith in Jesus Christ.

“Therefore, just as through one transgression there was condemnation for all men, so through one righteousness there was justification for life for all men. For just as through one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so through the obedience of one the many will be made righteous” (Rom. 5:18,19).

The wall of sin between man and God was broken by Jesus Christ when he died on the Cross for our sins. The Gospel of Mark says: “Jesus, having cried out loudly, gave up the ghost. And the veil of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The centurion who stood opposite Him, seeing that He had given up the ghost after having cried thus, said: Truly this man was the Son of God” (Mark 15 :37-39).

The Gospel of John says: “...Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Previously, during the Old Testament, only priests could enter the Holy of Holies behind the veil in the Temple, where God lived, and shed the blood of animals for the sins of the people. This was done in the people of Israel once a year: the priest sacrificed animals for the sins of the people, and the sins were washed away with the blood of the animal. But Jesus, the Lamb of God, sacrificed himself once and for all for the sins of all mankind and tore apart every barrier and veil that stood between man and God. And now everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins and has direct communication with God the Father through faith in Jesus Christ. By accepting Jesus into our hearts, we accept God the Father himself, who sent Jesus to Earth, and the blood of Christ washes us from all sin.

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1). In other words, when we believed in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and accepted Him as our Lord and Savior, we made peace with God and found the peace that was lost after the fall of Adam and Eve.

Bible verse to memorize:

John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

Billy Graham

The Bible reveals to us God in three persons. This is a mystery that we will never be able to understand. The Bible does not teach that there are three deities, but that there is One God. This One God, however, is expressed in three persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

Second face of St. Trinity God the Son, Jesus Christ. He is coequal with God. He is not one of the sons of God, but the Son of God, the Only Begotten. He is the Eternal Son of God - the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, God revealed in the flesh, the living Savior.

The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ has no beginning. It was never created. The Bible teaches that the myriad stars, the shining luminaries, and our earth were created. The birth of Jesus Christ, which we celebrate at Christmas, was not His beginning. Its origin is hidden in the same mystery that we encounter when we begin to inquire about the beginning of God. The Bible only tells us: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1).

The Bible teaches us that He “is the image of the invisible God, the first begotten of all creation; for by Him were all things created, that are in the heavens, and that are in the earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers—all things were created by Him and for By Him were created; and He is before all things, and by Him all things consist” (Col. 1:15-17).

The last phrase indicates that He holds everything in His hand. In other words, the entire universe would have shattered into billions of atoms if it had not been held together by the power of Jesus Christ. And again the Bible says: “In the beginning You, O Lord, founded the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands; they will perish, but You remain; and they will all wear out like a robe, and You will fold them like a garment, and they will be changed; but You are the same and your years will never end" (Heb. 1:10-12).

Jesus Christ also said about Himself: “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end” (Rev. 1:8). He, and He Alone, had the power and strength to return man to God. Did He do it? If He wanted to do this, He would have to come to earth. He would have to take on the appearance of a servant. He would have to become like a man. He would have to humiliate Himself and be submissive to the point of death. He would have to battle sin. He would have to meet and defeat Satan, the enemy of human souls. He would have to untie the bonds and free the prisoners, paying a great price for this - the price of His blood. He was to be despised and rejected by people, to become a man of sorrows and acquainted with illness. He should have been forgotten and abandoned by God, He should have been wounded for the iniquities of men and beaten for the sins of men. He would have to reconcile God and man mutually. He should have become the Great Mediator in the history of mankind. He should have become Deputy. He would have to die for the sinner. And He would have to do all this voluntarily.

Thank God - all this really happened! From the heights of heaven He saw our earth rushing through space - gloomy, cursed, destroyed by sin, destined for hell. He saw both you and me, bowed under the burden of sins, bound by the chains of sin. He made His decision in His heavenly chambers. Hosts of angels bowed in humility and reverence when the King of kings and Lord of lords, who is able to create worlds with His Word, mounted His brilliant chariot, passed through the pearly gates in the depths of heaven, and in the dark night, when the singing stars and accompanying angels offered His praise, emerged from the chariot over Judea, threw off His sparkling robes and became a man!

Christ came to reveal God to people. He also told us that God loves us and is interested in our lives. He told us about the mercy, and long-suffering and grace of God. He promised us eternal life.

But more than that: Jesus Christ put on flesh and blood in order to die. “He appeared to take away our sins” (1 John 3:5). Christ came into the world to “give His life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). The purpose of Jesus Christ coming into the world was to offer His life as a sacrifice for the sins of people. He came to die. The shadow of His death hung over all thirty-three years of His life on earth.

On the night Jesus Christ was born, Satan wavered. He tried to kill Him as soon as He was born. When Herod issued his decree on the massacre of infants, his sole purpose was to achieve the death of Christ.

In all the days of His life on earth, He never sinned. He was the only person who did not commit sin. He could stand before people and say, “Which of you will convict Me of falsehood?” (John 8:46). The enemy pursued Him day and night, but no one could find sin in Him. He was spotless and flawless.

Jesus Christ led a humble life. He did not seek any honors, did not pursue fame. He was born in a stable. He lived in a small town, Nazareth. He was a carpenter. He gathered around Him a small group of fishermen who followed Him. He lived among people as a person. He did not show his superiority, did not seek secular achievements. He humbled Himself more than anyone living on earth.

But He taught the people with such authority that those who heard Him said: “Never did man speak like this man” (John 7:46). Every word He spoke was true historically, scientifically, and ethically. The moral views and statements of Jesus Christ are clear. His morals are pure and applicable both in the times in which he lived and in all ages.

The words of His blessed person were prophetically true. He predicted many things that still await us in the future. The lawyers tried to trap Him with tricky questions, but they could never confuse Him. His answers to his opponents were clear and definite. There was no room for question in His statements, no vagueness in His opinions, no hesitation in His words. He knew and therefore spoke with calm authority. He spoke with such simplicity that the common people listened to Him with joy. Although His words were full of profound meaning, they were understandable to everyone. His words carried a lot of weight, but they were easily understood. They shone with such simplicity and light that they irritated His enemies. He solved the greatest problems of everyday life in such a way that it was not difficult for a passing traveler to follow Him.

Jesus Christ healed the sick, the lame, the paralytic and the blind. He healed leprosy and raised the dead. He cast out demons. He pacified the elements. He calmed the storms. He brought peace, joy and hope to the crowds of people to whom He preached.

There was never a sign of fear in Him. He was never in a hurry. There were no accidents with Him. All His movements were calm and deliberate. He had perfect self-control. He did not worry or waver in His work.

He calmly stood before Pilate and said: “You would not have any power over Me if it had not been given to you from above” (John 19:11). And He declared to the frightened people that legions of angels were under His authority.

He approached the cross with dignity and calm, with the confidence that the purpose of the prophecy pronounced about Him eight centuries earlier would be fulfilled: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb that is silent before its shearers, so He opened not His mouth.” "(Isaiah 53:7).

He walked in glory, with a consciousness of His superiority, and with a great foreboding of His mission which He was to accomplish. He came to save sinful people. He came to satisfy the wrath of God. He came to ransom people from Satan's marketplace. He came to defeat the devil forever. He came to triumph over hell and the grave. He could do this only by one single means. There was only one path before Him.

His death was predicted thousands of years ago. First, as we have seen, in the Garden of Eden; and after that, preaching about the life and prophecy about the death of Jesus Christ continued throughout the remaining centuries. Abraham foresaw His death by the slaughter of his lamb. The people of Israel commemorated His death by slaughtering a lamb. Every time sacrificial blood was shed on the altar of the Jews, it represented the blood of the Lamb of God who would come and atone for sins. David foretold His death in more than one of his prophetic psalms. The prophet Isaiah devoted entire chapters of his book listing and predicting every detail of His death.

Jesus Christ said that He had the power to lay down His life when He said: “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). And he also said: “So must the Son of Man be exalted, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:14-15). Jesus Christ saw the cross erected into eternity. In all the centuries preceding His birth, He knew that the day of His death was approaching. When He was born of the Virgin, the cross was already darkening His path. He put on human flesh to die. From the cradle to the cross, the purpose of His life was death.

He suffered as no man had ever suffered before: a night spent in the Garden of Gethsemane, illuminated by the light of burning torches, the kiss of a traitor, arrest, trial before the high priest, hours of waiting, the palace of the Roman governor, the transition to Herod's palace, the rough treatment of Herod's cruel soldiers , the terrible scene when Pilate tried to save Him while the priests and the crowd demanded His blood, the beating, the screaming crowd, the journey from Jerusalem to Calvary, the nails driven into His hands, the nails driven into His feet, the crown of thorns on His forehead , mockery and ridicule of two robbers on both sides: “He saved others, but he cannot save himself!” (Matt. 27:42).

Dr. Billy Graham, Peace with God

What had to happen for the fire of zeal for God, the fire of purification, the fire of redemption to come to earth? ______________________________________________________50

Did Jesus come to create an earthly paradise? ______________________________________________________________51

What happens when some of those living in a house reject Christ and others accept? _____________________________________________________53

How does the Lord address the people who, seeing the miracles they performed, did not believe that he was Christ? ______________________________________________________________56

Why is it necessary to free yourself from sin while still alive? ______________________________________________________________58

______________________________________________________59

Memorable verse:

I must be baptized with baptism; and how I languish until this is accomplished!

Interpretation:

“Do you think that I have come to give peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but division; for from now on five in one house will be divided, three against two, and two against three: the father will be against the son, and the son against the father; mother against daughter, and daughter against mother; mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law” (Luke 12:51-53). What is the reason? Those who believe in the Lord are filled with a completely different spirit, opposite to the one that ruled in people before His coming, and that is why they do not get along together. The pagan world pursued exclusively worldly and earthly interests. Although the Jews had indications of higher blessings, towards the end they leaned towards the path of the pagans. The Lord, having come into the world, showed people other treasures, outside the family, outside society, and aroused other aspirations. Those who accepted His teaching naturally established a different way of life than before, and that is why they were subjected to hostility, oppression, and persecution. This is the division. The Apostle Paul later said that “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12)
So it was and so it is. When worldly and earthly interests begin to prevail in society, then it looks unfavorably at those who reveal other unearthly quests; it cannot even understand how one can be interested in such things, and they cannot stand people who serve as representatives of a way of life that is different from their life. This is happening now in front of everyone. Isn't this a sign of the times?..

November, Thursday

St. Paul, Patriarch of Constantinople, Spanish. (after 350). St. Varlaam Khutynsky (1192).

Fez. 2:13-3:5.

13 But we must always give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you for salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and faith in the truth,

14 to which I have called you by our gospel, to attain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

15 Therefore, brethren, stand steadfast and adhere to the traditions which you have been taught either by our word or by our message.

16 But our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, our God and Father, who loved us and gave us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,

17 May he comfort your hearts and strengthen you in every good word and deed.

Chapter 3

1 Pray therefore for us, brethren, that the word of the Lord may spread and be glorified, as it is with you,

2 and that we may get rid of disorderly and wicked people, for not everyone has faith.

3 But the Lord is faithful, who will strengthen you and keep you from evil.

4 We are confident about you in the Lord, that you do and will do what we command you.

5 May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.

What should you always thank God for? ______________________________________________________13

Why is it necessary to evangelize? ______________________________________________________14

How is the true teaching of the church transmitted and preserved from generation to generation? ______________________________________________________15

Who confirms us in every good deed? ______________________________________________________________17

What should you constantly pray for? ______________________________________________________1

______________________________________________________2

OK. 13:1-9.

1 At this time some came and told him about the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.

2 Jesus said to them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the Galileans, that they suffered so much?”

3 No, I tell you, but unless you repent, you will all perish in the same way.

4 Or do you think that those eighteen people on whom the tower of Siloam fell and killed them were more guilty than all those living in Jerusalem?

5 No, I tell you, but unless you repent, you will all perish in the same way.

6 And he spoke this parable: A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it, and found none;

7 And he said to the vinedresser, “Behold, I have come for the third year looking for fruit on this fig tree, and have not found it; cut it down: why does it occupy the land?

8 But he answered him: Master! leave it for this year too, while I dig it up and cover it with manure, -

9 whether it bears fruit; if not, then next [year] you will cut it down.

Questions to study (it is advisable to write down the answers):

All people know well that a person’s earthly stay has its beginning and end. And this period of time is called life, when they eat, go to work, raise children, etc. But is this real life? Scripture speaks of the coming of Jesus Christ: “For life was appeared...” (1 John 1:2). Does this mean there was no life before Christ? How is it today? It is a great benefit for a person to understand what real, eternal life is and to have it now.

• 30.12.2017

At least those people who consider themselves Christians know what happened on the cross of Calvary. Why did the Apostle Paul say that “the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Cor. 1:18)? For the world, this word is simply a historical fact... In fact, this Word is the Great Mystery of God! To whom it is revealed what it means to eat the Flesh of Jesus Christ and drink His Blood, in him this Word becomes power...

• 02.11.2016

“For life has appeared, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you this eternal life, which was with the Father and was revealed to us” (1 John 1:2). Life has appeared, which is ONE, for what people who do not know God call life is not LIFE ITSELF, but is death! Adam and Eve were created by God for Life. God taught them His Word: do not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; if you eat, you will die. However, they believed the word of the serpent...

• 01.11.2016

What Price was revealed by the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, for the salvation of the world of mankind? “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not condemned, but he who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the Only Begotten Son of God!” (John 3:16-18) - just believe: “... from faith to faith, as it is written: “The righteous shall live by faith!” (Rom.1:17,16).

• 06.02.2016

http://podcasts..mp3 “Teacher! What is the greatest commandment in the law? Jesus said to him: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment; the second is similar to it: “Love your neighbor as yourself”; On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (Matthew 22:35-40). “The Law and the Prophets until John; From now on the Kingdom of God is preached, and everyone enters into It with effort” (Luke 16:16). Why are the law and the prophets only...

• 28.01.2016

http://podcasts..mp3 “But Christ, the High Priest of future good things, having come with a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is, not of such a construction, and not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood, one day entered the Sanctuary and acquired eternal redemption!" (Heb. 9:11-12). “The law, having a shadow of future benefits, and not the very image of things, with the same sacrifices, constantly offered every year, can never make perfect those who come with them... - For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins”...

• 06.01.2016

http://podcasts..mp3 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God!” (Matthew 5:8) - what great Words of our Lord Jesus Christ! What a great promise or promise of our Lord - who will see God! The one who has a pure heart will see God - “And they will see His Face, and His Name will be on their foreheads...” - “We only know that when He is revealed, we will be like Him, because we will see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself in this way...

He became a man - to lead us, lost people, to a safe place. Published on the web portal with a link to icocnews.ru

The life of Jesus Christ makes the unknown known

Jesus came to reveal God to us. If you try to fully understand God from the Old Testament alone, you will find it very difficult. I sometimes feel a little schizophrenic when I study the Old Testament. On the one hand, I see a lot of God's grace, but I see much more punishment - punishments that sometimes seem quite severe.

On the other hand, studying the life of Jesus helps us understand God better. He made it clear that one of his main goals was actually to reveal God to us. Here are some good passages that describe this purpose.

John 1:18: “No one has ever seen God; The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has revealed.”

John 14:6-9: “Jesus said to him: I am the way and the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me. If you knew Me, you would also know My Father. And from now on you know Him and have seen Him. Philip said to Him: Lord! Show us the Father, and that is enough for us. Jesus said to him: I have been with you so long, and you do not know me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how do you say, “show us the Father”?”

One of the most fascinating descriptions of this purpose of Jesus is found in Colossians 2:9, which says, “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” This means that Jesus was God in the flesh, fully God and fully man, a truth that is still beyond our understanding, but the revelation of this truth in the Bible is unmistakable. If Jesus had not shown us God in this way, we would never have been able to know Him in any other way, and this, undoubtedly, was one of the key purposes of His coming to earth.

God's Nature Revealed

Of course, Jesus came to reveal God and to tell many things about God. What should we never miss in our attempts to understand the nature of the Godhead? The Apostle John put it quite clearly in 1 John 4:8: “God is love.” The word “love” is translated into Russian by several Greek words. Phileo is a word to describe brotherly love. That's why Philadelphia is called the "city of brotherly love." Although this is not very true, it means exactly that.

A more comprehensive word to describe love in the original language is agape. This type of love goes far beyond companionate love because it is a love that describes much more than just a feeling, but rather an unfailing desire for the good of the object of that agape love. This is the word used in John's description of God. Paul uses this same term in his most famous passage on love in the Bible, 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. If we substitute the name Jesus in this passage, it will look like this:

Jesus is long-suffering, merciful, Jesus does not envy, Jesus is not arrogant, Jesus is not proud, is not rude, does not seek his own, is not irritated, does not think evil, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; covers all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Jesus never ceases.

How does this passage read if you substitute your name in each of these descriptions of what love is and is not? This will give us a very good idea of ​​the areas in which we need to grow if we want to imitate Jesus and be his representative to other people. This would be a good exercise for all of us to do on a regular basis at regular intervals - perhaps once a month - and then spend the rest of the month working on areas where we are not like Jesus.

Two stories

Paul Harvey, a radio commentator of yesteryear, used to tell a fictitious story every year before Christmas. According to this story, one couple lived in a part of the United States where the winters were quite brutal. The wife was a believer, but the husband was not. He didn't mind her involvement in the church, but he didn't want religion to have anything to do with his life. One particularly cold and snowy day, he was sitting at home in front of the fireplace when she went to church service. As he was enjoying the cozy fire, he heard an unusual sound at the front door. Out of curiosity, he went to see what the sound was making. He found a small flock of birds huddled near his door, trying to escape the cold. They were freezing outside.

At first he simply shooed them away and returned to his rocking chair. A few minutes later they were again at the threshold, trying to find refuge from the snow. His compassion began to awaken, and he decided to try to move the birds to his barn to protect them. The birds, of course, had no idea what he was trying to do, and they scattered in different directions.

He returned to his comfortable, warm rocking chair, consoling himself that he had at least tried to help. A few minutes later the birds returned and he tried to help them again - the result was the same. Finally, a thought popped into his head: If he could just become a bird for a short time, he could lead them to the barn. Then he had a much deeper thought. He realized that this imaginary process was exactly what his wife had told him about Jesus, why He became a man - to bring us lost people to safety. Thus, Jesus not only leads us to safety, but also becomes one of us to make it possible. The true story is much more amazing than the imagined one, isn't it?