I know what the popular answer is, I’ve even said it myself until I received a revelation from the Word Himself. Yes He was born to be our sin substitute and pay the penalty that a righteous God demanded. But that wasn’t the main reason. I’ll let the Bible teach us.
“And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”
Matthew 1:21-23 NKJV
“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ”
Matthew 2:1-6 NKJV
“And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.””
Matthew 3:17 NKJV
“From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Matthew 4:17 NKJV
What message was Jesus preaching? Not the message that He came to die for man’s sins but the message of the kingdom. Teaching that God has come near. Jesus was the nearness of God.
“And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.”
Matthew 4:23 NKJV
“Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Matthew 5:2-3, 8-10, 12, 16 NKJV
Still no message about dying for our sins. All kingdom. And for the first time we hear Him mention our Father, not just God. That was a new description of God for the Jews. But it shouldn’t have been for the teachers of the law, because in Isaiah 63:16-17 God is acknowledged as Father their Father. When you’re stuck in the Pentateuch you won’t grow. Just as some religious organizations are stuck in the gospels. I had to remind someone that Jesus didn’t write the gospels, because they claimed that men wrote the other books. I can’t make this stuff up. I told them they’ll never know who they have been made to be, because Jesus moved on to Acts through Revelation.
“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.”
Matthew 5:17-18 NKJV
He showed us yet another reason, fulfilling the law with no mention of dying for our sins. Gabriel didn’t use the word dying in his greeting, he used the word save.
“that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
Matthew 5:45, 48 NKJV
“Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. That your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”
“Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.”
“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
Matthew 6:1, 4, 6, 8-9, 14-15 NKJV
I’m choosing random verses purposely to show a pattern that was missed even by the Jews. He was introducing a softer side and approach to God. Religion removes intimacy and replaces it with regulations and fear.
“so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”
Matthew 6:18 NKJV
“Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
Matthew 6:26, 30, 32-33 NKJV
When speaking of creation or a place He uses God, when speaking about their provision He uses intimacy as the approach. Are you seeing a pattern yet?
“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”Matthew 7:11 NKJV
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” Matthew 7:21, 28-29 NKJV
What was Jesus teaching that was so different from what they were accustomed to? He was using a descriptive term that wasn’t common in reference to God. He spoke as one who had firsthand knowledge of what He was sharing. He didn’t need books, He was the book. Jesus came to introduce man to His Father. He used the term Father more than He used the name God. No religion ever used that reference when referring to their gods. His death and resurrection reconciled us to God the Father. So what was His primary reason for coming to earth? By now you should’ve grasped it. It’s not a new gospel, it’s a revelation. He was more interested in introducing us to knowing God as Father. Desiring to remove the fear associated with His Name. Yes He is God, and should be revered, but something happens when we say Heavenly Father, doesn’t it?
“And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”
“And suddenly they cried out, saying, “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?”
Matthew 8:20, 29 NKJV
Jesus identified Himself as the son of man, the demons recognized Him as the Son of God. God the Father acknowledged Him at His baptism as His Son. Yet Jesus’ aim wasn’t to be known, at least not yet. He sought to reveal His Father to them and us. He came specifically for that reason. By introducing us to God as Father, we would understand the reason for His death: Reconciliation. Closing the gap created by Adam’s sin and restoring our intimate fellowship. The Jews taught about an aloof God, Jesus taught about a Father who loves and cares for us. I heard someone say that “the heart of God is the Father, the face of God is the Son, the voice of God is the Holy Spirit and the hands of God is us.”
Keep reading and you’ll find Him doing miracles, offering forgiveness, showing compassion. But not a word about dying. You establish relationships through spending time with people. That’s what Jesus was about. He warned the hard hearted, rebuked those who taught religion without relationship. He was sharing His Father’s heart. You’ll never appreciate the sacrifice without understanding the person offering it and why. If rules alone could change us, every prison would be empty. Jesus spoke with authority, yet the people were drawn to Him. Why? The love of a Father. That’s why He told Phillip that He and the Father were one. For God so loved He gave, Jesus spent His earthly life giving.
“for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.” Matthew 10:20 NKJV
Now He’s introducing His inner circle to the same description He has been using to minister to the crowds. God as Father. The Spirit of their Father.
“Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will.”
Matthew 10:29 NKJV
“At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.”
Matthew 11:25-27 NKJV
No one has ever prayed in this manner before. The Jews prayed to G_d they wouldn’t even say His Name. Jesus stood in the midst of them and prayed to the Father. Showing and teaching them and us that God was more than the Creator, that He desired that we would draw near to Him, not as God to be afraid of but Father, a Father who loves His children. I know this ticked the religious folks off. They saw it as blasphemous. John 5:18 But He was introducing us to the heart of God. You must live in order to die. Jesus lived the Father’s Will and died to pay our sin debt so we could be reconciled eternally to our Father. If all we see is the crucifixion, we’ll miss the heart of the Father. We’ll serve out of duty and fear instead of love and acceptance. The crucifixion is why the Muslim won’t accept Him. They claim God wouldn’t kill His own son. How ironic. That’s why they’ll use someone else’s son as a suicide bomber. The religious Jews still today are living in fear. But for those who have seen the Face of the Father through Jesus’ sacrifice, we’ve come to know the heart of God.
When did Jesus mention his death? Nearing the end of His three year ministry. If you’ll continue in Matthew or the other gospels, especially John, you’ll discover that the main theme was getting to know God as Father. Not until we get to Matthew 16 after His Father revealed His true identity as the Christ, and after the transfiguration, do we hear about the second reason why He came. Throughout His ministry His focus was what was prophesied about Him. He healed the sick, raised the dead, forgave sins before the cross, cast out demons, fed multitudes, walked on water, calmed the storm, shared what His Father wanted to do, taught us how to pray. But no mention of His death until He showed us the Father.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” John 3:16-18 NKJV
What was the sin that brought condemnation? Unbelief. If we don’t believe in who He is we’ll never believe in what He did. That’s the sin of most Jews today as well as most man made religions. They may accept He’s a prophet but won’t believe He’s the Son of God. The cross means nothing if we refuse to believe that He’s who God says He is. And God will always be seen as aloof until we believe who Jesus says He is. Father.
“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”
John 17:3 NKJV
Written by permission of the Holy Spirit
W. Tennant
October 19, 2021