Why did Jesus come to the earth? Did he come only to take our sins on himself and offer us a ticket to Heaven? Was his purpose to heal people and cast demons out? What was Jesus’ motivation?
As I was reading through John 14 this past week a verse popped out at me. John chapters 13-17 contain the last conversation Jesus had with his disciples before going to the cross. To me this is the most important conversation Jesus had. Think about if you knew in a matter of hours you were going to be taken away from your family, falsely accused, and murdered. What would you say? I know whatever I chose to say would be the things I would want my family to remember. The words I would say would be the things I find to be the most important for them to know. I believe Jesus was the same way. Those words printed in John 13-17 must be the things Jesus wanted to make sure he taught his disciples (and us). Pay careful attention to those words!
Something I’ve Never Noticed
John 14:30-31 (ESV) says, “I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.”
I have read through this passage many times. I have never stopped to notice Jesus saying, “I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father.” It occurred to me perhaps Jesus didn’t come here in the flesh only to be our sacrifice. Perhaps there was more to his purpose of living here. I began to meditate on this verse, and the Lord started showing me more.
Love Motivates Jesus
Love was what motivated Jesus to do everything he did while living on earth. Jesus shows us his love for us by taking our punishment on the cross. In John 10 Jesus explains he is the shepherd, and we are the sheep. We, his sheep, listen to him and know his voice. In this passage he tells us he came to give us an abundant life. Maybe most important of all he tells us the good shepherd lays his life down for his sheep. Jesus reiterates his love for us in John 15:13 (ESV), “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” Jesus shows us how much he loves us by dying on the cross.
It’s true Jesus loves us; however, Jesus also loves God the Father. He talks often about his desire to glorify the Father through doing and saying what he sees and hears the Father doing and saying. The love Jesus has for God the Father and his desire to glorify the Father was Jesus’ driving motivation. To glorify means you “honor with praise or worship.”
It was through his obedience to God the Father that the Father was glorified.
“I glorified you (the Father) on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.” John 17:4 (ESV) (words in parenthesis mine)
Jesus Glorifies the Father
In fact Jesus mentions glorifying the Father and the Father glorifying him because he has done what the Father asked over and over in these chapters. Here are a few other instances:
“Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” John 14:13 (ESV)
“By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” John 15:8 (ESV)
“When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you,
I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.” John 17:1, 4-5 (ESV)
The Hour Has Come
Did you notice what Jesus said in prayer to the Father in John 17:1? “When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you.” John 17:1 (ESV)
“The hour has come.” What hour is he talking about? He is speaking of the hour of his death. John 17 is the prayer Jesus prayed moments before being betrayed, arrested, tried, and sentenced to death. Jesus didn’t pray, “Father, the hour has come for me to be the sacrifice so that people can have their ticket to Heaven.” No, he prayed, “The hour has come for the Father to glorify the Son so that the Son may glorify the Father.” This shows Jesus’ motivation. It was to show the glory of the Father.
By making his focus to worship God the Father in every word he spoke and every act of healing, rebuking, and tenderness, Jesus shows us what salvation really is all about. True salvation is being in right relationship with God the Father. Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 (ESV)
This verse shows us our goal should be to go to the Father, not get a ticket to Heaven. Notice the verse does not say, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one gets to Heaven except through me.” No, Jesus clearly says we can’t get to the Father except if we go through him. Jesus was way more concerned with us getting to God the Father than he was getting us the go ahead to enter into Heaven. Why?
The Kingdom is at Hand
Getting a ticket to Heaven was not even on Jesus’ radar. We see Jesus tell people all the time that the Kingdom of Heaven is here; the Kingdom of God is at hand.
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 3:2 (ESV)
“And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’” Matthew 10:7 (ESV)
“and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:15 (ESV)
Those are just a few times Jesus spoke of Heaven being at hand. Reach out your hand. That’s how far away the Kingdom of God is. We don’t have room here to discuss what “the Kingdom is at hand” all entails. Brett wrote a great post all about seeing the Kingdom of God a few weeks ago. Just know the Kingdom of God is here now; it is as close as your hand is to your body, and we don’t have to die to go there.
What is Eternal Life
John 17:3 (ESV) says, “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” You see, eternal life starts when we know God the Father and God the Son. That means eternal life can start right here, right now.
Jesus wanted to glorify the Father so we would know how to worship the Father. Jesus was our example of what it looks like to be saved and have an intimate relationship with God the Father.
The Vine, Branches, and Vinedresser
Wanna get your mind blown? Check this out: “I (Jesus) am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
I (Jesus) am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” John 15:1-2, 5, 8 (ESV)
Who are you? You are the branches. Who is Jesus? He is the vine. Who is the Father? He is the vinedresser. So we are connected to the vine (Jesus), and the Father is who comes around to inspect the branches to see if they are producing fruit. The vinedresser has an intimate relationship with the branches. He knows how each branch is doing. He spends lots of time examining each branch to find out what it may need. Does the branch have enough water or nutrients? The vinedresser knows by carefully examining each branch.
Job of the Vinedresser
If they are not producing fruit, the vinedresser (the Father) will cut them off and throw them in the fire. “If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.” John 15:6 (ESV)
Anyone who is producing fruit, the vinedresser will prune. “… every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” John 15:2 (ESV). Why does he prune those who are producing fruit? So they will bear more fruit! Why is bearing fruit so important? When we bear fruit, we glorify who? The Father! “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” John 15:8 (ESV). Bearing fruit is worshipping the Father! It is only by being connected to Jesus we are able to bear fruit. Jesus is the way to the Father.
Why Did Jesus Come
So why did Jesus come to the earth in the flesh? To show us how to properly worship God. He came to be our example of having an intimate relationship with our Heavenly Father. Yes, he came to be our perfect sacrifice. Jesus wants every single person to accept his gift of salvation. He desires for those of us who have said, “Yes,” to his offer of salvation to start living out salvation right here, right now. We live out salvation by being those branches that bear lots and lots of fruit, thus glorifying God the Father.
It’s because of Jesus’ love for the Father and his love for you and me, that he did all he did. It’s for love he healed people from sickness, cast demons out of people’s lives, raised people from the dead, confronted religion, and ultimately allowed himself to be put on the cross, giving up his spirit willingly.
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