Sermon: Why did my Savior Come to Earth? Summary: Jesus came to earth to become human in order to represent humanity as one of us in making atonement for our sins which is humanity's universal problem which could only be solved through the work of a Christ who is both human and divine. He offers eternal life to those who place the faith and obedience in Him. Know: The humanity of Christ was necessary because we needed someone from among us humans to act as our representative in making atonement for us, and now requires us to be faithfully obedient to accept his offer of eternal life Feel: Compelled to respond with faithful obedience Do: Discuss Text: Various Scripture Reading: Heb 5:1-2 Intro: 1. Sing a song that asks a good question. Why did He come to earth? 2. There are Christmas pageants, nativity scenes, etc. 3. Many know the circumstances of his birth, but do you know WHY he was born 4. This is much more significant question that knowing about the manger 5. To answer this question, we need to go back to the beginning I. The beginning of your story A. It starts at the creation, everything was created as being good B. The crown of creation was mankind 1. God created man inherently different - In His image (Gen 1:27) a. Probably intellectual - Man has higher order of thinking - Man can investigate and discover scientific truth - Man can discover deeper meaning in life - Can engage in philosophical thinking b. Also artistic - Can recognize and appreciate artistic qualities, such as color, symmetry, balance, beauty - Capacity for creativeness, no animal has this c. Man can think about life beyond death, 2. Why God created man differently, why in his image? a. God gave man a purpose, to do type of things God does b. (Gen 1:28) - Have dominion over earth, rule over earth - Not for some self-seeking purpose for man - This in service to the creator and ultimate ruler, God - Is to be according to His instruction, righteous, godly - Mankind was to be God's caretaker of the world c. Be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth - The rule was not to be restricted to one place - God's rule, his kingdom to be the whole earth - Man to be caretakers of all God's earth d. God gave mankind the capacity to fulfill this role - As man learns science, philosophy, establish civilization, it all to be in service to God - Mankind to exercise his role with righteousness 3. In the beginning, it was all "very" good a. Created by a good God b. Began in a state of innocence and purity c. Was no social ills, physical ills, psychological ills, etc. C. ILL: Imagine a world with no malfunctions of any kind 1. No crime, no murder, no violence, no war 2. No stealing, cheating, lying, 3. No sickness, disease, starving, death 4. Not just imaginative state, it actually existed in the beginning D. We look around today, and can tell that something went wrong 1. Our world is no Utopia, even the best societies are far from it 2. All kinds of tyranny in the world II. Something went wrong A. It has affected every person, and everything in the world B. The problem started with the original sin 1. Account in (Gen 3:1-8) a. One negative command, not eat fruit of the tree Gen 2:15 b. Serpent tempted them with lies and half truths - You shall not die - ie: no consequence from it = Almost a half truth = Did not die physically - - yet = Suffer worse kind of death -- alienation = Sin came between them and God - You will be like God = Increase in knowledge without God's help = No longer be dependent on God = Can be your own master = Appealed to pride - Started to go downhill from there, Gen 4:19-24; 6:5 2. Problem was not inherent in the fruit a. People try to determine what kind of tree/fruit this was b. (Jas 1:13-15) - Sin begins in the heart, not in the fruit - Begins with ungodly temptation/desire - Progresses in steps, until gives birth to sin & death c. Root of sin is the desire to be independent of God - Not follow his rules, make up own rules - Desire to be my own person, not God's person d. Desire to be independent of God is idolatry - Honor something as a god that is not God - Used to be gods fashioned with human hands - Now humans have made man into their own god = Phrases like, "be your own person" = Be true to yourself = Meaning of life is found in you = No longer need a god - Its all up to man, all up to us, not a god 3. Result of sin - Not just a legal problem a. Alienation from God, Isa 59:2 b. Death, James 1:15 c. Corruption, twistedness - Physical corruption, Rom 8:20 - Futility, corruption, decay - Intellectual corruption, Eph 4:18; Rom 1:21-22 - Mind darkened, foolish, think you're wise - Corruption of your will, Phil 2:13 - God at work to work and will for his good pleasure 4. Means you are not strong enough, smart enough, pure enough to rescue yourself from sin a. When you sin, you cannot unsin b. (Jn 8:34) - When you sin, you become a slave to sin C. ILL: Several analogies helps us to understand how sin traps you 1. Sin is like: Flypaper, mousetrap, quicksand a. Once you sin, you are stuck b. You cannot un-sin, it is done 2. Story: Mom's rule was do not go swim in the river a. James, Rick, and I all snuck down and swam in the river b. James and I got caught in swift current, started to drown c. Life flash before my eyes - could hear mom's voice - Do not swim in the river - I could repent, but I was stuck in the river d. Only hope was for rescuer to rescue me - which was Rick D. Only hope for rescue from sin is for rescuer not stuck in sin to rescue III. God's Solution: A deliverer A. God had a plan to rescue man from the very beginning B. Solution began in Genesis, culmination in last two chapters of Bible 1. (Gen 3:15) - Promise that woman's seed will defeat serpent 2. Continues to take shape throughout the Old Testament a. (Gen 12:1-3) - Promise to Abraham - Through your seed, all the families of earth blessed b. Dt 8:15 - Prophet like Moses will speak to them - Like Moses, will share word of God - Like Moses, will lead them out of bondage - Not bondage from Egypt, but bondage from sin c. Ezek 37 - King is coming from David's line - This deliverer will be King of Kings - Would lead people, deliver from sin - Dan 2 - His Kingdom will never end d. Isa 53 - Deliverer also called a suffering servant - Will bear the sins of the people 3. Marvelously fulfilled in Christ a. (Gal 3:16) - Seed of the woman is Christ b. Mt 1:21 - Shall call his name Jesus, Yeshua in Hebrew - Name means, "deliverer" - He will deliver, save people from their sins c. Lk 1:26-35 - Born of a virgin. Why this significant? - Shows he is human and God both = Immanuel means, God with us = He is also fully human - (Heb 5:1-2) - High Priest selected from among men = If represent humans, need to be human = This is why he had to be born human - (1 Tim 2:5) - Mediator is the "man" Christ Jesus = Was God, so he represented God = Had to be man to represent man, but not stuck in sin 4. How did he take care of the sin problem? a. (Rom 1:16) - Power of salvation is the Gospel, good news b. (1 Cor 15:1-4) - Tells us what the Christian Gospel is - Jesus died for our sins, buried, and raised up - Took care of our sin problem at the cross - Took care of our death problem at the tomb C. ILL: The gift of salvation is not applied indiscriminately to all people 1. Rom 1:16 - Gospel is power of salvation to those that believe a. No power of salvation to unbelievers b. Many people say, "sure I believe" 2. Not just about belief, but "how" you believe, Jas 2:14f a. Even the demons believe, and shudder b. Their belief do any good? No c. Belief is not just about what you believe to be true d. Belief is about obedience to God's will 3. ILL: You notified you have won gift of million dollars a. In order to receive the gift, have to go down to claim it b. You can believe you have it, but if not accept it, no good c. Can decide to claim it someplace else, no good d. Have to claim it on their terms 4. Same way with your salvation a. Jesus earned it for you at the cross and tomb b. He offers it to you on his terms D. He offers it to us based on our faith/belief. How are we to have faith? 1. (Acts 2:36-38) - Gospel sermon, Question - What shall we do? a. Repent - Means to turn, to change b. Be baptized - Immersion 2. Result a. For the remission of your sins - This is what came between you and God - This is the source of all our ills b. And you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit - Tit 3:5 - Holy Spirit renews/transforms us - Rom 8:13 - Ability to put to death deeds of the flesh = Gal 5:22-23 - Fruit of Spirit - Rom 8:26 - Helps in our weaknesses - Rom 8:16 - Identifies you as belonging to Him Concl: 1. Now you know why Jesus had to be born - it was due to sin a. He is God, so he represents God b. He was human, so he represented humanity to God c. Took care of our sin problem d. Offers us the gift of eternal life on his terms 2. Where are you at in all this today? Use timeline a. You have all heard the message b. Some are at unbelief c. Some are at belief d. Some are at repentance e. Some are at confession of Christ as Lord f. Some are at baptism and now saved 3. Where are you? Belief, repentance, confession, baptism? a. If you have not done all of this, you in dangerous position b. Maybe you are waiting - I knew a man who waited when I was a young Christian - He died four days before he actually obeyed the Gospel - Don't put it off c. You could die, Christ could return - Are you ready? 4. If want to respond and unsure, talk to me, or elder, or deacon, or life group leaders ================================================= Sermon: Why did my Savior Come to Earth? Summary: Jesus came to earth to become human in order to represent humanity as one of us in making atonement for our sins which is humanity's universal problem which could only be solved through the work of a Christ who is both human and divine. He offers eternal life to those who place the faith and obedience in Him. Open: (choose one) - Have you ever been stuck in a situation with no way out? - When have you needed someone to rescue you and were rescued? Explore: 1. Discuss man's universal problem. Where did it start and how has it affected the world? 2. Why is mankind not able to save itself from sin? 3. Describe God's solution to the sin problem. What role did Abraham play? Israel? Christ? The Holy Spirit? 4. What role does mankind play in the solution to the sin problem? What role does mankind not play in the solution to the problem? 5. Describe what biblical faith is and is not. Apply: 6. How would you explain the Gospel to one who has never read any of the Bible and had no religious background whatsoever? 7. What are some ways to recognize, or even make opportunities to share the Gospel with others? 8. What challenges and difficulties do you face in sharing the Gospel with others? What can be done about this? Prayer: