WHY COME TO JESUS?

For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. John 3:17

Why exactly should we come to Jesus? I want us to look at three scriptures. The first scripture was before Jesus came, the second was during His ministry, and the third was after His death and resurrection.

The first scripture is from the prophet Isaiah. He foretold of the one who would come to be called, Wonderful, Counselor, Almighty God, Everlasting Father, and also importantly, The Prince of Peace. Here are his words.

1.        “Comfort my people,” says your God.  “Comfort them. Speak tenderly to the people of Jerusalem. Announce to them that their hard labor has been completed. Tell them that their sin has been paid for. Tell them the Lord has punished them enough for all their sins.”  Isaiah 40:1-2

The second scripture is also found in Isaiah, but it is mentioned in the book of Luke. Jesus, at the beginning of His ministry, went to the synagogue. He stood up to read. He did not just randomly pick a scripture, He specifically picked one from Isaiah 61.

2.       “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”  Luke 4:18-19

Paul, after the life of Christ, in his ministry letter to the church of Corinth, also alludes to words from Isaiah 25:8 which says, “But death will be destroyed forever.”

3.       “So this body that ruins will clothe itself with that which never ruins. And this body that dies will clothe itself with that which never dies. When this happens, the Scriptures will be made true:

“Death is swallowed in victory. O death, where is your victory? Where is your power to hurt?” Death’s power to hurt is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But we thank God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!”  I Corinthians 15:54-57

Jesus’ life and death brought us “at-one-ment” with God, thus the word, atonement. He came not to condemn, but instead to release us from condemnation.  He came to bring us comfort and peace. He came to be an example of how we should live. He came to bring understanding, hope, freedom, justification, life, and restoration. He came to release us from our captivity of sin. He came to give us victory over death. He came to bring us the greatest love we will ever know. Why should we come to Jesus? We should come, because He came for us!

Thank you, oh Father of Love, for not condemning us, but through that blood sacrifice, making us one with you. Amen