Jesus Came to Seek and Save the Lost.

 By: Pastor Ken Briks

Luke 19:10 "for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."

All of us were like sheep going astray.  We were lost in our sin, on our way to destructive paths.  Jesus came to set us free and to give us a new life filled with God’s abundance.

John’s gospel alludes to the fact that the world was already condemned to hell and that Jesus came to save us from the condemnation the world was under.  (See John 3:16-19)

The purpose of this study is to discover what it was and is that Jesus came to do.  The above Scripture sums up His purpose and mission statement – He simply came to seek and save those who were lost and under the condemnation of the world.  This session will explore how it was that He accomplished this monumental task.  

We will be taking a close look at all that Jesus did during His 3½ years of ministry as the anointed One sent From God This session explores all that Jesus did during this time of ministry and the session that follows will explore what took place as a result of His death, burial and resurrection when He went to the cross.

When we see all that Jesus did through His anointed ministry, it will give us a glimpse of what we can expect from Him as we become more and more acquainted with Him and His purpose towards us as individuals.  It will also show us what we are capable of doing under the anointing that God pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit.

John 14:12-13 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. ¹³"And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

        This is a great and wonderful promise from Jesus concerning what He wants to do in our lives.  If we neglect the opportunity to really get to know Him and what He is capable of in our lives, we could miss out on a beautiful destiny He has for each one of us.

II.   What Jesus Came To Do.

God is looking to build something in our lives that will last throughout eternity.  The truths that come forth from the life and ministry of Jesus are strong foundational truths that are the forms and the reinforcements that go into building the spiritual foundation that is necessary for God to build on.

·        He came to show us the way to the Father.

·        He came to reveal the love of the Father.

·        He came to reveal the Father’s power and authority.

·        He came to show us the true character of God.

1.   He Came To Show Us The Way To The Father.

John 14:6  Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Many have come and gone throughout history proclaiming they knew the way to the Father, but it is only Jesus who said, “I am the way.”  Jesus is the way because He came from the Father and is the mediator between man and God.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

1 Timothy 2:5-6 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, ⁶who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,
2.    He Came To Reveal The Love Of The Father.

           When you think of how Jesus came to show us the love of the Father, the story of Jesus’ response to the woman who was caught in adultery really exemplifies the love of the Father expressed through Jesus.

John 8:3-11 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, ⁴they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. ⁵"Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?" ⁶This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear. ⁷So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first." ⁸And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. ⁹Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. ¹⁰When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, "Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?" ¹¹She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more."

3.   He Came to Reveal the Father’s Authority and Power.

         When Jesus was in the temple at His home town in Nazareth He read from the Book of Isaiah the Prophet concerning His ministry, which reveals the authority and power of which He would operate under.

Luke 4:18-19 "The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; ¹⁹To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD."

Acts 10:-38 "how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

Jesus revealed the Father’s authority and power through the many miracles and healings He performed upon those who were bound up in one form or another through the works of Satan.  Listed below are some of the miracles performed by Jesus.

·        The Miracles of Jesus:

Water changed into wine – Jn 2:9 Draught of fishes – Luke 5:6 Demoniac in the synagogue – Mark 1:26 Peter’s Mother-in-law healed – Mt. 8:14 Cleansing the leper – Mt. 8:3 Paralytic healed – Mt. 9:2 Withered hand – Mt.12:10 Centurion’s servant – Mt. 8:5 Raising the Widow’s Son – Luke 7:11 Stormed stilled – Mt.8:26 Demoniacs of Gadara – Mt. 8:28 Raising of Jairus’ daughter – Mt. 9:18 Issue of Blood – Mt. 9:20

Feeding five thousand – Mt. 14:15 Walking on the sea – Mt 14.25 Daughter of Syrophenician – Mt. 15:22 Deaf and Dumb healed – Mark 7:23 Feeding the four thousand – Mt. 15:32 Lunatic child – Mt. 17:14 Tribute Money – Mt. 17:24 Ten Lepers – Lu. 17:12 Lazarus raised from dead – Jn. 11 Cursing Fig Tree – Mt. 21:19 Malchus healed – Lu. 22:51 Second draught of fishes – Jn 21:6 His resurrection – Lu  24:6

4.   He Came To Show Us The True Character Of God.

Hebrews 1:3  who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

Jesus embodies God in human flesh and blood.  If you want to know God’s character, look at Jesus and His character.

John 14:19 (NLT) Jesus replied, “Philip, don’t you even yet know who I am, even after all the time I have been with you?  Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father!  So why are you asking to see Him?

John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Jesus was the total embodiment of the fruit of the spirit that is mentioned in Galatians.

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

       Jesus came to show us what these character traits looked like in human flesh.  He was full of kindness, gentleness and goodness and always exercised self-control and longsuffering, even in the most adverse situations.  He was full of love, joy and peace as He went about doing His Father’s business.

III.     Applications.

         We’ve just been given a glimpse into the life of Jesus and have seen through the Word of God, Who He is, and what He came to do.  His desire is for us to follow Him in all things.

John 17:18-20 "As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. ¹⁹"And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth. ²⁰"I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word;

  ·        Just as Jesus came to show us the way to the Father, He expects us to show others the way as well.

2 Corinthians 5:18-21 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, ¹⁹that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. ²⁰Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. ²¹For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

  ·        As we go forth in His name, His desire is for us to show the same love from the Father that He showed.

John 13:34-35 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. ³⁵"By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

  ·        His Desire is for us to experience His awesome power towards us.

Ephesians 1:17-19 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, ¹⁸the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power…

  ·        We are to grow into the character of Christ.

Ephesians 4:22-24 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, ²³and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, ²⁴and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

Movie:  The film The Passion of the Christ does a great job showing the suffering of Christ. It also shows His encounter with the devil, how He overcame evil with good, and how He defeated Satan. The symbol of the cross is important, because it shows the love of Christ, the death that we deserved, and how to overcome evil with good. Without God we can be easily defeated or destroyed by Lucifer. It is only by God’s grace that we have the power to be victorious over the devil.

Jesus came to save the whole humanity. Believe on Jesus, and repent and turn to GOD by Obeying His Word, you shall be saved! Jesus is the only True Savior! 

God bless you..

The Redemptive Purposes of God

By: Ken Birks, Pastor/Teacher

      God created man in His own image.  When God created man, He created him with the ability to make choices knowing that man would not always make the choices that were in accordance with His will and desire for man. 

1.    Sin entered into the world with the rebellion of Satan, which led to Satan being cast out of heaven – Isaiah 14:13 & Luke 10:19.

2.    Sin entered humanity with the fall of Adam and Eve - Genesis 2:17 & 3:1-6.

3.    With the Fall of Adam & Eve sin entered into the world, and death through sin, which resulted in death to all men, because all have sinned – Romans 5:12.

II.   God’s Plan of Redemption.

 In God’s infinite wisdom and foreknowledge He foresaw that mankind would sin and therefore have need of Salvation and thus be redeemed back to Him.  We see this played out in the various covenants God has made with man.

1.    The Adamic Covenant – Genesis 3:15-24

The Consequences for Sin.

          A.  Sorrow in Conception - husband shall rule over you – Genesis 3:16.

          B.  Ground cursed – Hard sweaty work - Genesis 3:17-19.

          C.  Physical death – Genesis 3:19.

          D.  Sent out of the Garden – Genesis 3:23.

God’s Redemptive Plan.

Genesis 3:21  Also for Adam and his wife the LORD God made tunics of skin, and clothed them.

An animal had to be killed, thus begins the first mention of blood being spilled for atonement for man’s sin.

Leviticus 17:11  'For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.'

3722.  Kaphar, kaw-far’; a prim. Root; to cover (spec. With bkitumen) fit. To expiate or condone, to placate or cancel:–apease, make (an) atonement, cleanse, disannul, forgive, be merciful, pacify, pardon, to pitch, purge (away), put off, (make) reconcile (-liation).

The Prophetic & Redemptive Promise.

Genesis 3:15  And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel."

The antagonism between people and snakes is used to symbolize the outcome of the titanic struggle between God and the evil one, a struggle played out in the hearts and history of mankind.  The offspring of the woman would eventually crush the serpent’s head, a promise fulfilled in Christ’s victory over Satan–a victory in which all believers will share.

Romans 16:20a  And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly.

2.       God’s Covenant with Noah – Genesis Chapters 6 – 9.

God’s sorrow over the sinful condition of the earth.

        Genesis 6:5-6 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (6)And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.

The Consequence - God would destroy the earth.

Genesis 6:7 So the LORD said, "I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them."

    The Redemptive Factor:

·        Noah found grace in God’s eyes – Genesis 6:8

·        God told Noah to build an ark – Genesis 6:18-22

·        God remembered Noah and the waters abated – Genesis 8:1-3

·        God’s Covenant Promise to Noah – Genesis 8:20-22.

3.     God’s Covenant With Abraham – Genesis 12-18.

God’s promise & the first mention of a redeemed nation – Genesis 12:1-4.

Genesis 12:1-2  Now the LORD had said to Abram: "Get out of your country, From your family And from your father's house, To a land that I will show you. 2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.
God’s response to Abraham’s obedience – Genesis 12:6-7.

         Genesis 12:6-7  Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, as far as the terebinth tree of Moreh. And the Canaanites were then in the land. (7)Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your descendants I will give this land." And there he built an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him.

God’s covenant promise to Abraham.

Genesis 15:13-16 Then He said to Abram: "Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years. {14} "And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions. {15} "Now as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age. {16} "But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete."

The Covenant with Abraham is Tested – Genesis 22:1-8.

When Abraham explained to his servants where he was going, he told them that he and the son would return.

Genesis 22:5b "Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you."

When Isaac asked Abraham concerning the sacrifice, Abraham responded by saying that God would provide.

Genesis 22:8a  And Abraham said, "My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering."

Abraham was basing his confession and response on the covenant God had established with him rather than the circumstances of the moment.

The Covenant Promise to Future Generations.

Genesis 15:13-16  Then He said to Abram: "Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years. {14} "And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions. {15} "Now as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age. {16} "But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete."

4.    God’s Covenant with Jacob - Genesis 28.

Jacob has Dream in which God Appears to Him.

Genesis 28:13-14  And behold, the LORD stood above it and said: "I am the LORD God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants. {14} “Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

Jacob’s Response to God’s Covenant with Him

Genesis 28:22  “And of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You”

In the land of Padan Aram Jacob gives Brith to 12 sons – Genesis 29-31.

Jacob leaves Padan Aram with his twelve sons and returns to the land of his father.

Genesis 31:17-18  Then Jacob rose and set his sons and his wives on camels. {18} And he carried away all his livestock and all his possessions which he had gained, his acquired livestock which he had gained in Padan Aram, to go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan.

Jacob’s Name is Changed to the Covenant Name, “Israel”.

Genesis 32:27-28  So He said to him, "What is your name?" He said, "Jacob." {28} And He said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed."

Israel and His Twelve Sons Settle in the Promised Land - Genesis 37.

·     Joseph is loved more than all the children of Israel and is sold into slavery.

·     In Egypt Joseph is eventually raised up and during a time of famine his brothers come to Egypt.

·     Eventually the whole family comes to Egypt and dwell in the land of Goshen.

·     For 430 years they are slaves in Israel until the time Moses is raise up to deliver them.

5.   God’s Covenant With Israel Through Moses.

Moses is Called by God to Lead the Children of Israel to the Promised Land – Exodus 3:1-10.

Exodus 3:10 "Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt."

After the Ten Plagues, the People of Israel are Released through the Passover to Escape to the Promised Land - Exodus 12.

·     A Lamb shall be taken – Vss. 3-4

             ·     The Lamb shall be without blemish – Vs. 5

             ·     The blood shall be applied to the doorposts of their homes – Vs 7.

             ·     They shall eat the flesh – Vs. 8.

             ·     They shall eat in haste – Vs. 11.

             ·     They shall eat unleavened bread seven days – Vs. 15.

III.     Conclusion:

         Everything that has been shared from this lesson points to one person and that person is Jesus Christ Who is God’s ultimate plan for redemption for all mankind, the Lamb of God.  Jesus was the Passover lamb that was sacrificed for our sins.  He is the fulfillment of all the Old Testament Passover lamb represented

John 1:29  The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

1 Corinthians 5:7  Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. 

1 Corinthians 5:8  Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

God Bless.