Embry Hills church of Christ Podcast

Why Did Jesus come to Earth?


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Series: N/A

Service: Sun PM Worship

Type: Sermon

Speaker: Colton Hamlett

Summary Why Jesus Came to Earth

📘 Sermon Information

Course Title: New Testament Studies
Instructor: Colton Hamlett
Date: 2025-08-31 Sunday PM Worship

Chapter/Topic: Why Jesus Came to Earth — Four Purpose Statements (inferred topic)

🧠Key Learnings

Knowledge point 1: Jesus is eternal, Creator, and the source of life and light

Summary:

  • John 1:1–4 establishes Jesus (the Word) as existing from the beginning, being with God, and being God. He was not created; he is eternal.
  • All things were created through him; he is not merely a witness but the Creator with intimate understanding of creation.
  • Life and light are in him: Jesus embodies and reveals eternal life and truth (light) to humanity. His coming is intentional to reveal that life and bring hope into darkness.

Knowledge point 2: Jesus came to testify to the truth and exercise divine authority

Summary:

  • John 18:33–38: Jesus declares that his kingdom is not of this world and that he came to testify to the truth. “Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”
  • His claims carry divine authority (e.g., authority to forgive sins — Mark 2 example). Accepting Jesus’ testimony requires a whole-hearted reception of his message; partial acceptance undermines the claim to truth.
  • Those who hear and follow the truth receive the promise of eternal life and security in Christ (John 10:27–29).

Knowledge point 3: Jesus came to expose and defeat sin and the works of the devil

Summary:

  • Jesus’ teaching reveals falsehood and opposes lawlessness. 1 John 3 contrasts sin and righteousness; persistent sin aligns with the devil.
  • Jesus’ coming destroys the works of the devil (John 1 and 1 John references) — he has already defeated sin and death in principle, though final judgment remains (John 12:46–48).
  • The revelation of truth forces moral choices: the narrow way (life) versus the broad way (destruction) (Matthew 7).

Knowledge point 4: Jesus came to seek and save the lost by serving and giving his life as a ransom

Summary:

  • Luke 19:1–10 (Zacchaeus): Jesus takes initiative to seek sinners, invests time with them, and calls them to repentance — his goal is their salvation, not immediate condemnation.
  • Matthew 20:25–28: Jesus models servant leadership and explains his mission: not to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many. His death is the substitutionary ransom paying for humanity’s slavery to sin.
  • Salvation includes both initiative (Jesus seeks) and cost (Jesus serves unto death), offering healing and restored relationship with God.

Knowledge point 5: Christian response — continue Jesus’ work: testify, seek, serve

Summary:

  • Believers are called to carry Jesus’ purposes: testify to the truth, seek and save the lost, confront falsehood compassionately, and serve sacrificially.
  • To live for Christ now is the Christian’s task; to die is gain, but to live is to serve Christ (Philippians 1 reference).
  • Practical pastoral appeal: invite those who need salvation or help to speak with leaders and be counseled.

✏️ Key Concepts

Concept 1: The Word (Logos) — Jesus’ eternal identity

Definition:

  • “The Word” (Logos) in John 1: Jesus existed from the beginning, was with God, and was God; the agent of creation.

Key Points:

  • Distinguishes Jesus from creation — he is eternal, not created.
  • Creator role implies intimate knowledge and authority over creation.
  • Life and light are inherent in him; revelation of life to humans is a primary purpose.

Example / Analogy:

  • Apprenticeship/woodworking analogy: watching a craftsman vs. being the craftsman — Jesus is not a mere observer but the one who made the world and therefore fully knows how it works. —— (speaker)

Concept 2: Testifying to the truth and divine authority

Definition:

  • Jesus’ mission includes proclaiming objective truth about God, sin, salvation, and the way of life he commands.

Key Points:

  • Truth claim is all-encompassing; partial acceptance is inconsistent.
  • Authority demonstrated by acts (forgiving sins, miracles) and by teaching.
  • True followers both hear and obey, receiving eternal life and security.

Example / Analogy:

  • Pilate exchange (John 18): Jesus distinguishes earthly kingship from his kingdom and emphasizes his purpose to testify to truth; Pilate’s “What is truth?” highlights human skepticism.

Concept 3: Sin, the devil’s works, and Jesus’ defeat of them

Definition:

  • Sin = lawlessness/missing the target; the devil promotes deception, leading people away from God’s way. Jesus’ mission is to expose and destroy these works.

Key Points:

  • Persistent practice of sin aligns one with the devil (1 John).
  • Jesus’ revelation of truth unmasks falsehood and calls for moral decision.
  • Final judgment awaits; Jesus saves but also warns that his words will judge on the last day (John 12).

Example / Analogy:

  • Archer analogy: God (master marksman) directs aim toward the true target; Satan (opponent) gives misleading advice that leads to missing the mark — the choice determines outcome.

Concept 4: Seeking the lost — initiative, time, and challenge

Definition:

  • Jesus actively pursued sinners, spent time with them, and challenged them toward repentance and restitution (example: Zacchaeus).

Key Points:

  • Seeking is initiating contact, not passively waiting for seekers.
  • Time invested in relationships opens doors for change and repentance.
  • Jesus does not simply comfort in sin; he challenges attachments and calls for transformation.

Example / Analogy:

  • Zacchaeus (Luke 19): Jesus sees, calls, and enters Zacchaeus’ home; Zacchaeus responds with restitution and faith — “Son of Man came to seek and save the lost.” —— (speaker)

Concept 5: Service and substitution — ransom and servant leadership

Definition:

  • Jesus’ model: greatness equals service. He gave his life as a ransom — a payment to free those enslaved to sin.

Key Points:

  • Rejects worldly concepts of power and prestige (Matthew 20).
  • Ransom imagery: payment for release from bondage (sin), Jesus’ sinless life substituted for sinners.
  • Christian discipleship replicates servant sacrifice.

Example / Analogy:

  • Ransom/hostage imagery: a payment required to free a captive; Jesus’ death is the payment that frees sinners from bondage.

🔄 Q&A/Discussion

Question 1: Why did Jesus come to earth?
Answer 1: To testify to the truth, to destroy the works of the devil (defeat sin), to seek and save the lost, and to serve/give his life as a ransom for many.

Question 2: How should we respond to Jesus’ truth claims?
Answer 2: Wholehearted acceptance — listen and obey. Partial acceptance is inconsistent with the nature of truth. Believers hear, follow, and are given eternal life and security.

Question 3: If Jesus came to destroy sin, why does sin still exist?
Answer 3: Jesus’ coming defeats the power of sin and death in principle and makes salvation available, but final judgment and full consummation (removal of sin) await his return. Meanwhile, humans still freely choose.

Question 4: What practical actions did Jesus take to save the lost?
Answer 4: He took initiative to seek people, spent time with them (relationships), challenged them to repent, modeled servant leadership, and ultimately gave his life as ransom.

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