A quick reference to probably the most well-known Bible verse ever recorded sums up God’s motive for sending Jesus to what has been called “a world of sin and woe.” We read it in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him might not perish, but have everlasting life.” God wanted every person who ever graced the earth He created to have everlasting life in Heaven with Him one day.
II Peter 3:9 tells us, “The Lord is longsuffering to usward not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” We read in I John 4:16 probably the most succinct verse in the Bible describing God’s incredible gift, “The Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.” He knew sin-sick souls destined for a God-less eternity needed a Savior. The first verse of the song, “Because He Lives, by Bill and Gloria Gaither, words it this way, “God sent His Son. They called Him Jesus. He came to love, heal and forgive. He bled and died to buy my pardon. An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.”
For another heart-moving Scripture on this subject, we go to II Corinthians 5:21, “For He (the Father) hath made Him (the Son) to be sin for us, who (Jesus) knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” It is impossible for our finite minds to fully perceive the grief of the heart of God to see His perfect Son become all the essence of sin for us. It is only natural for us often to want to take on ourselves the sufferings of a precious loved one to spare them pain and sorrow. Surely, God had even more exercise of heart for His Son.
Our hearts are stirred again as we move to the passage in Ephesians 3:19 to reflect on God’s motivation for giving us His Son, “And that Christ may dwell in your hearts…and to know the love of Christ ‘which passeth knowledge,’ that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.” He wanted us to know a love that was more than we could grasp – “which passeth knowledge” – and to be full of Himself that is everything good.
In recent years we occasionally have heard someone described as being “full of themselves,” and what a negative connotation that is! On the other hand, a few times in my life, I have heard a wonderful Christian referred to as being “so full of God.” It has been my experience to know people of God who always seemed to project the obvious, overflowing presence of God anytime I encountered them. It is true that Christians always carry the presence of God with them in the Person of the Holy Spirit, but how wonderful for that to be what others see in us each time they come in contact with us!
I’m reminded of a song by the late Jimmy Swaggart, “I empty my cup of all that it holds, and I lay it down at Your feet. My life is Yours; please take control. Fill me and make me complete. Jesus be Jesus in me; no longer me, Lord, but Thee. Resurrection power fill me this hour. Jesus be Jesus in me.” Time and space would prevent us from exploring all the reasons God gave us Jesus, but the challenge these thoughts give me this Christmas season is that I would allow the presence of Jesus to be obvious in my life more than ever before, and I pray that may be your goal, too. If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord, I pray that you will make Him yours today. A very blessed Christmas season to each of you.
— Randy Zinn is pastor of Russell Missionary Baptist Church, Russell, Ark.; formerly of Okmulgee.
