Title Why Jesus Came (Matthew 1:18-25)
It is a great joy to wait and prepare for Christmas when our social atmosphere is depressed like these days. Because Christmas is the happiest event of mankind. Because, in the most countries, the most people await this day in the longest, the most versatile way and the most expensive. The reason why ‘Christmas’ is so joyful and happy is because it is the day Jesus, the Son of God, came into this world. “No one has seen God in the first place, but the only-begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father has made him known” (John 1:18). In other words, the event of God becoming a human being and the entry of the transcendent into history is Christmas. Because this event transcends human reason and transcends human rationality, this event is often referred to as the 'Miracle of Christmas'. Then why did Jesus come into the world?
1. He came to save sinners.
“You will give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. for he will save his people from their sins.” (1:21)
That's right. Jesus came to save sinners and give them eternal life. All people are imperfect, sinners, and perishing people. He came to this earth to save these people. Therefore, the best way to meet Jesus is to have a humble heart, saying, “I am a sinner.” You must have the wisdom to know that you are a sinner. When we have this kind of heart, we can meet Jesus.
2. He came to establish the church.
“You are Peter. On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” (Matthew 16:18) ‘Ekklesia’ is a group of people whose sins are forgiven because they believe in Jesus Christ. That is why Jesus still commands us who believe first to establish a church. “Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19,20). Too many people. We have to go to nearby places and build a church ourselves, and send missionaries to places we can't go to to build a church. It is because the purpose of Jesus' coming to this earth is to establish the church.
3. He came to be Emmanuel.
In other words, the event of Jesus coming into this world is called the ‘Immanuel event’. The word ‘Emmanuel’ means ‘God with us’. In other words, it is Christmas when the transcendent God came to exist. But how can a holy God and a profane and sinful man coexist? In the Old Testament times, man and God had an impossible relationship. Therefore, there must be a “priest” between the holy God and sinful human beings, and the priest must offer a sacrifice to make atonement in order to receive the grace of apology and meet. The ‘Immanuel Incident’ is the event in which the holy God met and dwelt with sinful humans in a human body, overcoming these enormous limitations and barriers.