Hello everyone. I hope you had a good restful and safe Christmas and New Year’s holiday celebrations. Christmas has passed but that doesn’t mean we should forget what it’s all about. While many people celebrate Christmas in various ways, for Christians, it’s the time when we celebrate the birth of Jesus (who wasn’t really born on Dec. 25). But we should know that Jesus’s birth was only one part of God’s plan for salvation. Jesus’s birth was important, yes, but as believers living today, we should look forward to the time of the second coming. Before Jesus could come again, he had to complete a few things first. Let’s learn more about them.
Jesus Had Some Major Tasks
So what did Jesus actually do while he was on earth? We all know he did many wonderful miracles and taught many things. But why were they important?
Jesus wasn’t just some guy. He was the son of God who came according to the Old Testament prophecies.
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Isaiah 7:14
Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call his name Immanuel”
(which means, God with us).Matthew 1:18-23
He was prophesied to be born of a virgin by the prophet Isaiah and then was born from the virgin Mary according to the prophecy. Why did he come? As it says in the end of that passage, he came to save us from our sins.
Why else did Jesus come?
He came to sow the seed and make the new covenant – as prophesied in Jeremiah 31.
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and the seed of beast.”
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah,”
Jeremiah 31:27, 31
God prophesied these two things through the prophet Jeremiah, and Jesus fulfills them at the time of the first coming. What does this mean? When Jesus came, the things he spoke and how he acted, fulfilled the prophecies God spoke in the Old Testament. God made promises through those Old Testament prophets, and Jesus made those promises into realities. Jesus spoke God’s Word (sowed the seed) and made a new promise (a new covenant – “covenant” = “promise”) with his disciples (and believers today).
He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field,”
He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.”
Matthew 13:24, 37
And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.”
Luke 22:14-20
Jesus did these important things – sowing God’s seed (God’s Word – Luke 8:11) and making the new covenant. He also bore our sins on the cross, fulfilled the Old Testament, and went back to heaven
When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
John 19:30
But That Wasn’t All!
Also, Jesus promised to come back. Throughout the four gospels, Jesus tells his disciples (and Christians today) the signs to look for (prophecies) about his second coming – the thing is when Jesus said these things, did he tell them plainly? He spoke in parables (figurative language).
All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet:
“I will open my mouth in parables;
I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.”Matthew 13:34-35
For us, believers today, can you say you know these parables well enough to understand them? When these are fulfilled, will you be able to recognize the fulfillment? As Christians, we must know the parables in the New Testament. It’s not optional if we truly have the hope of heaven and eternal life. Psalms 119:105 says God’s Word is the lamp to our feet and light to our path, and Jesus calls himself the “way, truth, and life” (John 14:6).
When we know and follow Jesus’s words – especially the parables – then we will find that narrow road like Jesus spoke about in Matthew 7. If we look at the Jews at the first coming, they did not know the prophecies in their Scriptures (the Old Testament) well enough to recognize Jesus as the fulfillment. And since they didn’t know their prophecies and didn’t know the fulfillment, then they weren’t saved. Jesus said this to the Pharisees:
You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.
John 5:39-40
So, Jesus is the reason for the season – but it goes beyond just his birth. We are waiting for Jesus’s return, and we must be ready when it happens. The reason Jesus came is to give us life and salvation, but if we do not know what Jesus promised, then we won’t be able to recognize the fulfillment when those promises are kept and made into realities – meaning the things Jesus spoke actually happen according to the promise (prophecy).
What should we do?
We must make sure to learn and understand these words Jesus spoke to us in the gospels and in Revelation (yes, those are Jesus’s words, too). If you don’t know them and want to learn more, I encourage you to join one of our Bible studies. We offer one-on-one and group Bible studies. In the lessons, you will learn how to understand the figurative language of the Bible, and how God has been working to reconnect with His creation since the time of Adam. You truly learn to understand God’s heart of love and desire to give life to His people.
I pray you can understand the importance of Jesus’s first coming, learn the prophecies of the New Testament, and be ready to receive him when he comes again.
Written by Kenny
Read More
5 Great Bible Verses for Anxiety
The Battle Within – We Must Overcome Ourselves
People Are Leaving the Church – But Why?
Join Our Bible Study!
Are you interested in learning more about the Bible? Maybe you have lots of questions you want to ask, but don’t know where to go to ask them! If so, we’d love to help!
Consider signing up for our Bible Study where you’ll be connected with a teacher who will guide you through the basics and foundations of the Bible. They will also answer any questions you might have along the way!
You also can learn more about the study by clicking the link below!
Check Out Our Other Content!
Make sure to follow us on Instagram for daily verses, prayers, and encouragement!
Do you spend most of your time on YouTube? Or maybe you like to listen to Podcasts in your free time? We’re there too! Check out our YouTube and Podcast channels also!
