Freedom House Church and Healing Centre

God came down to die…for me 

“You know that He appeared in order to take away sins” (1 John 3:5) 

 “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8)

Hello Chosen Ones,

The Apostle John fascinates me. If anyone knew Jesus it was him, for he was part of the inner circle of Jesus with James, his brother and Peter. John was according to his own writings, “the one whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23), who leaned on Jesus’ bosom at the last supper scene. John was entrusted with looking after Jesus’ mother after His crucifixion (John 19:26). Oh! The conversations they must have had together as Mary shared stories of Jesus’ childhood, and what it was like to live with the Son of God. If anyone was more qualified to write the story of Jesus’ birth and all the details surrounding it, surely it would have been John for he had firsthand access to the source herself. Yet, John records nothing of the sort. Some 50 to 60 years after Jesus is taken up to heaven, John pens his 5 writings – the Gospel that bears his name, 3 letters and the Book of Revelation. In all of these there is very little of the personal relationship he has with Jesus. What is blaringly obvious to John is that Jesus is God in the flesh – Jesus is divine, sent from heaven for a very specific mission. To him, the so-called “Christmas narrative” is absent. It is enough for him to simply say, “The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). The incredible thing for John is that…God came down…as a man! He will build his gospel around that fact and the reason for His coming: “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29). Why would John leave out all the extra details that Matthew and Luke include? John ‘s purpose for writing is the following: “these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:31). John’s gospel, although he knew Jesus more intimately than anyone, is Jesus’ divinity and mission – God came to save; to give light and life to people, to cause them to be born again, freed from dead religion and truly experience everlasting life in the kingdom of Christ, by putting their faith in Him, receiving forgiveness for their sins and relationship with the Father. I wonder what John would think of what we have made of Christmas? For John, the main event is not the birth of Christ, the main event is the cross and Jesus’ sacrificial death – the whole gospel, good news story of God made flesh culminates at the cross, where true life begins! It’s as if after 50 some years of meditating on his encounter with the Son of God, the only message that really matters to John is that “He died for me… to give me life”. The death of Christ in John’s gospel is the main point:

• And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. (3:14-15)

• I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world. (6:51)

• So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man on the cross, then you will realize that I am he and that I do nothing on my own, but I speak what the Father taught me (8:28)

• I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. (10:11)

• For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down my life so that I may take it again (10:17)

•  And Jesus answered them, saying, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. (12:23-24)

• And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself (12:32-36)

• So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit (19:30)

 Mission Accomplished! God in the flesh finished what He came to do – die to take away the sins of the world. John would not want the birth of Christ to overshadow the mission of Christ. May we as followers of Jesus who have experienced new life in Him through His cross, boldly proclaim the reason why Jesus, God in the flesh came as a baby – to take away the sins of the world. Let us declare loudly, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” 

 Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: "Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, "as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. "I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. "And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. (John 17:1-5)

Have a Spirit-filled Christmas everyone!

 "Advancing the Kingdom of God by releasing Spirit-filled followers to serve Jesus in freedom and joy."