Dave's Diary

Daily Reading: John 3:1-21

Why did Jesus come to earth?

That’s the sort of question a preacher might ask the congregation and then be met by stony glares. There are just so many possible answers that everyone knows that the particular answer they shout out is highly unlikely to be exactly the one the preacher is looking for. So no one says a word.

Based on Bible readings like today’s, some brave soul might call out: “He came to manifest the glory of God” … or … “He came to live a perfectly sinless life” … or … “He came to lay down His life for us, to save us from our sins, and to adopt us into the family of God” … or … “He came so that we may be born again” … or … “He came to set the captives free” … or … “He came to destroy the work of the evil one.” All of these answers are perfectly correct!

But all of those answers are about the purpose for which He came. And actually, today’s reading echoes through time as the greatest statement ever made about the motive with which Jesus came.

Why did Jesus come? Verse 16 answers, “He came because God loves us!”

The incarnation is a magnificent expression of the love of God. Jesus came because He loves you! He exchanged the glory of heaven, the worship of angels, and perfect intimacy within the Godhead for the frailty of human existence, the rejection of people, and the burden of our sins being laid on Him. All because He loves us so perfectly.

Lord Jesus, King of love, thank You for loving me enough to come for me. Grant me the same spirit of selfless love for others, so that the glory of Your love may be manifest through me today. Amen!