Did Jesus Christ have a Mission Statement? Let’s take a look at the book of Mark to see if he communicated the purpose of his coming to earth 2,000 years ago.
Jesus came to preach.
It’s been said that God only had one Son, and he was a preacher. Jesus had a passion for proclaiming God’s truth, and he told the disciples that in no uncertain terms.
Jesus would get up early in the morning to pray by himself. One day the disciples woke up, couldn’t find him, and went looking for him, exclaiming that “Everyone is looking for you!” (Mark 1:37). He responded by saying, “Let us go somewhere else – to the nearby villages – so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” (Mark 1:38)
Jesus came to call sinners to repentance.
Have you ever wondered what Jesus preached about? Would you like to hear one of his sermons? You can do that by simply reading the four gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. They are filled with his preaching and teaching.
Mark gives us an excellent summary of Jesus’ preaching ministry – he proclaimed “the good news of God” (Mark 1:15). What does that mean? Here’s a summary of his sermons: “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news” (Mark 1:16).
So Jesus came to preach, and the content and goal of that preaching was to confront sinners with the need to repent. When the Pharisees criticized Jesus for spending time with the scum of society (tax collectors and “sinners”), he responded, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mark 2:17). Luke’s account is more explicit – “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32).
Jesus came to serve.
Has there ever been a person in the history of the world who did more for others? I think not. When reading the four gospels, we are overwhelmed with the way Jesus met the needs of those around him. He spent countless hours not only teaching and preaching, but healing the sick and feeding the crowds and driving out demons. He did whatever he could to help people.
This was intentional – “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve . . . ” (Mark 10:45).
Jesus came to die.
The ultimate purpose of Jesus’ coming is clearly stated in the last part of Mark 10:45. Jesus came to serve, “and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
A ransom is the price one person pays to set another person free from slavery. How did Jesus do that? When he died on the cross, he paid the price to liberate guilty sinners from the bondage of sin, death, and hell.
Everything Jesus did and said for three years led to this. It was his primary mission.
As we reflect on the Mission Statement of Jesus, how should we respond? Certainly with much praise, thanksgiving and worship! And also with humble submission and repentant self-examination, asking ourselves the question – To what extent am I devoting my life to the Mission Statement of Jesus?
What is your response?
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