Why Did Jesus Come?

Not long ago, there was an e-mail that went around entitled "Gonna Be A Bear" It goes like this:

In this life I'm a woman. In my next life, I'd like to come back as a bear. When you're a bear, you get to hibernate. You do nothing but sleep for six months. I could deal with that. Before you hibernate, you're supposed to eat yourself stupid. I could deal with that too. When you're a girl bear, you birth your children (who are the size of walnuts) while you're sleeping and wake to partially grown, cute, cuddly cubs. I could definitely deal with that. When you're a mama bear, everyone knows you mean business. You swat anyone who bothers your cubs. If your cubs get out of line, you swat them too. I could deal with that. If you're a bear, your mate EXPECTS you to wake up growling. He EXPECTS that you will have hairy legs and excess body fat. Yup, gonna be a bear." (Author unknown)

While this story is funny (I certainly sent it to all the girls in my address book), it does beg the question, is this the best one has to hope for in the next life? I certainly hope not. If so, you need to meet Jesus, because without Him, hairy legs and excess body fat will be the least of your worries in the next life!

As Christians, our hope in the next life is sure. 1 John 5:13 says "these things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God." This is a wonderful promise; one that we can hang on to when life gets rough.

But still, is being a Christian only about what we have to look forward to? I don't believe so. When I consider Isaiah 61:1-3, I cannot hold back the tears of gratitude and joy I feel because God has allowed me to hear His voice call out to me. Let's read it together:

"The Spirit of the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified."

WOW! What a testimony of God's love. I am amazed that He would send His Son to a lost and dying world. As we look at two of the things Jesus came to do, we see that they are for this life. When we receive all Jesus came to do, we can count on the promise that came from Him in John 10:9-10 "I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and he will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly."

In this passage of Scripture, we also have the promise that without Jesus, the thief, who is Satan, will surely come and steal our life until we are destroyed. The final result would be eternal separation from God in the next life, which is hell. Therefore we would do will to receive the gift of Jesus in this life. There is no other opportunity. Hebrews 9:27 says "And it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment."

As a Christians, we do not have to go through this life feeling defeated and only looking forward to heaven. For the one who receives Christ, heaven begins the day they gave their life to Him.

(VS 1) He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted.

Has life been hard on you? Is your heart broken because you have been let down? Your Father has left you; you are going through a divorce, or perhaps it's been very bad and there has been abuse and you suffer from extreme insecurities and it has caused you to shy away from relationships? The good news is Jesus came to heal your broken heart. What good would healing be if it only came in the next life? It wouldn't do any good at all. But we have a promise from God. If we call out to Jesus and surrender all of our heart and our anger to Him, He will heal us. Granted, healing may not always come instantly, but Jesus, being God, has the power to heal us. Pretty soon, we find our worth in Him and knowing that the God of all creation loves us gives us the security we need to develop real and lasting relationships. What we come to learn is that people, (including ourselves) are not perfect and they will fail us - yet God is not like man and He never breaks His promises. Spend time with Him, get to know Him better and your heart will be healed.

(VS 1) To proclaim liberty to the captives, and opening of the prison to those who are bound.

Have you made some decisions that led you to a place you would have never dreamed of in a million years? Do you find yourself bound by guilt? Do you suffer from addictions that are destroying your life? We are told in this passage that Jesus came to free us for the guilt of our past or from our current situation. He will release us from our personal prison. Sure it may take some time, but when we cry out to Him, we are filled with His Spirit and He will give us the strength to overcome. God has an amazing way of bringing people into our lives who will encourage us to continue in our walk with Jesus. It is His promise. Give it a try.

"Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who trust in Him" Psalm 34:8

Whether a non believer, new believer, or a seasoned Christian, this brief look at Isaiah 61:1-3 should bring hope, joy and security to our hearts. I pray that you will be encouraged to get to know the Lord in a deeper way.

I am thankful that God took my life and gave me beauty for ashes. He will do the same for you.

Yup, knowing Jesus is better than being a bear.


(C) Teresa Ortiz