Jesus Came With a Sense of Mission

Jesus said to Zacchaeus, the corrupt tax collector, "Today salvation has
come to this house . for the Son of Man came to seek and to save what
was lost" (Luke 19:9, 10). One cannot read the New Testament accounts of
the life of Christ without realizing that this was His mission.

From His earliest youth and throughout His life, Jesus knew He was a man
of destiny. The Bible shows us how clearly He understood His mission and
purpose.

First, as a boy of twelve, He claimed to be doing God's will. He had come
with his parents to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of the Passover, a
Jewish holy festival. When they left for home, He lingered behind and was
not missed by them until the next day. Joseph and Mary found Him several
days later sitting among the amazed scholars, "listening to them and asking
them questions" (Luke 2:46).

When asked why He had stayed behind, Jesus was surprised-as though
His parents should have known. "Why is it that you sought Me? Did you not
know that I must be about My Father's business?" (Luke 2:49, NKJ).

Second, God proclaimed Jesus His beloved Son. When Jesus was baptized
by the prophet John the Baptist in the River Jordan, the heavens opened to
Him, "and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting
upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, 'This is My
beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased'" (Matthew 3:16, 17, NKJ).

Third, Jesus' selection of His disciples demonstrated an awareness of His
Messianic mission. When He called Nathanael to be His disciple, Jesus said,
"You will even see heaven open and the angels of God coming back and
forth to me, the Messiah" (John 1:51, TLB).

Fourth, Jesus acknowledged His eternal glory. He prayed, "Father, the hour
has come . 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, 4, 5, NKJ). Here we see Jesus approaching His finest hour with
the knowledge of His eternal existence and destiny.

[1]


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[1]Bright, B. (1992). A man without equal (57). Orlando, FL: NewLife
Publications.