Finally the day came when Jesus came to the Jordan to
be baptized. John the Baptist baptized Jesus and God Himself
spoke from heaven and proclaimed Him to be His own beloved
Son. Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where He
fasted for forty days and forty nights and was tempted by the
devil. But He soundly defeated Satan with the Word of God.
(See Luke 4:1-15.)When Jesus came out of the wilderness, the
power of the Holy Spirit was all over Him to preach, teach,
heal, and deliver.
Everywhere Jesus went during His earthly ministry, He
left a trail of people who were set free and healed, who went
away walking and leaping and praising God. We count three
people raised from the dead: the widow’s boy outside the city of
Nain (see Luke 7:11-16), Jairus’ daughter (see Luke 8:49-56),
and Lazarus (see John 11:43-45). What’s more, at the end of his
gospel, John said,
And there are also many other things which Jesus
did, the which, if they should be written every
one,I suppose that even the world itself could not
contain the books” that should be written.
JOHN 21:25
Miracles were not the only unusual occurrences in Jesus’ ministry,
however. He habitually hung out with the despised tax
collectors and sinners. He didn’t act like them, but He didn’t
condemn them or make them feel inferior either. That’s why
they loved to be around Him, because they felt He accepted
them as they were. Then, when He looked at them with eyes of
love, and taught them the truth about God, they wanted to get
rid of their sin to get closer to Him.
Jesus has never been repulsive like religion can be. When
you see Hollywood’s idea of what they think God and God’s people
are like — condemning, mean, angry, and uncompassionate —
you know that they get it straight from religion. Religion focuses
on your sin and condemns you for it; but Jesus focuses on setting
you free. His love and goodness lead you to repent and give you
the power to overcome the sin in your life. Religion locks you
into sin; Jesus is the lover of your soul who sets you free from
sin.
God so loved the world, that he gave his only
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him
should not perish, but have everlasting life.
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn
the world; but that the world through him
might be saved.
JOHN 3:16-17
That was His whole mission. There was never a time that
Jesus did not keep in mind the divine purpose and plan for His
life. He came with one goal, and that was to pay the price at
Calvary for your sin and my sin. He was born to die — in a
remarkable, unparalleled act of love.
Yet if you listen to some preachers today; you’d think that
God only sent His Son into the world to tell the world, “You are
sinners and I am angry with you. I want you to burn in the flames
of hell.” Somehow they think that this is the gospel of Jesus
Christ. Jesus never came with a message of condemnation. Jesus
came with a message of love and forgiveness. We can see this
demonstrated through the story of the woman who was caught in
adultery:
And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a
woman taken in adultery; and when they had set
her in the midst,
They said unto him, Master, this woman was
taken in adultery, in the very act.
Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such
should be stoned.” but what sayest thou?
This they said, tempting” him, that they might
have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and
with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he
heard them not.
So when they continued asking him, he lifted up
himself, and said unto them, He that is without
sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
And again he stooped down, and wrote on the
ground.
And they which heard it, being convicted by their
own conscience, went out one by one, beginning
at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was
left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none
but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where
are those thine accusers? Hath no man con -
demned thee?
She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her,
Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
JOHN 8:3-11
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