Jesus Came into the World to Testify to the Truth

Matthew 1:18 – 24

Introduction – Every year, at Christmas, the whole world is faced with several questions: what is Christmas? Who is Jesus Christ? Why did Jesus come? Why should I care? There are TWO very important questions to be asked here: Why did Jesus come to earth at the specific time that He did – 2024 years ago? Why didn’t Jesus come at much better time – the age of social media; airplanes; 5G internet networks? Was there any special reason Jesus came when He did? And the second one is this: Why did Jesus come into the world?

According to the Bible, Jesus came in the fullness of time.

Galatians 4:4 – 5 “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”

TWO THEORIES:

1. Ease of Travel:Rome had unified much of the world under its government, giving a sense of unity to the various lands. Also, because the empire was relatively peaceful, travel was possible, allowing the early Christians to spread the gospel. Such freedom to travel would have been impossible in other eras.
2. Ease of Communication:While Rome had conquered militarily, Greece had conquered culturally. A “common” form of the Greek language (different from classical Greek) was the trade language and was spoken throughout the empire, making it possible to communicate the gospel to many different people groups through one common language.

** The coming of Jesus had been prophesied

Some Bible scholars suggest there are more than 300 Old Testament prophetic Scriptures fulfilled in the life of Jesus Christ. I have personally counted 47 prophesies that were fulfilled in Jesus Christ… These are mathematical impossibilities.

Messiah would be born in Bethlehem – Micah 5:2; Messiah would be born of a virgin; Messiah would be called Immanuel – Isaiah 7:14; Messiah would be betrayed by 30 pieces of silver and Messiah’s price money would be used to buy a potter’s field – Zechariah 11:12–13; Messiah would be silent before his accusers – Isaiah 53:7; Messiah would be crucified with criminals – Isaiah 53:12; Messiah’s hands, feet and side would be pierced – Zechariah 12:10; Soldiers would gamble for Messiah’s garments – Psalm 22:18 …

** Jesus scolded the people for not knowing the time…  Hypocrites! You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but how is it you do not discern this time? Luke 12:56

All the signs had been given, the prophecies fulfilled regarding His coming, yet the people still rejected Him.

WHY DID JESUS COME INTO THE WORLD?

Jesus came to deliver us from the power of sin; Jesus came to show us the way to the Father; John the Baptist in John 1:29 said this “…“Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world”; Apostle Paul in I Timothy 1:15 said this “… Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners …”

BUT – How did Jesus answer this question?

John 18:37-38a – “… In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” “What is truth?” retorted Pilate.

If we assume that Jesus was born on Christmas, then this is the reason for Christmas.

“For this reason I was born . . .” For this reason there is Christmas. Christmas exists because Jesus came to bear witness – Jesus came to testify to the truth.

TWO CONCLUSIONS:

1. Christmasmeans that there is TRUTH– Truth is that which corresponds or conforms to reality according to God. In John 14:6 – Jesus said “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

TODAY, People defines the truth as the following: [Truth is whatever you believe]; [There is no absolute truth];       [If there were such a thing as absolute truth, how could we know what it is?]; [“People who believe in absolute truth are dangerous”] – John 8:32 – And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

2. The TRUTHis on trialand Jesus is the key witness. “For this I was born and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth.”

SOME BIBLICAL STATEMENTS REGARDING TRUTH

1. Jesus is the truth, and full of truth, and spoke the truth – John 14:6; 1:14; 8:45
2. The Word of God is truth – John 17:17
3. Christians should walk in the truth as revealed by Jesus, including the standard of morality Jesus taught – Ephesians 4:17-32; 5:1-17
4. Christians should patiently teach others the truth – 2 Timothy 2:23–26
5. Many will turn their ears away from the truth – 2 Timothy 4:1–4

CONCLUSION

Call yourself what you may, but you cannot be a Christian unless…

1. You hold the correspondence view of truth
2. You believe in moral absolutes of right and wrong
3. You accept Jesus and His Word as the ultimate source of truth, especially in regards to morality and salvation

DO NOT BE A PILATE. – He walked away from the Truth.