An angel of the Lord brought a good tidings to a young virgin,
Mary in the tiny town of Bethlehem twenty centuries ago, saying “You will
conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.” (Luke 1:31) Our
Lord Jesus was born in the likeness of man to fulfill the promise for the redemption
of humanity. He was born to die violently and brutally though He was sinless.
Our Lord Jesus’ incarnation and birth had long been anticipated and awaited on
tiptoe for the liberation and delivery of the race from the cursed bondage of
the devil. Here in Luke Chapter 12, our Lord Jesus says why He came to the
earth.
“I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it
were already kindled! But I have a baptism to undergo, and what constraint I am
under until it is completed!” (Luke 12:49-50)
Jesus came to bring fire on the earth, and how much He
wished it were already kindled! What does it mean? Some interprets fire as the
judgement symbol of God for the fire and brimstone fell upon the cities of
Sodom and Gomorrah. It will be so ultimately because accepting Jesus Christ or
not will determine the ultimate fate of individual. It will be fulfilled at His
second coming. This is His first visitation on the earth. So, it contradicts with
other parts of the scripture like God so loved the world that He gave His only
begotten Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal
life. Jesus came to the earth and became a man just like one of us in order to
redeem and save the race in Adam.
Jesus also expressed how much He wished it were already
kindled. Thus, to bring fire means to send the Holy Spirit. In fact, on the Day
of Pentecost, the Spirit of God fell upon one hundred twenty people in the Jerusalem
temple like fire. The hidden mystery of God has been revealed to this
generation and that is “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” But Christ must
first go through a baptism, His death, burial, and resurrection from the dead. Our
Lord Jesus says, “How distressed I am till it is completed!” It is the promise
given to our patriarch of faith Abraham that God would bless him and his descendants
by giving the Spirit.
“He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham
might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might
receive the promise of the Spirit.” (Galatians 3:14)
In order to give the Spirit, the Christ of God must die and
be raised from the dead. The redemption of the race was in the mind of our Lord
Jesus Christ who came to the earth as a man. He was in the beginning and all
things were made through Him and nothing was made that has been made without
Him. In Him, no sin was found. In Him was life and that life was the light of
the world.
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We
have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the
Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)
What’s happen when He came to the earth? Jesus Christ is the
central figure that no one can evade from Him, including both believers and
non-believers.
“Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell
you, but division. From now on there will be five in one family divided against
each other, three against two and two against three. They will be divided,
father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter
against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law
against mother-in-law.” (Luke 12:51-53)
There will be discords and quarrels among families because
of Christ Jesus. There are only two groups when and where our Lord Jesus
appears. Just as it was true in the first century, so are now in this generation. When Jesus spoke in the temple, streets, and villages, there were
some who believed in Him and others who objected and rejected Him. The reason they reject
Jesus Christ because they love darkness.
“This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but
people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.” (John
3:19)
People can live without the luxuries of life, but never can
without Jesus Christ. He is the life, the truth, and the way. This is true to
all kinds of people, Jews, Greeks, and all peoples on earth. Many a people
misunderstand that the coming of the Christ of God would make everything smooth
and life would be going alright. Not so, says the Scripture.
“Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the
vile person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do
right; and let the holy person continue to be holy.” (Revelation 22:11)
Our Lord Jesus is like a refiner who purifies silver until
it reflects the image of God. No one escape from the finger of God for all
things are made and designed by the hand of the Creator and the Lord of glory.
“But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand
when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. He
will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and
refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring
offerings in righteousness, and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be
acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years.’ (Malachi
3:2-4)
Though Jesus was God, He gave His life unto the sinners like
us that whoever believes in Him shall have eternal life, being saved from the
eternal condemnation. All power and authority was given to the Son of God
because He obeyed the Father even to the point of death. And God exalted Him
above every name in heaven and on earth and under the earth.
“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him
the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should
bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge
that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians
2:10-11)
He has finished the work of redemption by laying down His life
and being raised from the dead on the third day. Having done all the works the
Father had appointed the Son to do, He has been sitting at the right hand of
God until the enemies are to be made His footstool.
“But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for
a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so
that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.” (Hebrews 2:9)
“But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice
for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, and since that time he waits
for his enemies to be made his footstool.” (Hebrews 10:12-13)
Apostle John says so bluntly about the significance of having
Jesus Christ the Son who is the Judge and Lord of all creation. He is the
Mediator who is able to bridge the chasm between God and humanity. Those who receive
Him, hearing His word have been given eternal life and has crossed over from
death to life.
“Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son
of God does not have life.” (1 John 5:12)
“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes
him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over
from death to life.” (John 5:24)
Therefore, Jesus Christ is Lord and Master who determines
the future of all things. He is the One who ultimately solves all the mysteries
of life which no man can even dare to try. In the Book of Revelation, John
records a marvelous vision in heaven that the Lion of Judah and the Lamb has
the key to open the sealed scrolls which no one in heaven and on earth can
open.
“Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a
scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. And I saw a
mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and
open the scroll?” But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could
open the scroll or even look inside it. I wept and wept because no one was
found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. Then one of the elders
said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of
David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.” Then
I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the
throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had
seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into
all the earth. He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat
on the throne. And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the
twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were
holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. And
they sang a new song, saying:
“You are
worthy to take the scroll
and to open
its seals,
because you
were slain,
and with
your blood you purchased for God
persons from
every tribe and language and people and nation.
You have
made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
and they will reign on the earth.”
Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering
thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled
the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they were
saying:
“Worthy is
the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive
power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor
and glory and praise!”
Then I heard
every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and
all that is in them, saying:
“To him who
sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise
and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!”
The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell
down and worshiped.” (Revelation 5:1-14)
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