You would expect someone’s ‘message’ to be in line with their ‘purpose.’ Right? Well, that’s exactly what you find in the Gospels concerning the Message of Jesus of Nazareth. His Message always lined up with His Purpose. That’s helpful to any student of the Bible, any Christian, to see that.

Jesus came to ‘destroy the works of the devil’ (1 John 3:8). The Apostle John, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit wrote – ‘ For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.’ That seems clear and definitive. Since that was the Lord’s purpose in leaving Heaven and coming to earth ‘in appearance as a man’ (Philippians 2:8), we would expect His Message to support that Purpose – and it does.

The Lord’s Message

One of the things I remember while researching the Gospels as an atheist was that Jesus of Nazareth was consistent in His words and deeds. He seemed to me to be the kind of person who was on a mission and nothing was going to deter Him from that mission. In the years since becoming a Christian almost 55 years ago I learned that my initial thoughts about Jesus are supported by logic and reasoning. Jesus Christ was on a Mission and His Message remained true to His Purpose.

We know what Jesus said because of four Gospel accounts (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John), along with Acts and Revelation. However, the Gospels are the primary source of the Lord’s Message leading up to His death on the Cross and in the days following His resurrection from the grave. Keep in mind that Jesus is the King of the Universe. Whether accepted or rejected, the words of Jesus are the Words of God.

I think it’s important that we remember that God’s people have been rejecting His Words and Actions for thousands of years –

Then the Lord said to Moses: ‘How long will these people reject Me? And how long will they not believe Me, with all the signs which I have performed among them? Numbers 14:11

And the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.’ 1 Samuel 8:7

We should not be surprised that when the Eternal Son of God came to earth in appearance as a man that His people would reject Him. The prophet Isaiah said that’s what would happen when He came –

He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Isaiah 53:3

The religious leaders of Israel did reject the Teachings of Jesus and He called them on it –

He answered and said to them, ‘Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.’ He said to them, ‘All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ But you say, ‘If a man says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban”—’ (that is, a gift to God), then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.’ Mark 7:6-13

Jesus knew that His strong Message to the leaders of Israel would lead to their killing Him. While knowing that might stop some people from speaking so strongly, it didn’t deter Jesus because He had come to earth with the Purpose of dying. That was a vital part of His destroying the works of the devil –

And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. Mark 8:31

Messaging Through Parables

Jesus taught the people following Him, including the religious leaders who were always trying to find ways to charge and arrest Him for something He said, a series of parable (stories). Though many people didn’t understand the deep truths behind the parables, the religious leaders knew that Jesus was often addressing His words at them. Here’s one example –

Then He began to speak to them in parables: ‘A man planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a place for the wine vat and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that he might receive some of the fruit of the vineyard from the vinedressers. And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. Again he sent them another servant, and at him they threw stones, wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated. And again he sent another, and him they killed; and many others, beating some and killing some. Therefore still having one son, his beloved, he also sent him to them last, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But those vinedressers said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So they took him and killed him and cast him out of the vineyard. ‘Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the vinedressers, and give the vineyard to others. Have you not even read this Scripture: ‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes’?’ And they sought to lay hands on Him, but feared the multitude, for they knew He had spoken the parable against them. So they left Him and went away. Mark 12:1-12

As you follow the parables and the fallout that came from the religious leaders who Jesus was targeting, you’ll see that Jesus didn’t change His Message. His Message always supported His Purpose.

Training Disciples to Reign

As we’ve seen in previous part of this series, Jesus was also training His disciples in how to ‘reign’ as they would continue His Work after He returned to Heaven. Jesus would often take his closest disciples (apostles) aside to train them for their service. The apostles knew that Jesus was the rightful King of Israel and would one day reign over Israel and the world. That sometimes led them to jockey for special positions in the coming Kingdom. Jesus’ Message to them was consistent with His Purpose. These situations also became ‘teachable moments’ for the disciples as they learned what it would mean to ‘reign’ with Christ –

Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him. And He said to her, ‘What do you wish?’ She said to Him, ‘Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom.’ But Jesus answered and said, ‘You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?’ They said to Him, ‘We are able.’ So He said to them, ‘You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father.’ And when the ten heard it, they were greatly displeased with the two brothers. But Jesus called them to Himself and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.’ Matthew 20:20-28

If you are interested in learning more about how to ‘train to reign,’ I recommend you read the Gospels carefully and look at the consistency of Jesus’ Messaging – to the crowds, to the religious leaders, and to His apostles. An important aspect of ‘reigning’ with Christ is the consistency of our message. The unfortunate fact that many preachers and teachers in churches and denominations have ‘changed’ the Gospel message should tell anyone who cares about truth that much of what we hear in churches today is ‘false preaching and teaching.’

Free eBooks

You can download the first 13 chapters of this series here.

You can download chapters 14 – 24 of this series here.

You can download chapters 25 – 30 of this series here.

You can download chapters 31 – 39 of this series here.

Next Time

In the next part of our series we will look at the ‘last Messages’ of Jesus to His followers. Those Messages have guided the ‘Church’ that Jesus is building for two thousand years. We will find insights for how we ‘reign’ with Christ in this ‘present world.’

“Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

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