Why Jesus Came to Earth

If you have ever pondered the question “Why did Jesus come to earth?” Depending on your background, there are many ways that this could be answered. Did he come to die for our sins? Did he come to show us what God is like? Did he come to teach us how to love one another?

Those are all things that he definitely did while he was on earth. However the primary and central reason for his coming is found in Luke 4:43. Jesus tells us plainly why he was here on earth.

Luke 4:43 – He said to them, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent.”

Jesus said that his purpose on earth was to “preach the kingdom of God.” That doesn’t mean that is the only thing he did. He did so many amazing things that John states at the end of his gospel that if he wrote down everything Jesus did, the whole world could not hold the books (John 21:25)

That being said, it is still very interesting to think about the fact that preaching the kingdom of God is the primary reason that Jesus was on the earth. All of his other activities were secondary to that purpose.

If this is a new idea to you, it is helpful to go back with fresh eyes and take a look at the things Jesus was actually saying. Think of how many times you read about Jesus saying “the kingdom of God is like…” and other things of that nature.

Here are some examples:

• Matthew 6:33 – Seek first the kingdom of God…
• Matthew 12:28 – If I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you
• Matthew 19:24 – It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God
• Matthew 13:24 – The kingdom of God is like a man who sowed good seed in his field…
• Matthew 13:33 – The kingdom of God is like leaven…
• Matthew 13:44 – The kingdom of God is like a treasure hidden in the field….”
• Matthew 13:47 – The kingdom of God is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls…
• Matthew 13:47 – The kingdom of God is like a dragnet…
• Mark 1:14-5 – Jesus came to Galilee preaching the kingdom of God saying “the time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand”
• Mar 4:11 – Jesus says that the parable of the soils is about the kingdom of God
• Mark 4:26 – The kingdom of God is like a man who scattered seed on the ground…
• Mark 4:30-31 – The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed…

I could go on, but that is enough to make the point. The central message of Jesus was the kingdom of God. That is what he preached and that is what he taught. And preaching that message was the purpose for his coming to earth.

So that begs the question “what exactly is the kingdom of God?”

Many people believe that the kingdom of God is the place you go when you die. But that is not true. The kingdom of God is not merely a place. It is much more than that, and that kingdom was the central message of Jesus.

In my next article, I will start writing about what the kingdom of God actually is. But if you would rather watch a video, I did a brief overview in my sermon “The Kingdom of God“