Christmas is a time for festivity. There’s good reason to celebrate. But is it possible we get side tracked, and neglect those things that are most important? Perhaps we should focus less on the glitz, glimmer, and gifts, less on the parties and palate, and less on the shopping and shipping. Could it be we should even focus less on the baby in the manger, and more on the man Jesus, perhaps less on his birth, and more on his return, less looking at the past, more looking toward the future. This is not to suggest the above things are wrong, but rather that there are other things more important. Many even in our churches might find it difficult to give a Biblical answer to our title question, "Why Was Jesus Born?"

Jesus was born for a purpose and he was driven to fulfil that purpose. His life, his teachings, his ministry, his death, resurrection, and ascension did not just happen. Everything about Jesus was focused on one thing and it all centers on the coming kingdom of God. Jesus’ ultimate purpose, the cause for which he was born, the reason he came into being, is to rule over the coming kingdom of God. This little known truth, this often missed key promise is foundational in Luke’s account of the birth of Jesus. Remember the words of the angel to Mary in 1:30-33, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favour with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." As declared to Mary, Jesus was truly born to sit on the throne of his ancestor, King David, and to rule over the kingdom promised to Israel (Jacob) from ancient times.

In a future article we’ll address this coming kingdom in greater detail, but for now, let’s read God’s promise to Israel’s King David. King David was the second king of Israel. He was a man of God, favored and blessed. He had built himself a palace fit for a king. Though God had never asked it, David determined in his heart that he would build a house, actually a temple for God. God, however, promised instead, to build a house for David. II Samuel 7:11b-16 tell us, "The LORD declares to you that the LORD himself will establish a house for you: When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with the rod of men, with floggings inflicted by men. But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever."

It was David’s son Solomon who actually built the temple for God, but this promise is a whole lot bigger than Solomon. It’s prophetic of the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of God himself. The Christ was to be a direct descendant of King David, would sit on his throne, and reign over the kingdom forever. This of course has still not happened, but it will, when Jesus returns to this earth. At the time of Jesus’ birth no one sat on the throne of David. Instead, the Roman empire ruled over Israel and all the world. For further study see Psalm 89 and Isaiah 9:6-9.

These scriptural promises will one day be literally fulfilled. Jesus was born to rule forever over the coming kingdom of God. Jesus understood this. Shortly before his crucifixion, he declared to Pilate, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth."

Jesus’ statement about testifying to the truth leads to another reason for which Jesus was born. Another purpose was to preach the gospel or good news of the kingdom of God, or the kingdom of heaven, as it’s more often called in the book of Matthew. The terms are synonymous. In Matthew 4 we read of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness, and very shortly after that, in verse 17 it tells us, "From that time on Jesus began to preach, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.’" In Mark 1:14,15 we read his account of the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, "After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. ‘The time has come,’ he said, ‘The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news.’" This is actually the very first command Jesus gives to those who would be saved, "Repent and believe the good news." Then in Luke 4:43 Jesus clarified this to be his purpose, "I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent."

Everything about Jesus centers on the kingdom of God. He was born to rule forever over that kingdom when it is established here on earth. He was born to preach the good news of the kingdom. Finally, he was born to save us for that kingdom. The angel made this clear to Joseph before Jesus was even born. Speaking of Mary, in Matthew 1:21, the angel explained, "She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." Of course, this was included in the message of the angel to the shepherds in Luke 2:10,11, "I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord." Jesus is that Savior, and according to Acts 4:12, his is the only name by which we can be saved. There is good reason to celebrate the birth of Jesus, and even more to anticipate his return, when he will actually set up the promised kingdom of God. Join us at Timberland Bible church as we remember those things for which Jesus was born.