Mission Accomplished!

For Wednesday, February 7, 2024:

Mark 10:33-34 NLT: “Listen,” Jesus said, “we’re going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man [Jesus] will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die and hand him over to the Romans. They will mock him, spit on him, flog him with a whip, and kill him, but after three days he will rise again.”

I’ve always been intrigued by Jesus’ constant use of the term, “Son of Man,” to describe himself. Most Bibles simply say, “A title Jesus used for himself,” but I believe there’s more to it.

"Son of Man” describes Jesus’ current condition, born as a human. But he originated in heaven as the Son of God! Jesus was sent to earth to complete an assignment. He was on a “Mission Trip,” if you will. The goal was to solve mankind’s sin problem which was perpetually separating humans from our Creator Father in Heaven. The plan was to allow mankind to repent and return, and to offer forgiveness. Jesus would take the sin of the world to the place of the dead, leaving mankind cleansed and suitable to take up eternal residence in the Kingdom. Problem solved; mission accomplished!

As the entourage was returning to Jerusalem, Jesus details what’s about to happen to him. If he’s to deliver the sins of the world to the place of the dead, he has to himself die. It won’t be pretty!

The disciples don’t understand because they’re living in the moment. But because we have the complete scenario in our Bibles, we can appreciate the big picture. We can understand the goal, the masterplan behind our rescue. We can participate as someone who was rescued by Jesus himself. Believe!

We should celebrate Jesus’ gift of heavenly eternity!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship