The Plot: Part 02 The Purpose

Imagine with me for a moment that you witness an execution.  A man is brought out to the street where you work and is beaten nearly to death and then executed as a criminal. 

In any good story the plot must have purpose.  Once we become familiar enough with the characters we need to know their mission.  What is it that these characters need to accomplish.  Why is their task so important. 

Look at the story of Christ.  A lot of people have heard the stories about Him being crucified.  “He came and died so that you don’t have to.”  Is that the total truth?  Does a look at Jesus’ purpose here reveal that he came to die that we wouldn’t have to die?  John 10:10 tells that Jesus came that we could have life.  Interestingly this word life is the Greek word zoe.  It doesn’t just mean that we get to breath, think, walk, etc.  This word zoe is defined more closely as life as God intended it.  So Jesus is saying that He came that we could have life as God intended it.  This line of thinking is a lot deeper than Jesus simply died that we wouldn’t have to die.  Sure, a major piece of the salvation puzzle is that Jesus died.  But the purpose of His death was not merely so that you don’t die, but more specifically that you live. 

A friend of mine was hunting recently and shot a deer with a bow.  Gruesome as it may sound his goal was to ensure that the dear didn’t suffer anymore than necessary.  Now regardless of your views on hunting none of us would want an animal to just be wounded and left to die.  That however is what happened.  With a wound to the head the deer got up and ran off.  My friend began to try and track the deer, but hours later and with rain washing away the trail he did not find it. 

So how many are cheering right now?  Not many because we understand that this deer is suffering.  Sure the deer got away and seemingly for now has escaped death.  However, is that really the kind of story we all want to hear?  Most of understand that any wound, if the deer survives, will limit it’s quality of life.

Jesus did not die on a cross so that you would simply not have to die.  Instead He more specifically came so that you would have the opportunity to a great life.  The kind of life everyone wants.  Until you begin to discover the purposes of God your story will have no purpose and in the end you won’t understand the story.

Now let’s get back to the man executed in the street.  They said he was a criminal, but in reality he was falsely charged.  He did not resist the execution so that the real criminal would go free.  His death would keep them from finding the real criminal and making that person pay.  His only request was that the real criminal change the way they think and begin to truly LIVE.  That criminal was you.  Do you understand his purpose?

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