AMAZED BY JESUS: The Purpose of Jesus
Jesus was always clear that His ministry was purposeful; He had a specific, amazing purpose for all that He said and did. Far from being a helpless victim of human brutality, Jesus is the Savior who deliberately left glory and unfathomable beauty to die a sacrificial, atoning death. Nothing was left to chance, and no moment of His ministry was outside of God’s promise-fulfilling plan. Subjecting Himself to the horrors of a sin-cursed world and the wrath of God was Jesus’ designed, intentional decision.

As we explore the final chapters of Mark's Gospel, we must personally meet the Lord at His cross and see the crown He chose if we’re ever going to understand why the New Testament’s central news is good. In fact, we have to investigate and explore God’s motivation, reasons, and desires as seen in the purpose of Jesus if we’re going to make sense of anything at all. What we’ll find wrapped up in the purpose of Jesus is better than anything we could ever write up, invent, imagine, or hope for, which is why Mark ends his Gospel describing the reaction of disciples who first discovered that Jesus was no longer dead:

“...trembling and astonishment had seized them…”

May we, too, be amazed by Jesus every day that we are alive.

RESOURCES (Online)

Blog: Theories of Atonement

Blog: Does the Gospel of Mark Present Jesus as God? 

Blog: The Cross of Christ

Blog: The Reliability of the New Testament

Essay: Substitutionary Atonement

Essay: The Bodily Resurrection of Jesus

Essay: Darkness Over the Whole Land

Podcast: Why You Can Rely on the Canon

Videos: The Last Days According to Jesus

Video: The Bible Project - Mark