Jesus had a goal. He was focused on His mission here on earth. He was focused on it even though it was different than people expected and would cause Him pain in the end. This devotion looks at Jesus’ focus on His goal and what we can learn from His example.
Nuggets
- Jesus had a goal because His message was opposite to what people heard and His itinerant ministry would have been challenging.
- Jesus had a goal because He had to prepare His disciples for when they had to be prepared for what was coming.
Jesus had a short ministry; it was only three years long.
Because of that, He had to make every day count. He did — He was on a mission.
Luke 4: 43 says, “… ‘I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.’” (ESV).
Even when people didn’t believe, Jesus kept on teaching them (Matt. 6: 6). He knew His mission.
Not only did Jesus teach everywhere He went, but He had His route mapped out. It may have looked like He was criss-crossing the countryside, but Jesus was headed to Jerusalem.
At the right time, Luke says, “… he set his face to go to Jerusalem” (9: 51, ESV). He didn’t chase any rabbits or go squirrelly on people.
Jesus knew where He was going and set out to get there.
The Way Was Rough
"He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem" (Lk. 13: 22 ESV)
Jesus had a goal because His message was opposite to what people heard and His itinerant ministry would have been challenging.
But think about it. What Jesus was teaching was counterculture. Most people were expecting a King, not someone who was going to suffer.
And suffer Jesus did. The life of a traveling man could not have been easy in those days. I wonder how many times He camped out under the stars. I wonder how differently His life really was from the shepherd watching his sheep.
Oooo, I hadn’t thought of that before. Yes, Jesus spent time at Peter’s house. But He wasn’t always guaranteed a place to stay. He probably did spend a number of nights roughing it.
Because Jesus is our Shepherd. Shepherds sleep outdoors. I am kind of comforted right now that Jesus probably experienced the lifestyle, so it is more than just a figure of speech.
Back on track.
Jesus also suffered physical and emotional pain. The walking would have caused blisters and calluses. The rejection would hurt Him.
That was before the cross. The beating and nailing must have been almost unbearable. Add to that the humiliation and uncertainty.
I think there was uncertainty. There would have to be if Jesus was going to experience everything we go through. Because, boy, aren’t we uncertain at times?
The Disciples Didn’t Understand
Jesus had a goal because He had to prepare His disciples for when they had to be prepared for what was coming.
Jesus’ travel mates had conflicting emotions. They were amazed, but they were also afraid (Mk. 10: 32). They were amazed at all the miracles Jesus was performing. He was still making the blind to see, the lame to walk, and the mute to speak. He was still casting out demons.
Now, however, there is an element of fear laced in with the awe. Jesus has already been predicting His death (Mk. 9: 31). In fact, this prediction in Mark 10 was the third prediction.
But we know the disciples didn’t understand. It does sound like they had enough of a clue to be afraid. Maybe it was because Jesus used the Jonah metaphor before: “… ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up’” (Jn. 2: 19, ESV).
We know the disciples were concerned about Jesus going to Judea again when He went to raise Lazarus from the dead (Jn. 11: 8). The Rabbis were wanting to stone Jesus then. Bethany wasn’t that far from Jerusalem.
In this passage, Jesus was going to the big city. Was He out of His mind?
That is especially when He told them what is on tap: “…”See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles. And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise’” (Mk. 10: 33-34 ESV).
We can’t get any more specific than that. But Jesus knew that the disciples needed to be told before it happened what would happen.
Yes, it was so that the disciples knew that Jesus knew the future. I think that, even though they didn’t believe it yet, He wanted them to hear it now so they could knock it around in their heads and get used to the idea.
The point is Jesus had his mission, and He kept going. He knew what was coming — and that did not deter Him.
Making the Connections
If Jesus is to be our example — and He is — what can we learn from this? We can learn several things.
I think the first thing we can learn is Jesus has a plan. Jesus knew His mission was to be Savior of the world.
God has plans for our lives (Jer. 29: 11). He may not have yet revealed our Jerusalem to us. Maybe He has — but hasn’t shown us how we are supposed to get there. Maybe in some areas, we still have no clue about what He is calling us to do.
We have to decide for ourselves to believe that God has plans for us. We have to choose to follow Him wherever He leads us — even through rejection, humiliation, and uncertainty.
It is a choice. It is a daily choice. Are we going to accept His plans for our lives?
But Jesus didn’t just jump to the end. He lived daily until He got to Jerusalem. He was “… always pressing onward …” (Lk. 13: 22 LB). Yes, He was fully God, but I bet He used this time to grow as a person.
How Do We Apply This?
We may know that God is calling us to a specific career. However, we might need to get education first. We might need to relocate. We may be waiting for that special someone to enter our lives.
But first, we have to work on us. We have to get our relationship with God strengthened first. Then we have to figure out how He expects us to be a wife or husband — or maybe just a significant other without marriage involved.
Too many times, we want the instant gratification. We want the easy, not the hard. We want what we want — now!
I am reminded of a song that a choir I was in years ago sang. The name of it was The Journey Is Our Home. Yes, it is about graduating to heaven so we can live with God forever. It is also about the journey in this flawed human body. This journey is preparing us for that future.
Jesus took care of others. Even though the healings and the feedings weren’t His primary mission, Jesus kept working His miracles as He traveled to Jerusalem. He did this because He loved His sheep.
The Journey Is Our Home talks about moving on together as one and living in faith and love. He created us to help each other. We are to be examples, teachers, and role models. We are to provide food, water, welcome, clothing, care, and support to others (Mt. 25: 36-41). We aren’t just supposed to keep God for ourselves.
The biggest take away is Jesus obeyed God. It wasn’t easy. It wasn’t glamorous. But He focused on God and the Person God was calling Him to be. Jesus did what needed to be done.
We need to focus on God. We need to obey Him. We need to live the lives He has called us to live. We have to be “… always pressing on toward Jerusalem” (Lk. 13: 22 NLT) — toward heaven.
Wonderful Father. We are chickens. We shy away from anything even remotely hard. We kick and scream if we see You are not calling us to the easy. But You have plans for our lives — You have missions for us. Help us to be like Jesus. He was focused on His mission. He followed You regardless of hard or easy. He followed You if He saw instant results or if He didn’t. We want to follow You. Help us to do Your Will. Amen.
What do you think? Is it easier when you have a goal toward which to work? Or do you just take one day at a time? Leave me a comment below (about this or anything else) or head over to my Facebook group for some interactive discussion.
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What an immense encouragement this is for me!
Thanks, Summer! Isn’t it wonderful that God gives us what we need when we need it?
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