First Things First

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. John 3:17

After Jesus's resurrection His hopeful disciples asked, “Lord, are You now going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”(Acts 1:6). The Jews were looking for a messiah that would establish a kingdom of might, power and influence. Their priorities were not yet set on God's priorities, that sin must first be dealt with before power could ever be established.

Scripture teaches that it was God's plan before the creation of the world to deal with sin (1^st Peter 1:19, Revelation 13:8). After Adam and Eve, as the federal heads of humanity, brought sin to our race, the LORD pronounced the remedy to restore us from our fallen state back into fellowship with Himself (Genesis 3:15). He said to the serpent (Satan) that the offspring of Adam and Eve would bruise his head but he would bruise the man's heal, referencing the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and crushing the head of Satan, defeating the power of sin.

Jesus became the perfect sacrifice that can turn away God's wrath from any person lost in their trespasses and sins. Anyone who believes in His atoning work on the cross will have every sin forgiven. This was God's priority, declared through the Law and the Prophets, accomplished through His Son. God's intent was not first power, but pardon. Jesus said to seek His kingdom first and His righteousness and the rest will be added (Matthew 6:33).

There are some 300 prophecies in the Jewish Scriptures many of which speak of a suffering Messiah who offers redemption. Jesus fully met all of these, showing Him to be the only One who can save us all from our sins.

He came first as a servant but will return as the long expected King to sit upon the throne of His ancestor David in all glory, power and authority. Sin and death will be vanquished and righteousness established forever. The order of God's priorities. Not power but pardon. First things first.

Ken