04/09/2026
Nothing Has Changed: God Still Wants to Save People from Sin
Matthew 1:21 gives us a clear statement of the mission of Jesus:
“Thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.”
His mission was not primarily to make people healthy, wealthy, comfortable, or free from earthly difficulties. He came to save people from their sins.
During His earthly ministry, Jesus demonstrated His divine authority through miracles. He healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, cleansed lepers, raised the dead, and performed many other signs. These works testified to who He was and confirmed the authority of His message. But the miracles were never the final destination; they pointed people to the One who had come to deal with the deeper problem of sin.
Then Jesus died, was buried, and rose again. After His resurrection, He gave His disciples their commission:
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations…” (Matthew 28:19).
The mission had not changed.
Jesus came to save people from their sins, and now He commanded His disciples to go and make disciples.
Therefore, the mission of the church is not fundamentally to make people’s earthly lives easier. It is not simply to gather crowds, solve problems, provide social assistance, or perform miracles.
The mission is still salvation.
We must never allow the church to become so focused on people’s temporary needs that we neglect their eternal need. People may need healing, food, employment, housing, and encouragement—and we should care about these things. But above every temporary need stands humanity’s greatest need:
to be reconciled to God and saved from sin through Jesus Christ.
The world has changed. Society has changed. Our methods may change. Our circumstances may change.
But God’s mission has not changed.
Jesus came to save people from their sins.
We have been sent to make disciples of Jesus Christ.
Nothing has changed.
