The Reason for Jesus - Encouragement for Today - November 2, 2026
Encouragement for Today
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Crosswalk.com
November 2, 2026
The Reason for Jesus
Charles Martin
Author of The Reason for Jesus
“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God ...” (John 1:12, ESV).
January 1, 2025. Daybreak. I was sitting alone at the firepit on our farm. Bible on my lap. I was looking back. Looking ahead. Trying to listen.
I’ve known the Lord a long time. Yet for some reason as I sat there, I felt that I heard Him ask, not audibly but as an impression: When you think of Me, do you think of Me as your Father?
I wasn’t quick to answer. Finally, I said, “Yes, Lord.”
Seconds ticked by. You sure?
I realized that if I really knew Him as my Father, I’d act like a son. Like an heir. But I don’t.
Then He said: If I am who I say I am and you are who I say you are, then what does that make us?
As much as I know my own heart, I love Him. Yet I’d never considered this.
His words were an offering, not a beatdown. He was putting His arm around my shoulder, not poking me in the chest. He wasn’t disappointed in me for calling Him “Lord.” That’s His name (Exodus 34). But it is possible to know Him as Lord and not know Him as Father. That’s the life of a slave, not a child.
I spent the next year scouring His Word.
What amazed me was how much Jesus speaks about the Father. More than 165 times. More than any other topic. He’s trying to tell us something.
Let me ask you: In your own words, what is the reason for Jesus?
Most of us answer something like: to save sinners, make propitiation, shed His blood, satisfy the wrath of God, destroy the works of the devil, ransom mankind, set the captives free, take away the sins of the world, secure an eternal redemption.
And yes, Jesus absolutely did these things, and I thank God He did. But these describe what He did, not why. Jesus did the “what” because of the “why.”
Why did the only begotten Son of God die a brutal death, not just for us but in place of us, especially when we’re guilty as sin? Was it just to save us from hell? I don’t think so. And neither did Jesus.
If you were drowning and someone were to save you, then logically, they would pull you out of the water. But what then? Drop you in another body of water? No. They’d take you somewhere. You were saved from and taken to.
So what really is the reason for Jesus? The answer is simple. Profound. Soul-shattering. Heart-rending.
Jesus did not simply save us from something. He saved us to Someone: the Father.
The answer to the Father's question at the firepit is the same answer Jesus gives throughout the Gospels. If He is who He says He is and we are who He says we are, then we're no longer slaves. We're children. Sons and daughters. Heirs.
“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God ...” (John 1:12).
This is the fracture that occurred in the garden, the relationship that was lost with the Father: We lost the intimate walks with Him in the cool of the morning. But our ability and our invitation to call Him “Abba,” Father, was made available again at the cross. Intimacy was returned to us. Restored.
The Father is the destination. He always has been. Jesus came to bring us home.
The Father is asking for your hand. All you have to do is reach up, take it, and walk with Him from death to life. Slave to free. Orphan to heir. Outside to in. Broken to whole. Rejected to accepted. Rebel to child. From a long way gone to all the way home. From cold and lonely to the arms of your Father. When you do, it will change everything.
Father, in the power of Your Spirit, through the words of Your Son, please reveal Yourself to me. In Jesus’ name, amen.
OUR FAVORITE THINGS
If you’re longing to experience the heart of God the Father for you, order Charles Martin’s new book The Reason for Jesus: Why Did God the Father Ransom You? or pick up a signed copy for yourself or a loved one.
ENGAGE
Download the free discussion and reflection guide, a perfect companion this Advent season to journey from the manger to the cross, and uncover what the true reason for Jesus means for you.
Enter to WIN your very own copy of The Reason for Jesus by Charles Martin. To celebrate this book, Charles’ publisher will give away 5 copies! Enter to win by filling out the form here. {We’ll randomly select 5 winners and notify them via email by Monday, November 9, 2026.}
FOR DEEPER STUDY
Isaiah 9:6, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (ESV).
John 17:24-26, “Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them” (ESV).
When you think of God, do you think of Him as your Father? Why or why not? We’d love to hear from you — share your thoughts with us in the comments!
Proverbs 31 Ministries
P.O. Box 3189
Matthews, NC 28106
www.Proverbs31.org
