Let us fix our eyes on the Lord Jesus!

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

(Hebrews 12, 2-3).

If we do not set the priorities in our lives the people and situation around us will set them for us. When that happens worry and despair can become a problem.

1. The Lord Jesus  knew His purpose

Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.  For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.’ (Luke 19, 9-10).

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. (John 3, 17-18).

In Luke 15, 1-11 we deal with those things that were lost:

The sheep was lost by ordinary circumstance.

The coin was lost accidentally.

The son was lost intentionally.

Before we can set priorities we need to know our purpose.

2. The Lord Jesus set His priorities based on His purpose.

Priority one:

Fellowship with His Father.

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: ‘Everyone is looking for you!’ Jesus replied, ‘Let us go somewhere else - to the nearby villages - so I can preach there also. That is why I have come. (Mark 1, 35-38).
Priority two:

Discipleship of His inner circle.

They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. (Mark 10, 32).

Priority three:

Ministry to the lost.

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost. (Luke 19, 9).

3. The Lord Jesus protected His priorities from other people’s agendas.

From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. ‘Never, Lord!’ he said. ‘This shall never happen to you!’

Jesus turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.’ (Matthew 16, 21-23).

1. The Lord Jesus knew His purpose!

2. The Lord Jesus set His priorities based on His purpose.

3. The Lord Jesus protected His priorities from other people’s agendas.

Let us fix our eyes on the Lord Jesus!