Mission:Impossible vs Mission Accomplished

          Remember the old TV show Mission:Impossible?

          It is described as a show in which "an elite covert operations unit carries
     out highly sensitive missions subject to official denial in the event of failure,
     death, or capture."

          The leader of the team was given their instructions by a nameless, faceless
     voice on cassette tape, which "self-destructed" afterward.

          Each week their task seemed impossible to carry out, and involved danger-
     ous and sometimes deadly circumstances.  Yet somehow, as far as I can remem-
     ber, not a single one of the main characters ever died, and the team always suc-
     cessfully carried out its mission.


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          On the other hand, Jesus had a mission which seemed impossible also -
     reconciling sinners to a holy and righteous God, who gave Him His assignment
     before the creation of the world, in accordance with His pleasure and will.

          The Father helped His Son accomplish His task, but the Son was abandoned
     not only by His disciples, but also by His Father (temporarily), in His greatest
     time of need.  Unlike the Mission:Impossible team, who always escaped death,
     Jesus willingly gave His life to fulfill the Father's will and complete His assigned
     calling to save His people.

          Jesus had to die for His mission to be successful.  He suffered and bled and died,
     according to the Father's plan, to save sinners from the Father's wrath because of
     their sins.  He was the Substitute in the place of His people, taking their sins on
     himself, and imputing His righteousness to them.

                                
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          Jesus doesn't just try to save sinners, He actually saves them.  He doesn't merely
     make salvation possible, He actually accomplishes salvation for His people.


                         The angel told Joseph, "She (Mary) will give birth to a son, and you
                         are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from
                         their sins."   Matthew 1:21


          He won't attempt to save them.  He will save them!


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          Jesus, told us Himself why He came.

                          "For the Son of Man came to seek and save what was lost."
                           Luke 19:10


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          God makes His people alive in Jesus, by grace, through faith.

                          "But because of His great love for us, God who is rich in
                            mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead
                            in transgressions --- it is by grace you have been saved."
                            " ... For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -
                            and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by
                            works, so that no one can boast."   Ephesians 2:4, 8-9

          Grace, faith, and salvation are all gifts from God, through Jesus.

  
                           "All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through
                             Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;  that God
                             was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting
                             men's sins against them.  And He has committed to us the
                             message of reconciliation."  2 Corinthians 5:18-19


          Jesus has secured redemption, forgiven the sins, and saved those who wait
     for Him, through His death on the cross.


                           "He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves;
                             but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own
                             blood, having obtained eternal redemption."
                              ... so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many
                             people;  and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but
                             to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him."
                                                                                                Hebrews 9:12, 28

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          His death brings His people perfection and holiness.

         
                            " ... by one sacrifice He has made perfect forever those who
                              are being made holy."      Hebrews 10:14


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          Jesus saves completely and intercedes with the Father for His children.


                            "Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to
                              God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for
                              them."                Hebrews 7:25


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          "It is God who initiates salvation, who continues it and who will one day
     bring it to consummation (through Jesus Christ)."    NIV Commentary


                           " ... He who began a good work in you will carry it on to
                             completion untilt the day of Christ Jesus."  Philippians 1:6b


                                  
          Jesus came to save His people, and that is exactly what He did!

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          "Would you call a mission 'effective' that did not accomplish what it claimed
     to accomplish?  I wouldn't.  I would say its effectiveness was limited by the re-
     sponse of the people for whom it was intended."

          "In John 10:11, Jesus describes Himself as 'the good shepherd,' who lays down
     His life for His sheep.'  He later says to the Jews who were around Him, 'You do
     do not believe because you are not part of my flock.'"  (John 10:26)
          (Notice that He did not say, "you are not part of my flock, because you don't
     believe").

          "In John 6:38-39, Jesus says that He came to do the father's will,
            'and this is the will of Him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that
            He has given me, but raise it up on the last day.'"

          "All that Jesus was entrusted to do - including His atoning work on the cross -
     was to be effectually accomplished.  The question must be asked then, 'Did Jesus
     do the father's will?'  'Was He successful in His mission.'  I believe that He was,
     and that is exactly what He means when He said from the cross,

                                'It is finished.'"

                                                          Tom Ascol


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          Not a single drop of Jesus' blood was shed in vain!