We Have A Savior

Preliminary:

I invite you to 1 John chapter 4

Have you ever needed to be rescued?

Needed delivered?

I want to talk to you this morning about ONE who came to rescue and deliver humanity from their doom.

With the Lord’s help I’d like to talk from the thought “We Have A Savior”

1 John 4:13 we’ll read just two verses there

1 John 4:13-14 “13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.”

The true story is told by a man who barely survived one of the wildfires out west a couple of years ago.

They thought they were far enough away, but were awakened in the night when their power went out.

They got up and seen the smoke billowing down their street and knew they were in trouble.

They packed their bags, gathered a few important papers some precious photos, checked on their neighbors and loaded the car. He sent the wife on ahead and they were to meet at her office in town. He was going to stay and help neighbors.

After a while he noticed he was about the only one left in the neighborhood, but also realized there were little fires popping up all around him.

He thought, maybe if I could put out these little fires it will save me and the house.

SO he grabbed his little garden hose and began to put out the fires.

The heat became so intense, blistering hot, oh he had put out plenty of little fires, but the big one got closer and closer.

He said he watched the wall on his house begin to bubble, he was surrounded by heat, smoke, fire no way out but he aimed his garden hose at the house and was going to try anyway.

It was then that he heard a voice and felt a hand on his shoulder.

No he wasn’t able to save his house, but the brave and heroic fireman saved his life.

While we aren’t trapped in a burning wildfire - we are trapped in a situation of death and doom.

John reminds us in this passage that we too have a Savior -

The word “Savior” means deliverer, preserver, “someone who rescues something from danger or violence - especially used of Christ as the one who rescued His people from their sins and the resulting danger of judgement”

We Have A Savior - Who is Unique

Acts 4:12 “12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

David Wells from the Lausanne [low-zaan] Movement wrote in an article entitled “The Uniqueness of Christ” the danger we are in to forget this important truth.

The reality of Christ being the only way has been under attack since the prophecy was given to Eve, but especially in our current and liberal theological era.

The temptation he says is “to cut Christ loose from the historical Jesus”

The problem with that however is that he takes on quite a different identity than what the Gospel records.

So modern man (really since the fall) man is attempting to get to God some other way bypassing Christ.

That’s how people arrive at the concept that all roads lead to heaven.

A common assumption is that there is a world spirituality, regardless of the religious forms it takes on the surface. Beneath all those forms is spirituality, and through this spirituality and within it, is God himself. Jesus Christ is not necessary for us to gain access to it....

...human spirituality is not redemptive—even when it takes on religious forms. This is obvious, for example, when we see Paul encountering it in his three missionary sermons (Acts 13:16-41; 14:14—18; 17:22-34). In each case, he recognized that those to whom he spoke, whether Jew or Gentile, were religious. But this spirituality was not recognized as an alternative to Christ!

In times past, God had let the Gentiles go their own way. “Acts 17:30 “30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:”

But through Christ sin has been dealt with decisively, and God now Acts 17:30 “30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:”

Acts 17:31 “31 Because he [God] hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.”

That man is Jesus Christ.

Now there are things beyond yours and my knowledge when it comes to the judgments of God - His ways are past finding out.

But according to the Bible Jesus is the only way HE IS A UNIQUE SAVIOR

From the Nicene Creed in the fourth century, to Chalcedon, to the Reformation and post-Reformation confessions, Christ has been seen as unique.

He was the only incarnation of God in human flesh, who died for us on the cross.

He did what no one else could do or has done: He bore our sins and rose again for our justification.

There was no one else like him in his time, and there is no one else like him in ours.

He was and is unique— without rival, peer, equal, or comparison.

He is in a category by himself. He is God—the incarnate and sovereign Lord, without whom we would still be hopeless orphans in a cold and indifferent world.

Men and women across the ages have worshipped him, served him, suffered for him, and sometimes died for him.

He can call forth our highest praise, our deepest commitment, our greatest service because of who he is and what he has done.

We Have a Savior who is unique - But not just unique he is also CENTRAL

We have a Savior who is Central

Central to the Bible - the Bible is the written revelation of God to us and shows from Genesis to Revelation how God revealed himself to us in these last days by sending a Savior - Jesus Christ

The Chicago Statement on Biblical Hermeneutics put it this way: “We Affirm that the Person and work of Jesus Christ are the central focus of the entire Bible”

Matthew 5:17 “17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.”

Heb 10:7 “7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.”

John 5:39 “39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.”

Luke 24:27 “27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.”

“There are other topics to be sure, but the person and work of Christ are central”

Central to history -

His birth has changed the way we keep track of history. It makes the difference between B.C. sometimes referred to as “before Christ” and “A.D.” Anno Domoni - the year of our Lord.

Central to Salvation - Without the Cross at the center of the Gospel we have no savior

Without Christ - the only fully God - fully man at the core as the centerpiece of civilization we are at best lost without hope.

But we Have a Savior who is central!!!! His name is Jesus Christ.

We Have A Savior - who is sufficient

He was sufficient to pay the price

He was sufficient to represent us

His death on the cross is sufficient to save the entire world

A universal atonement - but not salvation we must receive it ourselves.

He is sufficient to deliver us -

We don’t have to suffer alone - he is the answer to the sin problem

Emeal Zwayne was a rebellious boy from Lebanon raised Roman Catholic but a lot of issues.

Even as a kindergartner he was known to choke other children and take their things.

As a 15 year old he joined the Crips a street gang, had threatened to kill a teacher who got on to him for vandalizing a class room.

His mom was so afraid of him that she would often lock her bedroom door at night because she thought he might try to kill her.

But one night this young gangster, drug dealer, alcoholic, violent young man met Jesus Christ at a crusade a friend of his invited him to they had been out drinking - they went and Emeal met Jesus

It was an amazing transformation - He told his mom that night - things were going to be different from now on - and truly they were, it was a miracle

he called his gang and told them he wanted out he had found Jesus - they didn't want any of this God stuff and promised they would never do anything to him.

He was a rapper under contract with Hollywood - he called and said he was out - he couldn't live two lives they let him off the contract,

he had an arranged cocaine deal the night he got saved, of course he didn't go - later he called and told them he had gotten saved again God intervened and delivered him from that -

I'm glad we have a Sufficient Savior who can save to the uttermost - Today Emeal works with Ray Comfort and Living Waters Ministries.

Sin is strong

Satan is strong

Death and the grave is strong

The Curse of the Law is strong

We needed a Savior we needed someone who would be stronger than sin, stronger than Satan, stronger than death and the grave, stronger than the curse of the Law.

We have a savior who is stronger than sin - He came to destroy the works of the devil to give victory over the power of sins. Stronger than Satan - Just a few words from the Master and Satan must flee.

WE HAVE A SAVIOR WHO IS SUFFICIENT!!!

This is an extreme case - but if you are struggling with sin we have a Savior who is sufficient to meet your need.

If you are struggling to find another way to happiness or wholeness - We have a Savior who is unique and central

And He is here waiting for you to receive the free gift He is offering you - A SAVIOR

Have you ever recieved this gift?

I’d like us all to stand and I want every head bowed every eye closed

I want to be faithful to you - and give you an opportunity to receive this Savior

I’m not going to embarrass you or call your name out or tell anyone - but if you have seen your need of this Savior

Would you just silently and quietly slip your hand up - now this doesn’t save you but it says “Pray for me pastor, I want to receive this Savior and His gift”