HoHum:
Survivor Eva Hart remembers the night, April 15, 1912, on which the Titanic plunged 12,000 feet to the Atlantic floor, some two hours and forty minutes after an iceberg tore a 300-foot gash in the starboard side: "I saw all the horror of its sinking, and I heard, even more dreadful, the cries of drowning people." Although twenty life-boats and rafts were launched-too few and only partly filled-most of the passengers ended up struggling in the icy seas while those in the boats waited a safe distance away.
Lifeboat No. 14 did row back to the scene after the unsinkable ship slipped from sight at 2:20 A.m. Alone, it chased cries in the darkness, seeking and saving a precious few. No other boat joined it, fearing a crush of swimmers would cling to their craft, eventually swamping it.
Some were already overloaded, but in virtually every other boat, those already saved rowed their half-filled boats aimlessly in the night, listening to the cries of the lost.
WBTU:
How was the word “Savior” used in Greek language? Deliverer, protector, preserver, usually used of a person. 3 ways it was used in Greek/ Roman culture
1. Used of gods or goddess- pagan religion
2. Physicians, politicians, philosophers- society leaders
3. Kings and emperors, especially Caesar
Paul immerses it in all of these
We need a Savior like the neighbor who saved me in the blizzard.
How did Paul use the word in 1, 2 Timothy and Titus?
God is the Savior. 1 Timothy 1:1, 2:3, 4:10, Titus 1:3, 2:10, 3:4
Jesus is the Savior. 2 Timothy 1:10, Titus 1:4, 2:13, 3:6
Literally- "one who delivers or rescues from peril” Jesus saves us from what? “They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead--Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.” 1 Thessalonians 1:9, 10, NIV.
Thesis: Jesus is a .... Savior
For instances:
Jesus is a sufficient Savior
Our Savior used 8 out of the 10 times from 1, 2 Timothy and Titus
Sufficient= adequate for the purpose; enough. To be sufficient is to be self-sustaining, self-adequate, and to have all power and strength. We can be sure that God is all of these things. “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, NIV.
His blood is an all sufficient covering for my sin- The cross upon which Jesus died Is a shelter in which we can hide And its grace so free is sufficient for me And deep is its fountain as wide as the sea. Chorus There's room at the cross for you There's room at the cross for you Though millions have come, there's still room for one Yes there's room at the cross for you. “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7, NIV.
His obedience on the cross is all sufficient for my righteousness. “Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.” Romans 5:18, 19, NIV.
His grace is all sufficient for his action in my life. “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9, NIV.
E. Booth-Tucker preached in Chicago one day, and out from the throng a burdened laborer came and said to him, before all the audience, "You can talk like that about how Christ is dear to you, and helps you; but if your wife was dead, as my wife is, and you had some babies crying for their mother who would never come back, you could not say what you are saying."
A little later Booth-Tucker lost his noble wife in a railway wreck, and the body was brought to Chicago for the funeral service. After others had conducted the funeral service he stood there by the casket, looked down into the face of the silent wife and mother, and said, "The other day when I was here, a man said, I could not say Christ was sufficient, if my wife were dead, and my children were crying for their mother. If that man is here, tell him that Christ is sufficient. My heart is all broken, my heart is all crushed, my heart is all bleeding, but there is a song in my heart and Christ put it there; and if that man is here, I tell him that, though my wife is gone and my children are motherless, Christ comforts me today." That man was there, and down the aisle he came, and fell down beside the casket, and said, "Verily, if Christ can help us like that, I will surrender to Him,"
Jesus is a supreme Savior
A. all people (1 Timothy 2:3; 1 Timothy 4:10)
B. Not an inside Savior, not a club Christianity, but for everyone. “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9, NIV.
C. Jesus wants to be the savior of all people but this gift given to all but must be opened- “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God--” John 1:12, NIV.
Must not forget that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God- Romans 3:23.
“For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” Romans 10:12-14, NIV.
Two extremes that need to be avoided. Universalism- all are saved because of what Jesus has done or only the elect are saved because of what Jesus has done.
Whosoever will, whosoever will! Send the proclamation over vale and hill, Tis a loving Father calls the wander home: Whosoever will may come. (Revelation 22:17)
It has always been God’s plan to reach every people group in the world with the gospel message, and bring people of every ethnicity, nationality, language, and culture into his Kingdom. This is such an essential part of God’s plan of salvation that the end of the age will not come until every people group has been reached (Matthew 24:14).
Anthropologists estimate there are 11,000 distinct people groups in the world today. If we define a people group as “reached with the gospel” by just 2% or more of its individuals have heard the gospel message, missionaries estimate that 6,000 different people groups are currently unreached.
Jesus is a splendid Savior-
A. appearing Titus 2:13; 2 Timothy 1:10
B. Something or someone that appears, something deliberately done, and especially from 2 Timothy 1:10 something that shines out, splendor
Jesus gives light to those in darkness. “the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.”” Matthew 4:16, NIV. We praise Thee, O God! For Thy Spirit of light, Who hath shown us our Savior, And scattered our night. Hallelujah! Thine the glory. Hallelujah! Amen. Hallelujah! Thine the glory. Revive us again.
Alan Robertson- When my brother Jase got out of high school, one of the first things he did was make a list of some of his high school buddies- not to settle old scores, mind you. Jase wanted to see them come to Jesus. So he took his list and started praying for them and sharing the good news of Jesus with them one by one. Well, it wasn’t long before word got around that Jase was fired up about God. One day Jase was asked to give a Bible study for one fellow at his home, where he lived with several roommates. As the 2 of them were preparing to get started, Jase opened up his Bible and asked “Kevin,” one of the other guys who lived there, if he’d like to join them and listen. Kevin said No and headed to the next room to play a video game, but he left the door ajar. For the better part of an hour, Jase took this guy through the whole gospel message. At the end of the study, Jase asked if he wanted to have Jesus as His Savior. The guy said he appreciated the offer but he wasn’t ready. Jase isn’t one to force Jesus down anybody’s throat, so he politely gathered his things and got up to leave. At that point, the door swung wide open and Kevin stepped into the room. “Hey, I’m ready to move on this right now,” he announced. Even though he had pretended not to listen, playing video games and never saying a word, the message had convicted him. He told Jase, “I need to obey what you’ve been talking about.” Jase talked to him a little bit more about faith in Jesus and then took him down to the river to baptize him. See the light of Jesus shined out and made a difference in a place unknown to Jase.
"Your new religion has spoiled you, Mary. You will never shine in good society now," said a worldly lady to her niece, who had been brought to decision for Christ a few months before, The niece responded, "I am seeking grace to shine as a light for God in the midst of a dark and evil world, aunt, and I'll get into good society very soon—the society of saints and angels—in my Father's House on high," was the answer she gave.
